A Conspiracy of Optimism: Management of the National Forests Since World War Two (Our Sustainable Future)

Rating:
Summary: Confusion and Clearcuts
Review: In the current debates over resource management and environmental degradation, the role of government and its interaction with its various constituencies is very important. A Conspiracy of Optimism effectively examines the multiple mandates of the United States Forest Service since World War II and how under increasing political and economic pressure it has chosen to satisfy the demands of politicians, the logging industry, and outdoor recreationalists. What emerges from this well-documented and cogently written monograph is a portrait of mismanagement, confusion, and overharvest taking place beneath and behind the oft-stated and repeated mantras of sustainable yield. Anyone seeking to understand the logging controversies of the current day must read this book.

Rating:
Summary: Confusion and Clearcuts
Review: In the current debates over resource management and environmental degradation, the role of government and its interaction with its various constituencies is very important. A Conspiracy of Optimism effectively examines the multiple mandates of the United States Forest Service since World War II and how under increasing political and economic pressure it has chosen to satisfy the demands of politicians, the logging industry, and outdoor recreationalists. What emerges from this well-documented and cogently written monograph is a portrait of mismanagement, confusion, and overharvest taking place beneath and behind the oft-stated and repeated mantras of sustainable yield. Anyone seeking to understand the logging controversies of the current day must read this book.