Forests for the People tells the powerful and often overlooked story of how the eastern national forests came to be—not through top-down mandates, but through grassroots action, political will, and a shared vision of long-term stewardship. At the heart of the book is the passage of the Weeks Act of 1911, which laid the foundation for conserving millions of acres across the East, South, and Great Lakes regions. But just as compelling is the coalition that made it happen: citizens, conservationists, business leaders, and politicians working across divides to stop the devastation caused by unchecked logging and wildfire.

Through vivid historical narrative, the book traces the rise of a conservation movement born out of environmental crisis—from the clearcut slopes of New England and the Southern Appalachians to the damaged watersheds of the Great Lakes. It then shifts to the present day, with eight detailed case studies examining the complex realities of forest management: from fire and timber use to invasive species, endangered wildlife, and the pressures of development at forest edges.

For readers concerned with the future of public lands, Forests for the People offers more than history—it delivers a blueprint for how diverse interests can come together to protect landscapes that sustain both ecosystems and communities.

Acknowledgments
Introduction
 
PART I. How the Eastern National Forests Were Saved
Chapter 1. The Disappearing Forests of the White Mountains
Chapter 2. Trees to Build the Lake States
Chapter 3. A Forest Crisis in the Southern Appalachians
Chapter 4. Building a Forest Conservation Movement
Chapter 5. Legislation at Last: The Weeks Act
Chapter 6. Creating the Eastern National Forests
 
PART II. Issues Facing the Eastern National Forests Today
Chapter 7. Holly Springs National Forest: A Study in Forest Management Reform
Chapter 8. Florida’s National Forests: A Revolution in Prescribed Burning
Chapter 9. Monongahela National Forest: Wilderness at Heart
Chapter 10. Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness: Preservation Versus Multiple Use
Chapter 11. Ottawa and Hiawatha National Forests: The Return of the Wolf
Chapter 12. Allegheny National Forest: The Challenges of Shale Oil Drilling
Chapter 13. Michigan’s National Forests: The Invasion of the Emerald Ash Borer
Chapter 14. National Forests of Vermont and North Carolina: Loving the Forests to Death
 
Conclusion
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Index