Conservation Corner: December 6, 1999

Roosevelt To Retrace Great Grandfather's Footsteps
by James L. Cummins

The time is 1902. The place is Faulkner country. Our guest is President Theodore Roosevelt. The President came to Mississippi to campaign since the state's governor had attacked Roosevelt on his social policies. Since Roosevelt had already acquired notoriety as a hunter, a hunting trip was a natural choice. Upon his arrival, Roosevelt proceeded on a bear hunt. Bears were elusive the first day; on the second day, they were more cooperative. The President's guide, Holt Collier, tied a huge bear to a tree. Collier called the President, who came running with his rifle in hand. Roosevelt refused to shoot the defenseless bear. The story spread and hence the "teddy bear" was born to honor Roosevelt's conservation ethic.

Roosevelt's concern enabled him to be the pioneer of our first environmental agenda. In 1905 he worked with Congress to reserve to itself and the President the right to create federal wildlife refuges. He created the Forest Service - my former boss, Mike Dombeck, is now its's Chief. In 1907 he signed the Agricultural Appropriations Act which stated that the Forest Service shall aid in enforcement to protect wildlife - Senator Thad Cochran is the current Chairman of the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee. Ninety-seven years later, his great-grandson is returning to Mississippi. However, this time no bear will be shot. Next week, Theodore Roosevelt IV, a New York investment executive, will come to Mississippi to retrace his great-grandfather's footsteps. What's his real agenda, you ask? Simply to call attention to the need to restore the bottomland hardwood forests that support a diversity of species. And, yes, that includes black bear.

What will he do while he is in the Magnolia State? He'll talk with key conservation leaders about bottomland hardwood restoration. In addition to a social for the Black Bear Conservation Committee, he will speak at the Old Vicksburg Courthouse at 1:30 p.m. on December 13.

He'll even headline a fundraiser in Jackson to raise funds for the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the state's largest charitable conservation foundation. Contributions for the reception are $1,000 per couple and $5,000 per couple for dinner. For more information contact the Foundation at (662) 686-3375.

When his schedule was being developed, Roosevelt said he would do almost anything as long as we could answer "yes" to one question at the end of the day: "Did we do something good for conservation?"

After almost a century, President Roosevelt's conservation legacy lives on and his family continues to contribute to Mississippi's conservation efforts. Yes!

James L. Cummins is Executive Director of the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation in Stoneville, Mississippi. Known as "Wildlife Mississippi," the Foundation is a non-profit, conservation organization founded to conserve, restore and enhance fish, wildlife and plant resources throughout Mississippi.