UA Museum to Show Documentary Celebrating Forest Service’s 100th Anniversary

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – As the US Forest Service celebrates its 100th year anniversary, a new documentary is coming to Alabama that brings the history of the agency to a broad audience. The public is invited to view “The Greatest Good,” a two-hour documentary to be shown free of charge March 5 at the Alabama Museum of Natural History, located in Smith Hall on The University of Alabama campus.

The Museum will also be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the “Discovering Alabama” television series. This combined event will begin at 1:30 with a preview of the “Discovering Alabama” film “Forest Issues,” followed by viewing of “The Greatest Good,” and concluding with a reception hosted by the Oakmulgee Division of the Talladega National Forest.

“We welcome the opportunity to share this event with our friends at the Alabama Museum of Natural History,” said Cindy Ragland, district ranger of the Talladega National Forest – Oakmulgee Division. “Their field assistance in archaeology is most helpful to our efforts at protecting cultural sites in the National Forests. And, of course, their educational programs, like “Discovering Alabama,” are so important in promoting appreciation for Alabama’s natural values.”

“The Greatest Good” uses rarely-seen footage and photos, sweeping high definition landscape aerial shots, and dozens of expert interviews to tell a complex and compelling story of the American land.

Before “environmentalism” and the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service was created in 1905 by President Theodore Roosevelt and his Chief Forester Gifford Pinchot. They sought not only to conserve disappearing natural resources but also to maximize the social benefits from those resources.

Pinchot’s mission statement for his new agency stated “…where conflicting interests must be reconciled, the question shall always be decided from the standpoint of the greatest good of the greatest number in the long run.”

The documentary, “The Greatest Good” traces the Forest Service efforts to deliver the most benefits to the most people, while remaining good stewards of the land.

The film examines conflicts in major natural resource issues: grazing, fire, wilderness, game/wildlife, watershed protection, recreation and, of course, timber. It also contains profiles of Forest Service employees, including Pinchot, Aldo Leopold, Arthur Carhart, and Bob Marshall, who invented new ways of addressing these conflicts. Although it focuses mainly on western issues, it does provide considerable insight to issues of the south.

The Talladega National Forest – Oakmulgee Division, located just south of Tuscaloosa, is part of Alabama’s four established National Forests. The Oakmulgee was proclaimed in 1937, during the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration. Today it consists of approximately 157,000 acres of public lands.

Ragland says, “The Greatest Good documentary allows the viewer to gain a well-rounded perspective of the history of the Forest Service.” Ragland and many of her staff, as well as representatives from the UA Museum and “Discovering Alabama” will be on hand to answer any questions after the show.

The US Forest Service manages four national forests in Alabama that covers more than 665,000 acres of public-owned land. The Bankhead, Conecuh, Tuskegee and Talladega national forests are located within 17 counties in the state. For information about the management of these forests, please call the Forest Service at 334/832-4470.

For more information about “Discovering Alabama” or the Alabama Museum of Natural History, please call 205/348-7550 or visit the website at www.museums.ua.edu.