Seedlings of Hope

      I have visited my cottage on Higgins Lake every summer that I can remember, yet there was so much I didn’t know about the area until a few years ago. Less than a mile away from my cottage, there is a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Museum site. Every summer growing up around the lake, I would make my way to the historical area filled with intriguing, old buildings and a majestic forest of trees. I always found the place interesting and beautiful, but left it at that, without reading the information on the sides of the buildings or touring them on a day the various historical museums were open for visitors. For the most part, I would mindlessly wander around observing the buildings or go for a run through the forest trail surrounding them. I cherish my runs through the hilly dirt trail. There is a particular part of the three-mile trail that always leaves me speechless with its overwhelming beauty. Trees tower above the trail in perfectly straight lines for at least a half-mile. I suppose I always thought that these were magical trees that naturally were flawless in order. However, I eventually learned otherwise. These trees have a much greater story to tell.
      During my freshman year of high school, I discovered this story when one of my classes required students to do “cultural events.” Students had to find a place where they could learn about a part of history or a particular culture, and do a project on it. Already traveling up north a few weeks before the project was due, I figured that the CCC Museum would be just the right place to pursue the assignment. I was correct in my assumptions.
      I learned that the Grayling CCC Museum that I visited was just one of many around the United States. The Presidential election of 1932 led to the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt as America’s new president. Roosevelt determinedly planned to utilize unemployed, young men to fight against soil erosion and diminishing timber resources. To do so, he enacted the Emergency Conservation Work Act, also known as the CCC. Young men were eager to enroll in the new program and were able to send paychecks home to families, boosting the economy all around the nation. While benefiting themselves, and their families, these men were also able to help the nation’s environment. Among other great accomplishments, more than three billion trees were planted, which explains the perfectly aligned trees in the forest behind the museum. The men also devoted time to other conservation activities, including, but not limited to, protecting range for the Grazing Service, helping with stream improvement, and protecting wildlife’s natural habitats.  Unfortunately, despite its great success, the CCC program ended in 1942 (CCC Legacy).
      After learning all about the CCC Museum and the story behind the towering trees, I began to wonder: would it be possible for the United States to do something like this again? There is no doubt that America is in need of environmental adjustment, and I know that with the current economy, many citizens would appreciate jobs. The program worked once, and it could certainly work again for struggling citizens and a desperate environment that needs America’s attention.

Source:

"CCC Brief History." CCC Legacy. 2015. Web. 4 Nov. 2015.
http://www.ccclegacy.org/CCC_Brief_History.html