An appreciation of the beautiful, iconic, and endangered Eastern Hemlock and what it means to nature and society

The Eastern Hemlock, massive and majestic, has played a unique role in structuring northeastern forest environments, from Nova Scotia to Wisconsin and through the Appalachian Mountains to North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama. A “foundation species” influencing all the species in the ecosystem surrounding it, this iconic North American tree has long inspired poets and artists as well as naturalists and scientists.

Five thousand years ago, the hemlock collapsed as a result of abrupt global climate change.  Now this iconic tree faces extinction once again because of an invasive insect, the hemlock woolly adelgid. Drawing from a century of studies at Harvard University’s Harvard Forest, one of the most well-regarded long-term ecological research programs in North America, the authors explore what hemlock’s modern decline can tell us about the challenges facing nature and society in an era of habitat changes and fragmentation, as well as global change.

"“You’ll learn much about hemlocks that will make your time in the woods richer and your knowledge of ecological history deeper . . . This book is not a reiteration of facts and figures, but a well-written portrait of hemlock, its role in New England’s forests, and the lives and character of the foresters and other scientists who have studied it.”—Northern Woodlands" - Northern Woodlands

"“The authors combine science, history, a strong sense of place, and personal reflection to tell the story in a way that is unlikely to be told for many other species or places.”?Ecology" - Ecology

"2015 New England Society Book Awards Finalist in the Specialty Titles category." - New England Society

"“. . . an engrossing read for nonscientists, showing what is special about hemlock woods and why humans have been so attracted to them throughout history.”—Eben Lehman and James G. Lewis, Forest History Today" - Forest History Today