John Muir's Birthplace

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Content updated Mon, 13 Apr 1998 00:12:16 GMT

DJMA/JMC Background... [home]

DJMA/JMC Background...

Origins of the JMC Project

First posting about JMC

Important Note

0. Introduction

A feasibility study is currently being undertaken. Comments, messages of support, suggestions, etc., are encouraged and can be be sent to me.

Duncan Smeed
duncan@cs.strath.ac.uk   aka   jmmci-pilot-request@mailbase.ac.uk

1. Origins

"In April 1988, on the 150th anniversary of John Muir's birth, The John Muir Trust was publicly launched at meeting in Dunbar, attended by the President of the Sierra Club, at which the patronage of HRH Prince Charles was announced as was the news that President Reagan had declared April 21st to be John Muir Day henceforth.

Graham White, Director of Edinburgh's Environment Centre, and Don Bracewell, Outdoor Education Tutor in East Lothian, felt that the young people of Dunbar should be involved in spreading Muir's philosophy. Pupils of Dunbar Primary School, dressed in early Victorian costume, posted letters written by them to 160 World Heads of State explaining the significance of the day and their own involvement and concern, and relating Muir's life and achievements. They thanked them for the efforts their nations had made in the past to protect wild land and wild life and asked what plans there were for the future.

Replies came from many parts of the world, often written by a Minister of the Environment. Some were obviously touched that a child in a small Scottish town was concerned about the efforts they were making to protect their wild places. Some anticipated a continuing correspondence; all were pleased to hear about John Muir, some proud that he was already respected in their countries. Many sent booklets, reports and leaflets describing their environmental programmes and also some educational materials. What is striking is the effort that has been made by some nations with very limited resources.

We have used this material to publicise these efforts. Other groups may draw attention to the problems, but perhaps we can encourage those who are facing them by letting them know that we share their concern and that we want others to know what they are doing.

At the same time perhaps, these particular youngsters will themselves be made more environmentally aware in sending Muir's message to every country of the world. We visualise contact with young people of other nations, joint projects and exchange visits, with Dunbar acting as a central clearing house, with a bank of regularly updated conservation material. We plan the establishment of a centre organising and producing exhibitions, conferences, seminars, publications, films and public events relating to Muir's work and conservation education generally.

But perhaps our first task should be to raise the profile of John Muir in Scotland itself. If you have not read his books, then start now and make them available to the young people around you. His perceptive eye, inquiring mind and infectious energy and enthusiasm should stir not only their own 'natural inherited wildness' but persuade them to protect that other inherited wildness that continues to be threatened."

2 Proposals

Muir's books, written before the vocabulary of ecology was developed, are captivating and powerful in their precocious but practical view of our place in the continuous interaction around us: "When we try to pick out anything by itself we find it hitched to everything else in that universe." His wilderness discoveries, both in the landscape and within himself, began a powerful social movement whose relevance to our times is indisputable. His message is not threatening but positive and glad and therefore one to be propagated. His own adventurous life makes a fascinating and colourful story which deserves telling.

Dunbar, as Muir's birthplace, is clearly the only site in Europe which could commemorate this man and his achievement and take the opportunity of relating his global philosophy to our present responsibility for the management of the planet. Thus, any institution set up here should not merely be a "tourist attraction" to describe Muir, but should be a powerhouse for action, participation and development - a true WORLD Environment Centre.

PROPOSAL

• foster a greater appreciation of John Muir as a Scottish pioneer of nature conservation
• act as a showcase for the landscape of East Lothian and the rest of Scotland and related conservation issues
• provide a memorable and inspiring educational experience for the visitor and for school parties
• act as a focus for the broadcasting of Muir's message world wide and for the establishment of similar centres throughout the urbanised world
• organise and produce conferences, seminars, presentations, films, books, publications and public events on topics relating to Muir's philosophy and conservation education in general
• establish itself as an international centre for global conservation by creating educational programmes and making overseas links to provide youth exchanges and study visits for people of all ages here and abroad.

We felt that, although such a project would focus on education and conservation, it would also provide a major tourist attraction for visitors and conservationists all over Britain as well as the United States. The scheme was seen very much as a flagship project for the economic regeneration of the town by bringing money, visitors and cultural prestige.

It was assumed that Muir's life would serve as the historical backdrop, but modern conservation issues in Scotland and the rest of the world would be the living and often contentious foreground. The centre would also function as an environmental gateway to East Lothian and the wider Scotland of Torridon, Knoydart or the Cairngorms. It would be a natural education base for the local Ranger Service and, when tourism numbers fell in winter, it would still attract school parties throughout Lothian and Scotland.

Additionally, such a nexus would provide a national shop window for the environmental movement in Scotland - a showcase for conservation agencies such as Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Wildlife Trust, RSPB, Woodland Trust, as well as the East Lothian Wildlife Group or the River Tyne Trust. There would be a rich programme of walks, talks, exhibitions, films, videos and slide-tape presentations from a wide variety of agencies. Scotland lacks any such national focus point for environmental issues at present.

It was at this time that Don Bracewell, studying Blue Circle Industries plc's plans for golfing development at Broxmouth, Dunbar on behalf of Scottish Wildlife Trust (and approving of them), met Nigel Bishop and Kevin Boys of BCI and discussed, informally, the John Muir ideas. They were impressed with the concept and its potential and asked to be kept informed.

In May 1989, through the initiative of Pauline Jaffray of PJ Designs, who acted both for BCI and for the Dunbar Initiative, together with Terry Isles, Director of the John Muir Trust, we took this paper to the Scottish Development Agency and the Scottish Tourist Board. They were enthusiastic and went off to produce some figures. Blue Circle vouched funds for the feasibility study and, through the Dunbar Initiative, East Lothian District Council were invited to become involved. Sadly, once the Council took up the idea (and the funding), we heard nothing more, nor were any conservation bodies or local groups consulted, until October 1991. By then East Lothian's Department of Leisure and Tourism's consultants, The Environment and Development Company, had produced finished studies and reports.

However, the consultants and ELDC had radically altered the original concept and proposed to build a tourist centre, not in Dunbar town, but at Linkfield in the John Muir Country Park itself, adjacent to the vulnerable Tyninghame Estuary SSSI. Moreover, the proposals totally missed the point of of the original idea to create an international centre, which would go far beyond the narrow bounds of a tourist attraction and bring prestige and economic benefit to Dunbar.

3 Conflict

It was ironic that those whose expertise, influence and, above all, enthusiasm for the concept of a John Muir Centre in his birthplace could have been harnessed cooperatively in a great enterprise found themselves unwillingly in the unlikely roles of objectors.

The proposed site was just 100 metres from the Tyninghame SSSI with its sand dunes, evolving saltmarsh and important wading bird community. Crucially it is less than a mile from a very sensitive site supporting a List One endangered species - a colony of Little Terns which survive and breed here with some difficulty.

Terry Isles wrote on behalf of JMT on 24/2/93:

"In view of the projected volume of visitors to the Centre, it is felt inevitable that disturbance and damage will result within this sensitive conservation area and the result would be an unacceptable association of the name of John Muir with the destruction of a nationally important conservation site. It is hard to understand why no Environmental Impact Assessment has been carried out, in view of the very detailed work which has been done on other aspects of the project. The John Muir Country Park represents such an important conservation resource in south-east Scotland that every effort should be made to safeguard its natural qualities for future generations."

The other objections were equally strong and concerned environmental principles, not simple matters of detail. On 22/10/93 the objectors organised the first public meeting in Dunbar, to allow the public to learn about the issues and have their own say. The meeting, attracting 120 people and chaired by Richard Holloway (Bishop of Edinburgh and a Trustee of JMT) was as unanimous in its enthusiasm for the idea of a John Muir Centre as it was in rejecting the Council's choice of site.

Accusations of elitism and zealotry levelled at the objectors by members of ELDC were shown to be very wide of the mark by the support indicated at this meeting by Dunbar traders and citizens and others unassociated with the conservation movement. Many people expressed a wish to be further involved in seeking a way forward to the creation of a worthy centre and it was agreed that a round-table meeting with ELDC, LEEL, SNH and a delegation from this meeting be sought.

4 Renewed Initiative

Finding a suitable site requires a balance between what is desirable to fulfil all the aims and what are the physical constraints, while providing maximum economic benefit to the town, under the Dunbar Initiative. There is no intrinsic connection between Muir and the Country Park, and Dunbar has many redundant buildings and several empty sites within the town close to public transport. The wild, natural quality of the park can be enjoyed by the visitor for its own sake. The landscape already speaks for itself as it did to Muir in 1893 when he revisited his birthplace and wrote to his wife Louie:

"I see glacial studies all around.... Last night I took a walk along the shore on the rocks where I played as a boy. The waves made a grand show, breaking in sheets and sheaves of foam and granted songs - the same old songs they sang to me in my childhood and I seemed a boy again and all the long eventful years in America were forgotten while I was filled with that glorious ocean psalm."

The vital elements, which could be contained within a modest building or buildings are:

1. A sympathetic, dynamic and talented Director with a well-equipped office.
2. An auditorium with flexibility for audio-visual presentations, modest dramatic productions and talks for day visitors, including school parties, as well as lectures and meetings for conservation groups and others (including their own regular meeting programmes). Seating capacity 25 - 100.
3. Permanent exhibition area, perhaps as an indoor trail.
4. Temporary exhibition or display area.
5. Shop for books, publications, gifts and other related materials which would reinforce the conservation message and provide some income.
6. Library and resource centre with visitors' study facilities as well as small, professional research room.
7. Space and equipment for production of resource materials and publications (DTP, video editing, photographic and illustration).
8. Toilet facilities for above use.
9. Minimum catering facilities for staff and coffee-at-meetings, etc.
10. Disabled access to all floor levels.

For all other catering, residential and larger-scale meeting purposes Dunbar's own existing facilities should be utilised to spread the economic benefit. They might be stimulated to respond to an increasing demand as would other tourist-related enterprises.

Action Points:

It would:

• prepare a feasibility study for such an International Centre;
• examine alternative buildings or sites;
• clarify the brief for the Centre;
• identify sources of finance;
• recommend a constitution for an organisation to implement the proposals.

Later that month (December 1993) Terry Isles and a number of Trustees of the John Muir Trust met again with senior District Councillors who indicated the would welcome suggestions for an alternative proposal.

On 15/2/94, ELDC announced that its planning application for Linkfield had been withdrawn. Reasons given were that SNH had refused to withdraw its objections and that Tyninghame Estate Trustees had placed an unrealistic value in Hedderwick Plantation which the Council had included in their plans and therefore would have needed to purchase.

5 Local Involvement

The 60 people attending the meeting were invited to form a Steering Group to consider the proposals for a Feasibility Study, a first draft of which was before them. Over 30 people put their names forward. At a second meeting on 28/4/94, it was agreed that a more manageable Executive Committee of seven would be elected. They, together with members of JMT I&E Committee, would promote the scheme, consider the form and content of the proposal and seek funding for the Feasibility Study. A further suggestion that a new local organisation with charitable status be formed, to give the project some roots and an identity, would be investigated. The broader Steering Group would meet regularly meantime. The involvement of JMT was considered vital to the success of the project. The executive committee, drawn from a wide spectrum of local interest is:

• David Anderson (Secretary Dunbar Local History Society)
• Dan Cairney (Chairman Dunbar Local Community Council and a local trader)
• Jess Christman (Craftsman and East Lothian Wildlife Group)
• Stefany Hawryluk (Photographer and owner of John Muir House)
• Hugh Ouston (Assistant Headteacher Dunbar Grammar School)
• Ian Parsons (Architect)
• Duncan Smeed (Computer Scientist)