Figure in Environmental History

Application Assignment #3

Figure in Environmental History

(Photo by Wikimedia Commons of Theodore Roosevelt)

Theodore Roosevelt

Teddy Roosevelt ismost known for being the 26^thPresident of America, but most people don’t know that he was also a huge supporter of the environment. From a young age Teddy Roosevelt was passionate about the outdoors. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, hiking, bird-watching, and much more. Part of the reason Roosevelt felt so strongly about the importance of protecting the environment is that he saw first-hand through his hunting trips the loss of species and habitats. He also lost a lot of his ranches due to overgrazing and our overusing of the world’s natural resources (NPS, 2019). He felt as though it was our job to recognize this and do something about it. Teddy also spoke publicly about the wonders of our world and our duty as a nation to protect it. A quote from Roosevelt in 1910 totally encapsulates the way he viewed the environment. This quote was “there is a delight in the hardy life of the open. There are no words that can tell the hidden spirit of the wilderness that can reveal its mystery, its melancholy and its charm. The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased and not impaired in value”. President Roosevelt did a lot during his presidency to protect the environment such as creating the United States Forest Service and establishing many national parks throughout our country. Throughout his time spent in office Teddy Roosevelt did a lot of work to protect the wildlife and public lands of the United States. 

Creation of the US Forest Service

During the late 1800s the US did not have a very good relationship with the environment. There were large amounts of bison being erased from the planet due to overhunting (NPS, 2019). According to the US Fish and Wildlife, by the middle of 1883 nearly all of the bison in the US were gone. During this time there was also the eradication of elk, bighorn sheep, deer and other game species. Teddy Roosevelt saw this devasting loss through his hunting trips and in 1905, as President, he created the US Forest Service (USFS). The idea behind the USFS was to conserve forests for continued use. More than 150 million acres of forests were set aside under this protection. The creation of the USFS also protected a lot of wildlife and public lands in the US. Teddy Roosevelt saw the great need to conserve our country’s resources and also ensure the sustainability of those resources. The creation of the USFS by Teddy Roosevelt helped protect over 230 million acres of lands in the US (NPS, 2019). 

(USFS logo, photo by Wikipedia)

National Wildlife Refuge System

In 1903 Teddy Roosevelt established the first national refuge on Pelican Island. During this time a lot of birds species were going extinct due to poachers and the new fashion trend of bird feather hats. Roosevelt was a huge lover of nature and wildlife, especially birds This love for birds is what brought him to create Pelican Island as a refuge for birds endangered by these poachers. By setting up this one bird refuge, Roosevelt unknowingly set the path for the creation of the largest refuge system in the world. By the time he left office in 1909 he had declared 53 refuges in 17 states and three territories. These refuges highlighted to the public the importance of protecting these endangered species. Over time the Wildlife Refuge System grew and encompassed even more species protection acts. Thanks to President Roosevelt, today there are 553 refuges across the country, with at least one in every state, providing safety to more than 250 threatened or endangered plants and animals (USFWS, 2019).

(Photo by Wikipedia of Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge)

Impact on Keene, NH

While it may seem as though Teddy Roosevelt’s actions back in the early 1900s don’t have an impact on people here in Keene, there are many things that would not be the same without them. Without the creation of the US Forest Service we would not have the major divisions within this organization such as the the U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement & Investigations unit or National Forest System. These divisions, among other things, are responsible for protecting our forests and ensuring the safety of those who visit the forests. In Keene that would mean the loss of protection and upkeep of the very beloved Madame Sherri Forest in nearby Chesterfield. Roosevelt’s creation of the Wildlife Refuge System affects those in Keene as well because without the protection of certain species, we would see a lot less of these animals in our lives. There would be more extinct species and more species that we are unable to protect from extinction. Overall, Teddy Roosevelt’s passion for nature and wildlife has had a huge impact on everyone and everything, even here in Keene. 

(Photo of Madame Sherri Forest in Chesterfield, NH by Andy Chase on Flickr)