American Canopy
Trees, Forests, and the Making of a Nation
by
It started off just as I'd expected--all about the white pines of the Eastern U.S. and their use as masts in British sailing ships. Fully one-quarter of the way through I was on target for a five-star review and many hours of happy enjoyment. The story of Dutch Elm Disease was heartbreaking as expected. But then it got more and more general--less about individual trees and forests and more about men and timber harvest operations and all kind of depressing stuff.
I eventually gave up. I wanted more tree, less man. I'd definitely recommend this as a reference work, but maybe not as a reader's delight.
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