Repairing Paradise: The Restoration of Nature in America's National Parks (Hardcover)

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Product Description

By the end of the millennium, many Americans realized they had made some serious misjudgments in their nation's interactions with the natural world. America's treasured national parks, while remaining immensely popular, were not immune to this damaging phenomenon, and it had become clear that preservation alone would no longer be enough. By this time, repair and restoration were necessary. Can the United States reverse the mistaken policies that severely damaged the crown jewels of its national park system? This thoughtful and hopeful book, in turns analytical and personal, delves into that important question, focusing on several of America's most-loved public institutions. William Lowry, an eminent analyst of U.S. natural resource policy, focuses on four ambitious efforts to reverse environmental damage in America's national parks: the reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone; reducing the impact of vehicle traffic in Yosemite; restoring fresh water to the Everglades; and, removing structural impairments to river flows in the Grand Canyon. "Repairing Paradise" combines authoritative policy analysis with extensive personal experience on the ground. Lowry has spent time in all four of the parks, personally observing conditions and talking to the most informed decision makers. He deftly combines this field research with solid public policy analysis to paint an instructive portrait of the mission to restore the natural health and glory to some of the world's most wondrous places.

About the Author

William R. Lowry is a professor of political science at Washington University in St. Louis. He personally observed conditions and activities in all four parks to write this book. He is also the author of Dam Politics: Restoring America's Rivers and The Capacity for Wonder: Preserving National Parks.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 287 pages
• Publisher: Brookings Institution Press (September 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0815702744
• ISBN-13: 978-0815702740
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
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• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #505,486 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)