Laura Alice Watt and David Lowenthal
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- September 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780520277076
- eISBN:
- 9780520966420
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520277076.003.0009
- Subject:
- History, Environmental History
This concluding chapter shows that, elsewhere in the world, the notion of “what a park is for” is indeed changing—from the inclusion of residents in many European parks and of indigenous peoples in ...
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This concluding chapter shows that, elsewhere in the world, the notion of “what a park is for” is indeed changing—from the inclusion of residents in many European parks and of indigenous peoples in parks in developing countries (that is, where they hadn't already been kicked out), to world heritage sites that recognize the importance of community connections and local landscape meanings, and even to the NPS, at particular park units where the management staff is supportive of change. It recommends specific policy modifications at Point Reyes, as well as more broadly within the NPS, that could improve the long-term prospects of collaborative management of working landscapes and better reconcile their coexistence with wilderness.Less
This concluding chapter shows that, elsewhere in the world, the notion of “what a park is for” is indeed changing—from the inclusion of residents in many European parks and of indigenous peoples in parks in developing countries (that is, where they hadn't already been kicked out), to world heritage sites that recognize the importance of community connections and local landscape meanings, and even to the NPS, at particular park units where the management staff is supportive of change. It recommends specific policy modifications at Point Reyes, as well as more broadly within the NPS, that could improve the long-term prospects of collaborative management of working landscapes and better reconcile their coexistence with wilderness.
Laura Alice Watt and David Lowenthal
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- September 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780520277076
- eISBN:
- 9780520966420
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520277076.003.0001
- Subject:
- History, Environmental History
This introductory chapter presents the case study of the Point Reyes National Seashore (PRNS), which was embroiled in a controversy in 2012. The issue was not the usual industry-versus-nature debate: ...
More
This introductory chapter presents the case study of the Point Reyes National Seashore (PRNS), which was embroiled in a controversy in 2012. The issue was not the usual industry-versus-nature debate: on the one hand, national environmental organizations sought official designation of a marine wilderness; on the other, oyster farm operators and local foods advocates insisted that their historic operation was doing no harm and should be allowed to continue. This case example reveals a great deal about parks management in the United States. As the chapter shows, such controversies highlight much larger questions about what parks are for, what they are meant to protect and provide to the public, and how to make choices between competing uses or management priorities for park resources.Less
This introductory chapter presents the case study of the Point Reyes National Seashore (PRNS), which was embroiled in a controversy in 2012. The issue was not the usual industry-versus-nature debate: on the one hand, national environmental organizations sought official designation of a marine wilderness; on the other, oyster farm operators and local foods advocates insisted that their historic operation was doing no harm and should be allowed to continue. This case example reveals a great deal about parks management in the United States. As the chapter shows, such controversies highlight much larger questions about what parks are for, what they are meant to protect and provide to the public, and how to make choices between competing uses or management priorities for park resources.
Laura Alice Watt and David Lowenthal
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- September 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780520277076
- eISBN:
- 9780520966420
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520277076.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, Environmental History
Point Reyes National Seashore has a long history as a working landscape, with dairy and beef ranching, fishing, and oyster farming; yet, since 1962 it has also been managed as a National Seashore. ...
More
Point Reyes National Seashore has a long history as a working landscape, with dairy and beef ranching, fishing, and oyster farming; yet, since 1962 it has also been managed as a National Seashore. This book chronicles how national ideals about what a park “ought to be” have developed over time and what happens when these ideals are implemented by the National Park Service (NPS) in its efforts to preserve places that are also lived-in landscapes. Using the conflict surrounding the closure of the Drakes Bay Oyster Company, the book examines how NPS management policies and processes for land use and protection do not always reflect the needs and values of local residents. Instead, the resulting landscapes produced by the NPS represent a series of compromises between use and protection—and between the area's historic pastoral character and a newer vision of wilderness. The book covers topics relating to environmental history, conservation, public lands, and cultural landscape management.Less
Point Reyes National Seashore has a long history as a working landscape, with dairy and beef ranching, fishing, and oyster farming; yet, since 1962 it has also been managed as a National Seashore. This book chronicles how national ideals about what a park “ought to be” have developed over time and what happens when these ideals are implemented by the National Park Service (NPS) in its efforts to preserve places that are also lived-in landscapes. Using the conflict surrounding the closure of the Drakes Bay Oyster Company, the book examines how NPS management policies and processes for land use and protection do not always reflect the needs and values of local residents. Instead, the resulting landscapes produced by the NPS represent a series of compromises between use and protection—and between the area's historic pastoral character and a newer vision of wilderness. The book covers topics relating to environmental history, conservation, public lands, and cultural landscape management.
