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.