Northern Arizona University

 

A New Plateau: Sustaining the Lands and Peoples of Canyon Country

Edited by Peter Friederici and Rose Houk

From Robert G. Breunig's Foreword:
A New Plateauchronicles the achievements of an inspired group of Canyon Country people who are . . .  asserting a new kind of citizenship on the plateau – a citizenship that extends beyond the political realm to root itself in a deep respect for, and a renewed reliance upon, the nature of their region. The contributors to this book seek to understand this region’s natural limitations and to uncover sustainable ways to harvest and capture its resources. They are cultural pioneers, pointing us in new, more sustainable directions. They are people who are determined to build houses that use significantly less energy than conventional homes, to rediscover and reinvigorate local agricultural traditions, to sustainably harvest local foods and fibers, and to develop novel, clean industries that turn what might otherwise be waste into useful products.

These new pioneers are making lifetime commitments to the health and quality of the region while celebrating its diverse landscapes, languages, lifestyles, foods, and flavors. In their efforts they are drawing from ancient cultural traditions as well as from new technologies. A New Plateau is an inspired background for their dialogue, one that honors ancient principles and understandings while charting creative directions for achieving a sustainable living on this land.

From the dust jacket:
They’re tucked back in canyons, hidden on mesa tops, and set in cities and tiny towns alike: some of the world’s most interesting experiments in using wind and solar energy, harvesting food sustainably, building to fit a desert climate, and using the renewable by-products of forest restoration to meet human needs.

The canyons and plateaus of the Four Corners states have been the subject of numerous books, films, and photos, as they are recognized internationally for their natural beauty, biodiversity, and ancient, indigenous cultures. But this book, for the first time, tells the stories of the innovators and culture-bearers who are ensuring that diverse human communities can continue to live in harmony with the Southwest’s stunning natural and cultural landscapes.

The dozens of people and projects profiled here are the harvest of a multi-year project sponsored by the Center for Sustainable Environments at Northern Arizona University to survey the best grassroots solutions to sustainability from throughout Canyon Country. This book, like no other, will inspire a new generation of innovators on the Colorado Plateau to learn from the wisdom of resident cultures and the land itself, and to live by enriching rather than depleting the resources of this arid land. Inspirational and hopeful, the stories in it point the way toward a lasting future.

Buy it from the NAU Bookstore
(Look for Books - Southwest on the left sidebar)

Or purchase from the publisher, Renewing the Countryside

Hardcover: $39.95, Softcover: $24.95

If you would like to purchase copies of A New Plateau to sell in your bookstore, please contact Julye Evans at Julye.Evans@nau.edu or call (928) 523-0602

   

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