John Muir's Dunbar - Tributes | An Enduring Relevance

So what relevance does John Muir have for conservationists today? Muir would surely not recognise the tools of modern countryside managers like myself. Satellites monitoring endangered species. Computers predicting threatened habitats. And ever-more bureaucracy from Whitehall and Brussels. But despite all the changes since Muir's time, after one brief trip to Dunbar I know his vision and spirit for the environment are as relevant now - if not more so - than they ever were.

When Environment Minister Michael Meacher appointed me to the 'board of directors' of the North York Moors National Park Authority, the enormity of this long-awaited responsibility hit me. Was I really up to it? Would I have the strength and tenacity for the many challenges ahead? I needed inspiration to reaffirm my confidence and passion to conserve the countryside. And I truly found that - and much more - in John Muir's Dunbar. Our American cousins may, at first, see few similarities between Britain's national parks and their untamed protected areas with which Muir is so strongly associated. Indeed, Britain's parks are not uninhabited wildernesses. They are truly living landscapes, balancing the needs of our natural heritage, local residents and businesses - and the millions of visitors who enjoy these special places.

From an early age, Muir knew these largely man-made landscapes could still be wild. As he wrote of Dunbar: "there was no lack of wildness, though most of the land lay in smooth cultivation." Muir also recognised the importance of the physical and spiritual connection between man and the environment, and this principle is upheld in Britain's national parks today. One key reason for our parks' designation nearly 50 years ago, was their accessibility to many people who wished to experience and enjoy these treasured landscapes. As Muir wrote decades before: "Let children walk with nature."

Muir's principles are also robustly illustrated in the modern concept of sustainable development, adopted by world leaders at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. This philosophy binds together environmental, social and economic concerns to ensure a better quality of life today and for generations to come.

It is a fitting tribute that Dunbar's John Muir Association epitomises this vision of sustainability, by promoting the conservation and enjoyment of our precious landscapes, whilst bringing economic benefits to his home town. But even with all these fine principles and Muir's spirit in our souls, we countryside managers can only ever set the scene for conserving the world's wild places.

You, your behaviour, and your ability to make politicians protect these landscapes are just as crucial. May the spirit of Muir's Dunbar serve you and your special places well.

Stephen Jenkinson lives in North Yorkshire and works as an advisor, lecturer and writer to conserve the British countryside and public access to it.

Working for a sustainable world

Scottish Charity No. SC 022857

Putting Dunbar on the Map