Sierra Club Nature Hike
<h4><a href="https://vmps.omeka.net/exhibits/show/environment-protection-gallery/environment-protection-gallery">Return to Environmental Protection</a></h4>
The Sierra Club, the largest grassroots environmental group in the United States, was founded in 1892 by environmentalist John Muir. They are dedicated to protecting the planet, the wilderness, and our communities. Their mission statement is as follows:
"To explore, enjoy, and protect the wild places of the earth;
To practice and promote the responsible use of the earth's ecosystems and resources;
To educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment; and to use all lawful means to carry out these objectives."
In its early years, the organization was instrumental in dveloping national parks and reserves in the United States. In 1899, for instance, Mt. Rainier National Park was created thanks to the efforts of the Sierra Club. They helped prevent the construction of several dams that would have flooded or otherwise damaged protected lands, and helped expand many National Parks.
Significant legislation has been passed in part due to the efforts of the Sierra Club. In 1964, their campaign persuaded congress to pass the Wilderness Act, and they later helped inspire laws such as the National Environmental Policy Act and Clean Air Act.
Over 100 years after its founding, the Sierra Club is still very active. In 2011, they helped protect 1 million acres around the Grand Canyon for uranium mining, and prevented 150 new coal-fired power plants. Currently, their Climate Recovery Agenda aims to "cut carbon emissions 80 percent by 2050, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, create a clean-energy economy, and protect our natural heritage, communities, and country from the consequences of global warming."
Their membership has grown from just 350 in 1897 to over 1.4 million today.
Dick Rowan
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/62/SIERRA_CLUB_NATURE_HIKE_-_NARA_-_543238.jpg/1280px-SIERRA_CLUB_NATURE_HIKE_-_NARA_-_543238.jpg
National Archives
May-72
National Archives
Photograph of a Sierra Club nature hike, 1972 Source: Sierra Club Policies. (n.d.). In Sierra Club. Retreieved Oct 9, 2012 from <a href="http://bit.ly/9D8yHd">http://bit.ly/9D8yHd</a><br /><br />For further exploration please visit Sierra Club : <a href="http://www.sierraclub.org/">http://www.sierraclub.org/</a>
Link: <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/62/SIERRA_CLUB_NATURE_HIKE_-_NARA_-_543238.jpg/1280px-SIERRA_CLUB_NATURE_HIKE_-_NARA_-_543238.jpg">Wikipedia</a>
Medium: Photograph.
English
Organization
Sierra Club, Nature Hike, Conservation, Environment, National Parks, NEPA, CAA, Grand Canyon
United States
John Muir, "The Father of our National Parks"
<h4><a href="https://vmps.omeka.net/exhibits/show/environment-protection-gallery/environment-protection-gallery">Return to Environmental Protection</a></h4>
<p><strong><em>John Muir was not a 'dreamer,' but a practical man, a faithful citizen, a scientific observer, a writer of enduring power, with vision, poetry, courage in a contest, a heart of gold, and a spirit pure and fine.</em></strong></p>
<p><em>Robert Underwood Johnson, in John Muir As I Knew Him, from Sierra Club Bulletin</em></p>
<p><span>1916</span></p>
<p>Portrait of John Muir, “The Father of our National Parks”<br /> <br />John Muir (1838-1914), also known as “The Father of our National Parks,” was a renowned conservationist whose efforts had monumental effects on environmental protection in the United States.</p>
<br />His love of nature, travel, and exploration led to the publication of over three hundred articles and several books, and the effect of these writings was far-reaching. Influenced by Muir, President Cleveland founded the United States Forest Service and helped create over a dozen forest reserves, while President Roosevelt established five national parks and nearly 150 million acres of national forest. Although he traveled to every continent outside of Antarctica, he felt especially fond of The Sierra Nevada and Yosemite, a passion which led to the birth of the Sierra Club. To this day, this organization helps establish new National Parks and is extremely active in the preservation of our wildlife and natural resources. Nearly one hundred years after his death, John Muir continues to serve as an inspiration for anyone with a love of the wilderness and a desire to protect our natural world. In fact, many people celebrate his contributions on April 21st, “John Muir Day.”
Unknown
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/John_Muir_c1902.jpg
Library of Congress
1902
Library of Congress
Source: The John Muir Exhibit (n.d.). In Sierra Club. Retrieved Oct 5, 2012, from <a href="http://bit.ly/QP07HX">http://bit.ly/QP07HX</a> <br /><br />For further exploration please visit <a href="https://www.nps.gov/jomu/learn/historyculture/people.htm">http://www.nps.gov/history/museum/exhibits/jomu/</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/">http://www.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/</a>
Link: <a href="https://www.nps.gov/articles/john-muir.htm">John Muir National Historic Service</a>
Medium: Photograph.
English
Figures
John Muir, National Parks, Conservationalist, Environment, US Forest Service, Sierra Club
Historic