April is a big month for nature lovers. In addition to spring’s greenery and general burst of new life, we remember the key founder of the modern conservation movement when we celebrate the birthday of John Muir April 21. And it’s fitting that Earth Day follows so closely on April 23.
Muir was born in Scotland in 1838 and with his family immigrated to the United States as a child.
Muir studied nature on extensive hikes, including an 1867 trek from Indianapolis to the Gulf of Mexico. He was a successful horticulturist and strong proponent of preserving nature and defending species and wilderness areas.
In 1890, Muir’s effort to preserve the sequoias surrounding California’s Yosemite Valley resulted in the establishment of Yosemite and Sequoia national parks.
During his lifetime, Muir convinced President Theodore Roosevelt to preserve many other national monuments, forest reserves and parks. He even co-founded the Sierra Club.
Muir left a grassroots, activist legacy as real and as important as the national parks he helped found. Those grassroots grew for decades, mostly under the radar of the national press and political establishment, until the first Earth Day in 1970.
It was then that U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson announced a nationwide grassroots demonstration on behalf of the environment. National and local media from coast to coast picked up the announcement, and 20 million demonstrators and thousands of local communities joined in.
The first Earth Day was a success because of what Sen. Perry called “the spontaneous response at the grassroots level.”
That is part of Muir’s legacy, and part of the strength of the conservation movement today.
We welcome you to join this grassroots movement by joining in Earth Day activities, and remembering that “every day is earth day!”
Michele Byers
executive director
New Jersey Conservation Foundation
Far Hills
State attorney general fails to uncover corruption
New Jersey has been awarded the dubious honor of being either the first or second most corrupt state in the United States.
The outstanding question is it either Louisiana or New Jersey that is the leading state in corruption?
Be that as it may, there are tons of opportunities of ferreting out illegal political and business practices in the state of New Jersey.
Eliot Spitzer, the New York State attorney general, constantly brings charges against political and business entities in New York.
The U.S. attorney in New Jersey, Christopher J. Christie, appears to be doing an admirable job bringing New Jersey politicians and business interests to court for alleged illegal activities.
The puzzling issue is why our New Jersey Attorney General Peter C. Harvey has not been able to uncover any corruption, when others (i.e., Christie) operating with a limited staff have been so successful in doing exactly that.
Maybe Mr. Harvey is too busy covering his own missteps to pursue others. Mr. Harvey’s state budget is in the hundreds of millions and what have we to show for this expenditure?
New Jersey, this is truly embarrassing!
Bob Witt
Tinton Falls