Drawing Lines in the Forest: Creating Wilderness Areas in the Pacific Northwest

Weyerhaeuser Environmental Books

by Kevin R. Marsh

Drawing boundaries around wildlands serves a double purpose--both protection of the land within the boundary and release of the land outside the boundary to resource extraction and development. This book discusses the roles played by various groups--the U.S. Forest Service, timber companies, recreationists, and environmentalists--in defining the boundaries of wilderness areas.--"Drawing Lines in the Forest offers insights that are relevant to all regions of the United States, and that arguably change the way we should think not just about wilderness, but about the much larger project of American land conservation in general." -- from the Foreword by William Cronon--"By focusing on grassroots activism and the politics of boundary lines, Kevin Marsh has written a compelling case study of the postwar wilderness movement in the Pacific Northwest that will challenge scholars to rethink wilderness history more broadly." -- Paul Sutter, University of Georgia--"Carefully researched and well written, the book offers a detailed look at issues surrounding wilderness creation and encourages its readers to think more broadly about land conservation in the United States." --HistoryLink.org--"This is a very fine book, and I recommend it to all interested in environmental and wilderness history, as well as those who love the Cascade Range." --Pacific Northwest Quarterly--"Drawing Lines in the Forest is masterfully researched, sharply argued, and skillfully written. Following his lead, other scholars must reassess wilderness battles in other places and pay close attention to boundaries." -Western Historical Quarterly--"Kevin Marsh's book is a valuable addition. . .-- . Drawing Lines in the Forest] offers an excellent case study of a very complicated process. The details of the story provide insight into how committed people transformed the American wilderness system from idea to reality." -Montana: The Magazine of Western History

Genres: Nonfiction, History

262 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Arthur Simonds · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another History book down. Interesting debates on what should be considered “wilderness” and how those lands would be used or not used. Both sides were debating on vastly different bases and it seems like through both sides winning battles, no one won the “war”. I also noticed how the author, through their attempt to be a vessel of historical fact, at times showed bias toward the side of conservationists, which is cool. It’s interesting how people try to shutdown lumber production in an area with trees that the nation needs for infrastructure, all for a few more acres of National Parks. But hey, I like going to those parks too.

[Roger Smitter · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first words of the book are “There are places in the Cascade Mountains of Washington and Oregon where one can become immersed in a depth of isolation and solitude that is rare in the modern world.” (p. 3)

The story is to change some things to change the wilderness place of the two states. On chapter we have “Wilderness is a modern form of land use, one that, like other forms, has its own set of laws and regulations and also has an impaction the landscape. Creating and managing wilderness areas has an impact of the local environment, thought one that is very different from alternative options, which unusually road building and other devaluations.” (6)

There is a list of the history to the land and how land has been changed. And there’s lots of material to say how to keep land as it has been.

I guess we will have to wait and find out.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone born in 1982, two years prior to the passage of the Washington State Wilderness Act of 1984, it's easy for me and many of my generation to take for granted our regions abundance of protected wilderness and old growth forests. Drawing Lines in the Forest provides a fascinating and important history of the regional conservation movement and numerous fights it took to protect our wilderness. If you've hiked or camped in any the regions wilderness ares, or had the opportunity to stand in awe of a 500 y/o Doug Fir or 1000 y/o Hemlock than this is an important book to read. Pristine wilderness and fragile ecosystems can't protect themselves.