“If people in general could be got into the woods, even for once, to hear the trees speak for themselves, all difficulties in the way of forest preservation would vanish.”

Scottish-born American naturalist and writer

John Muir was a Scottish-born American naturalist and writer, active in the 19th and early 20th centuries. He is remembered as an early and influential voice for preserving wilderness in the United States. Muir also worked as an environmental philosopher, botanist, zoologist, and glaciologist. He is associated with the names “John of the Mountains” and “Father of the National Parks,” titles that reflect his lasting role in shaping wilderness preservation and the language around it.