"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
"Paul Schaefer believed we each carry a book within us. Dave not only believed that—he wrote it. His new biography, the first ever about Paul Schaefer, carries forward the ‘forever wild’ legacy Paul devoted his life to. Through these pages, Paul’s spirit walks with us—guiding, teaching, and calling us to care."—Ken Rimany, The Adirondack Almanac
"In the pantheon of New York environmentalists, Paul Schaefer was a giant. Gibson’s book is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of Adirondack conservation and environmental politics."—Adirondack Explorer
"Thanks to Gibson’s comprehensive history and personal insights, we can all take both pride and inspiration from the work of Paul Schaefer. We can appreciate what he helped to protect and create, and we can see the value in building coalitions and partnerships to help the Adirondack Park. Schaefer never gave up in the face of formidable obstacles, and all who care about the Adirondacks can carry that legacy along now and into the future."—Adirondack Council
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 countless 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.
Table of Contents
Foreword by Chad P. Dawson xiii
Part One. Origins and Lessons of a Wilderness Leader
1. Introducing Paul Schaefer and the Adirondack Park
2. Influential Defender of Wilderness
3. Coming of Age in the Adirondacks
4. Designing with Nature
5. Schaefer’s Adirondack Mentors and Teachers: John Apperson and Bob Marshall
6. Pivotal Years for Schaefer and His Family
Part Two. Battles to Save Adirondack Woods, Waters, and Wildlife
7. The End of Arbitrary Power to Dam Wild Rivers
8. Saving the Wild Upper Hudson
9. Howard Zahniser
Where Wilderness Preservation Began
10. “The Time Is Now!”: Adirondack Land Protection
11. Gale-Force Winds
12. Internal Combustion Engines and the Forest Preserve
13. The Adirondack Northway
Part Three. Schaefer’s Aura, Influence, and Lasting Legacy
14. Wilderness Hunting and the Beaver House
15. Adirondack Neighbors
16. The Adirondacks on a National Stage
17. Schaefer’s Legacy
18. The Beaver Gavel
19. The Wind Off the Mountains
20. Links in the Chain
About the Author
David Gibson is the current managing partner of Adirondack Wild: Friends of the Forest Preserve and the former executive director of the Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks.
April 2025