Think Big!

Think Big! Think Really Big! One of the problems most of us have is that we think too small. We focus on our own little worlds, struggle through our daily issues, pay the bills, and collapse into bed at night. There is no arguing with the point that we must do the daily things (work, pay taxes, pay the bills, etc…) – if we don’t we might end up in debtor’s prison, or worse. However, each one of us can build, and leave, a legacy – no matter how small. Life has a way of forcing into being a “small thinker”. Much of our lives we are told that we CAN’T do something. It usually goes something like this: “they said that we can’t do that…they said that we can’t do this…etc. etc. etc.” This begs the question: “Who are THEY?” I guess “they” is “them”. Throughout history, individuals have defied the odds and done amazing things. Pick your own list of great, “out of the box” thinkers and reflect on how much they have impacted our lives in a positive way.

Page one – the legendary Teddy Roosevelt. He did many things that revolutionized modern America, but perhaps his greatest legacy was his gift of conservation to future generations. TR was at his happiest when he was in the outdoors. He loved nature. He studied the birds and other animals, loved to ride horses in the wild, enjoyed climbing and was an avid hunter. When he was a boy he wanted to be a naturalist and he was the first American President to discuss issues regarding the environment. He was close friends with Sierra Club founder, John Muir - who had a major influence on Roosevelt and his policy making. That was the beginning of the Federal Government overseeing the country’s parklands versus the state governments. Along with Muir’s input, and influence from U.S. Forest Service Chief Gifford Pinchot’s, Roosevelt’s love of nature turned into policy to defend it. In a speech he gave shortly after leaving office, he said, “It is the duty of this generation to use the nation’s natural resources, but I do not recognize the right to waste them or rob, by wasteful use, the generations that come after us.” What is his legacy? He left us with 150 national forests, 51 national wildlife refuges, five national parks, and the core belief that air, water, forests, & the animal kingdom belong to us all. State conservation departments enjoy the support and cooperation of the Federal Government and many were inspired by those beginnings. We all have the opportunity to enjoy these natural resources. Roosevelt was indeed a BIG thinker, a dynamic leader, and put his money where his mouth (huge mouth!) was. Thanks Teddy!

Turn the page to this century and the amazing story of Pioneer Forest here in Missouri. It is easy to drive right by it on your way down Highway 19 – about ½ hour south of Salem. You will see a simple sign on the east side of the highway and beyond the gate is another amazing legacy of conservation and a willingness to thing BIG. Beginning in 1951, St. Louis businessman Leo Drey went to work on a vision he had. He was convinced that there was a better way to responsibly forest. He had an opportunity to acquire land (including a major 90,000 acre acquisition from National Distillers) and continued to accumulate a total of 160,000 acres. His dedicated staff has been managing the property with an approach of “restoring Ozark woodlands through conservative, natural forest management, and preserve ecologically important area and notable landscape features.” In other woods, they are not clear-cutting the land to bring in the buckets of money. They utilize environmentally sound and sustainable practices. Here is the best part. On July 6th, 2004, Leo and Kay Drey announced that they would donate 146,000 acres (the land is in six Missouri counties!) to the L-A-D Foundation. The L-A-D Foundation is a private, charitable foundation currently managing nearly 340,000 acres, most of which are designated Missouri Natural Areas. The Foundation has worked with the Missouri Departments of Conservation and Natural Resources for management of these lands. The foundation manages the forest in this spirit and the land is accessible to Missouri citizens. Leo Drey has been able to get forest owners and managers to think differently about the way they view forests – a BIG shift to a long-range view that will pay dividends for generations. Thank you, Mr. & Mrs. Drey.

What can each of us do? Must we run for President and establish new nationwide programs with huge implications? Not necessarily. Do we need to buy land in six Missouri counties and donate it to a foundation? No. Well then, what can we do? We need to think BIGGER than we do now. Whatever your perspective, you need to challenge yourself to think out of the box and think BIG – at least a little BIGGER than you think now. Each of us must ask ourselves what our legacy will be. I can’t make your legacy for you and you can’t make mine. But, our legacies will be whatever we make of them. It might be as simple as taking a kid fishing on a Saturday. It might be a land donation. It might be a policy fight to protect a stream. Who knows…but I can guarantee you this – each of us has the ability to think BIGGER than we do right now. You think about that (maybe you can even think BIG about that). Oh, and don’t forget to get out and fish! Most of the best thinking is done in the great outdoors. TL