He knew the importance of protecting wild places. The Outdoor Recreation Acquisition Program, as it was called, preserved hundred of thousands of acres for recreation areas, public parks and wildlife habitat. Without his vision, these areas that now belong to the people of Wisconsin might not exist today as wild places. In 1962, after two terms as governor of Wisconsin, he was elected to represent the people of Wisconsin in the U.S. Senate. He believed that environmental problems needed national attention.
People care about the disappearance of their favorite childhood nature spots.
During the Vietnam War, Nelson decided to have a teach-in on the environment. He proposed it on the floor of the U.S. Senate. More than 20 million people took part, signaling the birth of the modern environmental movement. School children cleaned up dirty streets, community groups planted trees. People picked up trash and cleaned up neighborhoods.