Lady Bird’s vision still important

This week marks the 50th anniversary of the White House Conference on Natural Beauty.

The conference ultimately endorsed the principles that were later signed into law later that year by President Johnson as the National Highway Beautification Act and is part of the legacy of Lady Bird Johnson.

Those ideas were embodied in the term “beautification.” According to an account by Lady Bird Johnson, they used the term because, “We could never think of a better word!”

On this anniversary, we need to be reminded why the word, despite her misgivings, was perfect. In 1965, through her national platform, the first lady championed natural beauty as a way to stabilize social unrest and heal our major urban cities.

This notion was particularly salient in the turbulent years of the mid1960s, and comes full circle today, given the recent unrest in cities like Baltimore. Lady Bird Johnson possessed an innate ability to relate to all people across social spectrums, and through this strength, her ideas spread. Today, physical beauty is associated with prestige and success. Such an elite view of attractiveness diminishes its potential. Mrs. Johnson’s vision was simple though profound: Natural beauty satisfies something deep within the soul and is an indispensable component of our collective health — economic, social, and ecological.

What Lady Bird Johnson knew was that the circumstances in which we live affect the dignity of man’s spirit. Creating acceptable surroundings implied concern for the total relationship between man and the world around him, an idea echoed in a message to Congress by President Johnson in February 1965.

Research has proven the first lady correct. We know now that unmaintained city infrastructure and spaces fall victim to crime, vandalism, and other events that promote abuse. Greener surroundings, in contrast, promote health. Frances E. Kuo from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, who recently spoke at an Imagine Austin speakers’ forum, researches how the experience of nature in the city affects health.

Kuo supports Mrs. Johnson’s notion: When exposed to more greenery, psychological health improves. People are less violent, more supportive and generous. Imagine Austin’s vision statement reads, “As it approaches its 200th anniversary, Austin is a beacon of sustainability, social equity, and economic opportunity; where diversity and creativity are celebrated; where community needs and values are recognized; where leadership comes from its (residents), and where the necessities of life are affordable and accessible to all.”

Recent reports contradict some of these claims. Social and economic equity are still beyond the reach of many Austin residents. As a starting point to meeting the Imagine Austin goals, Code Next Advisory Groups should thoughtfully develop the City Council resolution that focuses on green infrastructure and sustainable water management.

Code Next activities grew out of the Imagine Austin process with the purpose of revising the land development code. This is important because a revised code will positively influence the entire natural ecology of the city. Other key actions consist of integrating existing plan initiatives that bring nature into the city, including prioritizing restoration areas and planning more spaces for parks, urban trails, green streets and conservation projects.

As a movement, “beautification” was not merely cosmetic. Washington leaders decided that it was critical to devote an entire White House Conference to the subject in 1965. The results expanded the national conception about the benefits and potential of renewed environments in American cities. Its ideas are echoed in today’s principles of sustainability. The intent of the “beautification” program persists: to improve lives and promote cooperation among Americans. As we remember Lady Bird Johnson’s achievements, it is appropriate to recall her positive effects on our cities and to utilize the Code Next process to gain improved health, lower crime rates, reduced stress and strengthen ecologically sound design that will give back to our residents as it matures.

Now, as in the 1960s, it will take more than greening our cities to solve current social issues; however, the Imagine Austin and Code Next processes have admirable goals that enhance social and economic equity. Green design and great design are not antithetical ideas. Nature itself teaches us that it is beautiful as well as beneficial. Harris is a graduate student in the Sustainable Design Program in the School of Architecture at the University of Texas. She is researching Mrs. Johnson’s contribution to green design principles, as well as water conservation in Texas.