Posted by David McRee at BlogTheBeach.com
Sunday evening I settled onto the couch to fight off an attack of pollen allergies with extra rest and an arsenal of prescription and OTC drugs that could fill a grocery bag. I sat there channel surfing for a few minutes until I found the new Ken Burns series on National Parks. This is going to be another epic series by filmmaker extraordinaire Ken Burns. I’m recording them all.
This first show in the series “National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” covered the creation of Yosemite and Yellowstone National Parks. The highlight for me was the story of John Muir and the central role he played in the preservation of our most beautiful lands. Muir was an amazing and very eccentric soul, worthy of study and celebration. You’ll want to get to know him if you haven’t already.
While Muir has long since passed from this life, his legacy is given new life by Muir scholar Lee Stetson who plays the role of John Muir (and looks the part) to entertain and educate. Here’s a sample:
After I’d watched the first 2 hour episode, I got an email from friend Marge Bell, who blogs at SpaceCoastBeachBuzz.com, with a link to an article in Florida Today written by our mutual friend Dr. Blair Witherington. Titled “Brevard’s Best Idea,” Witherington’s guest editorial draws on the theme of Ken Burns’ National Parks series by pointing out the importance and success of Brevard’s Environmentally Endangered Land’s Program (EEL).
If you’ve got a few minutes, watch the video clip above, then if you’re interested in what Brevard County has done with it’s EEL program, follow the “Brevard’s Best Idea” link and read Witherington’s guest editorial. He strikes just the right tone to appeal to any audience, whether tree-hugger or lumberjack.
Be sure to watch the Ken Burns series on National Parks. Or record the series for a rainy day.
