About
From 1981 through 2018, the George Wright Society published The George Wright Forum, an interdisciplinary journal that explored innovative thinking and offered enduring perspectives on critical issues across the whole spectrum of place-based heritage management and stewardship. The George Wright Forum published insights from virtually every field in cultural and natural resources related to parks, protected areas, and cultural sites.
Beginning in 2020, that same editorial vision is carried on in a successor journal, Parks Stewardship Forum, co-published by the UC Berkeley Institute for People, Parks, and Biodiversity and the George Wright Society.
Volume 4, Issue 1, 1984
Winter 1984
Articles
- Vestal Fires and Virgin Lands: A Historical Perspective on Fire and Wilderness
In this seminal paper, Stephen J. Pyne explores the complex, often paradoxical relationship between fire and wilderness, two concepts deeply entwined in American land management and cultural identity. Pyne challenges the simplistic view that managing fire in wilderness areas is merely the restoration of a natural process, arguing instead that both fire and wilderness are cultural constructs—hybrids of nature and human values. He traces the evolution of fire use from early human history through industrial forestry to the modern era of “wilderness fire,” a phase marked by ideological and legal transformations following the Wilderness Act. Pyne argues that wilderness fire emerged not just as a technical challenge but as a philosophical problem, reshaping national fire policy and prompting broader acceptance of prescribed burning. Yet, he warns that this era is finite; as its philosophical fervor wanes, the operational challenges remain. Ultimately, Pyne calls for a pragmatic reconciliation of wilderness ideals with the ecological and cultural realities of fire, framing fire not only as a management tool but as a defining element of human and planetary history.
- Western Parks and the American Character
In his 1984 keynote address at the Parks in the West Conference, historian William E. Brown explores how myth, landscape, and the evolving American character intersect in the context of western parks and preserved lands. Drawing inspiration from Joseph Campbell's notion that mythologies evolve with landscapes and technologies, Brown reflects on the Lewis and Clark Expedition as a foundational American myth rooted in untouched wilderness and the yearning for Eden. He contrasts their awe and discovery with the stark changes wrought by industrialization, which have altered and erased much of the natural and cultural landscape they once traversed. Brown argues that western parks now serve as sanctuaries for these diminishing myths and experiences, offering spiritual and psychological refuge from modern life. He questions whether the American character—shaped by frontier experiences and mythic landscapes—can endure in a world that increasingly constrains it. Affirming his romantic longing for myth and wildness, Brown defends the importance of preserving both land and the cultural identity it sustains.
- Urban Soils of Washington, D.C.
Urban soils, heavily influenced and disturbed by human activities such as earth moving, compaction, and filling, exhibit unique physical and chemical properties distinct from natural soils. This study characterizes the urban soils of Washington, D.C., focusing on soils in the National Capital Region's parks, especially the Mall area. These soils are primarily formed from fill material, containing artifacts such as concrete, brick, and glass, resulting in lithologic discontinuities that impede water movement and cause poor drainage. Physical properties show increased bulk density and reduced pore space, leading to compacted soils that stress plant growth by limiting root penetration, water, and nutrient uptake. Chemically, urban soils tend to have higher pH and base saturation due to lime-bearing debris and often elevated heavy metal contents from urban pollution, though not at levels limiting plant use. Organic matter content is generally low, reducing soil fertility and structural stability. Soil classification includes urbic and spolic subgroups indicative of heavy human influence. Management efforts in the National Capital Region include aeration, organic amendments, and visitor access control to mitigate compaction and improve soil conditions. The study emphasizes the need for intensive sampling and further research into soil crust formation and remediation techniques for urban soils to support effective park management and plant health.
- Natural Resources Management — Trend or Fad?
This paper examines whether natural resources management (NRM) within the U.S. National Park System represents a lasting trend or a temporary fad. Drawing on John Naisbett's distinction between top-down fads and bottom-up trends, the author argues that NRM is a grassroots, enduring movement critical to the long-term preservation of park resources. Historical shifts from resource care to law enforcement during the mid-20th century, combined with increased visitation, staff reductions, and growing external environmental threats, challenged traditional management approaches. Congressional reports in 1980 and 1981 highlighted the escalating threats to park resources and spurred development of prevention and mitigation strategies, including the establishment of a Natural Resources Management Trainee Program. Data from 1979 to 1982 indicate significant growth in the number and expertise of natural resource specialists, expanded training efforts, and increased adoption of resource management planning. Despite these advances, ongoing threats and limited resources necessitate continued emphasis on professional recruitment, training, and organizational support for resource management to ensure the sustainability of national parks. The paper concludes that NRM is a vital and evolving trend essential for the stewardship of America's natural heritage.
- Extinct Carnivores Entombed in 20 Million Year Old Dens, Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Nebraska
This study documents the discovery and analysis of 20-million-year-old carnivore dens at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Nebraska—the oldest known evidence of denning behavior in large mammalian carnivores. Originally excavated in 1905 and rediscovered in 1981, Carnegie Quarry 3 yielded an unusually high concentration of carnivore fossils, particularly of the amphicyonid "beardog" Daphoenodon superbus. Subsequent excavations revealed a complex of burrows and partially articulated skeletons, providing compelling evidence that the site served as an ancient denning area. The discovery of multiple burrows with stratified infill, disarticulated remains, and a range of individual ages supports the hypothesis of repeated use by successive generations of carnivores. These findings offer unprecedented insights into the behavioral ecology of extinct mid-Cenozoic predators and mark the earliest documented instance of such behavior in the fossil record. Continued research at the site may further illuminate the ecological dynamics and evolutionary history of these ancient carnivores.