June 27, 2005
Monday

In 1903, President Roosevelt created our nations first national park, you all know the park as Yellow Stone National Park in Montana. Maybe some of you even had the opportunity to visit. President Roosevelt had a vision for the unique rugged land he saw, he knew that if he did not set it aside, it would succumbed to development. Aren't we glad that he had the foresight and vision to look ahead into the future and think of all of us here today. It was the future generations of Americans he was thinking of when he decided to preserve it. Today the land looks much the same as it did when he first visited the area. Think about what Yellow Stone might look like today had the land not been set aside. In seeing what our great nation did other nations followed by setting aside land for preservation. Roosevelt said:

""Defenders of the short-sighted men who in their greed and selfishness will, if permitted, rob our country of half its charm by their reckless extermination of all useful and beautiful wild things sometimes seek to champion them by saying the 'the game belongs to the people.' So it does; and not merely to the people now alive, but to the unborn people. The 'greatest good for the greatest number' applies to the number within the womb of time, compared to which those now alive form but an insignificant fraction. Our duty to the whole, including the unborn generations, bids us restrain an unprincipled present-day minority from wasting the heritage of these unborn generations. The movement for the conservation of wild life and the larger movement for the conservation of all our natural resources are essentially democratic in spirit, purpose, and method."
A Book-Lover's Holidays in the Open, 1916

When thinking about preserving land, one must look to the future. Try not to think so much about what is happening here today, but what may happen in the future. Everything changes, people and plans. If a piece of land is preserved, it NEVER changes. People come, people go, but the preserved land will always be. What an incredible legacy to leave behind for our children, Roosevelt certainly left behind his legacy.

In setting aside land for preservation one must also think of the common good for all the people and not just the privileged few. Roosevelt set aside Yellow Stone for everyone's benefit and enjoyment. Had it been private property who knows how much we'd be charged to visit. Thanks to Roosevelt, we only have to pay $20.00 to visit for 7 days. Thank Goodness you don't have to know anyone or belong to a club to visit such a neat place.

On the historical side of things, history belongs to everyone and benefits everyone as well. History plays a very important part in telling a story and preserving the past. Land that is historically significant to a community should not be private. Someone developing historical land may have good intentions in their minds, but to an archeologist they are permanently altering historical context of a site forever.

Think about the Naha and the beautiful 64 acres of land that is in jeopardy. Think about the future and what the area may look like. Think about your great grandchildren. They are our most important future asset. When we are all long gone, hopefully they will be able to enjoy the same trails, beaches and scenery that we all have come to enjoy in our lives. Make a connection with them by preserving "a little something special in Naha Bay".

Lisa Grogan
E-mail: ldgrogan@msn.com
PO box 11691 - Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
Bainbridge Island, WA - USA

 

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