Noteworthy Tree-Related Books
Late last year, Rick Harper, Professor and Extension Urban Forestry Specialist, Department of Environmental Conservation at UMass Amherst compiled an impressive summary of treerelated books and shared it in Hort Notes. Here are a couple of his summaries, and we will share more in subsequent newsletters. Thank you Rick!
Davis, D. E. 2021. The American Chestnut: An Environmental History. The University of Georgia Press. Athens, GA. 368 pp. ISBN 978-0-8203-6045-4
Written for a broadbased audience of natural historians, tree enthusiasts, ecologists, and the public-at-large, The American Chestnut: An Environmental History is an intentlyresearched resource produced by author and research scholar
( Harvard University’ s Harvard Forest, Petersham, MA) Donald Edward Davis. Comprised of 4 parts, 12 chapters and a conclusion, this 368-page hardcover book is revealing, illuminating, and perhaps most prevailing of all, brimming with historical realities about the importance of various facets of the American chestnut( Castanea dentata), from its wood to its fruit, and the impacts to our natural environment as well as our society – both past and present. This book helps us understand that though perhaps functionally extinct, through the existence of survivor populations and the sustained efforts of individuals dedicated to its continuation that include conscientious, skilled tree care professionals, agency specialists, and members of the research community( i. e., academics), the once-prolific American chestnut will one day again flourish. This resource is composed in a manner that is enjoyable to all and surely engaging to any tree enthusiast.
Ennos, R. 2020. The Age of Wood: Our Most Useful Material and the Construction of Civilization. Simon & Schuster, Inc. New York, NY. 318 pp. ISBN 978-1-9821-1473-2
Of interest to a wide audience of wood-workers, tree-advocates, construction professionals and the public-at-large, The Age of Wood: Our Most Useful Material & the Construction of Civilization is an intently-researched resource produced by author and Visiting Professor of Biological Sciences( University of Hull, U. K.) Roland Ennos. Comprised of 4 parts and 15 chapters, this 318-page hardcover book is rife with historical realities about the importance of wood and the way we live. From the feverish search for suitable trees for the naval fleets of the two western rivals and military powers of the 18th century – England and France – to the prerevolutionary Pine Tree Riot of Weare, NH, The Age of Wood … guides the reader through a detailed background regarding trees, wood, and their relationship to human evolution and development. Though the author mentions that forests will ultimately regrow and recover from disturbance and that massive-scale environmental catastrophe has been avoided, the book is undergirded with a cautionary theme about modern-day deforestation and the large-scale logging of untouched forests, including those of the Amazon. An estimated 3-trillion trees cover 30 % of the earth’ s terrestrial surface, yet the author posits that pristine or old growth forested areas remain at risk and that we must strive to ultimately“ mend” our relationship with trees, forests, and the wood that they produce.
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