Ecological Restoration and the U.S. Nature and Environmental Writing Tradition: A Rewilding of American Letters

This book explores how entanglements between writers and places have produced literary interventions in restoration politics, considering how literary landscapes are politicized by writers and conservationists in defense of U.S. public lands and the idea of wilderness. It profiles five environmental writers and examines how their writings have inspired ecological restoration programs and campaigns.

Format: Hardback
Length: 348 pages
Publication date: 12 January 2022
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This comprehensive book delves into a critical examination of the intricate intersections between American environmental literature and ecological restoration policy and practice. Employing a storytelling-restorying-restoring framework, it explores the ways in which entanglements between writers and places have given rise to literary interventions in restoration politics. The book also examines how literary landscapes are politicized by writers themselves, as well as conservationists, activists, policymakers, and other stakeholders, in the defense of U.S. public lands and the concept of wilderness.

To provide a rich and multifaceted perspective, the book profiles five influential environmental writers, each with their unique contributions to the field of ecological restoration. These authors include Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862) at Walden Pond, John Muir (1838–1914) in Yosemite National Park, Aldo Leopold (1887–1948) at his family's Wisconsin sand farm, Marjory Stoneman Douglas (1890–1998) in the Everglades, and Edward Abbey (1927–1989) in Glen Canyon. Through in-depth analysis of their writings on nature, wilderness, conservation, preservation, and restoration, the book uncovers how these authors' ideas have been translated into ecological restoration programs and campaigns by environmental organizations.

This book seamlessly blends environmental history, literature, biography, philosophy, and politics, offering a thought-provoking commentary on the place of environmental literature in conversations surrounding restoration ecology, ecological restoration, and rewilding. By examining the ways in which writers and places interact, it sheds light on the complex dynamics that shape our understanding and engagement with the natural world. This book is a valuable resource for scholars, researchers, and anyone interested in the intersection of literature, ecology, and environmental conservation.

Weight: 616g
Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030861476
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022