The first biography of a visionary biologist whose groundbreaking ideas regarding wildlife and science revolutionized national parks.
 
When twenty-three-year-old George Meléndez Wright arrived in Yosemite National Park in 1927 to work as a ranger naturalist—the first Hispanic person to occupy any professional position in the National Park Service (NPS)—he had already visited every national park in the western United States, including McKinley (now Denali) in Alaska. Two years later, he would organize the first science-based wildlife survey of the western parks, forever changing how the NPS would manage wildlife and natural resources. At a time when national parks routinely fed bears garbage as part of “shows” and killed “bad” predators like wolves, mountain lions, and coyotes, Wright’s new ideas for conservation set the stage for the modern scientific management of parks and other public lands.

Tragically, Wright died in a 1936 car accident while working to establish parks and wildlife refuges on the US-Mexico border. To this day, he remains a celebrated figure among conservationists, wildlife experts, and park managers. In this book, Jerry Emory, a conservationist and writer connected to Wright’s family, draws on hundreds of letters, field notes, archival research, interviews, and more to offer both a biography of Wright and a historical account of a crucial period in the evolution of US parks and the wilderness movement. With a foreword by former NPS director Jonathan B. Jarvis, George Meléndez Wright is a celebration of Wright’s unique upbringing, dynamism, and enduring vision that places him at last in the pantheon of the great American conservationists.

"In George Meléndez Wright: The Fight for Wildlife and Wilderness in the National Parks, Emory grants Wright the well-deserved credit he is due. Part biography, part historical account, the book reads like a love letter to Wright." - Sierra, "5 Must-Read Books for Your Spring Reading List"

"Emory’s enumeration of Wright’s accomplishments—including a survey of wildlife in Western parks, the first of its kind—is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Emory, who is married to one of Wright’s granddaughters, has succeeded admirably in demonstrating the continuing relevance of Wright’s ideas and the value of his legacy. Highly recommended for nature lovers and park enthusiasts." - Library Journal

"Although Wright died in a car accident at age thirty-one, his fervor for our national parks and substantial achievements in furthering conservation biology left a lasting legacy and are a testament to how full and influential a short life can be." - Booklist

"Emory has in this book brought the remarkable story of George Meléndez Wright out of the shadows of national park history. It is a story of brilliance, vision, tragedy, and missed opportunity. . . . This book is an informative, thoroughly researched, and readable account of a remarkable man of historic importance." - National Parks Traveler

"Emory has in this book brought the remarkable story of George Meléndez Wright out of the shadows of national park history. It is a story of brilliance, vision, tragedy, and missed opportunity. . . . This book is an informative, thoroughly researched, and readable account of a remarkable man of historic importance." - Rewilding Earth

"Almost a century after his death, a dedicated young biologist remains a role model for conservationists." - Stanford Magazine

"The National Park Service has many unsung heroes, and George Meléndez Wright is in the top tier. In this book, conservation writer Emory documents how Wright was responsible for the first wildlife policy handbook developed for the NPS. . . . Emory's text is illustrated with black-and-white photos; interspersed throughout are short quotes primarily from Wright’s work but also from friends and others involved in the reformulation of wildlife policy. Anyone interested in the history and evolution of the national parks and the National Park Service will find this book a good read. Highly recommended." - Choice

"Emory's account is a captivating tale of individual passion that fills an important gap in the historical literature on conservation." - Montana: The Magazine of Western History

"Emory is to be commended for writing this biography and helping to bring Wright’s life and work to light. Both a general audience and specialists interested in conservation and its history, like environmental historians, will find lots to take away from this book." - H-Environment