The growth of industry, cities, and agriculture in temperate regions around the globe has displaced species and stressed, as well as polluted, ecosystems. "The Vanishing Present" examines how human pressures in one state - Wisconsin - are rearranging its ecology. By focusing on this revealing case study, the authors draw broad conclusions about the nature and extent of ecological change, reflecting a diversity of approaches and drawing important lessons on how best to conserve the dwindling habitats that sustain biodiversity. A fitting tribute to the home state of Aldo Leopold and John Muir, "The Vanishing Present" is an accessible and timely case study of a significant ecosystem and its response to environmental change.