John Muir's Birthplace

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Content updated Tue, 15 Jun 1999 00:48:02 GMT

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About DJMA

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The reasons behind Dunbar's John Muir Association (known also as DJMA) becoming established are given in a brief history and background of DJMA. The ultimate goal of the Association is to create the John Muir Centre in Dunbar.

This Association, membership of which would be open to all, will

• have its roots firmly in Dunbar - Muir's birthplace, but invite membership and support from Scotland and from all over the world;
• stimulate a greater awareness of Muir's outstanding role as the Scottish "Father of Conservation" and help to spread his philosophy, here and abroad;
• set up a Charitable Trust to establish the John Muir Centre in Dunbar as a venue with national and international environmental prestige, a major tourism attraction bringing economic regeneration and international recognition to the town and East Lothian.

DJMA was formally inaugurated on 27 July 1994 at a meeting of Founder Members. At this meeting the Council of the Association was elected and its constitution adopted. The Public Launch of DJMA took place on 29 September 1994 and members who joined on or before this date have the status of Founder Members.

The Association's Objects are:

1. To advance the education of the public concerning John Muir, as the Dunbar-born pioneer of world nature conservation, and his belief in the unique and irreplaceable value of wild places and wild creatures
2. To implement John Muir's philosophy practically by conserving, restoring and enhancing landscape and wildlife in East Lothian and Scotland.

All of the Association's activities, projects and management functions shall be carried out within the context of the guiding principles of Sustainability laid out by H.M. Government in A U.K. Strategy for Sustainable Development (1994) in line with Agenda 21 of the United Nations World Summit on the Environment (1992). These comprise:

1. The Wise Use of Resources: of energy, materials, land and natural heritage
2. Environmental Capacity: living within the carrying capacity of the environment
3. Environmental Quality: promoting the highest environmental standards
4. The Precautionary Principle: assessing the risks of any proposed development
5. Environmental Responsibility: taking responsibility for our environmental future.

The Association will exemplify the above principles, by creating facilities and projects which reflect the highest standards of environmental excellence, and through sensitivity to the impact of its operations on the natural environment. In the spirit of Local Agenda 21 the Association will pursue its aims in full partnership with local communities, taking their views into account and involving them at all stages.

Further Information

Publicity for the new Association and for the project began locally with the distribution to all addresses in the Dunbar postal area of a leaflet. Quarterly newsletters are used to keep members of the DJMA up to date with developments.

A summary of DJMA's achievements in its first two years of operation are given in the First and Second Annual Reports.

The e-mail address for DJMA is: djma@muir-birthplace.org

The snail mail contact address for DJMA is:

Dunbar's John Muir Association
John Muir House
128 High Street
Dunbar
East Lothian
EH42 1JJ