How much can we use the natural environment without spoiling it? National parks and wilderness areas are an important part of America's natural and cultural heritage, preserving natural beauty and playing a critical role in environmental conservation. Around the world, protected areas and ecosystems are growing as destinations in people's travel plans through the expansion of the ecotourism industry. The extent to which human activity should be limited or encouraged in such areas is a complex debate reflecting a society's priorities and the trade-offs it is willing to make as it attempts to balance recreation, heritage, nature, and wilderness. The books in this reading list examine some of the latest thinking in these debates while also providing some guides with suggestions and inspirations for your own travel and recreational goals (some of them quite local).
Jerome Pohlen. (2008). Progressive Nation: A Travel Guide with 400+ Inspiring Landmarks and Left Turns.
Looking to try new travel destinations that will expand your knowledge of American history and politics? This guide covers over four-hundred museums, landmarks, organizations, and other historic sites that mark the individuals, events, and accomplishments of the progressive movement. Including such locations as: Henry David Thoreau's jail cell in Concord, Harvey Milk's camera shop, the Rachel Carson Homestead, Johnny Appleseed's first nursery, the site of the Haymarket Riot in Chicago, and the courthouse where Susan B. Anthony went on trial for attempting to vote.
Jean Rusmore. (1995). The Bay Area Ridge Trail: Ridgetop Adventures Above San Francisco Bay.
Published in cooperation with the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council, this is a guide to completed segments of the Bay Area Ridge Trail, an unparalleled opportunity for hikers, equestrians, and bicyclists to experience magnificent views, visit important cultural heritage sites, and explore firsthand our area's diverse ecosystems. Over 325 miles of the trail are open and protected for future generations, and the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council and its volunteers and supporters are working hard to fill in the gaps to complete the 550+ mile loop overlooking San Francisco Bay. Look for updates on their website.
Martha Honey. (2008). Ecotourism and Sustainable Development: Who Owns Paradise?
By the co-founder and Co-Director of the Center for Responsible Travel, this book is a comprehensive survey of the past and present of the ecotourism industry. Marketed aggressively as a panacea promoting development in poor countries while protecting ecosystems and promoting environmental awareness, “green” travel is in reality a complex endeavor presenting unique challenges in different places and communities around the world. Honey's analysis shows that with care, it can support natural and cultural conservation, social and economic development, and local empowerment. See also Ecotourism and Certification: Setting Standards in Practice, edited by Martha Honey.
Hal K. Rothman. (2004). The New Urban Park: Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Civic Environmentalism.
When it was established in 1972, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) embodied a new vision of what parkland in America should be. Whereas the traditional goal had been protecting large scenic natural areas, the National Park Service was transitioning to managing urban parks that combined conservation with recreational access and responded to a broad range of interests in a rapidly changing public. Rothman traces the history of the GGNRA from its creation, through its expansion and changing identity over the years, to the highly political struggle over obtaining the Presidio and converting it into a park, detailing how the National Park Service has worked to respond to its different constituencies while navigating the tension between use and preservation.
David N. Cole & Laurie Yung, eds. (2010). Beyond Naturalness: Rethinking Park and Wilderness Stewardship in an Era of Rapid Change.
Historically, in the United States, the guiding principle for the management of park and wilderness areas has been the concept of naturalness, that is, preserving “natural” conditions by protecting land from development and exploitation. But park goals and purposes have diversified over time in response to changing values and the range of new challenges facing protected areas including climate change, invasive species, and habitat fragmentation. This collection argues that naturalness as a goal is inadequate to today's challenges because of its inherent ambiguity, and it offers alternative concepts and innovative management strategies that represent the latest in ecological thought.
Robert E. Manning (2007). Parks and Carrying Capacity: Commons Without Tragedy.
Since the early 1990s, Professor Robert E. Manning of the University of Vermont has been working with the National Park Service to address the issue of carrying capacity: how much and what kind of use could be accommodated in the national parks without spoiling what we find valuable about them? This work presents findings from this program of natural and social science research, describing approaches for defining and measuring carrying capacity and analyzing the effectiveness of options for managing carrying capacity. It includes a series of case studies from eight diverse units of the U.S. National Park System, and an additional case study that explores how the conceptual foundations of carrying capacity are being applied in an increasing number of fields to address the growing urgency of sustainability.
Dave Glowacz (Mr. Bike). (2004). Urban Biker's Tricks & Trips: Low-Tech & No-Tech Ways to Find, Ride, & Keep a Bicycle.
Is bicycling your recreation of choice? This guide presents tips on cycling in the urban environment from Mr. Bike, a bike instructor with the League of American Bicyclists and frequent contributor to Bicycling magazine. Learn what to do about a sore butt, how to keep your helmet from messing up your hair, and how to keep your bike from ever getting stolen. With pictures.
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