Memorial Day weekend is here! Summer vacation starts now, and for many Americans (and certainly people reading this) that means getting outdoors and into nature.
There aren’t many repeated phrases that can really make a guy smile, but this one – said several times by eager youngsters ready to get their boots on the trail – had me grinning from ear to ear.
In 1911 something very important occurred for American forests. The Weeks Act was introduced by and named for Massachusetts Representative John W. Weeks. Before this legislation, forests in the East were privately owned — and for the most part were mismanaged, unprotected and damaged from poor logging practices and development. The forests had declining water quality and were at risk of large wildfires, erosion and flooding.
In the next couple weeks, thousands of college graduates will don caps and gowns and joyously march to “Pomp and Circumstance,” despite the fact that once the graduation ceremony is over, things look pretty bleak. The national unemployment rate is hovering just below 10 percent and precious internships and slots in graduate programs are being snagged by seasoned professionals.
