Tia Nelson on Earth Day 2026: The Daughter of Its Founder on Why Conservation Matters Right Now

For Earth Day, I sat down with Tia Nelson — environmental leader, Wisconsin native, and daughter of Senator Gaylord Nelson, the man who founded Earth Day in 1970.

Tia reflects on her father's extraordinary legacy, from the grassroots movement that sparked the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the creation of the EPA, to the personal experience of growing up alongside one of the most important environmental movements in American history. She shares how that legacy shaped her own decades-long career at The Nature Conservancy, the UN climate negotiations, and the Wisconsin Board of Commissioners of Public Lands — and why, 56 years later, she believes the work is more urgent than ever. A conversation about love for the land, the power of ordinary people, and what it means to carry a father's life's work forward.

One more thing: Tia asked me to share this gem from PBS Wisconsin Education with you:

Gaylord Nelson: A Vision For The Earth | Wisconsin Biographies

Gaylord Nelson had an idea for a day focused on the environment. That idea would become the internationally recognized annual event, Earth Day. Born and raised in Clear Lake, Wisconsin, Nelson went on to become a state senator, governor of Wisconsin, and a United States senator. All along the way, he made the environment a priority by protecting natural resources through advocacy, policies, and inspiring greater awareness of the need to care for the earth.

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYsZCtugbnE