Did you have contact with the science program?
We, as a team, sought out science. It was just developing at that point to have greater influence on planning and management. Science had its own sphere in which it operated, and we had to tap into them, since they were not integrated on the team at that point in time. These planning efforts, and I am taking about the period of 1966 to 1969, we did not hold public meetings. We sought out certain groups, as in the case of Natchez Trace Parkway. We met with state highway people, but we had to do it. The public involvement we have come to know the last two decades, however, wasn’t there at that point in time. It wasn’t until NEPA pushed us that we got into it and it’s good. I believe Laurin mentioned another factor, the Vietnam War. The questioning of government decisions became more popular, especially if they were made arbitrarily without the public playing a role. Our American citizenry was saying HEY, hear us, we have a voice. They were clamoring, so public involvement became a provision in NEPA.
Were you involved in Washington with setting up wilderness hearings, or was that later on?
Yes and no. Ed Peetz was the head of the planning division. The plans that I was working on were for the Natchez Trace Parkway, and the Foothills Parkway, and Guilford Courthouse. In the Foothills Parkway around Great Smokies, there was wilderness planning going on, but we were not involved with it. I worked on the planning for the Buffalo River since this was a new area proposal and a big deal. We were carving out something new and that probably was one of the more enjoyable studies. Jay Bright, Rich Gamberdini, and I were on the team. We had some legislative direction as to the size of the area. I can recall haggling with Jay Bright, who was our team captain. He and I labored mightily over some bits of real estate when we had something like a ceiling of 95,000 acres. I wanted a particular little canyon that had some beautiful white oak, but Jay was intrigued with a cave or two. It worked like this, “I’ll give you this if you’ll give me that.” I think I got that particular oak canyon within the boundary of Buffalo National River.
