<P> Theodore Roosevelt and his close ally George Bird Grinnell, were motivated by the wanton waste that was taking place at the hand of market hunting . This practice resulted in placing a large number of North American game species on the edge of extinction . Roosevelt recognized that the laissez - faire approach of the U.S. Government was too wasteful and inefficient . In any case, they noted, most of the natural resources in the western states were already owned by the federal government . The best course of action, they argued, was a long - term plan devised by national experts to maximize the long - term economic benefits of natural resources . To accomplish the mission, Roosevelt and Grinnell formed the Boone and Crockett Club in 1887 . The Club was made up of the best minds and influential men of the day . The Boone and Crockett Club's contingency of conservationists, scientists, politicians, and intellectuals became Roosevelt's closest advisers during his march to preserve wildlife and habitat across North America . As president, Theodore Roosevelt became a prominent conservationist, putting the issue high on the national agenda . He worked with all the major figures of the movement, especially his chief advisor on the matter, Gifford Pinchot . Roosevelt was deeply committed to conserving natural resources, and is considered to be the nation's first conservation President . He encouraged the Newlands Reclamation Act of 1902 to promote federal construction of dams to irrigate small farms and placed 230 million acres (360,000 mi2 or 930,000 km2) under federal protection . Roosevelt set aside more Federal land for national parks and nature preserves than all of his predecessors combined . </P> <P> Roosevelt established the United States Forest Service, signed into law the creation of five National Parks, and signed the 1906 Antiquities Act, under which he proclaimed 18 new U.S. National Monuments . He also established the first 51 Bird Reserves, four Game Preserves, and 150 National Forests, including Shoshone National Forest, the nation's first . The area of the United States that he placed under public protection totals approximately 230,000,000 acres (930,000 km). </P> <P> Gifford Pinchot had been appointed by McKinley as chief of Division of Forestry in the Department of Agriculture . In 1905, his department gained control of the national forest reserves . Pinchot promoted private use (for a fee) under federal supervision . In 1907, Roosevelt designated 16 million acres (65,000 km2) of new national forests just minutes before a deadline . </P> <P> In May 1908, Roosevelt sponsored the Conference of Governors held in the White House, with a focus on natural resources and their most efficient use . Roosevelt delivered the opening address: "Conservation as a National Duty ." </P>

The person usually credited with starting the environmental movement of the late 20th century is