This book is many things: a history on the conservation movement in Michigan, a glimpse into the politics of the environment, and more. But as a whole one is most astounded by the sheer number of people throughout Michigan's history who have made a difference for their state's natural resources. It's easy to let the environmental movement be seen these days as the sole domain of liberal soccer moms. Far from true, it has been both Democrats and Republicans, animal lovers and hunters, farmers and urbanites, and men and women who have all made a collective big difference. The movement belongs to no one alone.

The book's rich history and insight serve as a subtle reminder that the environment really can be a nonpartisan issue after all, and after finishing the book you're definitely left with the sense that it will be again. An excellent and informative read.

Dempsey is an activist affiliated with MUCC, Michigan United Conservation Clubs. He assigned himself the task of writing a comprehensive history of conservation and environmental politics in the Wolverine State. His title is apt: the overall trend is indeed ruin and then recovery. Ruin began with over-trapping for pelts, for fish, for copper, for iron, and for timber. The recovery was painful and required a different attitude toward resources and the vulnerability of nature. Only one governor gets his nod as a champion of the environment, viz. William G. Milliken, and no others. We are presently is a third wave of reexploitation under John Engler. We are slipping back into bad habits of allowing pollution-by-dilution. Then why did he did he use the subtitle of "Michigan's Rise as a Conservation Leader"? Because of advocacy by interest groups and individuals ranging from Thomas Anderson to Mark Wycoff and from Audubon to EMEAC and WMEAC. Some corporations come in for positive evaluation. Such as Herman Miller Company of Zeeland. The overall story is not presented in black and white, but is subtle and recognizes the role of current culture. The vignettes of conservation-leaders including Thomas L. Washington, of his own group, are balanced. The documentation is superb and is informed by -Aldo Leopold, Dunbar, Catton and especially Sam Hayes. Criticisms include no maps, a Lower Peninsula bias and listing only one web site. Topics not covered include the Rouge River cleanup, NAFTA and incoming garbage, deep-well injection, nuclear energy mishaps, acid rain, slant drilling, and mine-exit strategy and the Seney National WLP. The book covers new ground, is competently researched, interesting and relevant, a model for other state case studies. The hard-back copy belongs in every public library as a compliment to Dunbar's state history and Lawrence Sommer's State of Michigan geography.

Dempsey's highly readable history of Michigan's environmental ups and downs is an excellent motivator. He shows us vivid examples of how the short term economics of business will harvest a resource until it is gone; cut down every tree and catch every whitefish. His reporting shows how industrial companies will dump their waste on anyone who is unaware or unconcerned (remember PBBs, PCBs, mercury and Dioxin?). He also shows us how concerned, active people have successfully fought and won battle after battle with political machines, unconcerned companies and unaware publics. Without these peoples' efforts we would have dirtier air, fouler water and an alphabet soup of contamination. Dempsey also gives us a good outline of the currently critical environmental issues of ecosystem preservation and land use planning. If you want to be motivated and and to feel that you can be part of a solution, this book is for you.

Also, if you want to know what to look for in your cantidates for political office Dempsey's information about Milliken, Blanchard and Engler is, alone, worth the price of the book.