The featured texts include in-depth histories of America’s public land and how public land and the government’s displacement of Native American people are connected.
At a time when America’s public land is under continuous threat from the federal government, it is more important than ever to understand its history. Dillon Osleger, scientist, environmental advocate and author, shared with Alta's Elizabeth Casillas five books that contextualize America’s public land and explain how to get involved with environmental advocacy.
To better understand the relationship between the federal government’s creation of national parks and displacement of Native American people, Osleger recommended “Dispossessing the Wilderness: Indian Removal and the Making of the National Parks,” by Mark David Spence. If one is looking to learn more about George Grinnell, an 1800s environmentalist who gained the support of Native Americans through his fight for public land preservation, Osleger suggested “Grinnell: America’s Environmentalist Pioneer and His Relentless Drive to Save the West” by John Taliaferro.
Other recommendations included “This Contested Land: The Storied Past and Uncertain Future of America’s National Monuments,” “Our Common Ground: A History of America’s Public Lands,” and “The High Sierra of California.”
Read the full story, below.
Read the full story: 5 Books to Better Understand Public Lands
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