Longleaf forests once covered 92 million acres from Texas to Maryland to Florida. These grand old-growth pines were the ""alpha tree"" of the largest forest ecosystem in North America and have come to define the southern forest. But logging, suppression of fire, deliberate destruction by landowners, and a complex web of other factors reduced those forests so that longleaf is now found only on 3 million acres. Fortunately, the stately tree is enjoying a resurgence of interest, and longleaf forests are once again spreading across the South. Blending a compelling narrative by writers Bill Finch, Rhett Johnson, and John C. Hall with Beth Maynor Young's breathtaking photography, Longleaf, Far as the Eye Can See invites readers to experience the astounding beauty and significance of the majestic longleaf ecosystem.
The authors explore the interactions of longleaf with other species, the development of longleaf forests prior to human contact, and the influence of the longleaf on southern culture, as well as ongoing efforts to restore these forests. Part natural history, part conservation advocacy, and part cultural exploration, this book highlights the special nature of longleaf forests and proposes ways to conserve and expand them.
- ISBN13 9780807835753
- Publish Date 30 October 2012 (first published 22 October 2012)
- Publish Status Active
- Out of Print 11 March 2021
- Publish Country US
- Imprint The University of North Carolina Press
- Edition New edition
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 192
- Language English