A brief history of the
environmental movement in the U.S.

When the earliest European explorers and settlers came to North America the land seemed limitless and little thought was given to preservation. As the continent increasingly became populated, people began to realize that land was not infinite and that natural beauty could easily be lost.

The nineteenth century saw the creation of Central Park in New York City, a large open area specifically designed to preserve beauty and greenery in the midst of the city. Many smaller towns, including our own borough of Demarest, also saw to the preservation of green spaces close to the hearts of the communities. The early twentieth century saw the beginnings of the national park system as special places like Yellowstone and Yosemite parks were created and protected.

There have always been philosophers and naturalists who issued warnings about over-development and the importance of protecting the environment; names like Henry David Thoreau and John Muir come to mind. But the first half of the twentieth century saw two world wars and a worldwide depression, and there were not many people with time or energy to act on environmental concerns. In the second half of the twentieth century, the time was right for significant numbers of people to take note of the pollution, urban sprawl, and environmental decay that had begun to threaten the American Dream.

The Nation's growing environmental movement increasingly began to address a wide range of issues. These included, but were not limited to, air and water pollution, the protection of endangered species, appropriate uses of natural resources through the regulation of logging, mining, and oil exploration, methods of energy production, and issues concerning waste disposal and recycling. Here in Northern New Jersey steps were taken to set aside land for future generations to enjoy as "forever green". Greenbrook Nature Sanctuary, east of Route 9W in Tenafly, was established in the 1950s. Tenafly Nature Center came into being in the early 1960s, and was followed in short order by the establishment of local nature centers in Closter, Englewood, and Demarest.