We may take for granted now the 800,000 acres of the White Mountain National Forest, with its over 1,200 miles of non-motorized trails, but in fact it is hardly more than 100 years old.
On Wednesday, February 21, at 7PM, join Chocorua Lake Conservancy and Cook Memorial Library for Forests for the People: The Story of the Eastern National Forests, with David Govatski, live via Zoom. Forests for the People is the story of the forest conservation movement that started in New England and led to the establishment of 41 Eastern National Forests, including the White Mountain National Forest.
Today, we have 154 National Forests and 20 National Grasslands in the United States, and none had more public support from a diverse group of citizens, organizations, and businesses than the White Mountain National Forest. The national forest system now covers 193 million acres of public land and is truly national in scope because of the events that started in New England.
This presentation describes the people and events behind the forest conservation movement, the passage of the Weeks Act, ongoing controversies, and future challenges in managing “the lands of many uses.”
About the Presenter:
David Govatski is co-author, with Christopher Johnson, of Forests for the People – The Story of the Eastern National Forests and is a frequent speaker and writer covering conservation and natural history topics. He was the Secretary of the Weeks Act Centennial Committee in 2011 and co-curator of the Centennial of the White Mountain National Forest exhibition in 2018 at the Museum of the White Mountains. He has visited all 174 National Forests and National Grasslands. David retired after a 34-year career with the US Forest Service and lives in Jefferson, New Hampshire.
Banner image: Fire near the Bolles Trail on Mount Chocorua, 1915. Photo courtesy of David Govatski.