Benton MacKaye: Conservationist, Planner, and Creator of the Appalachian Trail

Creating the North American Landscape

by Larry Anderson

Planner and originator of the Appalachian Trail and a cofounder of the Wilderness Society, Benton MacKaye (1879-1975) was a pioneer in linking the concepts of preservation and recreation. Spanning three-quarters of a century, his long and productive career had a major impact on emerging movements in conservation, environmentalism, and regional planning. MacKaye's seminal ideas on outdoor recreation, wilderness protection, land-use planning, community development, and transportation have inspired generations of activists, professionals, and adventurers seeking to strike a harmonious balance between human need and the natural environment. This pathbreaking biography provides the first complete portrait of this significant and unique figure in American environmental, intellectual, and cultural history. Drawing on extensive research, Larry Anderson traces MacKaye's extensive career, examines his many published works, and describes the importance of MacKaye's relationships with such influential figures as Lewis Mumford, Aldo Leopold, and Walter Lippmann. This book will appeal to students, scholars, and professionals in preservation, conservation, recreation, planning, and American studies, as well as general readers interested in these subjects.

Genres: Landscape Architecture, Biography

468 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Carol Hamilton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting history of the AT. Discovered many facts that I had not formerly been aware of. There were a few spots however that got a little boring and tedious to me.

[Dan Carey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much detail about MacKaye's professional work and not enough about the man or his acquaintances to hold my interest. Stopped at 44%, just as the Great Depression is hitting.