How about a precis for those of us unable to spend half an hour listening to a radio clip?
I second the motion.
Yes certainly:
Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency began in 1901, and he read some of John Muir’s writings about America’s forests being rapidly depleted. Roosevelt was moved by Muir’s message so he wrote Muir a personal letter, asking him to take him through Yosemite: “I do not want anyone with me but you, and I want to drop politics absolutely for four days and just be out in the open with you,” TR wrote.
Muir was happy to oblige, and on May 15 1903 they began a 3-day camping trip in Yosemite. During campfire discussions, Muir had Roosevelt’s undivided attention. He emphasized the need for Yosemite wilderness and other wilderness areas to be set aside and persevered for the American public to enjoy.
Roosevelt was deeply stirred by Muir’s arguments, and a short time later, Roosevelt signed the Yosemtie Recession Bill which places all these lands under Federal protection.
A little later in his presidency, Roosevelt signed five more national parks into existence, and 150 national forests and 55 national bird sanctuaries. Altogether, Roosevelt set aside about 230 million acres of public land for all Americans (and foreign visitors).
Muir died in 1914. But his legacy lives on. Anyone who’s visited Yosemite, Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon or the Grand Canyon has Muir to thank. He had a direct role in the establishment of all those.
And indirectly, because of his profound influence on Theodore Roosevelt, we can thank Muir for almost all of America’s millions of acres of national parks and forests and other protected lands.