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xiii Preface  This book recounts the establishment and significance of a national monument at the world-famous Florissant fossil beds in Colorado. Collaborating on this book are Estella B. Leopold, botanist and professor emeritus at the University of Washington, and Herbert W. Meyer, resident paleontologist at the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. Together, we reveal the many stories of this unique and wonderful place. At the heart of the book is the history behind the lively, yet little-known, political battle that led to the monument’s foundation in 1969, which Leopold recounts in chapters 2 through 5. As prologue to the preservation story, in chapter 1 Meyer summarizes the early exploration history of Florissant and recounts the sometimes constructive, sometimes destructive endeavors of early fossil collectorsandlandowners.Inchapter6Meyerbringsthestoryofthenational monument up to date, and in the appendix he describes the kinds of fossils found at Florissant and their significance to paleontology. In chapter 7 Leopold collaborates with writer John Stansfield to ponder the ultimate significance of the fossil beds for posterity and the impact of the monument’s creation on environmental law. Throughout the book, we rely on media, legal, and legislative documents from the period of the Florissant campaign, historic papers and scientific data, and the recollections of those of us involved in the fight to save Florissant. xiv Preface In August 2009, many of the fossil beds activists came together to celebrate the establishment of the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument and to share with the public the story of the turbulent events of 1969. Though it has been more than four decades since the battle for Florissant began, the experience still burns bright in these stories. We hope readers will get a sense of the civic spirit of the public, of the scientists, of the able attorneys, and of government leaders at all levels, supported by the media, who, in the nick of time, preserved the fossil beds for the exploration and enlightenment of future generations. Estella B. Leopold and Herbert W. Meyer ...

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