A Legacy of Land Conservation

In William James’ essay: “The Moral Equivalent of War”, he proposed conscription of youth “enlisted against nature”. Such missions would include forest and plains conservation work, fighting forest fires, flood control, and the reclamation of swamp and desert lands.

Camp Roosevelt is the location of the first Civilian Conservation Corps camp in the US, which followed this vision under the leadership of President Roosevelt’s efforts to revitalize the faith of the nation by setting in motion a “New Deal” for America (1933).  One of the New Deal programs was the Emergency Conservation Work (EWC) Act, more commonly known as the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC).  With this action, he brought together two wasted resources: young men and land; i.e., conservation of our natural resources and the salvage of our young men. .  A thorough history of the CCC can be found at Civilian Conservation Corps Legacy.

Camp Roosevelt is located in the George Washington National Forest, Lee District. Its address is Fort Valley VA, 22652 [38°43'59.0"N 78°31'02.0"W]. It can be accessed off of Rt. 675 which is one of two paved roads that provide access across the Massanutten Mountain Range. Rt. 675, a scenic mountain pass that runs from Edinburg to Luray, VA. It offers primitive camping sites with flush toilets and drinking water. It is open from late May through mid October.