The Thoreau Institute
Reports on the Web
The Thoreau Institute has published well over 100 reports on a variety of topics. Most of the more recent reports are available at least in part on line. You can also review a complete list of reports available as hard copies on our order form. Reports are listed below in reverse chronological order. Long reports are indicated by listing their length in kilobytes. Most other links take you to tables of contents.
Reports Published by the Thoreau Institute
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A new proposal for reforming the Forest Service prepared by the Forest Options Group, a consensus group facilitated by the Thoreau Institute. This draft report includes a form for you to submit comments by email.
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The BLM manages more land than any other entity in the U.S., yet few people are familiar with its overall programs. Different Drummer reviews the agency's minerals, timber, grazing, and recreation programs, and analyzes the budgets for each of the 60 BLM districts.
The Vanishing Automobile and Other Urban Myths
The definitive critique of the New Urbanism and planning in Portland, Oregon.
- A thorough review of the law and ways to improve it.
- A complete review of problems with recovering the most endangered mammal in North America, written by Karl Hess, Jr. (190K).
- A review of a candidate species (since listed), by Craig Knowles and Robert Gumtow (85K).
- Finds that most species are largely or primarily endangered by federal programs or subsidies, by Jeff Opperman (86K)
- Compares a variety of non-coercive ways of protecting species, by Brett Schaerer (79K)
- An issue of Different Drummer reviewing nearly 150 state park, wildlife, and forest agencies.
- An issue of Different Drummer on the national forests.
- A research paper showing how national forests, parks, and BLM lands would be better off if agency managers had an incentive to earn profits instead of losses (46K).
- An issue of Different Drummer on the national parks.
- A research paper showing why the federal government should get out of the business of killing coyotes and other so-called pests (151K).
Transitions: New Incentives for Rural Communities
- A proposal by Karyn Moskowitz and Randal O'Toole for dealing with rural growth (91K).
Reports Published by the Cato Institute
The following policy analyses were prepared by Thoreau Institute economist Randal O'Toole for the Cato Institute. Links to them take you to the Cato web site.
Should Congress Transfer Federal Lands to the States?
- States aren't significantly better at land management than the federal government (160K).
Should Congress Transfer Federal Lands to the States?
- Executive summary only.
ISTEA: A Poisonous Brew for American Cities
- A review of federal transportation funding (287K).
ISTEA: A Poisonous Brew for American Cities
- Executive summary only.
Electronic Drummer