This casebook is an authoritative introduction to the study of public land and resources law. Case studies, case notes, and examples illustrate legal points under consideration with special attention focused on historical and social context. Thought-provoking questions generate classroom discussion and hone students' legal reasoning. This new edition overhauls the first five chapters of cross-cutting issues to facilitate easier selection of topics to cover before exploring resource-specific subjects. The Sixth Edition consolidates and streamlines chapters to make them easier for students to concentrate on the main points of contention. It also thoroughly updates all chapters through February 2007. This is the only natural resources casebook with substantial attention given to cultural resource preservation, hydropower licensing, and remedies for federal breaches of contracts. It retains its comprehensive coverage of public land history, constitutional issues, NEPA, endangered species protection, approaches to interpreting old legal authorities, planning, access, land management, and the resources subjects themselves: water, minerals, timber, range, wildlife, recreation, and preservation.