"Paul Schaefer’s life is so intertwined with the history of the Adirondack Park that the two stories cannot be told separately. We have long needed a biography, and this is a good one. No one except the author could have known many of the things reported here. We are lucky that he put them in writing."—Brad Edmondson, author of A Wild Idea: How the Environmental Movement Tamed the Adirondacks
Description
A staunch advocate for the Adirondack Park, activist and writer Paul Schaefer deeply influenced conservation policy in New York State. His work and writing inspired countles conservationists, with his tireless efforts paving the way for the protection of “forever wild” forests in the Wilderness Act of 1964. Until his death in 1996, Schaefer continued to strive to instill the same care for the Adirondacks in the next generation.
A Force for Nature is a testament to that lifetime of advocacy, community, and life in the Adirondacks. David Gibson, who was mentored by Schaefer, traces the impact of a man who helped ensure the continued integrity of the largest protected parkland in the contiguous United States. Drawing on Schaefer’s own writings, as well as interviews and family narratives, Gibson paints a vivid and comprehensive portrait of the icon and the Adirondack Park that serves as his legacy. A Force for Nature sheds light on the storied life of a dedicated conservationist and examines how environmental devotion has contributed to the Adirondacks remaining forever wild and protected for future generations to love.
About the Author
David Gibson is the current managing partner of the nonprofit advocate Adirondack Wild: Friends of the Forest Preserve (2010–present) and the former executive director of the Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks (1987–2010).
April 2025