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Prof. Paul Sudnik

Munich University of Applied Sciences, Germany

As the Editor-in-Chief of IJSSH, I invite you to contribute your scholarly work to our esteemed publication. The journal publishes papers which focus on the advanced researches in the field of all aspects of social science and humanity. I'll endeavour to make this journal grow better and hopefully it will become a recognized journal among researchers and scholars in related fields.

Home > Archive > 2025 > Volume 15, Number 5, 2025
IJSSH 2025 Vol.15(5): 177-183
doi: 10.18178/ijssh.2025.15.5.1261

Environmental Conservation in Early 20th-Century America: A Perspective from Oil Development

Miao Zhang
Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics, Kanazawa Seiryo University, Kanazawa, Japan
Email: miaozhang8@hotmail.com

Manuscript received June 20, 2025; accepted August 4, 2025; published October 23, 2025.

Abstract—This paper examines the historical relationship between oil development and environmental conservation in early 20th-century America, with a particular focus on the tensions between rapid industrial growth and emerging conservationist thought. Drawing on case studies from Venice and Huntington Beach in California, it analyzes how local communities, municipal governments, and federal authorities responded to the environmental consequences of oil development. The study explores the development of conservationist ideologies, such as Gifford Pinchot’s “wise use” principle and Theodore Roosevelt’s national conservation policy, and traces their influence on early regulatory frameworks. Through an interdisciplinary review of historiography, legal structures, and policy responses, the paper highlights how environmental conservation evolved from forest and water management to encompass urban and coastal environments affected by oil activities. It argues that sustainable environmental governance in this period was shaped not only by top-down initiatives but also by civic engagement, local resistance, and democratic institutions. Ultimately, the study suggests that the lessons from early 20th-century America-particularly the integration of science, public participation, and institutional reform-remain highly relevant for contemporary environmental policy-making.

Keywords—oil development, environmental conservation, early 20th-century America, conservation policy, urban environmental history

Cite: Miao Zhang, "Environmental Conservation in Early 20th-Century America: A Perspective from Oil Development," International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, vol. 15, no. 5, pp. 177-183, 2025.

Copyright © 2025 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).
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