The little-known story of how the U.S. government came to hold nearly one-third of the nation's land primarily for recreation and conservation.

How it is that the United States—the country that cherishes the ideal of private property more than any other in the world—has chosen to set aside nearly on

"The public lands of the western United States comprise some 450 million acres of grassland, steppe land, canyons, forests, and mountains. It's an American comm

Throughout American history, “public lands” have been the subject of controversy, from homesteaders settling the American west to ranchers who use the open

Includes bibliographical references and index.