How Did Theodore Roosevelt Contribute To The Conservation Movement

One of the greatest legacies of Theodore Roosevelt's presidency was his influential support for the conservation movement. From the minute he was sworn into office, Teddy voiced his passionate concern for the natural world and its dim future due to the growing of the industrial era. Furthermore, Roosevelt described the natural world as a “transcendent experience” that encompassed qualities such as “Majestic trunks, beautiful in color and in symmetry” while “[rising] around [him] like the pillars of a mightier cathedral than was ever conceived” (Henretta, 651). Stimulated by an immense love for the environment, the republican president committed himself to bringing higher awareness to the conservation movement. Consequently, by the end of his

The president's honestly when addressing the american public created mass awareness. One example of the teddy’s impactful words is shown through his speech at the grand canyon in 1903. Roosevelt states "Leave it as it is, You can not improve on it. The ages have been at work on it. and man can only mar it. What you can do is to keep it for your children, your children's children, and for all who come after you, as one of the great sights which every American if he can travel at all should see. We have gotten past the stage, my fellow-citizens, when we are to be pardoned if we treat any part of our country as something to be skinned for two or three years for the use of the present generation, whether it is the forest, the water, the scenery. Whatever it is, handle it so that your children's children will get the benefit of it." (Renehan, 1). roosevelt's willingness and ability to take action and spark change in the environment makes him extraordinary unique among other presidents. Therefore, Theodore Roosevelt served as an impactful pillar of naturalism, protecting much of the land that is still flourishing

For this protective act, roosevelt became known as “friend to the birds” (Library of Congress, 1). Roosevelt believed that "Birds should be saved because of "utilitarian reasons." he wrote, " [they] should be saved because of reasons unconnected with any return in dollars and cents. A grove of giant redwoods or sequoias should be kept just as we keep a great and beautiful cathedral. The extermination of the passenger pigeon meant that mankind was just so much poorer; exactly as in the case of the destruction of the cathedral at Rheims.” (Renehan, 1). The Roosevelt Memorial Association Film Library shows footage of roosevelt taking change and leading the Louisiana Progressive party on the boat of none other than the National Audubon Society to bird sanctuary islands. Footage shows roosevelt standing in marches, and exploring island and observing birds along beach and views of a variety of shore birds including royal terns, black skimmers, laughing gulls, brown pelicans, blue herons, and egrets shows the public his commitment to the bird population. shortly after roosevelt rushed into the white house to tell his cabinet of something that had happened that morning. He had had a bird epiphany. Roosevelt stated in a message to frank chapman (a curator of ornithology and mammalogy at the