Wilderness the Native American perspective The American Indian

Wilderness (the Native American perspective) “The American Indian is of the soil, whether it be the region of forests, plains, pueblos or mesas. He fits into the landscape, for the hand that fashioned the continent also fashioned the man for his surroundings. ” --Luther Standing Bear, Oglala Sioux, c. 1900

Wilderness (the pioneer perspective) “I am now on my route from the head of the Columbia River, to the mouth of the Yellowstone. You can have no idea of the anxiety and toil of such a march. With “returns” of some value, our party are traversing a country frequented by bands of Indians whose friendship can only be depended on when our vigilance and strength sets hostility at defiance. ” --Letter from Robert Campbell, Fur Trader, to his brother, 1833

What is the “public domain? ” About 40% of the land in the United States today

Louis & Clark Expedition 1804 -1806

“At the head of this river, the natives give an account that there is frequently heard a loud noise, like Thunder, which makes the earth tremble. They state that they seldom go there … and Conceive it possessed of Spirits who were averse that men should be near them. ” --William Clark, 1806

John Colter “Colter’s Hell”

“We tried some experiments with our first discovery by packing it down with armfuls of grass, then we placed a flat stone on top of that, on which four of us, joining hands, stood in a vain attempt to hold it down. In spite of our efforts to curb Nature’s Force, … Old Steam Boat would literally rise to the occasion and throw us into the air…” --William Sublette, Fur Trader, 1843

Jim Bridger Explored Yellowstone around 1830

Map of Yellowstone by Jim Bridger, c. 1850

Raynolds expedition: 1859 -60 “We were compelled to content ourselves with listening to marvelous tales of burning plains, immense lakes, and boiling springs, without being able to verify these wonders. ” --Capt. Raynolds

Washburn-Langford Expedition: 1870 n n Henry Washburn (surveyor-General of Montana Territory) & Pitt Langford (journalist) Idea for Yellowstone as a park Hayden expedition, 1871

Hayden Expedition: 1871 § Ferdinand Hayden (U. S. Geological Survey), biologists, journalists, & politicians § Pushed to get Yellowstone designated as a National Park Hayden expedition, 1871

Yellowstone National Park 1872 Yellowstone National Park is hereby “dedicated and set apart as a public park or pleasuring ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people … and for the preservation … of all timber, mineral deposits, natural curiosities or wonders… and their retention in their natural condition. ” --U. S. Congress, 1872

Discovery of Yosemite by military (1851) n Mariposa Battalion n n Organized by the State of California in 1851 to end “Mariposa Indian War” (1849 -51). Found Yosemite Valley during exploration of the area.

Yosemite Grant State Park 1864 President Lincoln grants the State of California the Yosemite Valley

Yosemite National Park 1890 Yosemite remained under dual Federal and State control until 1906

Forest Service Created n Creation Act of 1891: n n n President authorized creation of a forest reserve. Land administered by USDI General Land Office USDA Forest Service created (1905)

The roots of the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service n n Congress establishes U. S. Fish Commission (1871) Congress creates USDA Office of Economic Ornithology (1885)

First Wildlife Refuge n n Pelican Island (1903) 500 refuges today

Antiquities Act of 1906 n Gave the president the authority to establish National Monuments n n Petrified Forest NM Devils Tower NM

Hetch-Hetchy Incident Conservationists (Gifford Pinchot) vs. Preservationists (John Muir) “In these ravaging money-mad days monopolizing San Francisco capitalists are now doing their best to destroy the Yosemite Park…” --John Muir, 1908

Hetch-Hetchy Valley 1908

Hetch-Hetchy Valley Today

National Park Service is established n Congress creates USDI National Park Service (1916) n n 37 areas included originally 378 today

Park Road Development 1920 -1944 Postcard from Shenandoah National Park

Civilian Conservation Corps 1933 -42 n n 18 -25 year old men $30 month About 2 million men served Worked in state and national parks

Creation of U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service n U. S. Fish Commission & USDA Office of Economic Ornithology combined and named USDI Fish and Wildlife Service (1940)

World War II

Bureau of Land Management is created - 1946 n U. S. Grazing Service is combined with the General Land Office to form USDI BLM

Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission n Created in 1958 to: n n n Inventory public recreation resources nation-wide Measure the demand for these resources Recommend policies and strategies for meeting this demand

Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission n Creation of Bureau of Outdoor Rec. (BOR; 1973 -81) n n n 1973 & 1979 National Recreation Plans Recommended establishment of national programs (Nat’l Wilderness System, Nat’l Trails System, Nat’l Wild & Scenic Rivers) Land Water Conservation Fund n Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Rec. Plan (SCORP)

Legislation in the 1960 s & 1970 s n n n Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act (1960) Wilderness Act (1964) Land Water Conservation Fund Act (1965) National Trails System Act (1968) National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (1968) Eastern Wilderness Act (1975)

Recent Legislation n n Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA; 1991) Transportation Equity Act for the 21 st Century (TEA-21; 1996)

Today in Recreation n Budgetary problems No agency overseeing all recreation at the federal level Agencies more cognizant of need to manage recreation resources and visitors