Gilbert F. White is the preeminent geographer of natural resources, hazards, and the human environment. During fifty years of professional work as civil servant, scientist, and educator, he authored numerous books and papers. This volume is the first collection of White's work, spanning his interests and career from 1934 to 1984. Individual introductions by the editors place each selection in historical perspective and assay its significance. With the companion volume, Theme from the Work of Gilbert F. White, White's writings, and the work that he inspired, are now readily accessible to all who share his concern for the stewardship of the earth.

Over the course of half a century, Gilbert F. White's work has served to shape and, in several instances, establish many of the fields that have come to be known as the environmental sciences. In this collection of original essays, a companion volume to White's selected writings (volume I), leading scholars in areas such as water supply, environmental hazards, and natural resource management interpret changes in these fields since White's work and assess present and future problems. With volume 1, this collection presents a complete and cogent picture of Gilbert White's contribution and the work he inspired.