About this book:

This book examines the environmental and social history of the Americas through the lens of resource extraction and conservation. It traces the transformation of landscapes—from Appalachian coal mines and North American timber stands to Amazonian rubber groves and Andean copper pits—detailing how industrialization and infrastructure, such as railroads and dams, reconfigured ecosystems and labor systems. The narrative emphasizes that these "frontiers" were never empty, but were instead managed by Indigenous stewardship and communal land-tenure systems like the Mexican *ejido*, which often faced displacement or co-optation by state and corporate interests.

The text explores the dual evolution of extractive industries and environmental policy. It highlights how conservation efforts, such as the invention of "wilderness" through national parks and the creation of tropical conservation units, frequently operated alongside industrial booms rather than as simple antidotes to them. The book also addresses modern complexities, including the health impacts of urban smog, the environmental toll of "narco-deforestation" in Mesoamerica, and the toxic legacies of artisanal gold mining.

The concluding chapters focus on the contemporary shift toward market-based conservation and the global energy transition. It analyzes the rise of carbon markets, certification schemes, and the new rush for critical minerals like lithium and nickel, which are essential for green technology but present familiar risks to local communities and water supplies. Ultimately, the book argues for "just transitions," suggesting that sustainable futures depend on reconciling global economic demands with Indigenous rights, local knowledge, and equitable policy pathways.