Wild Woodlands: The Old-Growth Forests of America - Hardcover

"The forest is a place of miracles . . ." Thus begins Wild Woodlands, a celebration of America's old-growth forests. With camera and pen, acclaimed author/photographer Bill Thomas captures the spectacular world of the ancient woods.
The old-growth forests that survive in America extend from coast to coast, some on public preserves and some in threatened pockets on private land. These old-growth stands comprise many kinds of forests, not only the breathtakingly massive redwoods and sequoias of the Pacific coast, but the saguaros of the Great Sonoran and the pines of the Deep South. Each provides a unique and fragile habitat for many kinds of flora and wildlife, from the northern spotted owl and the Kodiak bear to the puma and alligator of the swamp forest.
Within Wild Woodlands you'll find every major forest and stand of old growth across America: the forests of the sea, the mangrove and kelp off the Pacific and Atlantic coasts; the "forest of the clouds," the rugged Appalachians; the "Methuselah trees," the redwoods and sequoias; the rainforest of the Pacific Northwest's Olympic peninsula; the desert forest, the otherworldly Great Sonoran; the North Woods; the woods of the Deep South; the swamp forest, the Okefenokee and others; the surprising pygmy forests; and many more.
More than 200 full-color photographs reveal these shadowy, timeless worlds, and thirteen delightful essays eloquently reveal their hidden charms. Every aspect is revealed: the fascinating, sometimes violent history; the wildlife dwelling there; and the men who have protected - or destroyed - the quiet giants. The author makes a powerful case that these old-growth forests are national monuments worthy of increased protection.
Bill Thomas, an award-winning photographer and a writer filled with knowledge and curiosity, follows the less-traveled paths through these ancient woods, showing us their magic and beauty - and the fascination they hold for us all.