Charles Wilkinson

A member of the University of Oregon law faculty from 1975-1987, Wilkinson has written broadly on law, history, and society in the American West.  His thirteen books include Federal Public Land and Resources Law (with Coggins) (Foundation Press, 6th ed., 2007), The Eagle Bird—Mapping a New West (Pantheon, 1992), Crossing the Next Meridian—Land, Water and the Future of the West (Island Press, 1992), and Blood Struggle—The Rise of Modern Indian Nations (W.W Norton, 2005).  The New York Times praised The Eagle Bird as a book of “elegant essays.  A vigorous study of [how] the development of the West has both disrupted many delicate environments and profoundly reshaped the societies that emerged on the frontier.”  Of Crossing the Next Meridian, the Christian Science Monitor wrote “He is an extraordinary writer, able to tell the human stories that make up both history and law.” Over the years, Wilkinson has taken on several special assignments for the Departments of Agriculture, Interior, and Justice.  He has received many awards, including the Oregon High Desert Museum’s 2003 Earle A. Chiles Award; the University of Oregon’s 2004 Distinguished Service Award, the U of O’s highest honor; and the National Wildlife Federation’s National Conservation Award.  In its 10-year anniversary issue, Outside Magazine named him one of 15 “People to Watch,” calling him “the West’s leading authority on natural resources law.”

For more information visit Charles Wilkinson's Faculty Page (click here).