The Mendocino Tahoe Conservancy and its educational arm the Yuba Pacific Institute are dedicated to the land ethics and land preservation traditions of both John Muir (1838-1914) and the Frederick Law Olmsteds (1822-1903, 1870-1957). Frederick Law Olmsted Sr. 'is recognized as the founder of American landscape architecture and the nation's foremost park designer.' Like John Muir, he would also shape national parks and illuminate ways in which people could live in nature, not apart from nature. Over the course of the 19th and 20th centuries, his sons and successors 'expanded and perpetuated Olmsted's design ideals, philosophy, and influence.' The original design records for Yosemite Park are housed at "Fairsted", among other treasured landscape designs of North America.

(see Olmsted archives)

During his tenure as co-designer of "New York's Central Park" he chaired the first Yosemite Park Commission beginning in 1864, and furthered the importance of preservation and maintenance of the natural scenery, advising that...

"The enjoyment of scenery employs the mind without fatigue and yet exercises it; tranquilizes it and yet enlivens it; and thus, through the influence of the mind over the body, gives the effect of refreshing rest and reinvigoration of the whole system."

The father's significant other works are seen at Boston's Emerald Necklace, Brooklyn's Prospect Park, Niagara Falls, Biltmore Estate, and Stanford University Campus. The Olmsteds helped create the National Stage of Washington, D.C's Capitol and Capitol Mall. They also played an influential role in the creation of the National Park Service.

Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. (1870-1957) co-picked original sites for California State Parks; and created the words that served as the founding legislation (in the Organic Act) for establishing the Park Service in 1916:

"To conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations".

John Muir, as the West's seminal conservationist, is widely recognized as a naturalist, writer, and co-founder of both Yosemite National Park and the Sierra Club . He has been variously referred to as the "Patron Saint of the American Wilderness", "Nature's Visionary", "Wilderness Prophet," and "Citizen of the Universe." Muir, who described himself as "a poetico-trampo-geologist-botanist-and-ornithologist-naturalist etc etc", is credited with bringing the glories of Hetch Hetchy and Yosemite to the attention of California and the world. The Hetch Hetchy valley, he declared, "is a grand landscape garden, one of nature's rarest and most precious mountain temples".

The overlapping ethical legacy of these adventurous and visionary designers, and the importance of experiencing and protecting our natural heritage are well rooted in their inspired works.

Following in their footsteps, John D. Olmsted (distant cousin), founded California Institute of Man in Nature in 1968 and Sequoya Challenge in 1974 with the purpose of "furthering John Muir's Naturalist tradition while restoring a living thread of landscapes from "Coast to Sierra". Much of this website's content is based on the success of these two non-profits from 1970-2000. As a catalyst for extending connectivity with these traditions this website presents an emphasis on preserving wild areas, open space, trails, parks, rural landscapes, watersheds, historical and cultural sites within a Mendocino - Tahoe Corridor across Northern California; approximately along the 39th parallel of north latitude. Restoration sites from the Sierra Nevada to the Mendocino Coast tidepools are a part of this network.

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This website is managed and enabled by Volunteers and Donors to the Mendocino Tahoe Conservancy and the Yuba Pacific Institute

PO Box 1026, Nevada City, California 95959

(530)274-3437 or (530)BRIDGES

John Olmsted, Founder/Director

James Hannah, Webteam

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EVENTS

California at the 39th Parallel

(Large scrollable sketch map)

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The Mendocino Tahoe Conservancy is a non-profit public educational organization, and receives, tax-deductible, public support primarily of gifts, grants and contributions from a broad group of people.