Living in the Appalachian Forest: True Tales of Sustainable Forestry

by Chris Bolgiano

A thought-provoking look at how man and nature coexist, somewhat uneasily, within the Appalachian Forest, the world's most diverse temperate woodlands, 80 percent of which is privately owned-by the ancestors of homesteaders, outsiders who've bought large and small tracts, absentee landlords and landowners, private groups and institutions, and giant corporations. Interviews with a diverse group of landowners-a horse logger, a selective cutter, a ginseng grower, a clear cutter, a forest steward, a summer-camp owner, and others-and the author's own experiences as a landowner illustrate the private forest's past, present, and future.

Genres: Nonfiction

200 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2002

Reviews

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book though some of the statistics are so out of date.

The historical aspect regarding the Hatfields and McCoys was especially interesting. So often, we get the romantic version of the Hatfield son with the McCoy daughter. I'm not sure if I ever heard before that Devil Anse was in the lumber business.

When I came to the part about cruising, it reminded me of the book Serena by Ron Rash. Serena goes toe to toe with a lumberman estimating the board feet of an area. Not only does he lose the bet, he gets fired from his job! Highly recommend Serena. If you have just watched the movie, you are missing a great deal of the story of the lumber industry vs the environmentalists.

[Karen Trostle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dry with a few interesting stories. Part of a conservation Bookclub.
It’s our 3rd book to discuss. So far, they have all bordered in depressing.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for a virtual book club including a chat with the author- twenty years later the topic stays relevant!

[MsChris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I could give this book 3.5 stars. There are certain parts I really enjoyed, and other parts that were very dry. I really enjoyed getting to know the people she interviewed, but felt it was lacking and not in depth enough. Several of the places and organizations she's mentioned I've been to (like the Mine and Appalachian Sustainable Development) so it was very interesting to learn more about those. And we must not discount the fact that the author is another awesome female Chris. :)