Description

Title: American Canopy: Trees, Forests, and the Making of a Nation
Author/Publisher: Eric Rutkow
Publication Year: 2013
Format: Paperback

This fascinating and groundbreaking work tells the remarkable story of the relationship between Americans and their trees across the entire span of our nation’s history. Eric Rutkow’s “deeply fascinating” (The Boston Globe) work shows how trees were essential to the early years of the republic and indivisible from the country’s rise as both an empire and a civilization. Among American Canopy’s many captivating stories: the Liberty Trees, where colonists gathered to plot rebellion against the British; Henry David Thoreau’s famous retreat into the woods; the creation of New York City’s Central Park; the great fire of 1871 that killed a thousand people in the lumber town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin; the fevered attempts to save the American chestnut and the American elm from extinction; and the controversy over spotted owls and the old-growth forests they inhabited. Rutkow also explains how trees were of deep interest to such figures as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Teddy Roosevelt, and Franklin Roosevelt, who oversaw the planting of some three billion trees nationally in his time as president. Never before has anyone treated our country’s trees and forests as the subject of a broad historical study, and the result is an accessible, informative, and thoroughly entertaining read. Audacious in its four-hundred-year scope, authoritative in its detail, and elegant in its execution, American Canopy is perfect for history buffs and nature lovers alike and announces Eric Rutkow as a major new author of popular history.

Synopsis

Eric Rutkow's *American Canopy: Trees, Forests, and the Making of a Nation* offers a compelling non-fiction exploration into the profound relationship between the United States and its arboreal heritage. Published in 2013, this scholarly yet accessible volume, intended for adult readers, positions trees and forests as central to the nation's identity and development.

This work delves deeply into the environmental history of America, meticulously tracing how its vast forests have shaped its economic, cultural, and political landscape. It examines the integral role of trees from the earliest days of the republic through to its emergence as a global power, transcending a mere botanical study to present a rich historical narrative.

• A National History Through Trees: This book chronicles how trees were not just a natural resource but fundamental building blocks in the forging of the American nation. It explores their indispensable role in settlement, industry, and the very fabric of society.
• Environmental and Economic Impact: Delving into the realm of botany and natural history, Rutkow investigates the ecological significance of American forests and their immense economic value. From timber for construction to naval stores for shipping, the narrative highlights the vital contribution of trees to the country's prosperity.
• Cultural and Political Canopy: Beyond their practical utility, the author examines how trees and forests permeated the American consciousness, influencing national policy, shaping conservation efforts, and becoming enduring symbols within art, literature, and the national imagination.

For enthusiasts of environmental history, American studies, or indeed anyone fascinated by the natural world's influence on civilisation, *American Canopy* provides an engaging and illuminating perspective. Its rigorous research and expansive scope make it an important contribution to understanding America's unique connection to its arboreal landscape.

Condition

This item has been professionally inspected and is in Very Good condition. Please refer to the photographs for detailed visual assessment.

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