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The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
& American Environmentalism
by Paula Wordenfor Educ 6305 Summer 2010
The CCC was formed in 1933 as part of Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal
The New Deal was a package of federal
legislation and public works programs to employ Americans during the Great
Depression.
The CCC employed MEN ages 18-24
Mission - Conservation and Development of Natural Resources in Rural America
The CCC was the most popular
program of the New Deal
- from 1933-1942, the CCC
employed 3 million men
CCC workers planted nearly 3 billion trees to help reforest America,
constructed more than 800 parks that would become the start
of most state parks
Developed Forest Fire Fighting
Methods
A Network of Thousands of Miles of Public Roadways
Constructed Buildings Connecting the Nation's Public Lands
Yellow Rock Overlook at Devil's Den State Park, Arkansas
Examples of West Virginia CCC Projects
Holly River State Park
Monongahela National Forest - Reforestation
The CCC Sparked a Debate Between Environmentalist and Conservationists
Aldo Leopold, founder of the science of wildlife management
The CCC was Criticized for Using Non-native Species and Planting Trees in Neat Rows
But the CCC also led to awareness and
appreciation of the outdoors and the nation's
natural resources
especially for the working class and city youth
Prior to the CCC Conservation & Environmentalism was Reserved for Academia and the Upper Class
Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir at Yosemite
By creating parks and national forests, Americans had access to green spaces, even for those in urban areas
Worden Family Photos
CCC Members Later Took Baby Boomers to See Their Projects
Worden Family Photos
Today’s Legacy - The Student Conservation Association - student interns working in conservation and recreation
Unprecedented Interest and Volunteerism in the Environment and Conservation
Imagine an American Landscape Without our Nations Parks and Forests