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This Contested Land: The Storied Past and Uncertain Future of America's National Monuments
One woman’s enlightening trek through the natural histories, cultural stories, and present perils of thirteen national monuments, from Maine to Hawaii
This land is your land . When it comes to national monuments, the sentiment could hardly be more fraught. Gold Butte in Nevada, Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks in New Mexico, Katahdin Woods and Waters in Maine, Cascade–Siskiyou in Oregon and these are among the thirteen natural sites McKenzie Long visits in This Contested Land , an eye-opening exploration of the stories these national monuments tell, the passions they stir, and the controversies surrounding them today. Starting amid the fragrant sagebrush and red dirt of Bears Ears National Monument on the eve of the Trump Administration’s decision to reduce the site by 85 percent, Long climbs sandstone cliffs, is awed by Ancestral Pueblo cliff dwellings and is intrigued by 4,000-year-old petroglyphs. She hikes through remote pink canyons recently removed from the boundary of Grand Staircase–Escalante, skis to a backcountry hut in Maine to view a truly dark night sky, snorkels in warm Hawaiian waters to plumb the meaning of marine preserves, volunteers near the most contaminated nuclear site in the United States, and witnesses firsthand the diverse forms of devotion evoked by the Rio Grande. In essays both contemplative and resonant, This Contested Land confronts an unjust past and imagines a collaborative future that bears witness to these regions’ enduring Indigenous connections. From hazardous climate change realities to volatile tensions between economic development and environmental conservation, practical and philosophical issues arise as Long seeks the complicated and often overlooked—or suppressed—stories of these incomparable places. Her journey, mindfully undertaken and movingly described, emphasizes in clear and urgent terms the unique significance of, and grave threats to, these contested lands.
This land is your land . When it comes to national monuments, the sentiment could hardly be more fraught. Gold Butte in Nevada, Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks in New Mexico, Katahdin Woods and Waters in Maine, Cascade–Siskiyou in Oregon and these are among the thirteen natural sites McKenzie Long visits in This Contested Land , an eye-opening exploration of the stories these national monuments tell, the passions they stir, and the controversies surrounding them today. Starting amid the fragrant sagebrush and red dirt of Bears Ears National Monument on the eve of the Trump Administration’s decision to reduce the site by 85 percent, Long climbs sandstone cliffs, is awed by Ancestral Pueblo cliff dwellings and is intrigued by 4,000-year-old petroglyphs. She hikes through remote pink canyons recently removed from the boundary of Grand Staircase–Escalante, skis to a backcountry hut in Maine to view a truly dark night sky, snorkels in warm Hawaiian waters to plumb the meaning of marine preserves, volunteers near the most contaminated nuclear site in the United States, and witnesses firsthand the diverse forms of devotion evoked by the Rio Grande. In essays both contemplative and resonant, This Contested Land confronts an unjust past and imagines a collaborative future that bears witness to these regions’ enduring Indigenous connections. From hazardous climate change realities to volatile tensions between economic development and environmental conservation, practical and philosophical issues arise as Long seeks the complicated and often overlooked—or suppressed—stories of these incomparable places. Her journey, mindfully undertaken and movingly described, emphasizes in clear and urgent terms the unique significance of, and grave threats to, these contested lands.
280 pages, Hardcover
Published May 28, 2024
20 people are currently reading
2373 people want to read
About the author
McKenzie Long
2 books9 followersMcKenzie Long is a graphic designer and writer who lives in the Sierra Nevada. She is interested in climate, environment, and public land issues. Her accomplishments include winning cross-country Mountain Bike Nationals, climbing El Capitan, and freelancing since 2011. McKenzie won first place in Nowhere Magazine's 2018 "This Land is.." contest, was selected as the 2019 Terry Tempest Williams fellow for Land and Justice at Mesa Refuge, and was selected for the 2020 AWP Writer to Writer Mentorship program. She loves cream in her coffee, bright color palettes, and smooth sandstone cracks.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
April 28, 2022
This Contested Land is McKenzie Long’s personal journey to examine national monuments – thirteen in all – threatened by Trump administration review. Several of these you may have heard of, but many, especially those proclaimed under the Obama administration, will most likely be new to you.
Long comes to this story as a recreationist and a journalist, and through it she meets government employees, scientists, locals, historians, and indigenous people alike. She infuses history with personal narratives and the occasional bit of comedic relief. Some of the essays felt stronger than others, but with 13 to choose from, any weak points in storytelling are quickly followed by strong ones.
There are many highlights here, and the only low point to me was the telling of Hanford Reach National Monument. Long speaks to environmental and ecological destruction and preservation throughout this book, and while the Hanford story itself is complicated, the overly negative portrayal of nuclear energy and storage of nuclear waste felt out of balance in contrast to stories about mining – especially coal- and timber.
From desert to forest, and river to ocean, there is something here for all lovers of national parks and monuments who want to expand their knowledge. As these essays are accompanied by photographs and maps, I would recommend anyone interested purchase print version of this book to fully appreciate the supplements.
My thanks to University of Minnesota Press, McKenzie Long, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Long comes to this story as a recreationist and a journalist, and through it she meets government employees, scientists, locals, historians, and indigenous people alike. She infuses history with personal narratives and the occasional bit of comedic relief. Some of the essays felt stronger than others, but with 13 to choose from, any weak points in storytelling are quickly followed by strong ones.
There are many highlights here, and the only low point to me was the telling of Hanford Reach National Monument. Long speaks to environmental and ecological destruction and preservation throughout this book, and while the Hanford story itself is complicated, the overly negative portrayal of nuclear energy and storage of nuclear waste felt out of balance in contrast to stories about mining – especially coal- and timber.
From desert to forest, and river to ocean, there is something here for all lovers of national parks and monuments who want to expand their knowledge. As these essays are accompanied by photographs and maps, I would recommend anyone interested purchase print version of this book to fully appreciate the supplements.
My thanks to University of Minnesota Press, McKenzie Long, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
February 12, 2024
Solidly interesting book that significantly developed my understanding of public land designations and some of the controversy around some monuments while also telling engaging stories about some of the authors adventures inside these locations. This really helped me feel a deeper appreciation for some of these places even though I have never set foot in many of them. I really appreciated how the author sought to gain input from all sides of arguments for and against these monuments and tried to find the grey in an often contentious political (and literal) landscape. While the author occasionally let her strong liberal bias spin into side monologues, she consistently was able to pull it back to the story about these monuments in a way I respect, even while not totally agreeing with her positions myself. Overall it is a great book to get a better understanding the political side of public land designations and how they can also affect local communities in both positive and negative ways.
May 5, 2025
Hmm. What to say about this one! I'll be honest - from the start, I wasn't really feeling it. The format felt disjointed, the stories a little scattered, the purpose unclear - and I let myself get a little too distracted by the occasional typo or awkward sentence. But as I really let myself sink into it, it became easy to see past those quirks and really get absorbed into what she's trying to convey about the power of public lands. Her love for these areas, their ecological and recreational value, the meaning they hold to native and non-native people, the stories that they hold, all these things come through very eloquently and almost poetically - once I let myself see it!
October 21, 2023
This book took me soooo long to get through. It was cool to learn about how monuments are established/regulated (because I had no real sense for how they were different from other national land), as well as the more recent debates over them during the past three administrations. Maybe I would've liked more of a building, unifying thread as Long described her 13 monuments? I can't tell if my poor attention span was my fault, though.
May 8, 2025
Lots of interesting stuff! And bleakly extremely relevant to today with more threats to public land and the antiquities act mounting. But I think the writing just didn’t do it for me for the most part. The essays felt a little choppy and disconnected
April 2, 2025
Learned a lot and am inspired to be outside. Also felt highly relevant to current events :(
March 21, 2023
This book examines the long history our country has with national monuments, and what they represent.
"A monument is more than just a land designation; it is the story of everything that happened in that place before, everything that continue to happen there, and the story that comes next. Monuments encapsulate long stretches of history, numerous plants, animals, rocks, and waterways, and the uncountable ways that each of these things relate to one another...
The lands that we have termed national monuments can and often do represent the worst of America's story. They tell of genocides perpetrated so that sacred land could be stolen, the torture and dehumanization of slavery, the continued injustice of racial inequality, the ways in which land and animals and people are harmed through development, pollution, and the climate of disaster. But alongside the horrible exists the incredible. Opposing groups united for a common cause, one person changing hundreds of minds, lives improved through bonds formed with land. Sagebrush reflecting the sunrise's persimmon and lavender, soft petals on a cactus flower unfurling next to its spines, the songs of whales trumpeting through the ocean."
McKenzie discusses several monuments, many that have been in turmoil in recent years...President Obama creating or expanding monuments, with President Trump doing the opposite, and seeking to open sensitive lands to mining and other commercial pursuits. She juxtaposes each chapter with a story of her trip to the monument, either hiking, climbing, river rafting, with the history of the monument, and its relationship with Indigenous Americans and how they hold the lands in their cultures. They are the ones who originally held the lands special, after all, and early American all but pushed them to their shallow corners.
It is a fine line between how best to preserve our landscapes, some in danger of disappearing, and allowing all of us the ability to enjoy them.
"Douglas (Fawn Douglas a member of the Paiute tribe near Las Vegas) speaks a truth that must be honored and understood: public land in America is the sacred land of Indigenous people; it is vital that they participate in or lead management and decision making for land that is integral to their past, their present, and their future. Public land in their country was predicated on Indigenous people's removal; this should not be forgotten.... We can create a new legacy, one of collaboration. Indigenous history should be celebrated and respected. People of all ethnicities and backgrounds should feel welcome. What has brought all people to this place in time--the actions of our ancestors, the wrongdoings of the past--are shared histories that are lived in the land."
The author peppers the book with black and white photos of the monuments and rock formations. The only thing that could make it better if the pictures were in color to bring to the fore how special they are.
"A monument is more than just a land designation; it is the story of everything that happened in that place before, everything that continue to happen there, and the story that comes next. Monuments encapsulate long stretches of history, numerous plants, animals, rocks, and waterways, and the uncountable ways that each of these things relate to one another...
The lands that we have termed national monuments can and often do represent the worst of America's story. They tell of genocides perpetrated so that sacred land could be stolen, the torture and dehumanization of slavery, the continued injustice of racial inequality, the ways in which land and animals and people are harmed through development, pollution, and the climate of disaster. But alongside the horrible exists the incredible. Opposing groups united for a common cause, one person changing hundreds of minds, lives improved through bonds formed with land. Sagebrush reflecting the sunrise's persimmon and lavender, soft petals on a cactus flower unfurling next to its spines, the songs of whales trumpeting through the ocean."
McKenzie discusses several monuments, many that have been in turmoil in recent years...President Obama creating or expanding monuments, with President Trump doing the opposite, and seeking to open sensitive lands to mining and other commercial pursuits. She juxtaposes each chapter with a story of her trip to the monument, either hiking, climbing, river rafting, with the history of the monument, and its relationship with Indigenous Americans and how they hold the lands in their cultures. They are the ones who originally held the lands special, after all, and early American all but pushed them to their shallow corners.
It is a fine line between how best to preserve our landscapes, some in danger of disappearing, and allowing all of us the ability to enjoy them.
"Douglas (Fawn Douglas a member of the Paiute tribe near Las Vegas) speaks a truth that must be honored and understood: public land in America is the sacred land of Indigenous people; it is vital that they participate in or lead management and decision making for land that is integral to their past, their present, and their future. Public land in their country was predicated on Indigenous people's removal; this should not be forgotten.... We can create a new legacy, one of collaboration. Indigenous history should be celebrated and respected. People of all ethnicities and backgrounds should feel welcome. What has brought all people to this place in time--the actions of our ancestors, the wrongdoings of the past--are shared histories that are lived in the land."
The author peppers the book with black and white photos of the monuments and rock formations. The only thing that could make it better if the pictures were in color to bring to the fore how special they are.
January 24, 2024
In 2014, Nevada cattle rancher Cliven Bundy initiated an armed standoff with federal and state law enforcement officers over grazing fees owed to the United States Bureau of Land Management. The standoff ended inconclusively when the officers withdrew to avoid bloodshed. Bundy was arrested two years later and stood trial for the incident. The judge overseeing the case ultimately declared a mistrial and dismissed the charges because the federal prosecutors withheld potentially exculpatory evidence. Nevertheless, during those contentious years, Bundy failed to renew his grazing permits and the land on which he had raised cattle was incorporated into Gold Butte National Monument. The monument designation precluded new grazing leases, so Bundy was prohibited from grazing cattle there in the future.
The Cliven Bundy standoff may have been the most dramatic circumstances associated with the creation of a national monument, but nearly all monument designations are fraught with controversy.
The American Antiquities Act, passed by Congress in 1906, authorizes the president “in his discretion to declare…historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest that are situated upon lands owned or controlled by the Government of the United States as national monuments, and may reserve as part thereof parcels of land, the limits of which in all cases shall be confined to the smallest area compatible with the proper care and management of the objects to be protected:…” This language contains two key provisions that have led to the most problematic monument proclamations: the sole presidential discretion, and the requirement that monument boundaries be as small as practical.
Presidents have used the Antiquities Act over 170 times to create or modify national monuments since Theodore Roosevelt protected Devils Tower in Wyoming in 1906. The nation currently has fewer than 170 national monuments because subsequent actions have modified the status of many of these protected places. Congress converted some of the monuments into standalone national parks (e.g., Death Valley, California; Pinnacle, California; Mount Olympus, Washington, and Bryce Canyon, Utah). Others have been incorporated into adjacent national parks or national forests (e.g., Lassen Peak, California). A few were abolished outright, and the land transferred to national forests or to state parks (e.g., Verendrye, North Dakota).
The act’s second provision limiting monuments’ sizes has been particularly controversial, especially in recent decades as claims of “governmental overreach” have risen to a fever pitch. Recall that President Trump significantly reduced the acreage protected within Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears national monuments, asserting the monuments were larger than necessary to protect resources. President Biden subsequently restored the monuments’ original boundaries.
Long wrote this account specifically to address the monuments’ fragile status. She approached the project by visiting 13 monuments (all west of the Mississippi except for Katahdin Woods and Waters in Maine). The book contains 13 chapters—one for each of the monuments Long visited. The individual chapters are a combination of Long’s personal experience at each site interwoven with a thorough review of the background surrounding the monument’s creation.
Long is an avid outdoor recreationist, an experienced rock climber, mountain biker, hiker, and backcountry skier. She used all these skills to gain access to the monuments. She also chose the monuments she visited to encompass the broad range of origin stories and controversies involved in the establishment of these distinctly American landscapes.
Some of the monuments were created with little dissention. Two advocates for establishing Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument northeast of San Francisco, California, created a nonprofit organization that quietly initiated a regional advocacy campaign to protect these arid mountains. By generating local support beforehand, President Obama’s declaration in 2015 was widely accepted by the local community. In Maine, the local community initially was not willing to accept the Katahdin monument; locals feared loss of access to traditional hunting and recreational lands. But, in fact, the land that eventually became the monument had been assembled through purchases by the Burt’s Bees cosmetics family, and the widow herself had closed the land to all public access. Upon the widow’s death, however, her son assumed control of the land and worked with the community to restore public access. Animosity turned to gratitude, and support swelled for President Obama’s declaration in 2016.
On the opposite end of the spectrum were Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears monuments. President Clinton acted to protect Grand Staircase-Escalante at the very end of his administration. The declaration enraged Utahans, who claimed it would end historical grazing and prevent development of a huge coal mine. Bears Ears, also in southern Utah, had strong support from Indigenous groups who had used the area for centuries. Residents hated the idea because the monument would preclude coal and uranium mining, oil drilling, and off-road recreation, and would attract hordes of visitors to a fragile, rural landscape. President Obama declared the monument despite rabid local opposition in 2016.
The other monuments that Long profiles fall on the gradient between these extremes. Some monuments were established to protect biodiversity and habitat connections, sensitive marine ecosystems, and sites of cultural importance. Others protected endangered species and scenic viewsheds. Support for declarations came from Indigenous and Hispanic groups, biodiversity and public land access advocates, and scientists. Predictably, resource extraction industry representatives and local NIMBYs who wished to limit visitation opposed monument creation.
The book’s introduction provides a good overview of national monuments as a class of protected land, draws a contrast between national monuments and parks, and explains how the monuments are administered. It includes a map of the 13 sites the author visited. An epilogue makes a strong case for continued access to the outdoors and for open space conservation for all Americans. Each chapter profiling the author’s visit includes a map of the individual monument and one black-and-white image representative of the landscape.
Appendices include the text of the American Antiquities Act of 1906, a comprehensive and chronological list of all Presidential Monument Proclamations, and a list of selected resources, both for the national monument system in general as well as for those monuments that the author explored.
Initially, I was a bit put off by Long’s personal accounts of her visits to the monuments. They were sometimes overly effusive, charged with high-octane recreation-focused commentary, and occasionally contained questionable word choices. After a few chapters, though, these narratives humanized what otherwise could have been a dry recitation of facts, and I came to welcome her insights. The details about the monuments are carefully researched, and the combination of personal anecdotes and technical information ultimately made for a winning combination. 4.5 out of 5.
The Cliven Bundy standoff may have been the most dramatic circumstances associated with the creation of a national monument, but nearly all monument designations are fraught with controversy.
The American Antiquities Act, passed by Congress in 1906, authorizes the president “in his discretion to declare…historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest that are situated upon lands owned or controlled by the Government of the United States as national monuments, and may reserve as part thereof parcels of land, the limits of which in all cases shall be confined to the smallest area compatible with the proper care and management of the objects to be protected:…” This language contains two key provisions that have led to the most problematic monument proclamations: the sole presidential discretion, and the requirement that monument boundaries be as small as practical.
Presidents have used the Antiquities Act over 170 times to create or modify national monuments since Theodore Roosevelt protected Devils Tower in Wyoming in 1906. The nation currently has fewer than 170 national monuments because subsequent actions have modified the status of many of these protected places. Congress converted some of the monuments into standalone national parks (e.g., Death Valley, California; Pinnacle, California; Mount Olympus, Washington, and Bryce Canyon, Utah). Others have been incorporated into adjacent national parks or national forests (e.g., Lassen Peak, California). A few were abolished outright, and the land transferred to national forests or to state parks (e.g., Verendrye, North Dakota).
The act’s second provision limiting monuments’ sizes has been particularly controversial, especially in recent decades as claims of “governmental overreach” have risen to a fever pitch. Recall that President Trump significantly reduced the acreage protected within Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears national monuments, asserting the monuments were larger than necessary to protect resources. President Biden subsequently restored the monuments’ original boundaries.
Long wrote this account specifically to address the monuments’ fragile status. She approached the project by visiting 13 monuments (all west of the Mississippi except for Katahdin Woods and Waters in Maine). The book contains 13 chapters—one for each of the monuments Long visited. The individual chapters are a combination of Long’s personal experience at each site interwoven with a thorough review of the background surrounding the monument’s creation.
Long is an avid outdoor recreationist, an experienced rock climber, mountain biker, hiker, and backcountry skier. She used all these skills to gain access to the monuments. She also chose the monuments she visited to encompass the broad range of origin stories and controversies involved in the establishment of these distinctly American landscapes.
Some of the monuments were created with little dissention. Two advocates for establishing Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument northeast of San Francisco, California, created a nonprofit organization that quietly initiated a regional advocacy campaign to protect these arid mountains. By generating local support beforehand, President Obama’s declaration in 2015 was widely accepted by the local community. In Maine, the local community initially was not willing to accept the Katahdin monument; locals feared loss of access to traditional hunting and recreational lands. But, in fact, the land that eventually became the monument had been assembled through purchases by the Burt’s Bees cosmetics family, and the widow herself had closed the land to all public access. Upon the widow’s death, however, her son assumed control of the land and worked with the community to restore public access. Animosity turned to gratitude, and support swelled for President Obama’s declaration in 2016.
On the opposite end of the spectrum were Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears monuments. President Clinton acted to protect Grand Staircase-Escalante at the very end of his administration. The declaration enraged Utahans, who claimed it would end historical grazing and prevent development of a huge coal mine. Bears Ears, also in southern Utah, had strong support from Indigenous groups who had used the area for centuries. Residents hated the idea because the monument would preclude coal and uranium mining, oil drilling, and off-road recreation, and would attract hordes of visitors to a fragile, rural landscape. President Obama declared the monument despite rabid local opposition in 2016.
The other monuments that Long profiles fall on the gradient between these extremes. Some monuments were established to protect biodiversity and habitat connections, sensitive marine ecosystems, and sites of cultural importance. Others protected endangered species and scenic viewsheds. Support for declarations came from Indigenous and Hispanic groups, biodiversity and public land access advocates, and scientists. Predictably, resource extraction industry representatives and local NIMBYs who wished to limit visitation opposed monument creation.
The book’s introduction provides a good overview of national monuments as a class of protected land, draws a contrast between national monuments and parks, and explains how the monuments are administered. It includes a map of the 13 sites the author visited. An epilogue makes a strong case for continued access to the outdoors and for open space conservation for all Americans. Each chapter profiling the author’s visit includes a map of the individual monument and one black-and-white image representative of the landscape.
Appendices include the text of the American Antiquities Act of 1906, a comprehensive and chronological list of all Presidential Monument Proclamations, and a list of selected resources, both for the national monument system in general as well as for those monuments that the author explored.
Initially, I was a bit put off by Long’s personal accounts of her visits to the monuments. They were sometimes overly effusive, charged with high-octane recreation-focused commentary, and occasionally contained questionable word choices. After a few chapters, though, these narratives humanized what otherwise could have been a dry recitation of facts, and I came to welcome her insights. The details about the monuments are carefully researched, and the combination of personal anecdotes and technical information ultimately made for a winning combination. 4.5 out of 5.
September 27, 2022
McKenzie Long has written a very interesting book about national monuments with "This Contested Land." National monuments are kind of the little sisters to National Parks and don't get nearly the attention and fanfare that parks do.
I really enjoyed the early chapters about the history of monuments and the Antiquities Act. There was a ton of good information in there that I did not know about previously. I felt this was one of the strongest sections of the book.
Long then delves into 13 specific monuments and highlights how they came about, challenges they are facing, and a personal story about how she has experienced the monument. I really loved the personal narratives, which are interspersed with history and information about the monument. This style was at times a little choppy and I felt some of the transitions could have been better. I also felt Long got a bit preachy at times. Neither of these things detracted much from my enjoyment of the book, but are just things that could have been slightly improved.
Overall, I think this is a great book to read if you have an interest in public lands. I liked that there were many different perspectives taken into account. I also like how Native concerns were continually brought up as these are still being pushed aside and stepped on in favor of white peoples' claims to the land.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
I really enjoyed the early chapters about the history of monuments and the Antiquities Act. There was a ton of good information in there that I did not know about previously. I felt this was one of the strongest sections of the book.
Long then delves into 13 specific monuments and highlights how they came about, challenges they are facing, and a personal story about how she has experienced the monument. I really loved the personal narratives, which are interspersed with history and information about the monument. This style was at times a little choppy and I felt some of the transitions could have been better. I also felt Long got a bit preachy at times. Neither of these things detracted much from my enjoyment of the book, but are just things that could have been slightly improved.
Overall, I think this is a great book to read if you have an interest in public lands. I liked that there were many different perspectives taken into account. I also like how Native concerns were continually brought up as these are still being pushed aside and stepped on in favor of white peoples' claims to the land.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
July 17, 2022
From the introduction, I learned the general history of the creation of monuments in the country and how the process is different from the creation of national parks, which was very interesting. Most of the monuments covered are in the southwest, an area I haven’t visited, so while the book gave me an opportunity to read about unfamiliar areas, I also didn’t feel a personal connection to them.
Each chapter looks at a particular monument and its history, along with an environmental issue such as chemical, noise, or light pollution, nuclear waste, multi-use and overuse, local vs national interests, etc. Also mixed in are the author’s personal experiences at each location. It’s an interesting approach, but I felt it often made each chapter a little too busy as it switched between subjects.
Thanks to University of Minnesota Press and NetGalley for the advance copy to review.
Each chapter looks at a particular monument and its history, along with an environmental issue such as chemical, noise, or light pollution, nuclear waste, multi-use and overuse, local vs national interests, etc. Also mixed in are the author’s personal experiences at each location. It’s an interesting approach, but I felt it often made each chapter a little too busy as it switched between subjects.
Thanks to University of Minnesota Press and NetGalley for the advance copy to review.
July 26, 2025
In this book, McKenzie Long visits 13 different National Monuments which she details in the book, but she begins with a strong introduction pointing out the differences between National Monuments and National Parks and how controversy surrounds them as they are started by Presidential Proclamations which later presidents can add to or reduce their acreage, or get rid of them. As an outdoors enthusiast, she writes about the activities she did when she visited each monument, which were mostly in the Southwest, and wanting to present a middle ground, she interviews people who are against or for the monuments in their area. It was a thoughtful and enjoyable book that allowed one to think about many of the land use issues, especially in the West, where the US government is the primary land owner.
January 3, 2024
(Actually the audio edition)
I really enjoyed this book - Long is a outdoorsperson (I really, really hate the term recreator!) who used her interest in a wide range of national parks to explore the literal changing landscape of the national monuments under the presidencies of Clinton, Bush x 2, Obama, Trump and Biden. Including locations from New Mexico to Maine and Hawaii, she looked at their challenges, history and opportunities and how each presidential administration addressed those. I found it interesting to learn about how presidents could make these adjustments together with congress's role. While I haven't been to the specific monuments, I have explored New Mexico and am fascinated by Utah. Look forward to thinking about them through this lens.
I really enjoyed this book - Long is a outdoorsperson (I really, really hate the term recreator!) who used her interest in a wide range of national parks to explore the literal changing landscape of the national monuments under the presidencies of Clinton, Bush x 2, Obama, Trump and Biden. Including locations from New Mexico to Maine and Hawaii, she looked at their challenges, history and opportunities and how each presidential administration addressed those. I found it interesting to learn about how presidents could make these adjustments together with congress's role. While I haven't been to the specific monuments, I have explored New Mexico and am fascinated by Utah. Look forward to thinking about them through this lens.
August 26, 2022
This Uncontested Land is a deeply informative book. McKenzie Long dives deep into the histories and controversies of thirteen different national monuments that came under challenge from the Trump administration, and through exploring the particulars of each of these thirteen monuments she gives the reader a thorough understanding of the complexities of public land management. Long visited each of these monuments and spoke to a wide variety of people (supporters of the monuments and opponents), and reading about her experiences and the conversations she had helped bring those places alive for me. I'd recommend this book for anyone interested in the outdoors or conservation (or the politics around conservation).
Thank you to NetGalley and University of Minnesota Press for the opportunity to read this amazing book!
Thank you to NetGalley and University of Minnesota Press for the opportunity to read this amazing book!
December 2, 2022
I grew up with McKenzie as my next door neighbor and I was so ecstatic when I learned this book was in the works! I am also an outdoor lover, and only aspire to be as seasoned as she, so I was eager to dig in. This book provided so much education to me on the topic of monuments! Furthermore, it is written with such heart AND adventure it really feels like she's taking the reader with her through each of the experiences she shares. Totally recommend the book to anyone interested in the outdoors and learning about public lands.
July 13, 2022
This was a phenomenal book. Each chapter stood on its own but the themes arched across all of them. Most of the final sentences in each chapter were so impactful. I love when a sentence stops me on my tracks. You could definitely tell what beliefs the author had but she reported fairly and compassionately. It is rare for an author to have the reader see, if not empathize with both sides of an argument. I will definitely be recommending this book
August 22, 2024
A thorough view of lands given, lands taken, another example of Greed and takeover by cooperate people wanting to strip the land for personal gain.
It is shocking how much has been. ruined but also the infringement on the American Indian is also notated. For some reason, these people tend to break promises and also lie about their intentions.
Another disappointing fact of leaders taking advantage.
It is shocking how much has been. ruined but also the infringement on the American Indian is also notated. For some reason, these people tend to break promises and also lie about their intentions.
Another disappointing fact of leaders taking advantage.
March 10, 2023
The author writes beautifully about a subject fraught with controversy. She is not strident and listens to those who oppose even the concept of public land. I would guess most Americans don’t know much about National Monuments. This book is devoted to the subject, written in clear and wonderfully descriptive prose.
March 11, 2024
I was hoping for a longer, deeper stay in some of these places. There were a lot of places to cover, though, and one of Long's goals was collecting a range of perspectives. It's understandable that there was more talking than visiting. I am grateful for her history and explanation of the Antiquities Act.
3+
3+
May 4, 2024
I learned a lot reading this book - about national monuments and about tensions which arise when dealing with them! I liked the wide variety of experts consulted to add depth to this book. The essays going with each monument varied widely in quality and tone though, I wish there had been a clearer theme throughout the book.
April 24, 2025
Well written and researched history of National Monuments. Thoroughly enjoyed this non-fiction account of the author's visits to these monuments and her evaluation of their importance and impact on both those who support it and the detractors.
July 14, 2023
Paige Carlson suggested. Interesting and easy to read, a bit odd
December 29, 2023
The author presents an interesting narrative about public lands in general and national monuments in particular.
September 28, 2022
This book explores how people in America relate to public lands, how we use them and abuse them, and how various National Monuments have affected that use. McKenzie does a fantastic job of capturing the beauty she sees in these parks and monuments, the way she conjured images of such different landscapes with such detail and love for me was amazing.
I found it so impressive and impactful that she was able to really look at these monument issues from both sides. That is something that is so hard for me to do, I often mistake my own opinions for facts, and this forced me to look at that differently. Her willingness to really listen to people who use and relate to the land and government differently made this book so much more interesting and valuable, and I respect and appreciate her dedication to exploring different viewpoints in a respectful way.
The only thing that really detracted from my enjoyment of this book was the structure. McKenzie shares a personal anecdote for each monument discussed, along with the history and facts relating to the monument's status and other uses. In some cases, these two elements of discussion blended together well but in almost half of the chapters, the two felt so disjointed I mistook it for an editing error at first. One paragraph about water rafting would jump to a paragraph about legislation and then the next would pick up with the rafting exactly where we left off. It was like channel surfing and not in a good way. I think if the two narrative tracks aren’t able to blend they should not be forced to mesh like this, just tell your story and then talk about the politics after.
Overall, this was informative, enjoyable, and engaging. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, U of Minnesota Press, for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for this honest review!!
I found it so impressive and impactful that she was able to really look at these monument issues from both sides. That is something that is so hard for me to do, I often mistake my own opinions for facts, and this forced me to look at that differently. Her willingness to really listen to people who use and relate to the land and government differently made this book so much more interesting and valuable, and I respect and appreciate her dedication to exploring different viewpoints in a respectful way.
The only thing that really detracted from my enjoyment of this book was the structure. McKenzie shares a personal anecdote for each monument discussed, along with the history and facts relating to the monument's status and other uses. In some cases, these two elements of discussion blended together well but in almost half of the chapters, the two felt so disjointed I mistook it for an editing error at first. One paragraph about water rafting would jump to a paragraph about legislation and then the next would pick up with the rafting exactly where we left off. It was like channel surfing and not in a good way. I think if the two narrative tracks aren’t able to blend they should not be forced to mesh like this, just tell your story and then talk about the politics after.
Overall, this was informative, enjoyable, and engaging. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, U of Minnesota Press, for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for this honest review!!
August 18, 2023
This Contested Land is a book about National Monuments and the dilemmas that arise when decided what land should be protected. The author visits numerous national monuments and examines all the different viewspoints of who should manage and have access or rights to those lands. She comes with viewpoints from recreational users, mining rights, indiginous people, ranchers, and more. I appreciated her personal touches and how the land impacted her as well. If you enjoy public lands or have a passion for them, I encourage you to pick this one up! It's a great non-fiction read.
Thank you to the University of Minnesota Press and NetGalley for an advance review copy of This Contested Land. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to the University of Minnesota Press and NetGalley for an advance review copy of This Contested Land. All opinions are my own.
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