I searched for a good nature documentary free to stream on some service and saw this was on Netflix. Its short length and very heavy focus on scenery made me guess (correctly) that it was originally made for IMAX. If you missed your chance to watch it at a museum though, don’t worry. I missed mine but on a nice high-definition TV it’s still a stunner.
We get a short history lesson on how Theodore Roosevelt (no coincidence I brought him up in both of these posts!) lost both his wife and mom in a short time span and coped with depression by taking a camping trip to explore the great outdoors with Sierra Club founder John Muir. He then wanted to preserve beautiful outdoor land for people to enjoy forever and, as president in 1905, he essentially created the concept of national parks. None had existed up until that point other than Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Sequoia, but now the “Rough Rider” set aside 150 million acres of forests and created the United States Forest Service to protect it. While he was still president the National Park System grew to include 23 sites, and it was up to 35 by 1916 when then-president Woodrow Wilson created the National Park Service to manage them.
This documentary celebrates the 100th anniversary of that event, and as part of the fun it shares sites that we all get to experience since they are enjoying that protection.
The one such site I’ve already seen that jumped out at me is Crater Lake, established as a national park during TR’s administration. It remains the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, and I can relate to Roosevelt since it was something that definitely redeemed what was otherwise a rough time in my life. I actually decided to share my video of that below in lieu of a trailer!
The one such site I’ve haven’t already seen that jumped out at me is The Grand Canyon, established as a national park during Wilson’s administration. Admittedly I’ve technically been there, but I think many have that experience of a visit to a place they don’t count because it was a family trip when they were kids and they didn’t like it. 😉 It’s right around the top of my bucket list to go back there, and this time both go whitewater rafting (which has become one of the favorite activities in my adult life) and zip lining (which has as well, and is a new activity the Canyon offers). My wrestling fan friend Paul and I were supposed to do that early last year before attending a WWE event in Arizona but Paul wound up not having enough vacation days 🙁
This movie made me realize how much else I need to see in this country, though. I was most likely gonna go to Yellowstone, which was one of the parks the three likable outdoorsy friends featured in this movie explore, but only because I’ve got a mission to see every state I haven’t been to and that’s the best excuse to hit up Wyoming. Thanks to National Parks Adventure, however, visiting every national park in the country is a new mission of mine!
I should probably get on it, unless Americans stop voting into power conservatives who’ll destroy public lands so a few rich old white men can put a little more money into their offshore tax havens.
Sorry, I already soapboxed plenty in the last post; I’ll stop here. Watch this uplifting, serene, and beautiful little film!
Bottom line: An environmental equivalent of The Red Balloon (if you don’t know what that is then there’s your homework assignment)
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