Every day, people and organizations work hard to preserve nature and wildlife. Yet, what is the history of conservation in the US? Let’s explore some of its aspects.
Conservation in the 1800s
In the 1800s, industrialization was on the rise. Different ways of thinking emerged. Transcendentalism was a philosophical literary movement. It promoted the preservation of the natural world. You may recognize the names of its most famous writers. Writers like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Walt Whitman. Thoreau especially saw the importance of conservation. In his essay “Walking,” Thoreau famously said:
“In Wildness is the preservation of the world.”
The Industrial Revolution was at odds with wilderness. Cities grew. Factories popped up everywhere. This change in the landscape deepened appreciation of nature. Some saw the growing consumption of natural resources as exploitative and harmful. George Perkins March wrote Man and Nature. His book showed the ways humans were destructive to nature. It urged people to be stewards of nature.
Drawings, paintings, and photography brought awe-inspiring images of nature to the public. George Catlin was a prominent painter in the 1830s. He traveled throughout the West and Southwest. Much of his work depicts Indigenous people and tribes. His legacy is complicated. But Catlin was the first to suggest creating a national park. He proposed:
“a nation’s park, containing man and beast, in all the wild and freshness of their nature’s beauty.”
William Henry Jackson’s photographs were the first published of Yellowstone. Thomas Moran’s striking paintings captured the beauty of Yellowstone. Both were influential in preserving Yellowstone as a national park in 1872.
John Muir was a famous writer and naturalist. He brought the government into his conservation efforts. He urged Congress to preserve Yosemite as a national park. And Muir succeeded. Yosemite became a national park in 1890.
After the Civil War, natural resource extraction intensified. This boosted economic growth. With westward expansion, land developers seized land for private use. Mining companies damaged habitats and waterways.
Conservationist concerns grew. So they recruited President Theodore Roosevelt to help.
Laws & conservation
President Roosevelt enacted the Newlands Reclamation Act of 1902. This law reserved the proceeds of public land sales. The proceeds went to the construction of irrigation projects. And the law led to more government involvement in determining land uses.
The formation of the Inland Waterways Commission helped assess waterways. President Roosevelt wrote about the Inland Waterways Commission. He said:
“Our streams should be considered and conserved as great natural resources.”
President Roosevelt created the US Forest Service in 1905. He established 230 million acres of public lands. That’s why he’s considered one of the leaders of early conservation.
There was a national conservation conference in 1909. It gathered state senators and experts in science and education. They discussed forestry, waterways, and soil erosion concerns. This resulted in states creating conservation commissions.
Conservation in the 1900s
In 1962, Rachel Carson published the groundbreaking book Silent Spring. She wrote about the harms of chemical pesticides. The public’s environmental awareness grew. This spurred the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.
The 1960s also birthed the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. These created protections and regulations for the safety of natural areas. Many new conservation organizations formed.
The first Earth Day was in 1970. It had 20 million supporters. Activities and demonstrations advocated for environmental protection around the country. Earth Day is still a reminder to be conscious of the environment. It’s a day to nurture an appreciation for nature. It’s a reminder that we can create positive change.
The Endangered Species Act protected vulnerable wildlife from extinction. In the 1990s, conservationists prevented the extinction of several species. Some endangered species then increased their population. This led to the reintroduction of wildlife back into the wild. Major successes include grey wolves and bald eagles.
The work of conservationists and environmental policies has led to many successes. The strength of the regulations sometimes improves the environment. At other times, the government has weakened regulations. Through it all, conservationists keep working to protect natural areas and wildlife.
Problems of Conservation
Many of the conservation movement’s greatest figures were problematic. They were racist and believed in eugenics. Some advocated for immigration restrictions and segregation. Their beliefs influenced the conservation movement. Conservation has a long history of unjust policies. These have prevented Black and Indigenous people from owning and keeping land. So their forest ownership has dwindled. Some conservationists also focused on preserving particular lands. This sometimes displaced Indigenous people from their homelands.
Conservation efforts also neglected Southern forests. They neglected the Black and Indigenous people who depend on them. Be we don’t have to continue this destructive pattern.
Today’s conservation solutions
Today, many conservationists are taking new approaches. Returning swaths of land to tribal stewardship is one of those approaches. Dogwood Alliance is collaborating on a community conservation model. We’re conserving land with environmental justice communities. We have a shared vision with community leaders. This model puts justice at the heart of conservation.