Art Cooley, an original founder of the Environmental Defense Fund

Art Cooley, an original founder of the Environmental Defense Fund, was a beloved Bellport High School ornithology and advanced biology teacher who passed January 30. He instilled passion and caring in his students for the environment through lively canoe trips on the Carmans River near the Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge as well as walks in various woodlands on Long Island and other areas. Along the way, he illuminated nature’s significant beauty and benefits by pointing out its creatures and also the intrinsic value of rivers, ponds and streams. Art also founded Students for Environmental Quality, which still exists. His local environmental efforts are chronicled in the @liadvance, story by #LindaLeuzzi. https://www.longislandadvance.net/stories/a-burnished-legacy-of-environmental-advocacy-and-student-leadership,89808