PRM 380 Wilderness & Parks in America Discussion

In this weeks modules we see America’s views toward wilderness in stark contrast to those in the beginning of class. America has taken steps to save important wilderness areas in perpetuity. We have covered the stories of prominent figures who espoused the ideas of protecting these places and creating them as parks and wilderness areas. However, there are obviously many people in America who’s voices have and continue to not be heard. For this discussion, I want you to think about who’s stories are not being told, what are these stories, and why are we not hearing them. I want you to think deeply about this. Concentrate on the time periods in which we have covered and what our country looked like at each of those periods. In other words, what was the culture like, who lived here, who had a voice and who did not? Be critical of Nash, our readings, and even my lectures. Nash, though providing a great construction of the history of wilderness, has consciously or subconsciously left out many important parallel stories concerning American history and wilderness.

The best submissions will be full of detail and introspection. They will make reference to Nash and course content. They will also have paragraphs separating the main ideas.

Have fun and think critically! Though I am not requiring additional posts, I highly recommend commenting on other student’s posts. Let’s create a dialog.

How to succeed in your discussion postings:

1. Read and do all of the on-line material in the learning module (as well as review the in-class material) before you answer.
2. Think about your answer and how it links to the material in the learning module.
3. Title your post with your last name and topic. Example: Steffey_Wilderness
4. Write a brief introduction.
5. Use paragraphs.

Assignments must be well-written and free of grammar, spelling, and capitalization errors. (You MUST capitalize “I,” for example.) You should run a spell and grammar check. Although this format seems similar to instant messaging, it is actually a college assignment for credit.

Any postings that have spelling or grammar errors that could be caught by spell/grammar check will receive zero points.

Full credit will be given to thoughtful, detailed, in-depth answers that show you have understood and incorporated what we are learning that week. Especially valuable are subtlety, nuance, reflection, and insight.