A Generous Nature
256 pages, 6 x 9
20 b&w photos
Paperback
Release Date:15 Nov 2019
ISBN:9780870719790
A Generous Nature: Lives Transformed by Oregon offers profiles of twenty-one conservationists and activists who have made enduring contributions to the preservation of Oregon’s wild and natural places and its high quality of life. These stories speak to their courage, foresight, and actions—at times against great odds—to save places, enact legislation, and motivate others to cherish and protect the places that make Oregon unique.
Taken from personal interviews conducted by the author over a decade, these stories will help readers understand the histories of Oregon’s exceptional places, innovative planning efforts, and laws. They provide insight into the principles and values that motivated individuals to preserve the beauty and natural resources of Oregon, craft legislation to further protect them, and educate others about their value. Places as diverse as the Columbia River Gorge Natural Scenic Area, the wild and scenic Sandy River, and Tryon Creek State Park are featured, along with background on critical laws such as the Beach Bill, Diack Act, and Senate Bill 100, and organizations such as SOLVE and the High Desert Partnership. A Generous Nature is a testament to the vision and hard work of people who loved Oregon and fought to protect its ecosystems and habitats for the benefit of all.
These stories do more than educate. They will inspire readers and demonstrate that individually we can make a difference. They underscore that the natural wonders of our state should be guarded and not taken for granted. In these times of unsettled political polarization and divisiveness, A Generous Nature is a crucial reminder of our individual and collective responsibility to stand for and defend the places, ideals, and laws that make Oregon a progressive model for the rest of the nation.
Taken from personal interviews conducted by the author over a decade, these stories will help readers understand the histories of Oregon’s exceptional places, innovative planning efforts, and laws. They provide insight into the principles and values that motivated individuals to preserve the beauty and natural resources of Oregon, craft legislation to further protect them, and educate others about their value. Places as diverse as the Columbia River Gorge Natural Scenic Area, the wild and scenic Sandy River, and Tryon Creek State Park are featured, along with background on critical laws such as the Beach Bill, Diack Act, and Senate Bill 100, and organizations such as SOLVE and the High Desert Partnership. A Generous Nature is a testament to the vision and hard work of people who loved Oregon and fought to protect its ecosystems and habitats for the benefit of all.
These stories do more than educate. They will inspire readers and demonstrate that individually we can make a difference. They underscore that the natural wonders of our state should be guarded and not taken for granted. In these times of unsettled political polarization and divisiveness, A Generous Nature is a crucial reminder of our individual and collective responsibility to stand for and defend the places, ideals, and laws that make Oregon a progressive model for the rest of the nation.
This book is a wonderful tribute to the people who kept Oregon the magnificent place it is—and a goad to the rest of us to continue their work all across this endangered planet.’ —Bill McKibben, author of Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?
These tales educate and inspire. They remind Oregonians that dedication created the special state of mind that is Oregon, and that more generous minds will be needed to preserve the resiliency of what nature so generously bequeathed Oregonians.’ —Tad McCall, son of Governor Tom McCall
Marcy Cottrell Houle is a writer and wildlife biologist. Her books have been honored with the national Christopher Award, the Oregon Book Award, the Oregonian’s Best Books of the Northwest, and the New York Times’ Best Books for Earth Day. She has written for the New York Times, Reader’s Digest, the Los Angeles Times, Globe and Mail, Nature Conservancy Magazine, and Cricket Magazine for Children. Marcy lives with her family in Portland, Oregon.
