The Adirondack Forest Preserve, which the New York Constitution guarantees "shall be forever kept as wild forest lands," is the largest publicly owned natural area in the eastern United States. But, just what does "wilderness" mean today and how can the concept be untangled from the colonial implications of the term as it first applied to the Adirondacks?

Part memoir, part New York history, and part meditation, Wild Forest Lands ponders the rhetorical and spiritual meaning of the Adirondack "wilderness." Drawing on primary sources as well as his experience as an expert witness in monumental litigation concerning the future of wilderness in the Forest Preserve, Terrie revisits the literature and history of the region, reckoning with how his passion for nature has changed over the years. Rich with detail, Wild Forest Lands grapples with the enduring power of the Adirondacks and the importance of preserving New York’s wilderness.