An impassioned case for the importance of ancient forests and
their preservation
Standing in an old-growth forest, you can instinctively sense the ways
it is different from forests shaped by humans. These ancient,
undisturbed ecosystems are increasingly rare and largely misunderstood.
Nature's Temples explores the science and alchemy of old-growth
forests and makes a compelling case for their protection.
Many foresters are proponents of forest management, while ecologists and
conservation biologists believe that the healthiest forests are those we
leave alone. Joan Maloof brings together the scientific data we have
about old-growth forests, drawing on diverse fields of study to explain
the ecological differences among forests of various ages. She describes
the life forms and relationships that make old-growth forests
unique--from salamanders and micro-snails to plants that communicate
through fungi--and reveals why human attempts to manage forests can
never replicate nature's sublime handiwork. This revised and expanded
edition also sheds new light on the special role forests play in
removing carbon from the atmosphere and shares what we know about the
interplay between wildfires and ancient forests.
With drawings by Andrew Joslin that illustrate scientific concepts and
capture the remarkable beauty of ancient trees, Nature's Temples
invites you to discover the power of these fragile realms that are so
inextricably connected to our planet, our fellow species, and our
spirits.
