Rightful Heritage

Douglas Brinkley's "Rightful Heritage" meticulously details Franklin Delano Roosevelt's profound and often overlooked environmental legacy, positioning him as a seminal figure in American conservation. Following his celebrated work on Theodore Roosevelt, Brinkley explores FDR's deep-rooted connection to the natural world, cultivated from his youth along the Hudson River. As president during the Great Depression, Roosevelt ingeniously wove conservation into his economic recovery strategy, most notably through the creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). This transformative program mobilized nearly three million young men, engaging them in vital projects like constructing national park infrastructure, mitigating pollution, combating Dust Bowl erosion, and planting billions of trees. FDR's leadership secured the preservation of iconic landscapes including the Everglades, Great Smokies, and Joshua Tree, while also spearheading the modern endangered species movement. The book vividly portrays Roosevelt as a consummate political strategist who brilliantly utilized conservation as a means to alleviate unemployment, ultimately safeguarding America's treasured public lands as an enduring birthright. It's an essential account for understanding the foundational role of FDR in shaping America's environmental consciousness.