Gifford Pinchot

Seeking the Greatest Good

Wednesday, August 28, 2013 - 7:00pm to 9:00pm
  • Library Hall

A film and conversation about the conservation legacy of Gifford Pinchot, the first American forester who helped establish the National Forests and the U.S. Forest Service, serving as its first Chief under President Theodore Roosevelt.

Join us for a free screening of the new documentary film "Seeking the Greatest Good" followed by a community discussion about modern conservation and Gifford Pinchot's philosophies, what endures and the evolution of challenges that our forests and other public lands face today.

Everyone is encouraged to engage in this conversation. In addition, invitations have been extended to local public land mangers to help address your specific questions and broaden the evening's moderated discussion.

Pinchot's "practical conservation" advocated for the sustainable management of natural resources for the continuing benefit of the nation as a whole, “the greatest good to the greatest number for the longest run.” This documentary film chronicles the legacy of Gifford Pinchot’s philosophy, and celebrates its value for understanding and solving the conservation challenges of our own era. Establishing Pinchot’s vision of conservation to affect social justice as a force that shaped our nation, the film explores efforts to find “environmentally sound, economically viable, and socially responsible” solutions to contemporary conservation challenges.

Run time: 1 hour

This film is presented by the Bud Werner Memorial Library and Yampatika, with thanks to the Pinchot Institute for Conservation for generous permission to host this free community screening in Library Hall.