Rocky Times in Rocky Mountain National Park: An Unnatural History [Hardcover]

Karl Hess Jr. (Author), Tom Wolf (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1993

Rocky Mountain National Park is the sixth most visited park in the United States. Established in 1915, this gem of the central Rockies is facing increasingly complex environmental pressures, both from within and beyond the park's boundaries. In ROCKY TIMES IN ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, ecologist and former park consultant Karl Hess examines these problems and presents a stirring and powerful argument for drastic changes in how the park should be managed. Drawing from his years of biological research within and adjacent to the park and from files and reports of the park's own biologists, Hess addresses a wide range of issues, including the impacts to the park's ecosystem from a growing elk heard; the consequences of generations of fire suppression, and the effects of increasing numbers of park visitors and development surrounding the park. Hess argues that the National Park Service has faltered in its mission of preservation. His book is a call for sweeping changes to make park managers more accountable to the park's ecological health and to end what he calls 'predatory politics' within the National Park Service. ROCKY TIMES IN ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK is a compelling yet disquieting account of the condition of one of America's premier parks. It will undoubtedly spark debate among scientists, park managers, policymakers, environmentalists, and others concerned about the future of Rocky Mountain National Park and the nation's entire park system.<

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Karl Hess

Product Details

• Hardcover: 167 pages
• Publisher: University Press of Colorado; 1st edition (December 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0870813099
• ISBN-13: 978-0870813092
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,875,243 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5.0 out of 5 stars A classic critique of national park management, September 20, 2007

By 

Arthur Digbee (Indianapolis, IN, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Rocky Times in Rocky Mountain National Park: An Unnatural History (Hardcover)

In this book, former National Park Service (NPS) scientist Karl Hess argues that the NPS has damaged the environment of Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) by failing to deal with an overabundance of elk. Without natural predators such as wolves, these elk have eaten all the available forage, such as young willows and aspen. These trees have been unable to remain in their former range, where they have been replaced by stands of ponderosa pines (among other trees). Their loss also affects habitat for beavers, ptarmigans, black bears, and many other animals. The harm to beavers is particularly damaging, leading to the destruction of the park's meadows and wetlands.

It's quite an indictment, and Hess makes it forcefully. He explains the ecological consequences of having too many elk in accessible terms.

He's much weaker on what to do about the elk. He doesn't explicitly advocate shooting the elk, though that solution certainly comes to mind (and once was used). Hess recommends handing the park over to a conservation trust whose incentives would differ from those of the NPS. It's easy to pick that apart, and he hasn't thought it through in sufficient detail.

Despite the weak policy recommendations, this is rightfully a classic book among critics of the NPS and its management. Tourism and local economic development take precedence over the natural resources in the park.