To Our Readers

The American heritage, this magazine believes, includes not only our history but the whole legacy of times gone by, including the land we inhabit, the waters around us, and the very air we breathe. Like other articles we have published, this one on the Adirondacks attests to our continuing interest in these broad concerns. Our natural heritage, as our thoughtful readers are aware, is in trouble. Forests and seashores, plains and wetlands, are threatened by the bulldozer and the developer. The pressure of population, the proliferation of highways, the roar in the skies, all these menace the enjoyment of life and the very balance of nature. Clearly something as massive as the threat must be mustered to meet it and to preserve a livable country for future generations.

Since its founding in 1954, AMERICAN HERITAGE has led the way in reawakening and spreading an interest in the uses of history, and now we think that the time has come to do likewise in assisting in the struggle for conservation. This is a battle fought on many fronts, often at fever pitch, and one that needs a central voice and advocate. Consequently, beginning in our December, 1969, issue this magazine will be expanded to include in every issue a ne\v section on conservation, covering all fifty states and called “The American Land.” This will strongly augment our coverage of the American past for, if the future of the land is in doubt, what will become of its history?