Andrew K. (kuligowskiandrewt) -
Are National Parks set up for people, or are they meant to be a refuge for the animals, plants, and natural features found within? How far should the management of the park (and the governing body over of ALL the national parks) go to compensate for earlier decisions that may have been based on different priorities or on incomplete scientific study / data?
In "Engineering Eden: The True Story of a Violent Death, A Trial, and the Fight Over Controlling Nature", author Jordan Fisher Smith examines these high level issues by focusing on a few examples: elk, fires, and bears (specifically grizzly) in Sequoia / Kings Canyon, Yosemite, Glacier, and (primarily) Yellowstone National Park. The central story revolves around the lawsuit of an Alabama couple after their son, Harry Walker, was killed by a grizzly while camping outdoors in Yellowstone. Did the National Park Service contribute or cause his death by closing garbage dumps without providing the bears accustomed to accessing easy meals there with alternate sources of food AND the motivation to seek them out? Would Walker have died if the bear in question hadn't learned that humans provide easy meals (in this case, unfortunately, figuratively AND literally).
Mr. Smith focuses on the Walker situation, BUT allows himself considerable latitude to bring in additional facts, anecdotes, and sources. The overriding question of the book involves "managing nature vs. letting nature manage itself", complicated by "dealing with non-natural factors introduced by man. He touches on the subject of wolves in Yellowstone, but only tangentially others can write books on that subject (and have). He looks at the needs of the elk vs. the needs of other animals who may be affected by their eating habits (bison, beaver, pronghorn) depending on how large or small the herd gets. (He also touches upon the needs and concerns of the local landowners and farmers / ranchers, but only very briefly.)
Overall this book attempts and succeeds at being incredibly even handed. It never loses sight of the fact that the goal of ALL parties involved is to maintain a successful wilderness environment it's only the approach that each takes that differs, albeit sometimes drastically. I would recommend it for all interested in nature subjects AND in how man interacts and is a part of the natural environment.
RATING: 4 1/2 stars, rounded up to 5 stars for those systems that cannot handle half-stars.
DISCLOSURE: I was awarded a free copy of this book in a random draw. No requirement of a review was made, let alone any conditions on the tone / content of a review, however, it was hinted that winners who write and post HONEST reviews have a better chance of being selected to receive future books.
In "Engineering Eden: The True Story of a Violent Death, A Trial, and the Fight Over Controlling Nature", author Jordan Fisher Smith examines these high level issues by focusing on a few examples: elk, fires, and bears (specifically grizzly) in Sequoia / Kings Canyon, Yosemite, Glacier, and (primarily) Yellowstone National Park. The central story revolves around the lawsuit of an Alabama couple after their son, Harry Walker, was killed by a grizzly while camping outdoors in Yellowstone. Did the National Park Service contribute or cause his death by closing garbage dumps without providing the bears accustomed to accessing easy meals there with alternate sources of food AND the motivation to seek them out? Would Walker have died if the bear in question hadn't learned that humans provide easy meals (in this case, unfortunately, figuratively AND literally).
Mr. Smith focuses on the Walker situation, BUT allows himself considerable latitude to bring in additional facts, anecdotes, and sources. The overriding question of the book involves "managing nature vs. letting nature manage itself", complicated by "dealing with non-natural factors introduced by man. He touches on the subject of wolves in Yellowstone, but only tangentially others can write books on that subject (and have). He looks at the needs of the elk vs. the needs of other animals who may be affected by their eating habits (bison, beaver, pronghorn) depending on how large or small the herd gets. (He also touches upon the needs and concerns of the local landowners and farmers / ranchers, but only very briefly.)
Overall this book attempts and succeeds at being incredibly even handed. It never loses sight of the fact that the goal of ALL parties involved is to maintain a successful wilderness environment it's only the approach that each takes that differs, albeit sometimes drastically. I would recommend it for all interested in nature subjects AND in how man interacts and is a part of the natural environment.
RATING: 4 1/2 stars, rounded up to 5 stars for those systems that cannot handle half-stars.
DISCLOSURE: I was awarded a free copy of this book in a random draw. No requirement of a review was made, let alone any conditions on the tone / content of a review, however, it was hinted that winners who write and post HONEST reviews have a better chance of being selected to receive future books.
