BiblioVault - Books about Meine, Curt

Correction Lines

Essays on Land, Leopold, and Conservation

Curt Meine

Island Press, 2004

The last fifteen years have been a period of dramatic change, both in the world at large and within the fields of ecology and conservation. The end of the Cold War, the dot-com boom and bust, the globalizing economy, and the attacks of September 11, among other events and trends, have reshaped our worldview and the political environment in which we find ourselves. At the same time, emerging knowledge, needs, and opportunities have led to a rapid evolution in our understanding of the scientific foundations and social context of conservation.

Correction Lines is a new collection of essays from one of our most thoughtful and eloquent writers on conservation, putting these recent changes into perspective and exploring the questions they raise about the past, present, and future of the conservation movement. The essays explore interrelated themes: the relationship between biological and social dimensions; the historic tension between utilitarian and preservationist approaches; the integration of varied cultural perspectives; the enduring legacy of Aldo Leopold; the contrasts and continuities between conservation and environmentalism; the importance of political reform; and the need to "retool" conservation to address twentyfirst-century realities.

Collectively the essays assert that we have reached a critical juncture in conservation—a "correction line" of sorts. Correction Lines argues that we need a more coherent and comprehensive account of the past if we are to understand our present circumstances and move forward under unprecedented conditions.

Meine brings together a deep sense of history with powerful language and compelling imagery, yielding new insights into the origins and development of contemporary conservation. Correction Lines will help us think more clearly about the forces that have changed, and are changing, conservation, and inspire us to address current realities and future needs.

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Foundations of Conservation Biology

A Guide to the Classic Literature

Edited by Jeffrey D. Brawn, Erica Fleishman, Curt Meine

University of Chicago Press

For students, practitioners, and researchers, a comprehensive guide to conservation biology’s foundational literature.

This book summarizes over a century of multidisciplinary scientific literature that contributed to the development of conservation biology. It explores how different scientific, social, and cultural traditions have informed that literature, enabling a deeper comprehension of the natural world and conservation practices. The volume traces conservation biology’s scientific and cultural foundations and its emergence in the mid-1980s in response to the accelerating effects of human activity on biological diversity. As conservation moved beyond its early emphasis on sustaining yields of selected natural resources and responding to environmental degradation, it both reflected and required changes in its scope and foundations. Today, conservation biologists aim to understand the complex ecological and social causes of biodiversity loss and apply that integrated understanding to sustain life and ecological integrity at all levels.

Examining this evolving field’s foundations in philosophy and culture, population genetics, landscape ecology, management techniques, law, the social sciences, and climate change science, the contributors to this volume identify and provide historical and contextual interpretations of the key literature. Foundations of Conservation Biology shows how insights from the past have influenced contemporary studies, and how they may continue to shape future research and actions.

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The Historical Ecology Handbook

A Restorationist's Guide to Reference Ecosystems

Edited by Dave Egan and Evelyn A. Howell; Foreword by Curt Meine

Island Press, 2005

The Historical Ecology Handbook makes essential connections between past and future ecosystems, bringing together leading experts to offer a much-needed introduction to the field of historical ecology and its practical application by on-the-ground restorationists.

Chapters present individual techniques focusing on both culturally derived evidence and biological records, with each chapter offering essential background, tools, and resources needed for using the technique in a restoration effort. The book ends with four in-depth case studies that demonstrate how various combinations of techniques have been used in restoration projects.

The Historical Ecology Handbook is a unique and groundbreaking guide to determining historic reference conditions of a landscape. It offers an invaluable compendium of tools and techniques, and will be essential reading for anyone working in the field of ecological restoration.

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A New Century for Natural Resources Management

Edited by Richard L. Knight and Sarah F. Bates

Island Press, 1995

This book explores the changes that are leading to a new century of natural resources management. It places the current situation in historical perspective, analyzes the forces that are propelling change, and describes and examines the specific changes in goals, policy, and practice that are transforming all aspects of natural resources management.The book is an important overview for wildlife biologists, foresters, and others working for public land agencies; professors and students of natural resources; and all those whose livelihood depends on the use of public natural resources.

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Wallace Stegner and the Continental Vision

Essays on Literature, History, and Landscape

Edited by Curt Meine; Foreword by Paul W. Johnson

Island Press, 1997

Wallace Stegner (1909-1993) was, in the words of historian T. H. Watkins, "a walking tower of American letters." Winner of the Pulitzer prize and the National Book Award for fiction, founder of the Stanford Writing Program, recipient of three Guggenheim fellowships and innumerable honorary degrees, Stegner was both a brilliant writer and an exceptional teacher.Wallace Stegner and the Continental Vision brings together leading literary critics, historians, legal scholars, geographers, scientists, and others to present a multifaceted exploration of Stegner's work and its impact, and a thought-provoking examination of his life. Contributors consider Stegner as writer, as historian, and as conservationist, discussing his place in the American literary tradition, his integral role in shaping how Americans relate to the land, and his impact on their own personal lives and careers. They present an eclectic mix of viewpoints as they explore aspects of Stegner's work that they find most intriguing, inspiring, and provocative: Jackson J. Benson on the personal qualities that so distinctively shaped Stegner's writings Walter Nugent on the historical context of Stegner's definition of the West T. H. Watkins on Stegner's contributions to the modern conservation movement Terry Tempest Williams on Stegner's continuing importance as an "elder" in the community of writers he nurtured Other contributors include Dorothy Bradley, John Daniel, Daniel Flores, Melody Graulich, James R. Hepworth, Richard L. Knight, Curt Meine, Thomas R. Vale, Elliott West, and Charles F. Wilkinson.Wallace Stegner and the Continental Vision is an illuminating look at Stegner's many and varied contributions to American literature and society. Longtime admirers of Stegner will appreciate it for the new perspectives it provides, while readers less familiar with him will find it a valuable and accessible introduction to his life and work.

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