Smithsonian Book of National Wildlife Refuges by Eric Jay Dolin (2008) Paperback

by Eric Jay Dolin, John and Karen Hollingsworth (Illustrator)

"In 1903 Theodore Roosevelt signed a proclamation that created the first of what, a century later, would become a system of 538 wildlife refuges spread across all fifty of the United States. Stretching from the cypress swamps of Okefenokee to the remote wilderness of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the refuges now occupy an amazing 95 million acres of the American landscape. These are America's most treasured natural habitats - filled with waterfowl, fish, mammals, and a diverse array of plants." Coupling his text with the remarkable photographs of John and Karen Hollingsworth, Eric Dolin draws on the rich history surrounding the refuges to reveal an intriguing story of people and nature. After exploring how the fledgling conservation movement found its champion in Teddy Roosevelt, Dolin unveils a story filled with heroic, sometimes quirky, Americans who fought to preserve the nation's natural heritage. Following Roosevelt's lead - and against a backdrop of the twentieth century's wars and strife - refuge after refuge was created, resulting today in an incredibly diverse and biologically critical system that helped earn the United States its reputation as a leader in global conservation.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Conservation, Reference, History, Natural History, Environment

272 pages, Paperback

First published March 17, 2003

About the author

I grew up near the coasts of New York and Connecticut, and since an early age I was fascinated by the natural world, especially the ocean. I spent many days wandering the beaches on the edge of Long Island Sound and the Atlantic, collecting seashells and exploring tidepools. When I left for college I wanted to become a marine biologist or more specifically a malacologist (seashell scientist). At Brown University I quickly realized that although I loved learning about science, I wasn't cut out for a career in science, mainly because I wasn't very good in the lab, and I didn't particularly enjoy reading or writing scientific research papers. So, after taking a year off and exploring a range of career options, I shifted course turning toward the field of environmental policy, first earning a double-major in biology and environmental studies, then getting a masters degree in environmental management from Yale, and a Ph.D. in environmental policy and planning from MIT, where my dissertation focused on the role of the courts in the cleanup of Boston Harbor.

I have held a variety of jobs, including stints as a fisheries policy analyst at the National Marine Fisheries Service, a program manager at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, an environmental consultant stateside and in London, an American Association for the Advancement of Science writing fellow at Business Week, a curatorial assistant in the Mollusk Department at Harvard's Museum of Comparative Zoology, and an intern at the National Wildlife Federation, the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, and the U.S. Senate.

Throughout my career, one thing remained constant--I enjoyed writing and telling stories. And that's why I started writing books--to share the stories that I find most intriguing (I have also published more than 60 articles for magazines, newspapers, and professional journals). My most recent books include:

***A Furious Sky: The Five-Hundred-Year History of America's Hurricanes (Liveright, 2020), which was chosen by:

The Washington Post -- One of 50 Notable works of Nonfiction for 2020

Library Journal -- One of the Best Science & Technology Books of 2020
​
Kirkus Reviews -- One of the top 100 nonfiction books of 2020 (it was also a finalist for the Kirkus Prize)
​
Booklist -- 10 Top Sci-Tech Books of 2020
​
Amazon.com -- One of the Best Science Books of 2020

And also was an Editor's Choice by the New York Times Book Review.

New York Times -- Editor's Choice

***Black Flags, Blue Waters: The Epic History of America's Most Notorious Pirates (Liveright, 2018), which was chosen as a "Must-Read" book for 2019 by the Massachusetts Center for the Book, and was a finalist for the 2019 Julia Ward Howe Award given by the Boston Author's Club.

***Brilliant Beacons: A History of the American Lighthouse (Liveright, 2016), which was chosen by gCaptain and Classic Boat as one of the best nautical books of 2016.

***When America First Met China: An Exotic History of Tea, Drugs, and Money in the Age of Sail (Liveright, September 2012), which was chosen by Kirkus Reviews as one of the ten best non-fiction books of Fall 2012.

***Fur, Fortune, and Empire: the Epic History of the Fur Trade in America (W. W. Norton, 2010), a national bestseller, which was chosen by New West, The Seattle Times, and The Rocky Mountain Land Library as one of the top non-fiction books of 2010. It also won the 2011 James P. Hanlan Book Award, given by the New England Historical Association, and was awarded first place in the Outdoor Writers Association of America, Excellence in Craft Contest.

***Leviathan: The History of Whaling in America (W. W. Norton, 2007), which was selected as one of the best nonfiction books of 2007 by The Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, and The Providence Journal. Leviathan was also chosen by Amazon.com's editors as one of the 10 best history books of 2007. Leviathan garnered the the 23rd annual (2007) L. Byrne Waterman

Reviews

[La Crosse County Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review originally published August 2003

I had the distinct pleasure to attend the Upper Mississippi’s National Wildlife Refuge’s Centennial celebration at Riverside Park in La Crosse on July 31st. I was invited to share a story during the celebration’s story hour for children. Coincidentally, the La Crosse County Library was just finishing up a record year of summer reading with our theme "Go Wild Read," and even though there was no intentional tie, the centennial event of the Refuge System was almost a finale to our Go Wild Read success! To top off the event, the Friends of the Upper Mississippi River Refuges and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation presented me with two spectacular books to be added to our collection!

The first is the Smithsonian Book of National Wildlife Refuges by Eric Jay Dolin with photographs by John and Karen Hollingsworth. It was in 1903 that Theodore Roosevelt signed a proclamation that created the first refuge system that now encompasses 538 wildlife refuges spread across all fifty states.

These treasured natural habitats are illustrated with remarkable pictures by the Hollingsworth's and the rich history of this nation’s conservation movement is unveiled through stories of preservation and perseverance.

See also:

The second treasure presented to the La Crosse County Library is Lorraine Ward’s and Laura Jacques’ Wildlife Refuge: A Classroom Adventure. Striking animal illustrations show our younger readers the different habitats that make up the refuge. Although the book is based the Aranas National Wildlife Refuge, the book gives all children an opportunity to learn what wildlife refuges all around the country do and why we need them.

I’d like to take this public opportunity to thank the Upper Mississippi Friends and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for these unique and special gifts. Please make an opportunity to take some time to enjoy these books!

Find this book and other titles within our catalog.

[A B · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful gem this book is. It's an educational and entertaining history of the National Wildlife Refuge system cleverly disguised as a beautiful coffee table book. The NWR program has a long and often sad history. Early environmentalists and park rangers were unpaid, unsupported, and even murdered. Learn how women's hats and unsportsmanlike hunters devastated wildlife populations, and how the public finally took note. Even after establishment of refuges, plans weren't in place to fund or maintain them, so you'll learn how volunteers and generous donors made a difference. The photography is lovely. Keep in mind that these aren't stock shots of recognizable sights such as El Capitan or the Grand Canyon (which are national parks anyway). You probably won't recognize many of the sites in the photos, as refuges are selected for suitable for saving wildlife, not aesthetics, which I felt made the photography more special.

So glad I heard about this book through a Goodreads giveaway. I didn't win, but decided to check it out anyway. It would make a lovely Christmas or birthday gift for any nature enthusiast.

[David Wurster · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a coffee-table book in which the text is, perhaps, better than the pictures. The text provides a very readable history of the refuges and the conservation movement. The book is now about 20 years old, but it is unlikely that the big picture has changed very much in that time. The author is obviously in favor of conservation, but he is not dogmatic and does not really get political, to his credit. An obvious problem with the refuge system is that its holdings are so vast that there will never be enough funding for operations and maintenance to do what would be nice to do. Also in my opinion, it should not be assumed that wildlife considerations are always more important than competing needs for humans. People who think poor people in Africa should place climate change considerations above their needs for adequate food, water, energy, and shelter are misguided. I favor conservation, but not as a religion.
If I were younger and still up for extensive travel, I would love to visit many of the refuges described in this book.

[Fernleaf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was expecting this book to be more of a coffee-table type with gorgeous pictures and interesting factoids but not much coherent substance. It really surprised me by being an in-depth look at the history and formation of the national wildlife refuge system and the challenges that it has faced. Full of beautiful pictures that don't necessarily relate to the text on the page this is nonetheless a great book.