Synopses & Reviews
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 a complex web of factors has reduced those forests so that longleaf is now found only on 3 million acres. Fortunately, 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.
Review
"The longleaf pine, presiding over the biologically richest region of North America, is well served by this beautifully written book."--E. O. Wilson, from the Foreword
Review
"A well-written, stylish coffee-table book on longleaf pine. Beth Maynor Young's photographs highlight the visual loveliness of the longleaf ecosystem."--Lawrence Earley, author of
Looking for Longleaf: The Fall and Rise of an American Forest
Review
"[
Longleaf, Far as the Eye Can See] pays tribute to a tree that's been a fixture in the Southern forest for centuries."
-Garden and Gun blog
Review
"A truly lovely coffee table book, which anyone who loves the great outdoors will appreciate."
-Doc Kirby, WTBF-AM/FM
Review
"
Longleaf makes an insightful and visually attractive read for the nature aficionado or wood enthusiast."
-Austin American-Statesman
Review
"I lost several hours paging through the evocative pictures in this book, and the text is equally absorbing."
-The New York Times
Review
"
Longleaf is not a story of loss, but one of deep reverence for the grandeur and mystery of these regions."
-American Scientist
Review
"This book by Finch and colleagues, with its many beautiful color photographs and well-written text, explains longleaf's history, ecology, and the reasons why it deserves a larger place in contemporary forests. . . . Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above; general readers."
-Choice
Review
"The lush images and meticulously researched story combine to make the case that restoring longleaf pine is not only possible, but worthwhile."
-Nature Conservancy
Review
"A rhapsodic argument in pictures and words."
-Southern Spaces
About the Author
Bill Finch is senior fellow at the Ocean Foundation and executive director of the Mobile Botanical Gardens. Beth Maynor Young is a conservation photographer. Rhett Johnson is cofounder and president of the Longleaf Alliance, Inc. John C. Hall is curator of the Black Belt Museum at the University of West Alabama.