Roosevelt and Conservation

Theodore Roosevelt supported conservation.  In fact, he sometimes referred to conservation as "my policy." Theodore Roosevelt was the first president to support and foster the modern conservation movement.  Roosevelt was also interested in the preservation of natural areas as national parks.

Roosevelt's interest in conservation arose, in part, for his personal love of the out-of-doors, and, in part, from his experience living and working in North Dakota, part of the arid west where water conservation seemed so important.

As a public leader, Roosevelt was also keenly interested in achieving greater organization, efficiency, and order in economic affairs.  Conservation was  part of this interest.

Roosevelt acted as President to placed conservation on the national policy agenda.  While in office, Roosevelt emphasized scientific training in the selection of public officials in those parts of the executive branch concerned directly with natural resources.  In 1908, Roosevelt hosted a Governors' Conference concerned with the conservation of water and other natural resources.  Also in 1908, Roosevelt sponsored a National Conservation Commission, which issued a 3 volume inventory of American natural resources.

Roosevelt spoke on behalf of conversation on several occasions, and conservation was a part of the Progressive Party platform in 1912, and an issue that Roosevelt raised in the campaign.