by Wendy Martin

When she was eight, there were just two trees on Moisha Blechman's block in Cleveland, Ohio. "My idea of wealth," Blechman says, "was a person who had trees." Under those trees she was at home. It was her place. They gave her solace when she wasn't feeling well, which was much of her early childhood.

Blechman lived in the industrial flats near the Cuyahoga River-the only river ever to catch fire. It was this pollution, said Blechman's family doctor, that was making her chronically-ill. So the family moved to a nearby suburb. The first thing Blechman did, before going inside her new home, was count the trees. There were so many that, though her family was rather poor, she thought they were wealthy. She regained her health, rose to the top of her class and began to excel at sports.

Now 68, Blechman lives in Central Park, again surrounded by trees. A former dancer and fashion designer, she is now a "full time environmentalist." Her husband Bob is a freelance artist and owns a graphic design company. "Bob is a hero. He supports my doing all of this environmental work," says Blechman.

Dedicated members of the Native Forest Council since 1995, the Blechmans hosted a reception for the Council at their home in 1998. "The Native Forest Council does a very good job," Blechman says. "They keep everybody informed on a lot of things. They do not have millions of dollars like the opposition, but they make their point nevertheless." She agrees one hundred percent with the Council's uncompromising positions and Zero Cut policy. "Absolutely, no cut. I wouldn't compromise away another tree," she says firmly.

Blechman's commitment to conservation began with her childhood love of trees and has grown throughout her life. In the 1970s, she joined the New York branch of the Sierra Club, and is now head of the chapter. As chairwoman, she revamped their newspaper, organized fundraising opportunities and was chair of their environmental film festival committee. One of her favorite projects was organizing the annual Christmas parties. Rather than just a social gathering, they were classy events where nothing went to waste. She prepared finger foods, vegetarian dishes, and used glasses instead of plastic-one year she washed all 150 of them the next day-so that there was nothing to throw away. For raffle gifts she arranged to give books on conservation or subscriptions to environmental journals. The parties, she explained, were beautiful, sustainable and educational-words that appear to frame her life's work.

Still an active member of the New York chapter, Blechman is now chair of the Sierra Club Climate Change Committee. However, her staunch advocacy for saving all of what's left of our forests, rivers and streams has earned her some animosity, not only from industry officials but also from the compromising politicians at Sierra Club's National Headquarters. She has faced down false accusations, intimidation and underhanded lobbying from those in higher places with ladylike determination and steadfast determination.

Last May, Blechman founded Citizens for a Healthy Environment, a small group dedicated to preventing the construction of a massive cement plant on a hill 300 feet above the Hudson River. "It's really an advocacy, educational organization, just like the Native Forest Council," she says. Based in Colombia County, the group is part of a coalition of 13 organizations involved in a legal battle to stop the plant's construction. She and her group will fight until they win. After that, it's on to herbicides and pesticides. "You know, there's always a battle," she says.

Blechman explains her relentless fight against environmental destruction rather simply: "As a child, my health and my productivity were absolutely dependent on living with trees. Being connected to animals and the natural world is just who I am."

Links

2001 in Review

A review of the litigation, legislation and educational tools used by the NFC in 2001.

2001 Highlights

A review of the major campaigns and actions of the NFC in 2001.

In Memory

Highlights the lives of council members Dr. Susan Cox and Helen Johnson and their generous gifts to the NFC.

In Focus: Moisha Blechman

Council member Moisha Blechman staunchly fights for saving what's left of our natural resources.

2001 Financial Report

An overview of how we put our resources to work and who provides them.