Important policies/decisions

[mdunc8]

There are some people on here with a wealth of knowledge pertaining to pivotal policies and court decisions that shape how, what, and where we hunt and fish (and recreate in general) in the U.S. BigFin, BuzzH, Oak, Ben Lamb, and katqanna come to mind, but I'm sure there are others. I'm looking for some good reading material since I'm stuck in Virginia without anything else to do, so would some of you more knowledgeable folks provide me with some light reading? I'm interested in anything you're willing to offer; however, I'd especially like some information related to wilderness, access, management practices, and funding. I don't like to read much, but I suppose I could suffer through a book or two as well if necessary.

Thank ya

 

[katqanna]

One book I'd suggest, kind of a primer for the lands and laws that we still have to deal with is Who Controls Public Lands? Mining, Forestry, and Grazing Policies, 1870-1990.

Someone just sent me a copy of Keeping the Wild , Against the Domestication of the Earth. One of the authors is Michael Soule and I have read a number of articles by him that I like. He talks about real conservation versus the neo conservation that is occurring by many groups these days. I just started it when I went to the FWP bison discussion group in Billings, so I am not far enough along to give a great assessment, except that this is juxtaposing real wilderness against managed park like environments that are really recreation areas.

I also just got in my copy of American Sportsmen and the Origins of Conservation. This was written in 1975, but again, it is foundational and the laws established we are working with now. And a benefit, it does deal with sportsmen, which sadly many other books dismiss or ignore.

I had an employee of the Sierra Club ask me today, why dont sportsmen come to many of these meetings and give public comment? I tried to briefly explain to her my hypothesis about active domination of surroundings versus the passive participation of surrounding, the hunter preferring to be out there in it and enjoying it than in these bloody all day meetings. That may also account for my difficulty in finding books from a hunters perspective on activism and wilderness.

 

[BigHornRam]

http://www.amazon.com/Mimicking-Natures-Fire-Restoring-Fire-Prone/dp/1559631430

If you like western forestry issues, this is a great book, and not too technical for the average reader.

 

[Ben Lamb]

These fights are not new. They are the same thing that TR faced when he established the Forest Service, National Parks Service, etc. TO that end, Edmund Morris' biographies of Theodore Roosevelt are good reading to find out how the politics worked in the past.

For more modern reading:
http://www.amazon.com/Pushed-Mountain-Sold-Down-River/dp/0943972736

Jim Posewitz's books give a great background on how we got where we are today.

For lighter reading I would suggest the Conservationist Blog at Field & Stream & Open Country at Outdoor Life. Both of these blogs tend to go deeper on issues than most other internet media sources, especially F&S writers Hal Herring & Bob Marshall.

Then of course there's the Bully Pulpit (shameless plug): mtbullypulpit.org

& Ask away if you have any questions. There's a lot to wilderness issues specifically.

 

[Pagosa]

Holistic Management by Allen Savory is a excellent book about declining rangeland in the west and worldwide.