The class material for this week focused on the history of environmental protection laws in the US, as well as what is happening with them in the present day. We learned about how the extinction of species such as the passenger pigeon, as well as disasters that resulted from mismanagement of the environment like the Dust Bowl and the Cuyahoga River fires, helped inspire the passing of environmental legislation, including the Migratory Bird Act, The Clean Air Act, The Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act. We also learned about the history of the US National Park and National Wildlife Refuge systems. We further discussed how certain pieces of media, such as Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring and the “Crying Indian” commercial helped spur the public into demanding environmental action that ultimately led to legislation being passed, for example, thanks to the former, the banning of DDT. As mentioned above, we also learned about what is happening with environmental legislation in our country today, such as the current administration unfortunately working to weaken the Endangered Species Act as well as relax protections of gray wolves.

After learning about the history of the US environmental movement and the state of it today, we got to see some of it firsthand on our field trip this Wednesday to the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. On our tour there, we were shown historical items ranging from taxidermy passenger pigeons to copies of Silent Spring that were translated into different languages.

The Training Center also had numerous confiscated animal products, which tied into material from the previous week about the history of national and international legislation and organizations that regulate trade in animal parts, like The Lacey Act and CITES. We saw rhino horns, a narwhal tusk, a sword made from elephant ivory, tiger skins, East Asian medicine made from illegal animal parts, and more.

I feel very lucky to have gotten to visit the NCTC myself and learn from government officials how they work to protect wildlife, both in the US and abroad. Although we are right now in an era where there is a lot to be worried about in terms of environmental issues and especially the future of wildlife in the US, the visit to the training center reminded me that there are many dedicated individuals who are fighting hard to protect it from being destroyed by human greed, and I certainly find that motivating.