Making Rocky Mountain National Park: The Environmental History of an American Treasure
"Succinct, well researched, clearly written, and accessible to anyone interested in learning more about this particular park and the national park idea more generally."—Environmental History"Here is Rocky Mountain National Park as a living example of human, animal, cultural, and environmental interaction. An excellent book and one to match the scenery--beautiful and thought-provoking."--Annie Gilbert Coleman, author ofSki Style: Sport and Culture in the Rockies"America's national parks may be the best idea we ever had, but as this book powerfully argues, the idea of what a park should be has had many different answers. With remarkable research and crystal-clear prose, Frank has tracked those answers through the history of one of our most beloved parks. After reading his story of conflicts and interventions, we will never again be able to say with naïve assurance that a park is where nature is protected."--Donald Worster, author ofA Passion for Nature: The Life of John Muir"Rocky Mountain National Park deserves this thoughtful environmental history for its centennial. Frank presents an eye-opening look at the extensive human intervention that has created this 'natural' wonderland."--Tom Noel, Director of Public History, Preservation & Colorado Studies, University of Colorado Denver"It is tempting to see the preservation of a national park as a singular and heroic act. But as Frank shows us, park landscapes are not simply preserved; they are constantly made, unmade, and remade in a series of novel ecological experiments that tell us as much about our own desires as they do the needs of nature.Making Rocky Mountain National Parkis an unflinching account of this complex history and essential reading for anyone interested in the future of national park preservation."--Paul S. Sutter, author ofDriven Wild: How the Fight against Automobiles Launched the Modern Wilderness Movement