A legacy too precious to destroy
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There are many iconic places cherished by the people who call Pennsylvania home. For me it is the forests and wild areas that I was raised to respect and grew to love. As a child, I watched my uncle -- former Republican Pennsylvania congressman John Saylor -- work tirelessly to protect our natural heritage for future generations by pioneering passage of the Wilderness Act of 1964 and other important outdoor legislation. The citizens of Penn's Woods have always had a love affair with our state's beautiful mountains, fields and streams, their animals and fish.
For my family, being wise stewards of our wild and scenic lands and waterways was not a Democratic or Republican principle. It was fundamental to the American spirit and a nonpartisan legacy rooted in the leadership of President Theodore Roosevelt and other farsighted individuals in both political parties. My uncle devoted his service to ensure that the places Teddy and other great conservationists first protected would remain that way.
When my uncle was in Congress, reaching a sound consensus on public policy was easier. The Wilderness Act of 1964 passed just shy of unanimous consent. I personally worked to pass the Eastern Wilderness Act of 1975 -- and was always delighted to find strong support in both political parties. Just two years ago, the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 passed with more than 70 votes in the Senate.
Thanks to my uncle and many other leaders who had the foresight to conserve our vanishing wilderness, we have a natural wilderness legacy that is the envy of many people around the world. Pennsylvania enjoys two National Wilderness areas -- Allegheny Islands Wilderness and Hickory Creek Wilderness -- but there are other places in Pennsylvania that are worthy of Wilderness designation.
First Published October 24, 2011 12:00 am
