Alexis Speros (back to contents)

Memphis, Tennessee
February 12, 2080

Scientist and Conservationist Alexis Speros
100 Years Old Today

The Commercial Appeal

How best to celebrate 100 years of a life than by examining the impact that Alexis Speros had on her community, its people, and its natural resources?

On the tangible side are those natural treasures such as the hundreds of acres of rivers and forests to the north of Memphis that, through her efforts, are protected today for the enjoyment of future generations. Through Ms. Speros’ commitment and perseverance, efforts were successful in maintaining a natural reserve for Southern wildlife and timberland.

Among the intangibles are a spirit that inspired others to develop an environmental consciousness, a mind that explored positive applications of science and technology to preserve nature, and a heart that loved and sought protection for all forms of plant and animal wildlife.

Alexis Speros, born on February 12, 1980, in Memphis, Tennessee, continues to live every day of her life to its fullest. During high school, Ms. Speros took advantage of several opportunities which proved to be pivotal experiences in her life. In the summer of 1995, Alexis was a participant in Teen’s Camping Tour of the West where she was introduced to the natural beauty of this country. After her sophomore year, she carried out a focused study of mountain ecology in Duke University’s Scientific Field Study program. It was through this experience, and her work in the microbiology laboratory at the University of Memphis during her junior year, that she came to learn about and to develop an interest in the research process. These experiences marked the beginning of her lifelong commitment to environmental conservation through research.

In the year 2002, Ms. Speros graduated from Duke. She then went on to complete her Masters in Environmental Management from the Nicholas School of the Environment. After graduation, she returned to her hometown to work for the Memphis Sierra Club and Wolf River Conservancy groups. She conducted research and applied techniques which she perfected during her field study experiences in college and graduate school. Her work in mountain vegetation and wildlife population formed the basis for her later work in the mountains of western Arkansas and eastern Tennessee. Here, she completed her best-seller, Liking Hiking, the proceeds of which were donated to the Nicholas School of the Environment.

An avid outdoorsman, Ms. Speros camped, hiked, and biked all across this country. She is an accomplished kayaker and whitewater river guide. Her adventurous spirit and physical endurance guided her on countless trips well into her eighties. She has been quoted as saying, “All I need is a clear night sky and solid ground for a bed.” Her ability to work well with others, her mental and physical toughness, and her independent thinking were cultivated from an early age during summers spent at camp in the Smokies and whitewater kayaking out west.

In her later life, Ms. Speros created the Ecological Foundation of the Mississippi Delta. The Foundation established public policy and supported research in the areas of wildlife, waterways, and forest conservation in the tri-state Delta region. Ms. Speros’ vigor and enthusiasm for the causes of the Foundation stimulated increased activity in the area of environmental conservation.

The people of this community join Ms. Speros’ family and friends in recognizing a century of work in studying and preserving our natural resources. The public legacy of Alexis Speros will be a lasting one.

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