Tree by Tree: Saving North America's Eastern Forests by Scott J. Meiners

Tree by Tree is a warning and a toolkit for the future of forest recovery. Scott J. Meiners investigates the critical biological threats endangering tree species native to the forests of eastern North America, providing a needed focus on this plight. Meiners suggests that if we are to save our forests, the first step is to recognize the threats in front of us.

Meiners focuses on five familiar trees--the American elm, the American chestnut, the eastern hemlock, the white ash, and the sugar maple--and shares why they matter economically, ecologically, and culturally. From outbreaks of Dutch elm disease to infestations of emerald ash borers, Meiners highlights the challenges that have led or will lead to the disappearance of these trees from forests. In doing so, he shows us how diversity loss often disrupts intricately balanced ecosystems and how vital it is that we pay more attention to massive changes in forest composition.

With practical steps for the conservation of native tree species, Tree by Tree offers the inspiration and insights we need to begin saving our forests.

A must read for anyone interested in achieving a sustainable relationship with the natural world. Our only hope in saving our forests--and save them we must--is to understand appropriate responses to these threats. Scott Meiners provides this essential knowledge and the motivation to act on it! --Douglas Tallamy, author of The Nature of Oaks

Meiners brings to bear a deep love and wide knowledge of trees to explain the many threats that imperil our eastern forests. If Aldo Leopold was right and we will only save what we appreciate, Tree by Tree is just the kind of book we need now. --Susan Freinkel, author of American Chestnut

Table of Contents:

Introduction: First, Some Context
1. American Elm--Ulmus americana
2. American Chestnut--Castanea dentata
3. Eastern Hemlock--Tsuga canadensis
4. White Ash--Fraxinus americana
5. Sugar Maple--Acer saccharum
6. Other Trees with Other Challenges
7. The Next in Line
8. Accumulating Impacts--Putting It All Together
Conclusion: Protecting Our Forests' Future

Scott J. Meiners is Professor of Biological Sciences at Eastern Illinois University.

Comstock Publishing

Pub Date: September 15, 2023

0.56" H x 9.0" L x 6.0" W

246 pages

paperback