Benton Mackaye

Planner and originator of the Appalachian Trail and a cofounder of the Wilderness Society Benton MacKaye (1879-1975) was a pioneer in linking the concepts of preservation and recreation. Spanning three-quarters of a century his long and productive career had a major impact on emerging movements in conservation environmentalism and regional planning. MacKaye's seminal ideas on outdoor recreation wilderness protection land-use planning community development and transportation have inspired generations of activists professionals and adventurers seeking to strike a harmonious balance between human need and the natural environment.This pathbreaking biography provides the first complete portrait of this significant and unique figure in American environmental intellectual and cultural history. Drawing on extensive research Larry Anderson traces MacKaye's extensive career examines his many published works and describes the importance of MacKaye's relationships with such influential figures as Lewis Mumford Aldo Leopold and Walter Lippmann. This book will appeal to students scholars and professionals in preservation conservation recreation planning and American studies as well as general readers interested in these subjects.