Environmental Laws & Changes

1. Environmental Laws & Changes 1800-1902

2. 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

3. 1872: Yellowstone National Park • Yellowstone National Park is established • It is the first national park in the world

4. 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

5. 1880 • Killer fog in London kills 700 people

6. 1890 The government declares the country’s frontier closed Yosemite National Park is established

7. 1891-1897 Timber cutting is banned on large tracts of public land

8. 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.

9. 1892 • The Sierra Club is established by John Muir to promote increased preservation of public land. • 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

10. 1893 • Few remaining American Bison are given refuge in Yellowstone National Park

11. 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

12. 1902 • The Reclamation Act promotes irrigation and water development projects in the arid West