For the Wild Places profiles five of the unsung heroes of the new discipline of conservation biology -- the front-line soldiers of the conservation movement who have dedicated their lives to saving endangered species and habitats. In addition to describing the day-to-day activities of the scientists, author Janet Bohlen explores the wider issues that are ultimately responsible for the success or failure of conservation efforts. In the course of her travels, she came to appreciate the complex interaction of local and global needs, and the reality of the political and social context in which all such efforts take place. In describing the scientists, their lives, and their work, she effectively conveys the fundamental importance and ever-present challenge of a life devoted to protecting the environment.