This is a triple header for the reader interested in conservation: a biography of early conservationist George Bird Grinnell, the story of bringing the American bison back from near-extinction, and the establishment and early history of Yellowstone National Park.

It begins with the story of the destruction of the bison/buffalo – from millions that covered the western landscape to under fifty animals within the borders of Yellowstone National Park. And although Yellowstone had been established as a National Park in 1872, even the handful that lived in Yellowstone were not safe. For the first decade that Yellowstone existed, Congress would authorize money for enforcement of laws and punishment of crimes within Yellowstone, including poaching. It seemed that the very last remnant of the wild buffalo would be hunted out of existence for their trophy heads, bringing $500 or more to those that would provide them to rich collectors. The feeling was that they were almost extinct – so “I might as well get mine.”

Although George Bird Grinnell had himself taken part in buffalo hunts, he had grown up with the influences of John Jacob Audubon’s widow Lucy who owned an estate near his parents. He became both alarmed and deeply committed to their rescue. As editor of Forrest and Stream magazine he was able to publicize their plight and engage other influential men to get Yellowstone protected by law. It was a change from the ‘what profits us now’ mindset of those who wanted to not only exploit the animals, but also introduce mines and railroads within the Park to the more long range conversation and preservation of a national treasure.

And then, at 49 years old, having saved Yellowstone and its animals, Grinnell was not content to rest on his laurels, but also was highly influential in the establishment of other National treasures, such as Glacier National Park.

This is a highly readable account, written by the author of [The Revenant]. It’s not only an important account of early conservation movement in America, but still is highly relevant today as conservation groups are having to battle mining and gas extraction on the borders and within national park boundaries – which seem to shrink each year. ( )

This book is a combination biography of George Bird Grinnell, account of the decline and eventual rescue of the American bison, and history of Yellowstone National Park. Throw in a few notable names such as George Armstrong Custer, John James and Lucy Audubon, and Theodore Roosevelt, and you have an entertaining and informative account of mid to late 19th century America. Grinnell had initially hunted the bison but recognized that the breed would be lost forever if nothing were done to prevent it. It took decades, but he eventually won the battle.

The American bison is colloquially known as the buffalo, which is the term used throughout the book. At the lowest point, there were only twelve animals remaining from a herd of 30 million. They were slaughtered for their skins and to drive native people into submission by removing their means of survival. Punke shows how, if left to the US government, they would have vanished, but due to the perseverance and dedication of Grinnell (assisted by others), they were rescued from the brink of extinction. It is a wonderful example of how one person can make a big difference.

On a personal note, I recently visited Yellowstone National Park. As we drove through the park, the bison were plentiful. They are massive, magnificent creatures. My first early morning in the park, we crested a ridge and viewed a vast expanse of grassland where a herd of bison were grazing. I took a photo of these dark brown beasts against the silvery steam rising from the geysers. It was an impressive sight. My visit to Yellowstone motivated me to read this book.
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30 million animals slaughtered during the "Manifest Destiny' of America ( )

A wonderfully written book on a topic that is probably not well known to most people. With the life of George Bird Grinnell as the vehicle, this book explores the death of the old west, the rise of the conservation movement, and the campaign to save the last herds of wild Buffalo.

At its peak the population of wild Buffalo in America ranged as high as 30 million individuals. In the course of 40 years that population had dwindled to little over 1,000. For Native Americans the Buffalo was the primary source of sustenance. For the United States Army, killing the Buffalo was a way to resolve the “Indian problem.” Add to that unchecked hunting of Buffalo for hides, robes and as decorative accouterments for Gilded Age homes, and there was no way it could survive the onslaught. It was only through the efforts of a handful of men that the last remaining individuals were saved.

George Bird Grinnell is probably someone who should be more well known. A central figure of the early conservation movement, he played a pivotal role as owner and editor of Forest and Stream magazine, lobbying for and finally achieving protections for Yellowstone National park and the remaining wild Buffalo that lived within its borders. That herd which had dwindled to only 23 by the early 20th century, now numbers about 4000 thanks to Grinnell and those he was able to enlist in his cause, including Theodore Roosevelt.

A scion of a wealthy family, his father became wealthy providing financial services to some of the great barons of the Gilded Age. Escaping that life through the influence of one of his college professors, Grinnell made several trips west on various expeditions were he interacted with many of the west’s most famous figures, including George Armstrong Custer and Buffalo Bill Cody. It was through these experiences, as well as the tutelage of Lucy Audubon, (John J. Audubon’s widow), that Grinnell developed a love of the west, and an ethic of self sacrifice.

The author made an excellent choice focusing on Grinnell because he represents in one man the transition from the conspicuous consumption and lust for wealth that characterized the Gilded Age, to an ethic that demanded America’s natural and cultural heritage be preserved even if it meant the sacrifice of profit – something we should be paying attention to today.

Though perhaps not intended by the author, this work should be regarded as a cautionary tale, as in many ways we are witnessing a return to the Gilded Age ethic that nearly destroyed our natural heritage and completed the ethnic cleansing of Native Americans. As we witness rollbacks in protection for the environment, denial of the effects of man made climate change, and a return to the mindset that the earth and its resources are here only to enrich us monetarily, we are forgetting the lessens learned by such short sighted behavior only 100 years ago.

I’m not all that familiar with the history surrounding the birth of the conservation movement or of the rise of the new west, so I cannot comment with any authority on the accuracy of everything in this book. I have seen comments that point to some inaccuracies. However, I have not seen any criticism of its value as a popular work of history, or that these few inaccuracies detract from the power of its message.

Highly recommended! ( )

"Last Stand" by Michael Punke is powerful account of the opening of American West -- and the rapid destruction of that frontier.

The story opens with a bang; Punke leads with a chilling account of a hunter killing 107 buffalo without leaving his stand, setting the stage for his engaging narrative about the death of the American west.

A better story than most of the fiction I’ve read, Punke’s book is set in the late 1800s, and revolves around George Bird Grinnell – a man largely responsible for the conservation of much of the American west, but whom remains mostly unknown today.

Opposing him were all the usual suspects: short-sightedness, a belief that the frontier was infinite, a desire to deal with the “Indian problem,” commercial interests, and of course, naked greed.

Punke does a commendable job of weaving together the myriad storylines affecting the west, connecting threads from Lewis & Clark to Custer to Bird’s battle against congressional inaction in the face of a strong railroad lobby.

George Bird – editor of Forest and Stream magazine – was an early convert to the cause of preserving the American west, and the climax of the book details his last-ditch efforts to preserve the handful of remaining buffalo.

With the help of a US Army Captain fighting a wave of poachers in the park, Bird marshaled his few allies in congress, beat back the railroad lobby (who wanted half of Yellowstone for their own use), and finally – with the help of an outraged public – succeeded in legislating protections against poaching in the National Parks.

The rapid decimation of the buffalo herds is a recurring (and distressing) theme in Punke’s book:

“The numbers paint the stark picture at the end. In 1882, the Northern Pacific Railroad alone shipped 200,000 hides to eastern processing facilities, an amount that filled an estimated 700 boxcars. In 1883, the railroad shipped 40,000 hides. In 1884, the total harvest fit in a single boxcar, and according to a Northern Pacific official, ‘it was the last shipment ever made.’”

Punke even details the lamentable efforts by many hunters to be the “last to kill a wild buffalo.”

By 1902, the US Army estimated that only 23 wild buffalo remained alive in Yellowstone National Park – the pitiful remnants of the massive herds that once blanketed America.

It’s impossible to read Last Stand without drawing some parallels to the perils facing today’s parks and wilderness areas – privatization, commercialization, and how to preserve wild game stocks in the face of encroaching domestic stocks.

Today, of course, the Old West is long gone, and the landscape surrounding Yellowstone National Park is populated with cattle, ranches, seasonal towns and hordes of automobile-bound tourists.

It’s all the more reason to read Punke’s interesting and compelling book, and anyone who has ever read an account of the Lewis & Clark expedition will likely find Last Stand an outstanding read. ( )