Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives
Earth First! records
UUS_COLL MSS 545
4.5 linear feet
10 boxes
1971-2012
This collection contains early records from the Earth First! environmental activist group. It contains correspondence, publications, and ephemera from the group and its members.
Material in English
Processed in May of 2019, reprocessed in 2024 to include additional materials.
This collection was purchased in sections by USU Special Collections and Archives from Back of Beyond Books from 2019-2024.
No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.
Permission to publish material from the Earth First! records must be obtained from the Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.
Initial Citation: Earth First! records USU_COLL MSS 545, Box [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.
Following Citations:USU_COLL MSS 545, USUSCA.
Earth First! is a radical environmental group which Dave Foreman, Ron Kezar, Mike Roselle, Howie Wolke, and Bart Koehler founded in 1980 as an alternative to more mainstream groups such as the Sierra Club and the Wilderness Society. The group favors a hands-on approach to saving the environment and considers their efforts a movement, not just an organization. Their motto, "No Compromise in Defense of Mother Earth," demonstrates the group's aversion to political compromise in pursuit of their goal to defend all the earth, not just to preserve some parts.
Earth First! encourages their members to go out and take action to defend the earth. In 1981, for example, leaders of Earth First! staged a crack in the Glen Canyon Dam by rolling black plastic down the face of the dam. Members have taken more extreme action as well, like those arrested in 1990 for plotting sabotage at the Palo Verde nuclear power plant. They were later given prison sentences for their actions. Despite disagreements over the aggressiveness of such tactics, Earth First! continues to support efforts they feel will protect the earth and encourage environmental activism.
This collection mostly contains early papers from the Earth First! group. The materials in the collection were created from 1979 to 2012 and were mostly collected by Ron Kezar, one of the founding members, and Daniel Barron. The collection includes correspondence from Earth First! members to Ron Kezar and mailings from the organization to members. Kezar also collected the Earth First! newsletters/journals and documents about the Palo Verde court proceedings. Also included are audio and VHS tapes related to the group and Earth First! ephemera, such as bumper stickers and t-shirts.
Items are arranged by document type.
Sierra Club, Utah Chapter archives, COLL MSS 148
Utah Wilderness Association records, COLL MSS 200
Issues of Wild Earth magazine have been removed and given to the books curator.
Environmental protection--United States
Conservation of natural resources--United States
Environmental policy--United States
Environmental Activism
Correspondence
1980-1998
to Ron Kezar from various authors
1980-1987
1
1
to Ron Kezar from various authors
1990
1
2
to Ron Kezar from various authors
1990
1
2
to Ron Kezar from various authors
1992
1
3
to Ron Kezar from John Davis
1986-1995
1
4
to Ron Kezar from Dave Foreman
1983-1987
1
5
to Ron Kezar from Dave Foreman
1989-1990
1
6
to Ron Kezar from Dave Foreman
1991-1993
1
7
to Ron Kezar from Dave Foreman
1994-1995
1
8
to Ron Kezar from Charles Conner
1988-1996
1
10
to Ron Kezar from Rod and Nancy Mondt/Zierenberg
1991-1995
1
11
to other members of Earth First!
1981-1998
1
9
to and from Daniel Barron
1982-1990
9
1
Letters to "Circle" (EF! leadership)
1981-1982
8
7
Correspondence relating to fundraising, legal defense funds, subscription expiration notices
1983-1991
8
5
Official response of the Director of Forestry to significant environmental points raised during the timber harvesting plan evaluation process
1988
9
2
Publications and business records
1971-2012
Public land information sheets
undated
2
1
Mailings to EF! Members from organization
1980-1992
2
2
Mailings to EF! Members from organization, event flyers
undated
2
3
EF! Organization information, Dave Foreman writing drafts
1980-1981
2
4
Round River Rendezvous and other event flyers
1981-1986
8
6
Articles, flyers, drafts by Daniel Barron
1983-1987
2
10
San Bruno Mountain press releases, informational flyers about the Mission Blue Butterfly
1979-1987
8
8
American Express boycott flyers
undated
8
11
Meeting minutes, member contact information
1985
2
9
Citizens for a Better Environment (CBE) petitions, newsletters
1979-1984
6
8
David Barron college student essays
1980-1981
6
9
David Barron writing and research on other political issues
1982-1990
8
9
Subjects include socialism, taxidriver independence, AIDS research, Oregon Fair Share, El Salvador, Equal Rights Amendment, anti-war
Article from Peter Petrakis: "Alas, the Dam Must Remain" and response
1987
6
10
Empty envelopes
1984-1993
2
5
Edward Abbey newspaper clippings
1993-2002
2
6
Books of the Big Outside
1991-1995
2
7
Other Magazines
1971-1988
2
8
Other assorted publications
1984-1987
10
1
Non-Earth First! publications include Radiance, New World Rising, World Rainforest Report, Ecology Center, Free Our Public Lands, and Northern Lights
Boycott Alaska posters
undated
10
2
Other Earth First! special publications
1980's
10
3
Includes introductory guide, A Citizen's Primer to Stop U.S. Forest Service Destruction, and the Independent Grizzly Bear Report
Hand drawn posters
undated
10
4
Earth First! rally poster
1989 March 4
10
4
Earth First! calendars
1983-1985
9
3
Earth First! Journals
1981-1986
3
Earth First! Journals
1986-1988
4
Earth First! Journals
1988-1992
5
Earth First! Journals
2012
9
4
Other magazines
1989-1991
6
1
Canyon County Zephyr newspaper
1989
6
2
Jackson Hole Guide newspaper
1981-1982
6
3
Other Newspapers, clippings
1982-1989
6
4
Palo Verde Trial
1982-1991
Legal Proceeding newspaper clippings, articles
1989-1991
6
5
New Times articles by Mike Lacey
1991
6
6
Legal documents, evidence
1982-1989
6
7
Media
1981-1998
Earth Fest Tapes
1983
7
1-4
Nightcap Rainforest tapes
undated
7
5-6
Deep Ecology tape
undated
7
7
Earth First! tape
undated
7
8
Ecodefense: A Field Guide to Monkeywrenching, 2nd and 3rd editions
1987-1993
7
9-10
"The Cracking of the Glen Canyon Damn" VHS
undated
7
11
Ephemera
1983-1985
Earth First! T-shirts
undated
7
12-15
Earth First! Bumper Stickers and stickers
undated
8
1
Other documents
undated
8
2
Other Earth First! ephemera
undated
8
3
Johnny Sagebrush's Li'l Green Songbooks, Bart K. Music
1981-1986
8
4
Environmental activism songs and poetry, featuring Susu Jeffrey
1980's
8
10