The Heart of America: Our Landscape, Our Future - Hardcover

Palmer, Tim

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1559634367 ISBN 13: 9781559634366

Publisher: Island Press, 1999

Synopsis

From the cliffs of Big Sur to the dunes at Cape Hatteras, from the bogs of the Boundary Waters to the deserts of the Rio Grande, the landscape of America has shaped us into the people we are. Not only is it central to ecological health and essential to the economy, it has helped form our culture and serves as a basis of national pride. The heart of America lies in the rock and soil, the mountains and the plains that surround us.In this illuminating portrait of America at the threshold of the new millennium, author Tim Palmer explores and assesses the landscape of the United States -- both timeless wonders of natural beauty and lost places scarred by human exploitation. He takes the reader on an informative and inspirational tour of our most vital landscapes, including mountains, forests, grasslands, deserts, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and seashores. He introduces us to the basic geography and ecological value of each landscape, describes historical patterns of land use, considers the most serious threats, and discusses what is being done to protect the landscape for future generations. Throughout, he instills a deeper understanding of the importance of the land, a sense of outrage at the damage that has been done, and a feeling of hope that those working to correct past abuses will succeed.Weaving together geographical, historical, and ecological information and insights, Palmer draws on thirty years of professional experience as a writer, photographer, conservationist, planner, landscape architect, and veteran traveler to present a fresh look at the past, present, and future of our land.Resounding in its account of these landscapes, compelling in the force of its information and the hope of its timely message, The Heart of America offers a fascinating measure of the land around us and a unique look at the place we call home.

About this title

About the Author

Tim Palmer is the author and photographer of 23 books about rivers, the environment, adventure travel, and the American landscape. His Island Press titles include The Sierra Nevada: A Mountain Journey (1988), The Snake River: Window to the West (1991), California's Threatened Environment (1993), The Wild and Scenic Rivers of America (1993), Lifelines: The Case for River Conservation (1994), America by Rivers (1996), The Heart of America: Our Landscape, Our Future (1999, winner of the Independent Publishers Award), and Pacific High: Adventures in the Coast Ranges from Baja to Alaska (2002, finalist for the Benjamin Franklin Book Award).
Tim is the recipient of the National Outdoor Book Award, Lifetime Achievement Award from American Rivers, and Conservation Achievement Award for Communications from the National Wildlife Federation. He frequently speaks and presents slide programs for public audiences and college classes nationwide. Learn more at www.timpalmer.org.

Edition details

• Publisher: Island Press
• Publication date: 1999
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1559634367
• ISBN 13: 9781559634366
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 350