The Great Smokies By Daniel S. Pierce

1. Karl Jacoby book brings the remarkable accounting of the negative aspects of conservation movement to the sunlight. Jacoby uses the early years of Adirondack Park, Yellowstone National Park, and the Grand Canyon Forest Preserve to demonstrate his theme of the locals’ reactions to the creation of the park and the actions from the conservationists. And the fantasies the early conservationists’ promulgated of the locals of being satanic rapists of the environment are dispelled (193).

The collection consists of 15,000 pages of original historical material documenting the land, peoples, exploration, and transformation of the trans-Appalachian West from the mid-eighteenth to the early nineteenth century. The collection is drawn from the holdings of the University of Chicago Library and the Filson Historical Society of Louisville, Kentucky.

One of America’s greatest conservation achievements is the Wilderness Act of 1964. Fifty-two years later, this act has a legacy to withhold. A legacy that meant something in 1964 and remains the same today: to protect unspoiled land. Even though, through this act millions of acres have been conserved, the key word is continue. That is why America should pass laws to preserve the wilderness before developers spoil them.

Garrett Morgan, an inventor of the 20th century, saved many lives with his inventions. The Scope article, “The Fire Breather”, Informational text, “Could You Be the Next Garrett Morgan?” and the Discovery ED video “Garrett Morgan” all give good evidence on Garrett's most remarkable inventions and his perseverance.

“The human history of the Yellowstone region goes back more than 11,000 years. From then until to the very recent past, many groups of Native Americans used the park as their homes, hunting grounds, and transportation routes. These traditional uses of Yellowstone lands continued until a little over 200 years ago when the first people of European descent found their way into the park. In 1872 a country that had not yet seen its first centennial, established Yellowstone as the first national park in the world. A new concept was born and with it a new way for people to preserve and protect

Today was an exciting day, my family and I went on a trip to the Yellowstone National Park! I was shocked at the history of the park. The park has been around for almost 11,000 years. We had to take a plane because it is located almost in all of Wyoming, but does go into Montana and Idaho, so I got to visit three states. It is one of the United States well known parks and visited by millions, including myself. The tour guide was very helpful in giving us information about the park. The earliest visit recorded was back in the 1800s. The people of Montana did not want development of the land that lead to President Ulysses S. Grant to preserve the land and make it a park. The people refused to have mining and logging to destroy their land.

Generally when one thinks of the American west their mind jumps to an image of untouched, unspoiled land, such as the land that is represented by America’s national parks. These tourist destinations in the West showcase the history of our nation’s land in a way that many people assume is and has always been the reality, but although the natural beauty of these lands is represented perhaps the beauty of the cultures that used to inhabit them is not.

Growing up I was fortunate to live five miles from the main entrance to the largest subtropical, sawgrass prairie in North America, Everglades National Park. For years, the Everglades revealed its natural treasures as my family and I enjoyed hours of canoeing, hiking, fishing, and bird watching within the park. I had the privilege to attend an elementary school that established a partnership with the Everglades Environmental Center. In fact, in 4th grade I was one of twenty-five students selected to go camping five nights at the Loop Road Interpretive Center, forty miles deep in the glades. My camping experience provided an invaluable lesson about always being honest and the importance of obeying the national park regulations.

Before there were skyscrapers, before there were convenience stores, and before there were neighborhood developments, our plains and mountains were home to the American Wild Mustang. These magnificent animals are our past, our present, and with proper handling our future. It is imperative that we protect the American Wild Mustang to ensure that many generations to come can appreciate them as we do today. By supporting the gathering, training, auctions, and domestication that the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management conducts we can preserve this heritage. In doing so, we are securing the future of these horses and the happiness that they bring to many

This country cannot work without mutual understanding and respect between the american people and the government. Listening to various ideals is part of the communication process and those who don’t support the protection of wilderness are choosing to stick with not supporting any bills that deal with the protection of the land. In the essay “Finding Common Ground on Protecting Montana Wilderness,” Rick Bass, an experienced author, advocate and resident of the Yaak Valley, states his views on the matter of protecting the wild lands from the timber industry and other members of the opposition while at the same time respecting their views.

The mountains of central Appalachia have always been known for, almost exclusively, the booming coal deposits that inhabit it, as well as the controversy that comes with the industry. The controversy that involves the wildlife, ecosystems, and residents of the area is one with fine lines, gray areas, and more than simply a good and evil side. The mountains of Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, and Tennessee are also home to some of the most extensive biodiversity in our country, as well as rich cultural heritage that extends to the earliest years of our nation. Everything that makes central Appalachia unique and identifiable is exactly what they might be in jeopardy of losing.

The scenes journey along the Appalachian Trail captures the true magnificence and greatness of the eastern U.S. of wilderness. Starting in the Deep South at the foothills of the smoky mountains, this journey overwhelms one with southern beauty while also making one experience the South’s legendary simplicity and retreat from the urban gridlock of modern society. The Appalachian Trail’s scenery attracts many people from all over the world to witness it for them. Causing many people to come with their families and possibly volunteer.

In the 20th century,many people in the north and south were pressuring the government for some kind of public preserve, but there were disagreements on whether it would become a national park or a national forest. According to the site Gatlinburg inn, “ the difference between a national park and a national forest is that people can take natural resources, but with a national park it is illegal to take anything from it”. Even though people can't take natural resources from it such as lumber and minerals people still earn money from the parking and merchandise. The people that don't work there are usually tourists and since they don't work there and earn money they get experience and some parts of the mountains have facts such as how tall or who named that specific mountain. So the ultimate decision for the mountains to become a national forest or a national park, was that the mountains were to become a national park.

After a long mountainous drive, I arrived at my destination to embrace one of nature’s wonders in the Great Smokey Mountain National Park, Abram Falls Trail. Upon departing the car, a cool crisp breeze brushed my face and the aroma of bacon lingered in the early morning air from the neighboring campground. The narrow rocky footpath looked like a tedious adventure, however a gorgeous, vibrant array of red, purple, orange, and yellow wildflowers blossoming at the entrance made the trail alluring. Navigating the rocky, uneven terrain required sturdy footing, but the quiet stillness created a peaceful relaxing atmosphere. The lush pine-oak forest formed a green canopy of shelter above the trail, offering welcome cool shade, as vivid sunlight filtered through the foliage. A sweet honey fragrance permeated the air, as a stunning scene displayed a cluster of purple and pure white

To begin his conversation, Stegner conveys that conservation is not just about recreation, but nature is our measurement of where we are as a society. He compares wilderness to “a scientific yardstick” that measures the “natural balance” of nature and industry. This statement conveys the Stegner view and also lays the groundwork for his letter. He also writes “We need wilderness preserved . . .because it was the challenge against which our character as a people was formed. The reminder and the reassurance that it is still there is good for our spiritual health (Stegner, Wilderness Letter).” The idea of what nature we have left is an undisputable fact of the direction mankind is heading towards. Theodore Roosevelt agrees with this notion