>> A WORLD OF GOOD Pinchot Lake Lewisberry Grey Towers National Historic Site Milford Maurice K. Goddard State Park Sandy Lake Ralph E. Brock was a forestry pioneer in numerous ways: he was part of the first class of foresters to graduate from the Pennsylvania State Forest Academy — a school founded by Rothrock and today known as Penn State Mont Alto — and he also is believed to be the first African American to be trained in forestry in the United States. Upon graduating in 1906, Brock became the Mont Alto State Forest Nursery Superintendent until 1911, during which time he established and oversaw the campus nursery and perfected the idea of maintaining healthy soil through the use of compost. Visit the Penn State Mont Alto campus to see a historic marker about his life. Bothered by the destructive logging practices near Grey Towers , their summer home in Milford and now a National Historic Site, James Pinchot encouraged his son Gifford to pursue a career in forestry. While those who came before him were self-taught or educated in related fields, Gifford Pinchot was born to a Pennsylvania family of means and received an education in forestry in France. The fledgling forester returned home and traveled the country doing consulting work. In 1898, he was appointed Chief 52 visitPA.com of the Division of Forestry in the U.S. Department of Agriculture and later the first Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, working with President Roosevelt to shape American conservation policy. In 1922, Pinchot left forestry for politics, becoming the governor of Pennsylvania. His conservation ethic lives on in York County at Gifford Pinchot State Park , with its farm fields, wooded hillsides, and the 340-acre Pinchot Lake, perfect for boating, swimming, and warmwater fishing. You can also visit Pike County’s Grey Towers, built with local materials but reflecting the French heritage of the family. Guided tours of the mansion and gardens tell the story of American conservation. for stewardship of the earth. Visitors are welcome at the humble farmhouse that was her birthplace and early home, the Rachel Carson Homestead National Historic Site in Springdale near Pittsburgh. As a way to promote the interconnectedness of Pennsylvania’s environmental issues, Maurice K. Goddard brought together a grouping of statewide agencies under the Department of Environmental Resources. But his real coup d’état was the mandate that there should be a Pennsylvania state park within 25 miles of every citizen. Today, there are 121 state parks in Pennsylvania, including Maurice K. Goddard State Park in Mercer County, popular with anglers, boaters, and wildlife watchers. Pennsylvania joins the nation in celebrating the Earth Day anniversary and helping to build a new generation of environmental activists. Take part in one of the many special events throughout the state on April 22, 2020, or go into nature anytime to appreciate the beauty of the natural world and the conservation efforts of previous Pennsylvanians. ENVIRONMENTALISM A Pennsylvanian with world stature, Rachel Carson is considered the inspiration for the global environmental movement, including the establishment of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Known world-wide for her lyrical scientific books on marine life, Carson felt compelled to write about the dangers of pesticides. In 1962, her courageous and visionary book Silent Spring told of the unintended consequences of pesticides and called LEFT TO RIGHT: ADOBE STOCK/LINDA HARMS; DCNR; ADOBE STOCK/JONBILOUS
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