Wilderburbs: Communities on Nature's Edge (Weyerhaeuser Environmental Books)
Lincoln Bramwell
Since the 1950s, the housing developments in the West that historian Lincoln Bramwell calls “wilderburbs” have offered residents both the pleasures of living in nature and the creature comforts of the suburbs. Remote from cities but still within commuting distance, nestled next to lakes and rivers or in forests and deserts, and often featuring spectacular views of public lands, wilderburbs celebrate the natural beauty of the American West and pose a vital threat to it.
Wilderburbs tells the story of how roads and houses and water development have transformed the rural landscape in the West. Bramwell introduces readers to developers, homeowners, and government regulators, all of whom have faced unexpected environmental problems in designing and building wilderburb communities, including unpredictable water supplies, threats from wildfires, and encounters with wildlife. By looking at wilderburbs in the West, especially those in Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico, Bramwell uncovers the profound environmental consequences of Americans’ desire to live in the wilderness.
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About Lincoln Bramwell
Reviews for Wilderburbs: Communities on Nature's Edge (Weyerhaeuser Environmental Books)
USDA Blog
"This readable, lively book will prove difficult to classify for those accustomed to arraying the settings for environmental history along a continuum…. Arizonans and historians of the state should definitely read this book. What Wilderburbs does especially well is…good environmental history."
Jeremy Vetter
Journal of Arizona History
"A cautionary tale of the ecological challenges in transplanting urban sensibilities in the American West."
Choice
"[T]his book opened my eyes to the broad outlines and intimate details of a ubiquitous trend in the American West. . . and to the unintended consequences of appreciating and loving nature too much. Smart, engaging, and deeply researched, Wilderburbs is a welcome addition to the Weyerhaeuser Environmental Books series and merits a wide audience."
Jedediah S. Rogers
Environmental History