Olympic National Forest Presents Award to The Friends of L. Ron Hubbard Commemorating The Wilderness Act
Olympia, WA (PRWEB) April 20, 2015 -- As the nation's youngest Eagle Scout in 1924, L. Ron Hubbard led pioneering hikes from Camp Parsons (the oldest operating Boy Scout camp west of the Mississippi) into the Olympic National Forest where he captured rare photographs of scenes of altitudes over 6,000 feet. In commemoration of the 90th year of these hikes Olympic National Forest presented a special award in recognition of L. Ron Hubbard's contribution to furthering Wilderness values.
To photograph scenes of Olympic National Forest L. Ron Hubbard used the original point-and-shoot Kodak Brownie Jr. No. 2C Autographic Camera, which was among the first cameras to carry roll film. "These rare and exceptional photographs by L. Ron Hubbard have helped encourage today's youth to appreciate and benefit from our Wilderness areas," commented Reta Laford, Olympic National Forest Supervisor. Mr. Hubbard went onto become a professional in many fields, including photography in which he was a professional for over 60 years.
The Wilderness Act was signed into law by United States President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, initially set aside 9.1 million acres of federal land and defined wilderness as, "an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man." Famous Wilderness areas include; Bob Marshall Wilderness, Montana; Yosemite, California; Ansel Adams Wilderness in California, The Everglades, Florida; Olympic Wilderness, Washington; Three Sisters Wilderness, Oregon; Mount Evans Wilderness, Colorado and Shining Rock Wilderness, North Carolina to name a few.
The 1924 photographs taken by L. Ron Hubbard in Olympic National Forest were identified by Chris Finn of the Friends of L. Ron Hubbard Foundation and Roger Becket of Olympic Mountain Rescue. The frames were digitally restored and presented to Olympic National Forest and Camp Parsons in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act. The photographs confirmed the hikes that L. Ron Hubbard led at the age of 13 where youth were taught skills of leadership, navigation, survival and outdoor ethics. These historic pictures inspired a photography contest sponsored by Olympic National Forest and the Friends of L. Ron Hubbard Foundation in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act. Boy Scouts participated from across the Pacific Northwest in hikes that L. Ron Hubbard and fellow scouts took in 1924 reaching altitudes of over 6,000 feet.
Presented to the Friends of L. Ron Hubbard by Olympic National Forest Supervisor, Reta Laford, the award reads: "In recognition of the 90th Anniversary of Eagle Scout L. Ron Hubbard leading pioneering hikes into the Olympic National Forest from Camp Parsons Boy Scout camp where he captured exceptional and rare photographs that have encouraged today's civilization to appreciate and benefit from our Wilderness areas."
L. Ron Hubbard went onto become professional in many fields. He was a writer, photographer, filmmaker, explorer, mariner, educator, philosopher and many more. For further information on L. Ron Hubbard and his works visit http://www.lronhubbard.org.
Francisco Sanz Polo, Friends of L. Ron Hubbard Foundation, http://www.lronhubbard.org, (323) 9533292, [email protected]
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