Wilderburbs: Communities on Nature's Edge

Weyerhaeuser Environmental Books

by Lincoln Bramwell, William Cronon (Foreword)

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.

Genres: Environment, Nature

344 pages, Paperback

First published August 19, 2014

Reviews

[Tara · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an extremely well-researched and detailed account of "wilderburbs", homes that juxtapose the desires of homeowners with the hard reality of the natural environment. People move to these areas because they love nature and value the experience of living on the forest edge; however, building these homes destroys many of the environmental characteristics that attract those homeowners in the first place. Bulldozing, leveling land, the process of getting water -- and contaminating groundwater in the process, dealing with wild animals and wildfires, and many other issues make wilderburbs an interesting display of the desire to consume and commodify the land versus nurturing an affection for nature.

This book isn't as long as it seems; pages 221-309 are all notes, bibliographic information, and the index. That alone should demonstrate how academic this book is. The writing is very dry and factual; only if you are fascinated by land divisions, building regulations, infrastructure, and history of the land will you enjoy this book. I found it extremely well-researched and informative, yet very boring at times. Additionally, it didn't seem as comprehensive as I expected. It includes sections on why people move to these areas, how development works in the rural west, getting water to these homes, wildfires, and dealing with wildlife. I personally skip the table of contents when reading books, so I was rather surprised by the abrupt appearance of the conclusion section after reading about bears. I expected to hear much more on the subject of "wilderburbs" and felt it left me out of the loop, wanting more.

My favorite part about the book was the photos. The pictures included fit in excellently with the subject matter and were formatted well. Very interesting, cool photos that demonstrated exactly what the author was discussing.

If you're interested in housing developments on the edge of the wilderness, this book is sure to be an interesting and informative read.

[Ms. Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from Goodreads Giveaways in exchange for an honest review.

This was a decent book, but was very slow, dull, and incredibly yawn-worthy. It's the perfect kind of book to read right before bed if you are wanting to snooze off to sleep. The only reasons why I gave it three stars is because 1) they way they describe this beautiful, perfectly-placed area seriously made me want to live there and 2) the entire reasoning behind this book is well-explained and appropriately discussed. You don't feel like you are reading some BS type of book. Yet, I just wish it wasn't so boring and I'd actually be able to enjoy it more!

[Shawndra · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was well written and presented its information well. The historical value of showing how this trend began and where its gone was pretty interesting. The bias of this text is of course that of the author being a forest service employee. Nothing wrong with any of that, we just all have our different biases from our experiences. I thought he kept it nicely neutral and geared to presenting just the facts on the topic.

I rated it so low just because suburbs and wilderburbs alike are depressing monstrosities. Leave the beautiful spaces beautiful please.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

fascinating study of development in the rural West

As a planner and wildfire safety educator, I enjoyed this history and analysis of how Western development and its legacy of risks has come to be. The read can feel a bit academic in places, but the author blends history, current events and personal interviews in a very engaging way.