Synopsis

The fate of wilderness preservation first truly ignited in 1906 with the proposed construction of the Hetch Hetchy Dam within Yosemite National Park. A deep divide emerged: one faction championed the untouched beauty of wildlands, insisting they should remain unaltered by human hand; the other advocated for the judicious use of natural resources. President Roosevelt, a passionate advocate for conservation, found himself navigating the complexities of this conflict.