This beautifully written and designed book is pure advocacy - of the idea that we humans are nature, and our future depends on accepting this fact. This seems obvious to many of us, but as a species we don’t act as though we understand its implications. We are special. We are exceptional. The laws of nature do not apply to us. The Earth is made for us, and we can do whatever we want to it with impunity, like remove the forests, kill the coral reefs, and drive myriad fellow travelers to extinction, among other things.

Aquatic ecologist Danny Boiano loves fish, grew up fishing, studied fish in Yosemite National Park for his master’s degree. So is it odd that today Boiano’s National Park Service job centers around eradicating entire fish populations?

National Park Service crews at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area are chasing the declining waters of Lake Powell by extending boat ramps at two popular marinas on the lake.

Arches National Park in Utah is of the size where you can see and do many things in a single day. Make the effort to spend more than one day to truly get a feel for this park with the “densest concentration of natural stone arches in the world.” If you are thinking of a trip to Arches, this Traveler’s Checklist will help you make the most of your red-rock adventures.