Tangled Roots : The Appalachian Trail and American Environmental Politics

Mittlefehldt, Sarah; Cronon, William (FRW)

ISBN 10: 0295993006 / ISBN 13: 9780295993003

Published by University of Washington Press, 2013

About this Item

Seller Inventory # 19795687-n

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Tangled Roots : The Appalachian Trail and American Environmental Politics
• Publisher: University of Washington Press
• Publication Date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0295993006
• ISBN 13: 9780295993003
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

The Appalachian Trail, a thin ribbon of wilderness running through the densely populated eastern United States, offers a refuge from modern society and a place apart from human ideas and institutions. But as environmental historian―and thru-hiker―Sarah Mittlefehldt argues, the trail is also a conduit for community engagement and a model for public-private cooperation and environmental stewardship.

In Tangled Roots, Mittlefehldt tells the story of the trail's creation. The project was one of the first in which the National Park Service attempted to create public wilderness space within heavily populated, privately owned lands. Originally a regional grassroots endeavor, under federal leadership the trail project retained unprecedented levels of community involvement. As citizen volunteers came together and entered into conversation with the National Parks Service, boundaries between "local" and "nonlocal," "public" and "private," "amateur" and "expert" frequently broke down. Today, as Mittlefehldt tells us, the Appalachian Trail remains an unusual hybrid of public and private efforts and an inspiring success story of environmental protection.

Watch the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFyhuGqbCGc

About the Author

Sarah Mittlefehldt is assistant professor of environmental studies at Green Mountain College.