The name John Muir and touring for many brings to mind Muir Woods tours for many, but for a master’s degree candidate in earth sciences, John Muir and touring means the four hundred mile trek the famous conservationist would make one hundred and forty years ago by foot between San Francisco and the Yosemite Valley.
Muir described the San Joaquin Valley as a “scene of peerless grandeur” when viewing the sea of flowers stretched among the vast flats. Graduate student, Alex McInturff, will walk the same route this spring in order to blog about not only the changes that have come to pass along its route, but to also to highlight the ways in which conservation has been employed in the various areas and how the methods of doing so have changed over the years.
McInturff points out that John Muir most viewed nature and people almost independently and wanted to protect lands from people’s influence by separating the two, something ironic given his deep love of immersing himself in nature. McInturff says that today’s conservation efforts try to address the coexistence of the two. McInturff will meet with various land owners and influencers along his trail to speak with government agencies, conservationists, farmers, and land managers and will blog on those insights when he begins his trek on April 6th. His trek is expected to take about a month and he can be followed at his blog.
