Disarming Nature: Converting Military Lands to Wildlife Refuges*

AbstractSince 1988 the United States has closed nearly two dozen major military installations and reclassified them as national wildlife refuges. By presenting a case study of one site of military‐to‐wildlife conversion, this article examines the formation of these places and the implications of casting military practices and environmental conservation as compatible activities. As lands where military and environmental attributes can be perceived as inseparable, military‐to‐wildlife sites exemplify hybrid geographies that challenge dualistic notions of nature and society.KeywordsBig Oaks National Wildlife Refugeecological restorationhybrid geographiesmilitary base closure Funding for this research was provided by the National Science Foundation, Science and Technology Studies, ddri#0521728; and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Department of Geography's Eyre Travel Fund. I appreciate helpful comments on previous versions of this article from: Scott Kirsch, John Pickles, Martin Doyle, Lisa Campbell, J. Robert Cox, Craig Colten, and two anonymous reviewers.Funding for this research was provided by the National Science Foundation, Science and Technology Studies, ddri#0521728; and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Department of Geography's Eyre Travel Fund. I appreciate helpful comments on previous versions of this article from: Scott Kirsch, John Pickles, Martin Doyle, Lisa Campbell, J. Robert Cox, Craig Colten, and two anonymous reviewers.NotesFunding for this research was provided by the National Science Foundation, Science and Technology Studies, ddri#0521728; and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Department of Geography's Eyre Travel Fund. I appreciate helpful comments on previous versions of this article from: Scott Kirsch, John Pickles, Martin Doyle, Lisa Campbell, J. Robert Cox, Craig Colten, and two anonymous reviewers.