CHAPTER TWO: METHODOLOGY
When I first decided on the San Gorgonio Wilderness as the topic for this project, I was living next to its southern boundary, but knew very little about its history, its physical characteristics, or the people who were dedicated to preserving it. I knew that I was going to not only conduct traditional research for the history portion, but I was going to have to find ways to become intimate with the wilderness itself, and make connections with people in the various government and volunteer agencies that are responsible for its management.
I began by reviewing my dog-eared copy of John Robinson’s San Bernardino Mountain Trails, as I knew he discussed the history of the San Bernardino Mountains in the first section. I then purchased my own copy of his well-known book, The San Bernardinos, which I used as the foundation for further research.
The Heritage Room of the Smiley Library in Redlands was the source of a great deal of information about the 1800s and early 1900s, providing books, pamphlets, and typewritten manuscripts about mining, ranching, sheepherding, early tourism, movie-making, institutional campgrounds, and skiing. The Pfau Library at California State University, San Bernardino, had in its archives several texts on early ranching in the San Benardino Mountains, as well as several important government documents.
The Internet was the next source for information. This stage of research required at least 30 hours at the computer, and yielded many valuable sources for historical information, as well as information about the government and volunteer organizations which were responsible for management and protection of the San Gorgonio Wilderness. The San Gorgonio Wilderness Association website led me back to John Robinson, who had written a lesser-known book titled San Gorgonio: A Wilderness Preserved. This book filled in some of the blanks in the history I had compiled, and provided specifics about the battles against the developers and the passage of the Wilderness Act.
Once I was able to construct a chronological history of human presence in the wilderness, I knew I had to connect that presence to impact and to the current condition of the San Gorgonio Wilderness. During my research on the Internet, I learned of the existence of the San Gorgonio Wilderness Association (SGWA), and decided not only to become a member, but to train to be a volunteer ranger and work in and near the wilderness. Through the training and a summer of work with the organization, I learned first-hand the challenges faced by the Forest Service and the SGWA and made the acquaintance of several key people who would prove to be invaluable resources for the project. Interviews, conducted one-on-one and via the Internet, provided information about the physical condition of the wilderness that could not be obtained through any other method. In addition, some of these individuals taught me about the forms of public education being utilized by the SGWA in its mission of protecting and managing the wilderness. I will be continuing my role as a volunteer ranger again during the summer of 2006, and will therefore become part of the mitigation that I believe is so vital to the future of the San Gorgonio Wilderness.
I began by reviewing my dog-eared copy of John Robinson’s San Bernardino Mountain Trails, as I knew he discussed the history of the San Bernardino Mountains in the first section. I then purchased my own copy of his well-known book, The San Bernardinos, which I used as the foundation for further research.
The Heritage Room of the Smiley Library in Redlands was the source of a great deal of information about the 1800s and early 1900s, providing books, pamphlets, and typewritten manuscripts about mining, ranching, sheepherding, early tourism, movie-making, institutional campgrounds, and skiing. The Pfau Library at California State University, San Bernardino, had in its archives several texts on early ranching in the San Benardino Mountains, as well as several important government documents.
The Internet was the next source for information. This stage of research required at least 30 hours at the computer, and yielded many valuable sources for historical information, as well as information about the government and volunteer organizations which were responsible for management and protection of the San Gorgonio Wilderness. The San Gorgonio Wilderness Association website led me back to John Robinson, who had written a lesser-known book titled San Gorgonio: A Wilderness Preserved. This book filled in some of the blanks in the history I had compiled, and provided specifics about the battles against the developers and the passage of the Wilderness Act.
Once I was able to construct a chronological history of human presence in the wilderness, I knew I had to connect that presence to impact and to the current condition of the San Gorgonio Wilderness. During my research on the Internet, I learned of the existence of the San Gorgonio Wilderness Association (SGWA), and decided not only to become a member, but to train to be a volunteer ranger and work in and near the wilderness. Through the training and a summer of work with the organization, I learned first-hand the challenges faced by the Forest Service and the SGWA and made the acquaintance of several key people who would prove to be invaluable resources for the project. Interviews, conducted one-on-one and via the Internet, provided information about the physical condition of the wilderness that could not be obtained through any other method. In addition, some of these individuals taught me about the forms of public education being utilized by the SGWA in its mission of protecting and managing the wilderness. I will be continuing my role as a volunteer ranger again during the summer of 2006, and will therefore become part of the mitigation that I believe is so vital to the future of the San Gorgonio Wilderness.
posted by Cyndi at 1:19 PM
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