What are NR’s? • Tangible substance • Function or use What is an environment? • A collection of NR’s in a defined area What is a Ecosystem • All of the ecological processes in a n environment What is wilderness? • Theoretically an undisturbed environment • Big “W” • Little “w” U. S. History and the Environment • Growth of the U.S. • Traditional view of NRs • 1890 closing of the frontier • CidliConservation and population Modern View of the Environment • Technology • Wilderness • Product of civilization • 3rd world European View of Wilderness • European landscape of the 1600s • Perception of wilderness • Basis of bias - RliiReligion - Superstition and folklore Settlers View of the NA Wilderness • Paradise Myth • Reality • Not prepared to live “with” the env. Settlers’ Bias on the Frontier • Safety • Effect of wilderness • Doing God’s work – Manifest Destiny • Wilderness = waste Romanticism • Late 1700s – mid 1800s • Urban, educated , wealthy • Writers and artists • CiCoincid es wi ihhth the growth of sci ences • Enthusiasm for wild places Romanticism • Sublimity • Awe •Deism • GhkhGreat watchmaker theory • Primitivism • The noble savage Start of the American Environmental Movement • Europe = history, cities, culture • USU.S. = Wilderness, NRs • American wilderness = American character • MifDManifest Dest iny Hudson River School • American wild landscape as inspiration • Thomas Cole • First American art form • View o f Amer ican art ist, wri ter, etc Henry David Thoreau • 1817 – 1862 •“In wilderness is the preservation of man ” 1851 • Philosopher • Emerson Transcendentalism • 2 levels of reality • Lower material object world • Higher spiritual truth world • NlbjfldiilhifNatural objects reflected spiritual truth if seen correctly • Must use imagination and intuition as opposed to rational understanding Thoreau’s Life • Early wilderness is best • Walden Pond • Trip to Maine • Later life phil osophy h – 1f1 foot in 1 1f foot out • Value of civilization • Value of wilderness for people - anthropocentric Call for Preservation • By mid 1800s regret loss of wilderness • References to environmental destruction • Harmonic theory • TdfhTragedy of the commons • Changes in ownership and control of NRs • Hot Springs AR, Niagara Falls -Economic value – not environmental values Yellowstone • First reports of the region • 1870 expedition • 1871 expedition • NhNorthern PifiRildPacific Railroad • 1872 Yellowstone Park Act • 1886 railroad debate Adirondack Park • Location/topography/climate/exploration • Impact of timbering • Commerce • WlhWealthy sportsmen Adirondack Park • 1885 Forest Preserve • 1892 Adirondack Park • 1894 Forever Wild clause • TdToday The Conservation Movement 1890 -1970 • Closing of the frontier 1890 • Extend use of the remaining NRs • > population, urbanization, industrialization • AiClAmerican Culture and didi identity • Progressive movement The Progressive Movement 1900 - 1920 • Governments responsibility • Justice and order • Counter monopolies John Muir 1838 - 1914 • Wilderness protection and “preservation” • Value of nature for nature • Popular writer and speaker John Muir • His life • His philosophy – Preservation • Comparison to Thoreau • His impact Gifford Pinchot 1865 - 1946 • His life • His philosophy – conservation • His impact Theodore Roosevelt 1858 - 1919 • His life • His philosophy – Nationalism • His impact Conservation versus Preservation • Muir & Pinchot • Influence on Roosevelt • Forest Reserve Act of 1891 • Forest Management Act o f 1897 • The future Changing View of Nature • Joe Knowles story • Why the change – No longer a need to “battle” nature – Visit nature for leisure – City view of pioneer qualities – DliiDeclining st ttfitate of city envi ronment Changing Perception of American Culture • Impact of immigration • Business values and city life • Growth of government and industry versus the individual Response to Changing Perception • Fredrick Jackson Turner 1896 • Robert Baden Powell 1907 • Theodore Roosevelt 1893, 1903 • William K ent @1908 •Result Hetch Hetchy • 1882 – 1913 • The issue • Pinchot, Muir, Roosevelt • PbliPublic opi iinion • 1909 vote Hetch Hetchy • Conservationist view of recreation • Preservationist response • Progressive view • William K ent • 1913 vote •Result Conservation to Environmentalism • 1921 – 1970 • Focus on management of NR interrelationships and processes • Federal government leadership • $ and planning • Large regional projects ex. TVA, CCC, AT Conservation to Environmentalism • Goals (by end of 1960s) - protect environmental quality - maintain physical base of all life - manage for non-materilial val ues * recreation * scenery * solitude Aldo Leopold 1886 - 1948 • Early life • Forest Service years • Gila NF 1924 • L-20 regu lat ions 1929 Leopold’s Benefits of Wilderness • Cultural heritage • The remnant • Primitive forms of recreation • Large wildlif e h abi tat • For science Leopold’s Land Ethic • A Sand County Almanac 1949 • Enlarges the boundary • Changes the role • VlValue > t han econom ic se lfilf interest • Ethical behavior Bob Marshall 1901 - 1939 • His life • Ideas – action • Forest Service • UliU regulations • Wilderness Society 1935 Marshall’s Benefits of Wilderness • Health • Self sufficiency • Esthetic • MlMental Echo Park Dam • 1940s - 1955 • Colorado River Storage project plan • Dinosaur National Monument • HhHhHetch Hetchy • David Brower • Howard Zahniser • Outcome Wilderness Act of 1964 • Role of Zahniser • Zahniser’s reasons for protection 1. Take the offensive 2. EblihEstablish a nati onal system 3. Move to legislative protection • Outcome Grand Canyon Dams • Colorado River Storage project 1956 • Glen Canyon Dam 1963 – Lake Powell • Impact on the environmental movement Grand Canyon Dams cont. • Lower Colorado River – 2 dams 1963 • Result = flood 40 mi . GCNM , 13 mi . GCNP • GCNP act 1919 Grand Canyon Dams cont. • David Brower • IRS controversy • No Hetch Hetchy mistakes • NiNo compromise • H. Zahniser on progress Grand Canyon Dams Results • 1968 congress abandons project • Political support vs . public opinion • Illustrates the change from CM to EM • Sierra c lub memb ers hip • Wild and Scenic River act 1968 • Change from Hetch Hetchy New Environmentalism 1970 - Present • Wilderness being loved to death • Reasons for this trend - Technology change - TihTransportation change - Information growth - Intellectual revolution New Environmentalism cont. • 1970 Earth Day • Growth in Environmental laws - NEPA 1970 • Mo dern v iew o f w ilderness - Sigurd Olson - John Milton Changing Environmental Perception • Howard Zahniser • Spaceship earth • Counter culture break from the mainstream • GSdGary Snyder • Eddy Abbey Anthropcentrism • Mainstream or modern environmentalism • Shallow ecology • Traditional type support groups - Sierra Cl ub 1892 – 600, 000 mem bers (passive) 2000 - Audubon Society 1905 - Wilderness Society 1936 Biocentricism • New or ecocentric environmentalism •Deeppgy ecology • Direct Action support groups - Friends of Earth 1969 - Green Peace 1969 - Earth First! 1981 – 12, 000 members (active) 1988 - Earth Liberation Front (()ELF) ? Deep vs Shallow Ecology Shallow Ecology - Dominance over nature - Env. = resources for humans -Ample NRs reserves - Material, economic, consumer growth - Solutions to env. Problems in science and technology - National centralized focus Deep vs Shallow Ecology Deep Ecology -Harmony with nature - All nature has intrinsic equal worth -Simpp()le material need (self realization) - NRs are limited - Suspicion of science and technology - Focus on traditional culture and bioregionalism Reasons for the the split of ME & NE • MEs are reformist working within the system • MEs are anthropocentric • MEs are alienated from grass root idealism • MEs are more interested in compromise thihhan in change Alaska • Environment • Technology • Native people - ANCSA 1971 • Wilderness Rampart Dam -1959 • Corp of Engineers – Yukon River • 1 billion $ • World largest human created lake • WldWould not aff ect a NP • Alaska env. View vs U.S. env. View • Dam project stopped in 1967 ANILCA 1980 • 99% of AK public (federal) land • ANCSA deadline 12/18 1978 • Carter 12/1/78 – Antiquities Act – 110 mil. Acres • Carter/Reagan debate • Congress/Carter pass/sign act 12/80 •Reagon takes office 1/81 ANILCA 1980 cont. • Results - Revoked 1978 executive order - 105 mil. Acres to state of AK - 44 m il. A cres to nati ve peopl e - 104 mil. Acres federal land (28% of AK = CA) ANILCA 1980 cont. • Federal allocation - 56.7 mil. Acres – NWPS - 26 additions to the NWSRS - Doubled the size of NPS lands - Doubled the size of USFWS wildlife refuges lands • Most expansive action on behalf of wild by any president Alaska in Perspective • 1/3 AK “Big W” • Less restrictive view of wild • A permanent frontier: Nash, Leopold, Marshall, Turner • A legacy of wild for future generations: Thoreau, Mu ir, Olmstead Alaska in Perspective cont. • Protect wild and native culture: Catlin • Protect entire ecosystems: Marsh , Leopold • AK represents a change in American perspective towards wilderness Environmental Movement since 1980 • > Concern for global env. • > Growth in deep ecology • >Growth in conservative backlash Reagan/Bush sr. 1980-92 • Reaganomics - LWCF • James Watt • Sage brus h re be llion 1980 s • Wise Use movement 1990s Sagebrush/Wise Use Movements • < env. rules and regs. • < fed. land holding • < env. quality in business and private property decisions • > personal rights over env. Rights Sagebrush/Wise Use Movements • Supported by timber, mining, energy,