092001 Who We Are

September 20, 2001
posted April 14, 2003

Who We Are

Brian Scherf - Hollywood, Fla.
Chair, Biodiversity Committee of the Broward County Group

When American Automobile Association members reach travel counselor Brian Scherf on the phone to help them plan a vacation, they get more than highway routes and discount motels. They get an environmental education as well. "I talk about national parks all day, and I always work in a conservation message," says the Florida activist. "So you're going to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park? Do you know about the work that they're doing there to reintroduce elk? Bound for Yosemite? Are you familiar with the efforts being made to reduce the impacts of visitors there?" Some are interested, some are ambivalent - it just depends on the person, says Scherf. "There's a quote: 'Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.' That's the price of our public lands, too, and I'm just asking people to be vigilant." When he's not working, Scherf is the Sierra Club's point man on protecting the Big Cypress National Preserve, which he calls the Rodney Dangerfield of the park system: "It gets no respect because it's overshadowed by the Everglades." His wife Rosalyn is his partner when it comes to writing comments and working with the agency. "She helps tone me down when I get out of hand."