Eastern Old-Growth Forests: Prospects For Rediscovery And Recovery
Eastern Old-Growth Forests: Prospects For Rediscovery And Recovery
edited by Mary Byrd Davis contributions by Bruce Means, James Runkle, Margaret Davis, Lee Frelich, Lucy Tyrell, Tim Parshall, Peter Reich, Kurt Rusterholtz, Robert Zahner, David Cameron Duffy, Steve Comers, Bill McKibben, Charles Schaadt, Anthony Cook, J. Merrill Lynch, Kathy Seaton, Ricky White, Albert Meier and James Farrari foreword by John Davis
Island Press, 1996 Cloth: 978-1-55963-408-3 | Paper: 978-1-55963-409-0 | eISBN: 978-1-61091-244-0 (all) Library of Congress Classification SD387.O43E27 1996 Dewey Decimal Classification 333.784
ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | TOC | REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE
ABOUT THIS BOOK
Eastern Old-Growth Forests is an essential guide for understanding and protecting some of the most rare and ecologically valuable landscapes in the eastern United States. For conservation professionals, land stewards, policymakers, and curious naturalists, this book offers a rich reward: a deeper grasp of the forest ecosystems that anchor biodiversity, store carbon, and connect us to centuries of ecological and cultural history.
Through authoritative essays by leading ecologists, historians, and land managers, the book explores what defines old-growth in the East—its structure, species, and ecological functions—and why it matters now more than ever. You’ll gain the tools to recognize old-growth characteristics in the field, understand the threats facing these ancient forests, and make informed decisions about preservation and restoration strategies.
Beyond ecology, the book weaves in the cultural significance of these forests, showing how they have shaped human experience and imagination over time. This multidimensional perspective helps readers appreciate old-growth not just as a biological asset, but as a living archive of the past and a pillar of future resilience.
By the end, readers will walk away with clarity, motivation, and practical knowledge to advocate for and help protect old-growth forests across the region. Eastern Old-Growth Forests is both a call to action and a foundational reference for preserving what little remains—and what still might be restored.
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
Mary Byrd Davis is co-founder of the Cenozoic Society and associate editor of Wild Earth.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword \ John Davis
Preface \ Mary Byrd Davis
PART I. Introduction
Chapter 1. Definitions and History \ Robert Leverett
Chapter 2. Extent and Location \ Mary Byrd Davis
PART II. Biological and Cultural Values
Chapter 3. Using Lichens to Assess Ecological Continuity in Northeastern Forests \ Steven B. Selva
Chapter 4. Biodiversity in the Herbaceous Layer and Salamanders in Appalachian Primary Forests \ Albert J. Meier, Susan Power Bratton, and David Cameron Duffy
Chapter 5. The Importance of Old Growth to Carnivores in Eastern Deciduous Forests \ Michael R. Pelton
Chapter 6. Functional Roles of Eastern Old Growth in Promoting Forest Bird Diversity \ J. Christopher Haney and Charles P. Schaadt
Chapter 7. Old-Growth Spirituality \ Michael Perlman
Chapter 8. Old-Growth Forests: A Native American Perspective \ Standing Woman (Cherokee) and Steve Comer (Mahican)
PART III. Identification
Chapter 9. Black Growth and Fiddlebutts: The Nature of Old-Growth Red Spruce \ Charles V. Cogbill
Chapter 10. Old-Growth Forests of Southern New England, New York, and Pennsylvania \ Peter Dunwiddie, David Foster, Donald Leopold, and Robert T. Leverett
Chapter 11. Old Growth in the Great Lakes Region \ Lee E. Frelich and Peter B. Reich
Chapter 12. Central Mesophytic Forests \ James R. Runkle
Chapter 13. Old-Growth Oak and Oak-Hickory Forests \ Peter S. White and Ricky D. White
Chapter 14. Old Growth in Southeastern Wetlands \ J. Merrill Lynch
Chapter 15. Longleaf Pine Forest, Going, Going . . . \ D. Bruce Means PART IV. Preservation And Restoration
Chapter 16. Identification and Protection of Old Growth on State-owned Land in Minnesota \ Kurt A. Rusterholz
Chapter 17. National Forests in the Eastern Region: Land Allocation and Planning for Old Growth \ Lucy E. Tyrrell
Chapter 18. The Nature Conservancy's Preservation of Old Growth \ Kathy Seaton
Chapter 19. Cook Forest State Park: Reflections of a Preservationist \ Anthony Eaton Cook
Chapter 20. Landscape Heterogeneity of Hemlock-Hardwood Forest in Northern Michigan \ Margaret B. Davis, Timothy E. Parshall, and James B. Ferrari
Chapter 21. The Restoration of Old Growth: Why and How \ Stephen C. Trombulak
Chapter 22. Tree Rings and Ancient Forest History \ David W. Stahle
Chapter 23. How Much Old Growth Is Enough? \ Robert Zahner
Afterword: Future Old Growth \ Bill McKibben
Glossary
Contributors
Index
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