Term: Conservation  (scroll down for definition)

Definition: Conservation

Theodore Roosevelt loved nature. He traveled to North Dakota as a young man to find himself. During his Presidency, he protected about 230 million acres. His goal was to conserve, or protect while ensuring proper use of nature for purposes such as recreation. Today, the National Park Service is indebted to him. Another conservationist to know is Gifford Pinchot who supported the “rational use” of nature’s resources. Others, such as John Muir, were preservationists, who preferred that the government protect nature from both profit and increased usage.

Preservationists such as Muir were concerned about the fate of the Hetch Hetchy Valley, as Congress debated from 1908-1913 whether to construct a dam within Yosemite National Park. Conservationists supported construction, as the dam would provide water for San Francisco. Though a law was passed to build the dam, the debate brought attention to environmental concerns in the nation. 

Click here for next flash card.      Back to eFlashcard headquarters