April 4, 2010 – Last week I had the opportunity to visit the Silver Center for the Arts at Plymouth State University to view the Weeks Act Exhibit. The exhibit, runs from March 3 – April 11, 2010 and is free to the public. The purpose of the exhibit is to celebrate the centennial of the Weeks Act, which is in 2011. Plus it will help create awareness for what the White Mountains once were and what they are now. The weeks act, signed in 1911 essentially allows the federal government to purchase land and to manage the purchased lands as national forests.
During the years of the timber barons groups of people started to realize the importance of “Protecting the Wilderness” and the conservation fight started. John Weeks, a U.S. Representative born in New Hampshire is responsible for introducing the bill into congress and following it through until it was passed into law.
Without the Weeks Act, the White Mountains of New Hampshire would still be tramped by loggers and their equipment. Only the twenty-first century logger would be carrying a chain saw! Cleared mountain sides, railroad tracks leading into the Pemi Wilderness and locomotives pulling loads of logs from the forest are a thing of the past.
The national forests will always be protected for future generations. For outdoor enthusiasts this probably is the most important law ever passed! The centennial of the Weeks act is more than just a celebration. It is conservation in it's finest form!
More info on the Weeks Act:
www.foresthistory.org/ASPNET/Policy/WeeksAct/index.aspx
The Weeks Act Exhibit is open until April 11, so stop by the Silver Center and check it out!
You can also view the on-line Weeks Act Exhibit below:
http://www.plymouth.edu/gallery/weeks-act/
View ScenicNH Photography's logging railroad image collection below:
Logging railroads of the White Mountains, New Hampshire
On a side note, I also visited the Karl Drerup Art Gallery on the same day and viewed the works of Plymouth students who entered their art into the “The Juried Student Exhibition”. All I can say is WOW! Breathtaking, stunning and impressive are only a few words that describe my visit to the gallery. Every artist that submitted work should be proud. Absolutely impressive!
Happy image making..
Owner of ScenicNH Photography LLC
Erin Paul is a professional photographer, writer, and author who specializes in environmental conservation and historic preservation photography mainly in the New Hampshire White Mountains. His work is published worldwide, and publication credits include: Appalachian Mountain Club, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Backpacker Magazine, and The Wilderness Society.
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