The Appalachian Forest: A Search for Roots and Renewal

About this book

37 b/w photos & 6 x 9. Unique combination of natural and cultural history.& Eloquent account of Appalachias past and future Advance praise for The Appalachian Forest: Thoroughly researched and engagingly written this important book offers a comprehensive overview of the past present and future of the southern Appalachian forest . . . a compelling blend of natural and cultural history . . . surveying everything from the traditions of the Cherokee to the effects of acid rain. --Daniel J. Philippon coeditor of The Height of Our Mountains: Nature Writing from Virginias Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah Valley Chris Bolgiano has written an informed pointed and lyrically personal book about one of Americas most beautiful and most ravaged areas. --Philip Shabecoff author of A Fierce Green Fire: The American Environmental Movement A volume that belongs on the shelves of all those who live in and love Appalachia and wish to know more about this place (as she puts it) of "heartbreak and hope." --Charles E. Little author In Search of Eden The Dying of the Trees editor An Appalachian Tragedy Since European settlement Appalachias natural history has been profoundly impacted by the people who have lived worked and traveled there. Beginning with the geological events that formed the mountains Bolgianos journey explores the influx of settlers Native American displacement lumber and coal exploitation the birth of forestry and conservation efforts. Her research concludes that rich natural habitat and a growing interest in tourism and outdoor recreation prove the urgency in preserving connected mature forests for the benefit of all living things in the Appalachian wilderness--including people. Historical information forestry issues and conservation efforts extend well beyond an Appalachian readership. Chris Bolgiano is the author of Mountain Lion: An Unnatural History of Pumas and People . She lives in the Shenandoah Valley.