Part 1. Wilderness and the origins of modern environmentalism, 1964-1976. Why a wilderness act? ; Speaking for wilderness ; The popular politics of wilderness ; New environmental tools for an old conservation issue

Part 2. The polarization of American environmental politics, 1977-1994. Alaska : "The last chance to do it right the first time" ; National forests : the polarization of environmental politics ; The public domain : environmental politics and the rise of the new right

Part 3. Wilderness and a new agenda for the public lands, 1987-2009. From wilderness to public lands reform ; The new prophets of wilderness ; The paths to public lands reform

Epilogue : Rebuilding the wilderness movement.