Conservation

At the turn of the twentieth century interest in protecting natural resources in the United States largely fell into two groups. One approach focused on preservation, the idea that nature should be protected from human activities that cause damage to the environment. The other approach focused on conservation, the idea that humans can benefit from the management of natural resources with concern for sustainability and environmental impact. Early champions of the conservation ethic included US president Theodore Roosevelt, who established the US Forest Service in 1905, signed the Act for the Preservation of American Antiquities in 1906, and established the country's first national monument at Devils Tower in Wyoming. Gifford Pinchot founded the Yale Forestry School and served as the...