The pair kept in touch, Anne encouraging Leslie’s interest in the environment even during her busiest stretches of writing, traveling, consulting, lecturing and teaching.Īfter college, Leslie worked in Old Forge as a wilderness ranger patrolling 50,000 acres of wilderness by herself. Growing up not far from Anne’s cabin, Leslie had heard about the “Woodswoman’s” work and when she attended the College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, she began writing letters to Anne. Surprenant, now retired from an impressive career with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, always knew she wanted to work in the environmental field. Miles ahead, LaBastille appeared at a crossroads in her beat up old pickup truck and invited the shivering Surprenant to warm up in the cab with her beloved German Shepard. Leslie, who was only 12-years-old at the time, had struck ice on her snowmobile, shattering the windshield. Pioneering A Lasting LegacyĪnne met long-time friend Leslie Surprenant on a cold winter’s night near Eagle Bay. She’s credited with establishing an ecology committee and integrating scientific considerations into the APA’s decision-making. In these memoirs, LaBastille documents her observations living alone in the remote wilderness and her profound connection to the environment.Ĭontinuing to blaze a trail for women in conservation, LaBastille was appointed commissioner of the Adirondack Park Agency (APA)-the first female and first scientist to work for the agency. Surrounded by wild things, Anne retreated to the privacy of her rustic cabin, where she authored her best known, four-volume “Woodswoman” book series. In 1965, Anne purchased property on Twitchell Lake in the Western Adirondacks and built a log cabin named “West of the Wind.” Her home, only accessible by lake or trail, lacked modern amenities, provided peace and solitude as she concentrated on her writing. She authored over 150 popular articles and 25 scientific articles, emerging on the scene at the crossroads of the feminist and environmental movements. LaBastille built her name and reputation through environmental advocacy on issues such acid rain, climate change and the need for conservation long before they were widely accepted ideas. There she became the first female student to study wildlife ecology, later becoming Cornell’s first female professor of natural resources. Taken with the idea of preserving the forest, from both an ecological and societal standpoint, LaBastille enrolled in the natural resource program at Cornell University. She lived and breathed a lifestyle in pace with nature.Įxperiencing this intact environment increased her passion to protect it. Working as a guide by horse and trail, she learned the rugged terrain and honed her outdoor skills. Leaving school in Miami where she studied marine biology, she escaped to the woods for a summer job. LaBastille’s drive for independence lead to her discovery and love of the Adirondacks. Positioned just north of Herkimer and Oneida counties, the Adirondack Mountain region-the largest track of wilderness east of the Mississippi-inspires a sense of natural wonderment amidst dense forests, glistening lakes and panoramic mountain top views.Īnne LaBastille, award-winning author, impassioned conservationist and courageous advocate for the environment, spent much of her life writing and exploring, deep in the wilderness of the Adirondack Mountains.