"Over the past two decades, a select group of small but highly effective grassroots organizations have achieved remarkable success in protecting endangered species and forests in the United States. The Rebirth of Environmentalism tells for the first time the story of these grassroots biodiversity groups." "Author Douglas Bevington offers engaging case studies of three of the most influential biodiversity protection campaigns - the Headwaters Forest campaign, the "zero cut" campaign on national forests, and the endangered species litigation campaign exemplified by the Center for Biological Diversity - providing the reader with an in-depth understanding of the experience of being involved in grassroots activism." "Based on first-person interviews with key activists in these campaigns, the author explores the role of tactics, strategy, funding, organization, movement culture, and political conditions in shaping the influence of the groups. He also examines the challenging relationship between radicals and moderate groups within the environmental movement, and addresses how grassroots organizations were able to overcome constraints that had limited the advocacy of other environmental organizations." "Filled with inspiring stories of activists, groups, and campaigns that most readers will not have encountered before, The Rebirth of Environmentalism explores how grassroots biodiversity groups have had such a big impact despite their scant resources, and presents valuable lessons that can help the environmental movement as a whole - as well as other social movements - become more effective."--Jacket.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 267-274) and index.
Processing Action (note)
committed to retain
Contents
1. The rise of grassroots biodiversity activism and the rebirth of environmentalism : Grassroots biodiversity groups and the U.S. environmental movement ; Three grassroots biodiversity protection campaigns ; Elements of success ; The death of environmentalism or the rebirth of environmentalism? -- 2. Origins of the grassroots biodiversity groups : Origins of the modern environmental movement ; National environmental organizations ; Earth First! ; Grassroots biodiversity groups --^
3. Never mind the nationals: the Headwaters Forest campaign : Redwoods, Earth First! and the origins of the Headwaters Forest Campaign ; EPIC, the Sierra Club, and litigation ; Forests Forever and the Grand Accord ; Focus on Headwaters Forest ; New organizations and tactics ; The September 15th Rally of 1995 ; The Headwaters Forest Coordinating Committee ; The September 15th Rally of 1996 and the deal ; Funding issues ; Divisions over the deal ; Organizing challenges in the wake of the deal announcement ; Increasing repression: pepper spray and the death of David "Gypsy" Chain ; New allies: salmon protection, rural communities, and steelworkers ; The culmination of the deal ; Was the Headwaters deal a victory? ; After the deal ; The legacy of the Headwaters Campaign --^
4. Transforming a national: the John Muir Sierrans and the Zero-Cut campaign : Old-growth forests and the northern spotted owl ; Origins of Zero Cut: protect our woods and heartwood ; Growth of Zero Cut: the Native Forest Council ; Reforming the Sierra Club: origins of the John Muir Sierrans ; The salvage rider ; Chad Hanson and the Second Ballot Initiative ; John Muir Project and the National Forest Protection and Restoration Act ; The Sierra Club Board of Directors ; Beyond the Sierra Club: timber sale litigation and the National Forest Protection Alliance ; The roadless rule and the Heritage Forests Campaign ; Fire and funding during the George W. Bush years ; Achieving more by being bold --^
5. Becoming a national: the Center for Biological Diversity and endangered species litigation : The Endangered Species Act ; Jasper Carlton and the Earth First! biodiversity project ; Origins of the Center for Biological Diversity ; The Mexican spotted owl injunction ; Applying the ESA to new issues ; Early organizational growth ; Relationship to the nationals: the Endangered Species Coalition and ESA reauthorization ; Relationship to the Clinton administration: struggles over listing and critical habitat ; Expanding beyond the Southwest ; Continued growth amid the George W. Bush years ; Becoming a national: getting it right by doing it wrong -- 6. Boldness has genius: the lessons of grassroots biodiversity activism for the campaign against global warming : Achieving success by avoiding constraints ; Rethinking the relationship between the grassroots and the nationals ; Grassroots activism and global warming -- Afterword: Arrival of the Obama administration --^
Appendix : Origins of four biodiversity protection laws.