ABSTRACT
What has been the role and place of the natural world in the lives of humans? This question is central to the work of historians who study long-term environmental trends and changes and has become increasingly important to professionals and citizens who want to understand issues of environmental change. This book attempts to address issues confronting those who want to understand the impact of long-term environmental change on their lives. It focuses exclusively on historical changes and public policy debates regarding the environment in the continental United States. Although it is not intended to encompass all environmental topics and debates, the ones selected for examination are significant because of their integral relationship to each other.
