Cover of the 1987 second edition.
Ecodefense: A Field Guide To Monkeywrenching is a book edited by Dave Foreman, with a foreword by Edward Abbey.
Background[]
Ned Ludd Books published the first two editions, with Abbzug Press publishing a third edition. The book was first published in 1985.
Much of the inspiration for the book, as well as the term "monkeywrenching," came from Edward Abbey's 1975 novel The Monkey Wrench Gang. Other inspiration for the book likely came from the 1972 book Ecotage!, which was published by the group Environmental Action and was in turn inspired by the actions of an activist in the Chicago, Illinois area who called himself "The Fox," and engaged in such vigilante actions to protect the environment as plugging smokestacks. Much of the actual content for Ecodefense came from the "Dear Ned Ludd" column in the newsletter of the group Earth First! during the 1980s.
Monkeywrenching is a form of ecodefense. So are temporary restraining orders and tree sitting, as well as non-violent blockade and civil disobedience.
Other forms include tree spiking, and billboarding. These are more controversial because they involve destruction, vandalism, and/or the potential for injury.
See also[]
- Earth First!
- Earth Liberation Front
- Eco-Terrorism
- Ecotage! [book]
- Operation Backfire - FBI operation initiated against Eco-Terrorists, environmentalists.