R.I.P. Val Plumwood
Monday, March 3rd, 2008
Renowned Australian feminist and environmental activist Val Plumwood, who survived a horrific crocodile attack more than 20 years ago, was been killed by an apparent snake bite. Plumwood was 68 years old.
Plumwood, originally known as Val Routley, took her adopted surname from a variety of tree near her wilderness home.
Plumwood was attacked by a crocodile in a river in Australia’s northern Outback in 1985 and escaped with terrible wounds to her legs and groin after the croc dragged her underwater three times.
Her body was found Saturday in the octagonal stone house where she lived alone near Braidwood in New South Wales. It appears a snake bite killed her, but a coroner has yet to make an official statement.
[source]
This is part of a a somewhat reductive story. It oversimplifies everything Val stood for.
Val was and is a foremost ecofeminist and environmental philosopher. Her international reputation as such is more important than how she died.
She was also a musician, botanist, bush walker, teacher, activist and gardener.
Some of us knew her as a very generous and understanding friend.
She was critical of many of the ways we put humans before nature.
Every story of Val reveals only a part of that intellectual strength and courage of this solitary and very singular female.
She is already loved and terribly missed.