There was a documentary in 2009 made by Ken Burns about the National Parks in America. Have you seen it? The opening show made ratings history for PBS and was only surpassed recently by the finale of "Downton Abbey". The show itself had some marvelous footage of the parks themselves, but some of the so called "experts" left you feeling as if you were in a history class and wondering when the bell would ring. Here's the nice thing...one of the park rangers was the best part of that TV documentary and his name was Shelton Johnson. The video from Youtube shows this park ranger and it is only a short clip, so I hope you will watch it. I just read a review of the documentary and it said that Shelton Johnson turned out to be an "unexpected star" from this show. I agree, he was easily the most interesting. Shelton Johnson has now written a book and I noticed that you may purchase it from the Yosemite website, if you so desire. It is http://yosemitegifts.com/ And it looks as if he will sign it as well! (I must confess, I have a great fondness for books signed by the author!) His book is "Gloryland" and is a fictional memoir of a Black Indian from South Carolina who is assigned to protect Yosemite in 1903.
John Muir founded the Sierra Club in 1892 and was the key reason that Theodore Roosevelt was convinced to establish the National Park System. This is the link if you would like to read more about them. www.nationalparks.org
The Sierra Club, The Audubon Society, The Wilderness Society and The Arbor Day Foundation...these are some of the organizations that support the wild areas in this country. We are lucky in that we live close to what is designated as a National Heritage Area (Arabia Mountain). It is not a national park, but it is protected land and is open to all. There is much more that I would like to say about our National Parks and the men who helped to bring them about...but I don't want any of you listening for that bell to ring, so I will save the rest of what I want to say for the next post. And Jane, spit out that gum!
That was the shortest class ever :-)
ReplyDeleteIt is sad that we need something like National Parks at all - but without them, people would just indiscriminately go on and on in destroying every last bit of beauty on our planet. And it is not just beauty, it is much more important than that, it is essential for life on Earth itself. So, I am truly glad there are people out there who have seen reason and are doing something before it is too late.
Hey Meike, Your reply is below...don't know how I did that!
DeleteSorry Mame, I forgot, it won't happen again - honest! Hehe, you should have been beside me when I read that last line - I sat up straight and looked around guiltily...! Very interesting history and I just love the sense of wonder in Shelton Johnson's voice after all these years. He sure picked the right career path I can tell. We call our protected parks "Provincial Parks" and I'm very thankful for them. I spent a lot of time at 'Kettle Lakes Provincial Park' growing up in northern Ontario - the lakes (22 spring-fed lakes in total) were formed by glaciers during the last ice age. It's a beautiful place to day-trip or camp at. The surrounding forests and foliage are very lush.
ReplyDeleteDear Jane,
DeleteHA...don't know what made me do that at the end, but I hoped it would make folks laugh! I'll bet you were a hoot at school, am I right?
So glad that you like this clip too, he truly was the best thing in that documentary...the others seemed so highly EDUCATED and just...detached from the wonder of it all. I know Canada is beautiful, you know as a travel agent, I SENT a lot of folks there, but never been there myself!
He has a lovely voice and one that is very easy to listen to. And as Jane above says, you can still hear the wonder in it. How marvellous that he still has the same feeling for the Park years later.
ReplyDeleteDear Tracey,
DeleteHe is a very interesting person who gets JOY from his life and work and THAT is the kind of people that I like to know about!
:-)
Dear Meike,
ReplyDeleteOh, wait until I tell you about the men behind the National Parks! Fascinating to me and so wonderful that they were able get the GOVERNMENT to agree with them. You are a good student, little Meike, just try not to daydream in class, okay? :-)
Every year I have a Sierra club desk diary. You can't buy them in the UK so I have to get them by mail. I love their photos so much. Yes, national parks are a wonderful idea, not just in America really but all over the world.
ReplyDeleteDear Jenny,
DeleteRichard has an old Sierra Club desk diary that he uses as an address book! John Muir, who founded the Sierra Club, was born in Dunbar, Scotland.
Stephen Mather, who became the first director of the National Park Service in 1917, was inspired by a trip he took to Europe in 1904 and was impressed by the parks there and their public accessibility.
Our favorite park is Cumberland Island owned by the state of Georgia. We love that the number of visitors is limited each day so when you go you feel like you're alone on the island.
ReplyDeleteHave not been to Cumberland Island for many years but I remember how special it was, and still is, I hope!
DeleteWhen I lived in St. Mary's, I was told that there was an island that you could only reach by boat. (This was 1973)...Many years later I visited this mysterious island known as Cumberland and couldn't believe that I had lived so close to such beauty.)
Another interesting post - as usual, thanks, Kay.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you find this interesting. There is so much that I want to say about the wild places in this country and those who worked so hard to keep them that way but there is only so much time in a day!
ReplyDeleteI just discovered your blog via Jenny’s An English Travel Writer. I see you live in Conyers – my husband worked there for years – what a commute! It took him almost 1 ½ hour from West Cobb. I also saw that you use plastic pot saucers as bird bath – we have been doing the same for a long time – the birds love to drink and bathe in it. Your post on the National Parks is very nice. Do you know that right there in Conyers is the headquarter of the Georgia Wildlife Federation? I have written several posts on it – they do a lot of good work for the wildlife, natural areas and habitats of Ga.
ReplyDeleteHey!
DeleteI just had a brief look at your blog (sorry, company coming so have lots to do tonight!) and it is very good! It seems that I spoke with someone from the Georgia Wildlife Federation years ago when I did some work with my son's Boy Scout troop. At that time, they were involved with some big hunting thing, and I am just not into hunting. I will try to find it on your blog and see what they are doing now!
Thank you so much for your comment. I certainly know how far Conyers is to Cobb county. My brother lived in Marietta (not far from the square) and it felt like he lived a million miles away!
Yay for plastic pot saucers! Our birds love them. I'm for the birds! :-)
Please visit again!
Great post, Kay! Thank goodness for parks--we must protect and cherish them. I watched the video and liked Shelton Johnson instantly. The spark in his eyes and his gentle tone and manner show me that he is a kind soul; down to earth (my type of person!). I live in Ontario and we are loaded with beautiful parks. Perhaps one day you'll make your way up to our lovely country, maybe even here in my beautiful city where we can share a cup of coffee and great conversation, and you'll see how beautiful Canada is.
ReplyDeleteHi, Kay. My husband and I watched the National Parks documentary and really enjoyed it. I particularly enjoyed finding out more about John Muir---what a fascinating man! (I have a favorite quote of his in the heading on my blog). Tom and I both really liked Shelton Johnson, as well.
ReplyDeleteI didn't mind the experts expounding so much, but was far more irritated that they concentrated so much on parks in the West. I realize that that's where it all started, but feel they gave short shrift to the bounty of National Parks further east.
Dear Beth,
ReplyDeleteOh yes, I saw that quote. I love it.
It has been a while since I saw this documentary but I only remember the man that I showed in the video, Shelton Johnson.
My memory is like that, I try to only remember the good things and just erase from my mind anything that I don't like.
I don't even remember anything about the Great Smokey National Park, but then, maybe I wouldn't if there was very little about it!
Thank you for your comment! I hope you have been able to go on some more walks where you live! :-)
I am so grateful for the National Parks and love to visit them when I can. I'm noticing that you're able to do a Reply right after your commenter's comments and you do a Blogspot blog also. Can you tell me where you're able to make that setting on the Comments? This makes it so much easier.
ReplyDeleteDear Kay,
ReplyDeleteI have a big confession to you here...I don't know what I am doing half of the time! Underneath each comment, there are two words in red "Reply" and "Delete"...when someone leaves a comment, I click on the "Reply" button and then type my reply to the comment that has been left. (I don't know if I did something to make those words come up, perhaps someone reading this will let me know!)
SOMETIMES, I forget to click on the the "Reply" button and just start typing, and then it comes up as if it is one of the comments. Does that make sense? There are still so many things that I don't know how to do...Nan from Letters from a hill farm and Meike from From My Mental Library have sent me messages to help me. I get by with a little help from my friends. Let me know if this has answered your question! :-)