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William deBuys. Enchantment and Exploitation: The Life and Hard Times of New Mexico Mountain Range. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico, 1985, 1997.

Using the Sangre de Cristo mountain range of northern New Mexico to illustrate how natural and human history are inextricably bound together, William deBuys calls on a unique mix of sources ranging from Forest Service records and private land claim grants to obscure turn of the century journals and personal diaries.  deBuys describes a deeply seeded reciprocal relationship between humans and the landscape when he states “...until I understood something of the influence of the land, I could not begin to understand the people whose lives and history bound them to it.”  At the center of Enchantment and Exploitation is an enduring struggle among Native Americans, Hispanos, and Anglos for the regions scarce natural resources.  deBuys argues that cultural forces determine which choices are made when balancing the needs of humans and the non human environment.  In a part of the world where survival depends on conservative use of water, timber, and grazing rights, excess on the part of one community often spells disaster for their neighbors.  By exploring issues of the past the author hopes to contribute to debates surrounding land management and use of resources in present day New Mexico.  Specifically deBuys looks to the National Forest Management Act planning process as a possible vehicle for addressing local and federal concerns.  Acknowledging the social and economic needs of the people of northern New Mexico, deBuys argues that the NFMA views land management as a tool capable of sustaining cultural diversity while supporting a rural economy. [J. Dusselier].