"We met at Oxford University in the zoology department," said Bess Murray. "He lent me a pencil and a card with his name on it. If I had ever known I would end up marrying the man with the pencil, I'm not sure what I would have done."
"Run," said Jim.
Jim and Bess Murray began as lab partners at Oxford. Eventually, the two decided they wanted to be more than "just chums." They were married, and a few years later the offer of an assistant professor of biology position at University of Virginia lured them to the Commonwealth.
The Murrays first got involved with Virginia wilderness in 1969 when a staff person with The Wilderness Society visited Charlottesville and organized a meeting of local citizens to discuss a potential wilderness bill for Shenandoah National Park. That meeting led to the creation of the Virginia Wilderness Committee. In 1970, Jim served as the organization's second president.
The Murrays' activities included surveying, studying and writing about potential wilderness areas and talking to groups of people, civic clubs, local officials, and Forest Service and National Park Service staff and getting them to be enthusiastic about wilderness. "But the nicest part was going to the places themselves and perhaps camping there," said Bess.
In 1975, the Eastern Wilderness Areas Act was passed, giving Virginians their first designated wilderness, the James River Face. The next year, in October 1976, a bill was signed into law designating the Shenandoah Wilderness.
Jim's conservation ethic stems in large part from his childhood. "My father used to take me out in the woods a lot, he was an ornithologist," said Jim. Jim also had the experience of seeing one of his favorite places, Apple Orchard Mountain, converted into an aviation tracking site with a giant radar visible from miles away. "It was an example of things that can destroy the beauty of places," said Jim.
"I've always liked the out of doors," said Bess. "Initially I was very busy with three small kids and Jim would disappear to camp or work somewhere nice. As soon as the kids were not so small we started going out as a family.
"I remember, on an early trip thinking ‘what a beautiful place,' and Jim said ‘we're trying to get it designated as a wilderness so it will be a beautiful place forever.' I asked, ‘why didn't you tell me?' and Jim replied, ‘I've been trying to for five years.' I love being out in these places," said Bess.
The passage of the Virginia Wilderness Act of 1984 was a high point for the Virginia Wilderness Committee. In 1988, another bill passed, adding four new areas. After that, it was twelve years before Viginia would see more wilderness designated.
In the meantime, the U.S. Forest Service recommended some areas for wilderness in the George Washington National Forest. However, these recommendations were not supported by the local board of supervisors of Nelson County. "We went to the local congressman and he said ‘Deliver the board of supervisors and gather local support, and I'll introduce a bill,' and that's what we did," said Jim. As a result, in 2000 the Priest and Three Ridges Wilderness Areas were designated.
The Virginia Wilderness Committee is currently in the midst of an effort to protect special places in the Jefferson National Forest. "Seven years ago, we gathered a bunch of activists from southwest Virginia. We got each to name his favorite beauty spot in the national forest, and we got each person to pledge to do the research necessary for each area," said Jim. Today, the bipartisan Virginia Ridge and Valley Act of 2007 has been introduced in Congress by Rep. Rick Boucher (D) and Sen. John Warner (R) and it enjoys broad and diverse support from county officials, conservationists, mountain bikers, and sportsmen. Included in the legislation is a place called Hunting Camp Creek, Bess' favorite spot in the state. "I told them that if it's not in the bill, I'm going to leave the country," said Bess. "We've camped there twice and seen bears both time, and I love bears."
"For nearly four decades, the Murrays have worked steadily and effectively to protect special places in Virginia," said Lynn Cameron, a fellow Virginia Wilderness Committee board member and veteran local activist. "They are really quite a pair. As a hunter and former biology professor, Jim has been a particularly credible and articulate voice for wilderness. Bess has always been at his side, contributing in a host of ways, from incorporating wilderness in her radio show to feeding her home grown food to wilderness advocates and Congressmen, alike."
Over the past 40 years, Jim and Bess Murray have made an enormous contribution to keeping some of our natural world just the way it is. They've done it with great skill, humor, and love - for wild places, for dear friends, and for their children and grandchildren, who will reap the benefits of these protected places, forever. We are honored to recognize Jim and Bess Murray as Wilderness Heroes.
For more information on wilderness efforts in Virginia, visit the Virginia Wilderness Committee website.
