Legacy of Congress's 1864 Northern Pacific Railroad Land Grant
By Derrick Jensen and George Draffan
216 pages
softcover
This historical exposé explains in a straightforward, factual manner how a well-meaning piece of legislation from 1864 led to the current crisis in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. Its legacy is one of corruption, abuse and lies.
Authors Derrick Jensen and George Draffan use extensive research to illustrate how millions of acres of timberland that were supposed to be opened to homesteaders instead fell into the hands of huge lumber corporations, resulting in a checkerboard of fragmented forests along a strip of land from the Midwest to the Pacific Coast. The area is still marred today by clearcuts and forest devastation. But a settlement resulting from a government investigation under President Calvin Coolidge leaves hope that action could still be taken.
In-depth sections cover History, The Land-Grant Timber Corporations, Overcutting, Log Exports, Options to Intervene, and Conclusions. A glossy 32-page spread features a photographic essay packed with further information, black and white photos, and maps.
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