Charlotte Fowler- John Muir (outside reading)

I read this essay by John Muir, one of the original conservationist that helped spark the environmental movement. I was reminded of it when we had our guest speaker, Caleb Redick, come to talk to us about forest restoration. Though this essay doesn’t necessarily talk about restoration, it talks about the importance of forest and land preservation.

John Muir’s essay The National Parks and Forest Reservations is a powerful reminder of how important it is to protect the natural world. Written during an era of unchecked deforestation and industrial expansion, Muir’s words celebrate the beauty of America’s wilderness and stress the need to save it. He believed that national parks and forest reserves were not just places to be managed but sacred areas where people could connect with the peace and wonder of nature.

What Muir talked about back then still matters today. In his essay, he warns about the dangers of destroying forests for quick profits, pointing out the long-term harm it would cause. It’s easy to see how his concerns relate to issues we face now, like climate change and the loss of wildlife habitats. Muir’s advocacy reminds us that conservation is not a luxury but a necessity—an investment in the health of our planet and future generations. His vision was rooted in the belief that nature has intrinsic value, beyond its utility to humans, and that preserving it is a moral imperative.

It was interesting to read an essay on environmental perpective from the over 100 years ago and seeing how it has aged. I encourage you to take a few minutes to read it as well.

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