by Dana Utman, North Group Chair
History is always unfolding because, ironically, we keep learning new things about it. Archeologists unearth never before seen artifacts to help understand the story of a place.
The Sierra Club’s founder, John Muir reportedly said: “I’ll interpret the rocks, learn the language of the flood, storm the avalanche. I’ll acquaint myself with the glaciers and wild gardens, and get as near the heart of the world as I can.” It was this quote that recorded the first use of the word “interpret” to describe nature.
On the north coast we are lucky to have Redwood National and Prairie Creek State Parks. The majestic redwoods are a reminder of the timber wars that took place in the 20th century. If you visit those parks you will learn about some of the founders. But not all of them. Former Sierra Club Redwood Chapter leader Lucille Vinyard may be there in spirit, but you wouldn’t know about her contribution to the park. Not in the visitor centers, not in the signage, or any park interpretive program.
The National Park Service’s mission includes preserving the natural and cultural resources for the ... “enjoyment, education and inspiration of this and future generations.” For a park visitor to be enlightened they would need to know the truth as we understand it today. Park interpreters in both the state and national parks study Psychologist Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. It begins with a human’s basic needs and ends with self-actualization. But if you choose to walk that path to awareness, according to Maslow, you need knowledge and understanding for growth.
There is an article on the National Park Service’s (NPS) website about Lucille Vinyard, describing her as the “Mother of Redwoods.” The author Cole Manley cited Vinyard’s tireless and brave work, inspiring professors at Humboldt State University to form the organization Citizens for Redwood National Park in 1965 to push back against the timber companies and save the remaining 5% of the old growth tall trees. The NPS made her an honorary park ranger.
At Cal Poly Humboldt (as Humboldt State is now called) you can find the Lucille Vinyard Papers. The documentation helps to establish how her efforts played a major part in creating Redwood National Park in 1968, and the expansion that came later.
Lucille Vinyard formed another group to help her achieve her goals, the Sierra Club Redwood Chapter North Group that I am the chair of today. Representing the North Group, Vinyard attended all the Redwood National Park hearings. Her life was threatened so often that she needed to be escorted in and out of meetings. She told Greg King, according to his book Ghost Forest, that it ...” was the ugliest thing I ever went through in my life.”
In her 1969 diary she left this note: “The astronauts reported the earth to be a beautiful place as viewed from outer space. I still find the earth and all it holds a beautiful thing as viewed from the land- from the tiniest of insects to the largest of mammals; from the smallest of plants to the greatest of trees. Even the casual observer can find a great joy in a brilliant sunset or the graceful flight of a soaring hawk. The earth and all it encompasses is a place in the great scheme of nature from which one can continue to learn if he cares to slow down a bit and look around him.”
We are hoping to have Redwood National Park include Lucille Vinyard’s story at their visitor center and wherever it can be told.