The Nature of Vermont Author:Charles W. Johnson This expanded edition of an established work offers a generously illustrated natural history set in the context of the state's geologic and human pasts. A broad ecological overview written in engaging narrative for lay readers as well as naturalists, conservationists, and biologists, the book is enhanced with more than 140 photographs, drawings,... more » maps, and diagrams. Also a practical guidebook, it directs people to where they can see what is being discussed, gives current references, and offers a complete directory of conservation organizations in the state.
In the new edition, State Naturalist Charles W. Johnson describes many environmental, technological, and cultural changes: more moose and turkey vultures, fewer wood turtles and butternuts; refinement in our thinking about natural communities and endangered species; effects of development, pollution, acid rain, global warming, and invasive non-native species such as zebra mussels and Eurasian water milfoil; urban/rural clashes mirrored in such issues as the Northern Forests and clear-cutting; a sharpening focus on biodiversity, sustainability, and ecosystem management; the rise of conservation biology as a field of study. At the same time, Johnson includes Abenaki stories - Vermont's Native American legacy of respect for and identity with nature - that serve as reminders of how our fortunes are inextricably tied to those of nature.« less