Why read Tending the Wild?

Book cover of Tending the Wild: Native American Knowledge and the Management of California's Natural Resources

Book description

John Muir was an early proponent of a view we still hold today - that much of California was pristine, untouched wilderness before the arrival of Europeans. But as this groundbreaking book demonstrates, what Muir was really seeing when he admired the grand vistas of Yosemite and the gold and…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Tending the Wild as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

C. Thomas Shay

Author

I recall avidly skimming the text in the library soon after it came out. So many new ideas! I was especially excited with its presentation of the Indigenous management of plant habitats by the judicious use of fire.

From the Preface: “I hope that greater understanding of the stewardship legacy left us by California Indians will foster a paradigm shift in our thinking about the state’s past—particularly with regard to wildland fire.” Slowly, researchers across the Great Plains have begun to understand the complex relationship between climate, litter buildup, and human activity, and this book helped that understanding take root.

From C.'s list on The best books honoring our precious prairies.