It's with the heaviest of hearts that we let you know of Al Pyott's death on June 21, 2020.
The Wetlands Initiative would not exist without Al. As a co-founder, he believed wetlands are a critical yet undervalued part of our environment. And with so much of the wetland landscape lost in the Midwest, he knew TWI's mission would need to be one of restoration to make a real difference, not simply preservation of remnants.
After co-founding TWI in 1994, Al served the organization at different times as president, director, and chairman. He was always TWI's biggest cheerleader.
One of Al's greatest conservation achievements was the creation of the Dixon Waterfowl Refuge in Hennepin, Illinois. Al led TWI's effort to acquire the land and restore it back to native habitats—something even he initially called a "harebrained scheme."
Al made a difference to many conservation organizations in Illinois besides our own. Before co-founding TWI, he was executive director of the Illinois chapter of The Nature Conservancy. He also served in various capacities with the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board, and others.
In 2018, we cut the ribbon on the open-air Pyott Pavilion at the Dixon Refuge, in the area known as Sandy Hollow. If you get a chance to visit this summer and take in the glorious view of restored prairie, savanna, and floodplain forest from the pavilion, let Al's conservation vision inspire you as much as it has all of us here at TWI.
Al Pyott (center) with his wife, Liza, and their children at the dedication of the Pyott Pavilion at the Dixon Waterfowl Refuge in June 2018. Photo by Vera Leopold/TWI.