itar ian ism ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁President ▁Cl inton ▁awarded ▁him ▁the ▁President ial ▁Medal ▁of ▁Fre edom . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Ed gar ▁Way burn ▁was ▁a ▁doctor ▁by ▁training ▁but ▁an ▁ar dent ▁conservation ist ▁at ▁heart . ▁Born ▁in ▁Ma con , ▁Georgia , ▁he ▁moved ▁to ▁San ▁Francisco ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 9 ▁to ▁practice ▁medicine , ▁loved ▁the ▁natural ▁beauty ▁he ▁encountered ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁pot ent ▁force ▁in ▁its ▁pres ervation . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁he ▁married ▁Peg gy ▁Elli ott , ▁and ▁together ▁they ▁were ▁involved ▁in ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁key ▁batt les ▁of ▁their ▁time ▁to ▁protect ▁wild ▁places ▁so ▁that ▁future ▁gener ations ▁can ▁explore ▁and ▁enjoy ▁them . ▁In ▁particular , ▁he ▁played ▁a ▁central ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁Red wood s ▁National ▁Park ▁and ▁the ▁Golden ▁Gate ▁National ▁Rec re ation ▁Area , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁in ▁the ▁passage ▁of ▁the ▁Al aska ▁National ▁Interest ▁Land s ▁Conserv ation ▁Act . ▁Over ▁the ▁years ▁they ▁had ▁four ▁children , ▁two ▁of ▁whom ▁have ▁become ▁prominent ▁environmental ists ▁themselves . ▁Laur ie ▁Way burn ▁co - f ounded ▁and ▁is ▁the ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Forest ▁Trust , ▁and ▁was ▁previously ▁the ▁executive ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁Point ▁Re yes ▁Bird ▁Observ atory , ▁where ▁she ▁was ▁instrument al ▁in ▁creating ▁the ▁ 8 5 0 , 0 0 0 - acre ▁Central ▁California ▁Coast ▁B ios phere ▁Reserve . ▁Another ▁daughter , ▁C yn