The American Environment

Book excerpt: In recent decades, historical geographers have left study of nature-culture interactions to others, most notably to environmental historians. This collection, written specially for this volume, reveals a renewed commitment by, and a rapidly accelerating research agenda for, historical geographers interested in environmental issues. Following an introductory literature review, each case study explores either the direct unplanned impact of humans on the natural environment or the deliberate management policies designed to shape that impact. 'From their stronghold of applied historical geography, the contributors to this volume demonstrate the utility of the historical approach in the study and management of the environment. It hopefully signals a renewed interest in the field by workers whose lineage is from the human side of the continuum.' --Stanley W. Trimble, from the preface.