“This book is a presentation of 45 primary source documents related to the environment and conservation movement in the United States from its origins to the present. Each document has a critical essay attached that includes a summary overview, defining moment, author biography, document analysis, and essential themes. These diverse texts include letters, court opinions, laws, government reports, speeches, journal entries, treaties, and international resolutions. The documents are organized under three broad categories: Beginnings, The Middle Years, and The Modern Era. A bibliography and additional readings section follows each essay. A number of appendixes are included, such as a chronological list of the source documents, an annotated list of Web resources, and an overall bibliography. Some of the most important documents on this topic are presented and discussed, including the Homestead Act of 1862, the establishment of Yellowstone National Park, one of John Muir's many letters regarding Hetch Hetchy and Yosemite, and Jimmy Carter on the Three Mile Island Incident. This book represents an excellent addition to the reference collection of any library, and provides K-12 and higher education students with access to some of the most important documents in the American conservation movement.”