The Sierra Club as an Interest Group Essays -- Environment Nature Essa

The Sierra Club as an Interest Group The Sierra Club is a national organization dedicated to the preservation of the environment. Founded in 1892 in California by conservationist John Muir, the Club is made up of 750,000 people devoted to the exploration, enjoyment, and the protection of the natural environmental. Headquartered in San Francisco, it has numerous state and regional chapters taking part in the fight for protection. According to Janda, an important part of pluralism was that new interest groups form as a matter of course when the need arises (Janda 176). Such is the case with the Sierra Club. With the establishment of Yosemite National Park by the US Congress in 1890, the Club formed two years later in 1892 to lead a campaign to defeat a proposed reduction in the boundaries of the Park. Moreover, the Sierra Club formed when there was a need and rising interest in environmental preservation. Another important aspect of interest group formation is leadership. Founding the Sierra Club, John Muir was an explorer, naturalist and writer devoted to the environment. Campaigning for the conservation of land, water and forests in the United States, he helped influence congress to pass the Yosemite National Park Bill and persuaded President Teddy Roosevelt to protect 150 million acres of forest reserves. His devotion and effort helped many people begin to understand the importance of conservation. Not just confined to information in books, his commitment allowed people to experience nature for themselves. Who is being organized is also an important factor. Regarding the Sierra Club, a range of people were organized. Whether rich, educated, businessmen, farmers, or women, environmental protection is important to... ...rent perspectives, environmental protection will be a topic of debate and controversy. In conclusion, the Sierra Club is a national interest group. Because of a disturbance, leadership and numerous like-minded individuals, the Sierra Club successfully organized in 1892. Taking on roles of representation, participation, education, agenda building and program monitoring, the it owes much of its success to its resources of members, money and lobbyists. As a group, the Club has accomplished much through direct lobbying, grassroots initiatives, high-tech lobbying and coalition building. With the environment being such a debated topic, the Sierra Club is an organization devoted to its preservation. Works Cited: Janda, Kenneth, Jeffrey M. Berry and Jerry Goldman. The Challenge of Democracy. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2004. The Sierra Club. www.sierraclub.org