Former vice president Walter Mondale recently spoke about why he dedicated so much of his life and career in politics to protecting the St. Croix River and other wild areas.

One touching anecdote he shared was that he took his wife-to-be Joan on a short canoe trip down the St. Croix River when they were dating and “it worked.” They were married a month later, he says.

When Mondale was in the U.S. Senate, he was one of the chief authors of the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act, which included the St. Croix and Namekagon Rivers.

Mondale was speaking at the 40th anniversary dinner for the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, and his remarks were filmed by John Kaul.