The Northern Forest

Freelance journalist Dobbs and environmentalist Ober here deftly weave the concerns and dreams of loggers, landowners, foresters and resort owners into a rich tapestry demonstrating that people with widely divergent perspectives can share a vision of the land they love--in this case, the forests of New England and New York. The authors argue convincingly that healthy local economies and healthy forests are not mutually exclusive. They then attempt to redefine the environmental debate over these lands by asserting that the real challenge is ``not how to `save the Northern Forest,' but how to protect these woods by using them well.'' A striking conclusion is that even as the forests are being destroyed, very few villains are responsible; rather, misplaced economic and political incentives, not thoughtless individuals, are much more often to blame. The authors believe meaningful progress will be made only when the environmental community forms alliances with local communities. (May)