The People's Forests

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Marshall, Robert. The People’s Forests. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 2002. First published 1933 by H. Smith and R. Haas. Devoted conservationist, environmentalist, and explorer Robert Marshall (1901–1939) helped catalyze the preservation of millions of wilderness acres in all parts of the US. First published in 1933, Marshall’s The People’s Forests makes a passionate case for the public ownership and management of the nation’s forests in the face of generations of devastating practices. Marshall describes the major values of forests as sources of raw materials, essential resources for the conservation of soil and water, and “precious environment for recreation” for “the happiness of millions of human beings.” He considers the pros and cons of private and public ownership, deciding that public ownership and large-scale public acquisition are vital in order to save the nation’s forests, and sets out ways to intelligently plan for and manage public ownership. (Text adapted from University of Iowa Press website.)