John Muir’s Conservation Legacy TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019  5:30-& 7:00 P.M. at the West Asheville Library

The BRNN and the West Asheville Library present Rachel Muir speaking about John Muir`s Conservation Legacy.

“The development of the modern conservation movement has its roots in two principal and distinct philosophies.  The first of these is the evolution of a conservation ethos which placed value on the natural world independent of the interests of humankind.  The second is the rapid development of science and the evidence and observation-based perspective that is the basis for scientific thought. Perhaps no figure in American history embodies the merger and the conflict of these two perspectives more than John Muir, (1838 – 1914).  We will examine his personal life and experience to see, through the lens of his life, writings, and activism,  how the conservation movement developed in the United States and spread world-wide. We will also discuss  the relevance of his ethics and the importance of his legacy at a time when the conservation movement is undergoing rapid change.   We will also take a brief introduction to the landscapes preserved through his efforts,  as seen in the National Parks and in the John Muir Trail.”  

Rachel Muir is a scientist emeritus with the United States Department of the Interior.  An environmental scientist and ecologist by training, Rachel worked for a variety of Federal agencies and private firms over her 40 year career, including the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Geological Service and the Executive Office of the President, Office of Science and Technology Policy. In the course of her career she focused primarily on aquatic ecology, wetlands ecology, conservation of imperiled species and impact of environmental contaminants on wildlife and human health. Rachel is an avid gardener, outdoors woman, hiker, triathlete – and a grandmother.