Henry G. Spratt, Jr.'s Page

I trace my environmental roots to my paternal Grandmother, her two sisters, and my father. They all based their conservative roots on a deep appreciation for nature. My Grandmother and her sisters often talked about President Theodore Roosevelt (they were young women when he was president, although they couldn't vote - another of their strong discussion topics when I was a young teen) and his devotion to conserving nature. They often pointed out Roosevelt's warning that the USA must be careful not to give corporate interests too much power over our communal natural resources. My Dad helped me realize just how beautiful nature was, how much value existed in undisturbed places, by taking me on hikes through some of the most beautiful mountain habitats in north Georgia and North Carolina. I also, eventually realized that the ideas my Grandmother and father gave me fit in well with my Episcopal faith. In fact, when asked to think about where I feel closer to God, my natural response is - when immersed in nature. I've been blessed to be able to travel into some of the most remote places in the USA and Canada (as well as out at sea), and I know that I feel closer to God when there are no human made noises around.

I hope that Chattanooga Green will bring like-minded people together to help keep issues related to maintaining the few remaining natural areas around our City in the public's eye.