In 1931 Grey Owl published his first book, The Men of the Last
Frontier, a work that is part memoir, part history of the vanishing
wilderness in Canada, and part compendium of animal and First Nations
tales and lore. A passionate, compelling appeal for the protection and
preservation of the natural environment pervades Grey Owl's words and
makes his literary debut still ring with great relevance in the 21st
century.
By the 1920s, Canada's outposts of adventure had been thrust farther and
farther north to the remote margins of the country. Lumbermen, miners,
and trappers invaded the primeval forests, seizing on nature's wealth
with soulless efficiency. Grey Owl himself fled before the assault as he
witnessed his valleys polluted with sawmills, his hills dug up for
hidden treasure, and wildlife, particularly his beloved beavers,
exterminated for quick fortunes.