Environmental Laws & Changes

1800-1902

1870

In 1870, the first official wildlife refuge in North America was established by Dr. Merritt

Dr. Merritt was the mayor of Oakland

The Wildlife Refuge was established at Lake Merritt in California

1872: Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park is established

It is the first national park in the world

1872 (continued)

The American Forestry Association is organized by private citizens to protect forests and preserve world tree growth

The American Public Health Association is formed

1880

Killer fog in London kills 700 people

18

90

The government declares the country’s frontier closed Yosemite National Park is established

1891-1897

Timber cutting is banned on large tracts of public land

1891

The Forest Reserve Act authorized the president to set aside forest

reservation lands from public domain lands.

For the federal government to protect public lands from resource exploitation.

1892 The Sierra Club is

established by John Muir to promote increased preservation of public land.

o John Muir became the leader of the preservationist movement which called for protecting large areas of wilderness on public lands from human exploitation.

Killer fog in London kills 1000 people

1893

Few remaining American Bison are given refuge in Yellowstone National Park

1900

The Lacey Act bens interstate shipment of birds killed in violation of state laws

The Lacey Act was originally directed at the preservation of game and wild birds by making it a federal crime to poach the game with the purpose of selling it in another state

1902

The Reclamation Act promotes irrigation and water development projects in the arid West