Marion Stoddart of Groton MA, devoted 20 years to the clean-up of the severely polluted Nashua River near Fitchburg MA. In the early 1960’s, before her efforts, domestic sewage and waste from paper-making companies flowed into the river, making it in the words of area old-timers, “too thick to pour and too thin to plow.”

Stoddart saw an outlet for her long-term interest in water resources when she and her husband and three children moved to the area in 1962. She used persistence and political skills to keep people stirred up over the years, generating large-scale citizen demand for the massive clean-up. A hundred twenty million dollars of public investment went to build three major facilities in Fitchburg and nearby Leominster to treat the sewage and paper-mill wastes and to create a shoreline greenbelt.

Today fish once again swim in the Nashua, and more than 6,000 acres along the river are open to the public. Picnickers come to the shores. The river is listed as a scenic river. And the real estate along its banks has increased in value.

“I was looking for the greatest challenge in my life that I felt I could be successful in achieving,” says Stoddart. In a community where a polluted river was a way of life, it was an uphill fight.

Yet, she says, speaking about herself and other environmentalists, “We latch onto our causes like bulldogs. It’s just like a shot of adrenalin when someone throws a hurdle in your way.”

In times of doubt she reminds herself, “Surely no one can expect me to do more than my best.”

Stoddart always considered her drive a local effort, but to her surprise and delight, she was honored by the United Nationals Environmental Programme in June of 1986. She and 19 others were assembled in Nairobi, Kenya to receive “Global 500” Awards.

“It was a dream fulfilled,” says Stoddart. “I’d always wanted to go to Africa. We wondered why we’d been chosen until we learned we were \'role models\'.” That was the theme of the conference. We were pleased to be perceived as successful in our efforts and very pleased to be seen as individuals who could inspire others. I know I\'ve been inspired by other people and now I can give this gift to others.\"

UPDATE:

Here’s a 2011 film about Stoddart: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrI-wyqHjMA