Too often, the ideas and practices of professional foresters have beenviewed as monolithic. This book argues that forestry is a more diverseand complex activity than has been generally recognized. It alsounderlines the political character of the profession. Difference liesat the root of politics, and Nova Scotia forestry has been punctuatedby fundamental debates on matters of science, policy, and management.In different ways, the subjects of this volume all have run"against the grain," raising challenges in pursuit of newforestry practice. Many of their challenges have failed, in the face ofa determined consensus. Nonetheless, the plurality of views andexperiences they reveal are an apt reflection of the inherentlypolitical character of modern forestry and of the need to push beyondappearance to find the foundations of both orthodoxy and dissent.

The extraction of oil and gas from offshore continental shelves constitutes one of the most dynamic sectors of global petroleum development. It is also one of the most complex. Atlantic Canada is no exception, and the history of Scotian Basin petroleum over the past half century reveals a fascinating series of political challenges, accommodations, and settlements. Peter Clancy's comprehensive analysis of petroleum politics in Nova Scotia demonstrates the complex intergovernmental and intercorporate relationships, ecological concerns, and Aboriginal interests that have complicated offshore development. His incisive analysis of the complex politics at play provides new insights into the unique challenges facing the petroleum industry in Atlantic Canada.