Deforestation in China: Theodore Roosevelt’s cautionary tale
Subject(s): Ballinger, Richard Achilles, 1858-1922, Fairchild, David, 1869-1954, Garfield, James Rudolph, 1865-1950, Hitchcock, Ethan Allen, 1835-1909, Pinchot, Gifford, 1865-1946, Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?, Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930
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James G. Lewis explains how deforestation in China became a central part of President Theodore Roosevelt’s last annual message to Congress in December 1908. Lewis notes that Roosevelt’s conservation efforts had been increasingly thwarted by Congress in the last two years of his administration, and Roosevelt decided that he needed to make a strong case to Congress in his last message. Roosevelt used the example of what had happened to China’s soil, rivers, and climate after massive deforestation had rid many of its mountains of trees and vegetation. Roosevelt relied on evidence, eyewitness accounts, and photographs supplied by Frank Nicholas Meyer and Willis Bailey to emphasize the damage done in China. Lewis notes that Roosevelt was the first president to add photographs to his annual message.
Five photographs appear in the article, including three of deforestation in China, a similar scene from Utah, and one of Meyer.
Collection
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
Creation Date
2009
Creator(s)
Lewis, James G. (James Graham), 1965-; Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Publication Date
2023-10-05
Language
English
Period
Theodore Roosevelt and Public Memory (1919-present)
Original Collection
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
Page Count
8
Production Method
Record Type
Image
Resource Type
Rights
No permission is required from the Theodore Roosevelt Association to use items in the Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal collection for educational purposes. For permissions, contact William Tilchin at (516) 921-6319 or by email at wnt@bu.edu.
Citation
Cite this Record
Chicago:
Deforestation in China: Theodore Roosevelt’s cautionary tale. [October 29, 2025?]. Theodore Roosevelt Papers. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o308351. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Lewis, James G. (James Graham), 1965-; Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. Deforestation in China: Theodore Roosevelt’s cautionary tale. [29 Oct. 2025?]. Image. Theodore Roosevelt Papers. Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. October 29, 2025. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o308351.
APA:
Lewis, James G. (James Graham), 1965-; Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919.: , [2025, October 29?]. Deforestation in China: Theodore Roosevelt’s cautionary tale. Theodore Roosevelt Papers. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o308351.
Cite this Collection
Chicago:
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. Theodore Roosevelt Papers. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/theodore-roosevelt-association-journal. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. Theodore Roosevelt Papers. Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. October 29, 2025. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/theodore-roosevelt-association-journal.
APA:
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. Theodore Roosevelt Papers. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/theodore-roosevelt-association-journal.
