Chapter
The Unnatural History of National Parks
10:46 - 19:16 (08:30)
In this episode, journalist Ferris Jabr and historian of public land Char Miller join Alex Steffen to discuss the human history of national parks and our changing relationship with nature.
Clips
The United States Forest Service has been engaged in a "forever war" with wildfires, which no longer respond to traditional prevention methods.
10:46 - 15:36 (04:49)
Summary
The United States Forest Service has been engaged in a "forever war" with wildfires, which no longer respond to traditional prevention methods. Indigenous Californians had utilized controlled burns to maintain the health of the landscape and protect themselves prior to colonization.
ChapterThe Unnatural History of National Parks
EpisodeThe Sunday Read: ‘This Isn’t the California I Married’
PodcastThe Daily
The US Forest Service's aggressive fire suppression efforts for over a century have led to the removal of valuable old growth trees, and left behind plantations that fuel bigger, more intense wildfires.
15:36 - 19:16 (03:40)
Summary
The US Forest Service's aggressive fire suppression efforts for over a century have led to the removal of valuable old growth trees, and left behind plantations that fuel bigger, more intense wildfires. This, coupled with people increasingly inhabiting wildland-urban areas have resulted in catastrophic consequences.