In Memory of Federico (Fred) Cheever
| Date | 01 August 2017 |
8-2017 NEWS & ANALYSIS 47 ELR 10653
Environmental Law and Policy Annual Review
In Memory of Federico (Fred) Cheever
From Jay Austin, Environmental Law Repor ter; Linda
Breggin, Environmental Law Institute and Vanderbilt
University Law School; J.B. Ruhl, Vanderbilt University
Law School; and Michael Vandenbergh, Vanderbilt
University Law School
It is with great sadness that we note that one of our win-
ning authors, Fred Cheever, passed away just prior to pub-
lication of this issue of ELPAR. With Jessica Owley, Fred
co-authored Enhancing Conservation Options, An Argument
for Statutory Recognition of Options to Purchase Conservation
Easements (OPCEs), 40 H. E. L. R . 1 (2016). A
shortened version of t he article, along with commentar y,
follows. e article was a strong favorite of the Vanderbilt
students and our peer advisory panel, and it reects the
combination of creativity and policy relevance that charac-
terized so much of Fred’s work.
Fred presented the Enhancing Conservation Options
article at Vanderbilt University Law School in Nashville,
Tennessee, on March 13, 2017. e video is available at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2P9OSTB028. His
excitement about the topic was infectious, and his enthusi-
asm for protecting the landscape was obvious to everyone
in the room. e students, faculty, and practitioners who
participated were privileged to have experienced his energy,
intellectual repower, sense of humor, and commitment,
which have been taken from us far too early.
Fred was widely respected and admired by his academic
colleagues working in environmental and natural resources
law and policy. e outpouring of grief-stricken e-mails
exchanged among us on the news of his passing showed
just how broadly and deeply Fred inuenced our eld. It
is sma ll comfort, but comfort nonetheless, that over 100
colleagues were with him at
a conference he organized
in Ban, Alberta, just days
before his tragic death. He
received a standing ovation
during the proceedings for
his work organizing that and
similar teacher conferences
for 10 years. A tting last
memory of a friend and col-
league if ever there was one.
Like so many others, we
will miss Fred and dedicate
this issue of ELPAR to him.
From Jessica Owley, SUNY Buffalo Law School
I rst met Fred Cheever in 2009 through my then-law
rm’s representation of land conservation organizations. We
quickly bonded over exploring legal tools to increase and
improve land conservation. We shared a nerdy fascination
with conservation easements. Fred quickly became a mentor
and friend. We began collaborating on projects before I even
taught my rst law school class. Despite having 20 years of
teaching and research experience on me, Fred always treated
me as an equal and enthusiastically listened to my propos-
als and approaches. We didn’t always agree, but our dis-
agreements were congenial and helped us both improve our
work. More frequently, however, we found common ground
and enjoyed long conversations and brainstorming sessions
about land conservation. e work here began as a “what
if” conversation over lunch one day. Writing with Fred was
a joy, and I am so thankful that I had that experience. He
made my life richer and is dearly missed.
Copyright © 2017 Environmental Law Institute®, Washington, DC. Reprinted with permission from ELR®, http://www.eli.org, 1-800-433-5120.
To continue reading
Request your trial