Jack Lorenz

John R. "Jack" Lorenz (March 14, 1939 – March 2, 2009) was an American environmental activist who led the Izaak Walton League. He served the League for nearly two decades. Lorenz was a vocal advocate for ethical use of outdoor spaces and lobbied off-road vehicle manufacturers to avoid advertisements depicting and glorifying irresponsible treatment of forests and streams. An avid fisherman, Lorenz fished in all 50 states and all of Canada’s provinces.

Lorenz was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on March 14, 1939, and grew up in suburban Webster Groves. He attended the University of Tulsa, graduating in 1961, went on to work for the Falstaff Brewing Corporation in St. Louis, and became the leader of the Izaak Walton League in 1974.

While serving as Executive Director of the Izaak Walton League, Lorenz implemented a number of noted programs. In addition to starting the Outdoor Ethics program, he initiated the League’s "Save Our Streams" initiative, a program to encourage public support for efforts by local groups to clean up waterways and lakes. He championed "catch and release" practices at fishing tournaments, practices that have become almost universally implemented. He helped to establish the Jackson Hole Land Trust, which provides assistance to landowners in Wyoming who want to dedicate their wild lands for preservation. Lorenz co-founded a number of groups that have carried on the initiatives he and others in the environmental movement advocated, including the Wildlife Habitat Council, the Green Group, and the Washington Conservation Roundtable. He also served as President of the American League of Anglers and Boaters.

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