The Gifford Pinchot: Reform Movements During The Progressive Era

During the Progressive Era numerous reforms were made; all of which were part of varying reform movements. Reforms were made to timeless issues such as education, government, and business. However, reforms were also made to new ideas such as conservation. Up until the Progressive Era there was no emphasis placed on conservation because there had always been a surplus of resources in America. During the Progressive Era, on the other hand, resources were being used up exponentially due to factors such as increases in business and immigrants. The idea of conservation is generally attached to Theodore Roosevelt. However, Gifford Pinchot is the man who coined the term conservation and is therefore the true "Father of Conservation". The majority of Pinchot's career was based around conservation. After graduating from Harvard, he went to Europe to study forest management: the scientific management of forests. Upon his return to the Unites States Pinchot believed the best way to about conservation was through the Federal Government. He thought the government should control forests
as well as regulate business's use of forests. These inventive concepts are what allowed Pinchot to achieve great feats such as being appointed chief of the Division of Forestry, which was under the government department of Agriculture. Some Americans had difficulty understanding the motives of conservation because there had previously never been any need or worry about conserving the nation's resources.
Businesses, on the other hand, refused to accept Pinchot's ideas. This is due to the fact that businesses relied on resources to make revenue and conservation would make an enormous dent in business profits. The Pinchot -Ballinger battles exemplifies the reasons as to why Pinchot had battles with business interests. When Pinchot was head of the United States Forest Service in 1909, he castigated Richard Ballinger, who was secretary of the interior, for giving government owned lands in Alaska to private business interests. Pinchot knew that giving the land to businesses would operate against his work for conservation. In this scenario, Pinchot was supported by Roosevelt and Ballinger was supported by
Taft. Although Pinchot was not as successful as a conservationist after Roosevelt left office, it is indisputable that Pinchot was an influential muckraker. His ideas of conservation still exists today. Environmentalists today still urge strict controls over the development of natural resources. This does not coincide with America's free enterprise system because a free enterprise system has minimal government regulation, but if environmentalists wish to advocate strict controls an abundance of controls will be placed on the government. In spite of such obstacles, America has found ways to incorporate Pinchot's principles of conservation into the federal government.