Series Accession 2016-M-050: Administrative. President Frances G. Beinecke records, 1972 - 2007

Series

Call Number: MS 1965, Series Accession 2016-M-050

Scope and Contents

This accession consists of administrative files, correspondence, and subject files kept by Frances G. Beinecke, who served as deputy director (1993-1998), executive director (1998-2006), and president (2006-2015) of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). The records document special projects, campaigns for legislation, relations with the United States and New York State government, and research on environmental policy and issues. Most of the records document her service as deputy director and executive director with the bulk of the materials dating from 1990 to 2002.

Administrative files include strategic planning reports and memoranda from NRDC exploratory groups and outside financial advisory groups, financial documents, and office policies. There are also files focusing on the activities of field offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco, California. Communications department materials also comprise a signficant amount of the accession, including work on the magazine Amicus (later OnEarth) and press statements and related research detailing official policy positions.

Correspondence is divided into two sections, general, and individuals and organizations. The general section's correspondents are smaller organizations and individuals that NRDC did not regularly communicate with. Individuals, organizations, and topics include organizations and key individuals with whom NRDC collaborated, as well as correspondence about specific campaigns that are filed together by topic. There are also a few files that contain correspondence with NRDC board members and correspondence that Beinecke received pertaining to speaking engagements.

Subject files comprise research and policy work on specific issues, such as forestry, water and coastal environments, legislation NRDC supported, and organizations that Beinecke served as a board member. There are also materials pertaining to advisory positions for New York State and United States governments, such as the President's Council on Sustainable Development and the Governor's Environmental Advisory Board. Finally, there is research and correspondence with several magazines related to NRDC's contributions to articles in outside magazines, Condé Nast Traveler being the most prominent.