Award-winning nature author Jerry Dennis reveals the splendor and beauty of North America's Great Lakes in this masterwork* history and memoir of the essential environmental and economical region shared by the United States and Canada.

No bodies of water compare to the Great Lakes. Superior is the largest lake on earth, and together all five contain a fifth of the world's supply of standing fresh water. Their ten thousand miles of shoreline border eight states and a Canadian province and are longer than the entire Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the United States. Their surface area of 95,000 square miles is greater than New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island combined. People who have never visited them--who have never seen a squall roar across Superior or the horizon stretch unbroken across Michigan or Huron--have no idea how big they are. They are so vast that they dominate much of the geography, climate, and history of North America, affecting the lives of tens of millions of people.

The Living Great Lakes: Searching for the Heart of the Inland Seas is the definitive book about the history, nature, and science of these remarkable lakes at the heart of North America. From the geological forces that formed them and the industrial atrocities that nearly destroyed them, to the greatest environmental success stories of our time, Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario are portrayed in all their complexity.

A Michigan native, Jerry Dennis also shares his memories of a lifetime on or near the lakes, including a six-week voyage as a crewmember on a tallmasted schooner. On his travels, he collected more stories of the lakes through the eyes of biologists, fishermen, sailors, and others he befriended while hiking the area's beaches and islands.

Through storms and fog, on remote shores and city waterfronts, Dennis explores the five Great Lakes in all seasons and moods and discovers that they and their connecting waters--including the Erie Canal, the Hudson River, and the East Coast from New York to Maine--offer a surprising and bountiful view of America. The result is a meditation on nature and our place in the world, a discussion and cautionary tale about the future of water resources, and a celebration of a place that is both fragile and robust, diverse, rich in history and wildlife, often misunderstood, and worthy of our attention.

This is history at its best and adventure richly described.--*Doug Stanton, author of In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors and 12 Strong: The Declassified True Story of the Horse Soldiers

Sigurd Olson Nature Writing Award Winner
Winner of Best Book of 2003 by the Outdoor Writers Association of America

An exciting foray into Earth's inland waters, the remarkable species they contain, and the conservation challenges of protecting them.

When we call Earth the blue planet we immediately envision the vast oceans that cover most of its surface. But seas aren't the only bodies of water that make Earth special. Millions of diverse inland waters rush, meander, and seep throughout the planet, teeming with life. These streams, lakes, wetlands, and groundwaters are home to thousands of species, many of which are extraordinary and some of which are critically endangered.

In Beyond the Sea, ecologist David Strayer introduces readers to the world's most remarkable and varied inland waters, including massive lakes that fill only once a century, groundwaters miles beneath our feet that host unique microbes, volcanic lakes more corrosive than battery acid, and catastrophic floods that carry ten times more water than the Amazon River. Strayer also shares stories of the myriad fascinating species supported by these crucial ecosystems, featuring mussels that seduce fish, tiny tardigrades that cheat death, animals that photosynthesize, and plants that eat meat.

Because humans have used--and abused--inland waters so intensively for everything from drinking water and fly-fishing to sewage disposal, many species around the world that depend on them are in desperate peril. Strayer explains the damage that humans have caused and offers solutions to sustain and restore inland-water ecosystems. Proving that the sea isn't the only aqueous realm of mystery and wonder, this book illuminates the secrets, science, and amazing denizens of the overlooked waters in our backyards.

The classic Pulitzer Prize-winning study of the Atlantic blue crab and the people of the Chesapeake Bay who have depended on it for generations. For decades, William Warner's exploration of the Atlantic blue crab and the Chesapeake Bay has delighted thousands of readers and become a modern American classic. Nature enthusiasts and fans of fine literature alike will find Beautiful Swimmers a timeless and enchanting study in the tradition of Rachel Carson and Annie Dillard. In these pages, we are immersed not only in the world of the Chesapeake's most intriguing crustaceans, but in the winds and tides of the Bay itself and the struggles of the watermen who make their living in pursuit of the succulent, pugnacious blue crab. This is a book of rare grace and meditation, one that ranges from adventure to zoology, with no small measure of mystery and history. --Miami Herald Beautiful Swimmers is wonderful to read and a distinguished addition to our literature. --Larry McMurtry

This guide describes and illustrates, in full color, the plants and animals that live in or near ponds, lakes, streams, and wetlands. It includes surface-dwelling creatures as well as those of open water, the bottom, and the shore and tells how various animals and plants live together in a community.
Plus suggestions for:
Where and when to look
Observing and collecting specimens
Making exciting discoveries

Winner of the John Burroughs Medal

Bayou D'Arbonne Swamp addresses the vibrant natural, cultural, and social history of a north Louisiana swamp. Kelby Ouchley grew up near Bayou D'Arbonne Swamp, and he later spent much of his professional life as a wildlife biologist and naturalist overseeing the national wildlife refuge created from much of the area. His deep personal and professional connections to the landscape give him valuable insight into the enormous changes that have struck the swamp over the last century and the reasons behind this transformation. In this fascinating narrative, Ouchley offers a kaleidoscopic view of Bayou D'Arbonne Swamp that reveals its unique past and distinctive flora, fauna, and people.

Although these are stories of a particular swamp, they tell us much about issues facing other wetlands, as well as prairies, mountains, and deserts, when viewed through an ecological, social, and historical lens. Ouchley aims to foster an awareness of the environmental impacts of human decisions that encourages readers to consider ecological choices in their daily lives. The result is a work that presents an intimate and multilayered natural history of Bayou D'Arbonne Swamp that extends beyond the edges of the ever-changing Louisiana wetland, informing the environmental history of Louisiana, conservation, and ecological change.

Little in North America is wilder than the Florida Everglades-a landscape of frightening reptiles, exotic plants in profusion, swarms of mosquitoes, and unforgiving heat. And yet, even from the early days of taming the wilderness with clearing and drainage, the Everglades has been considered fragile, unique, and in need of restorative interventions. Drawing on a decade of fieldwork with hunters in the Everglades, Laura A. Ogden explores the lives and labors of people, animals, and plants in this most delicate and tenacious ecosystem.
Today, the many visions of the Everglades-protectionist, ecological, commercial, historical-have become a tangled web of contradictory practices and politics for conservation and for development. Yet within this entanglement, the place of people remains highly ambivalent. It is the role of people in the Everglades that interests Ogden, as she seeks to reclaim the landscape's long history as a place of human activity and, in doing so, discover what it means to be human through changing relations with other animals and plant life.
Ogden tells this story through the lives of poor rural whites, gladesmen, epitomized in tales of the Everglades' most famous outlaws, the Ashley Gang. With such legends and lore on one side, and outsized efforts at drainage and development on the other, Swamplife strikes a rare balance, offering a unique insight into the hidden life of the Everglades-and into how an appreciation of oppositional culture and social class operates in our understanding of wilderness in the United States.

Author Holly Sprinkle unveils the secrets hidden within Florida's aquatic wonders. Florida's springs swirl a spectrum of greens and blues with a crystal clarity seen nowhere else in the world. Springhunting is a cherished regional pastime, but these ancient oases have served as a beacon for humans and beasts alike since time immemorial. Giant sloths, mammoths and armadillos once centered their lives around these springs--the endangered West Indian Manatee still seeks refuge in the relatively warm springs during the winter months. These enchanting waters sustain ecosystems and inspire everything from feelings of deep serenity to legends involving curses, ghosts and alien visitation.

Points of Light is the winner of The Tamaqua Award for a collection of short essays. The book offers a banquet of topics, all focused on the wonders of nature, many focused along the California seacoast. The essay collection offers an expansion exploration of eco-systems, habitats, the wonders of wilderness, coastal regions and shorelines, environmental exploration. Animal and sea life, the insect world, the world of birds and flight, very little escapes the eye or pen of Cameron Walker. The book is divided into six sections, which travel from the wonder of outer space to the inner landscape of family ties. While science and the imagination are often seen as separate realms, these essays celebrate the connections that exist between the known world and a deep sense of mystery and awe.

Taken from the earlier book Priceless Florida (and modified for a stand-alone book), this volume discusses Florida's wetlands, including interior wetlands, seepage wetlands, marshes, flowing-water swamps, beaches and marine marshes, and mangrove swamps.

First published in 1998 as A Great Lakes Wetland Flora, this new (2022) work describes over 900 wetland and aquatic vascular plant species found in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. New in this edition are nearly 600 full-color photographs, new county-level distribution maps for each species, and numerous taxonomic revisions.

Includes:

• Keys to each plant family, genus and species
• Organized into four major groups: Ferns and Fern Allies, Conifers, Dicots, Monocots, then alphabetically by family and genus
• More than 900 species described
• Illustrated with hundreds of color photographs and line drawings
• Conservation status (endangered or threatened) in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin
• Wetland indicator status (2018 ratings)
• Habitat information
• Fully indexed (both scientific name and common name) for ease-of-use

Taken from the earlier book Priceless Florida (and modified for a stand-alone book), this volume discusses the fresh- and saltwater systems of Florida, including lakes and ponds; rivers and streams; springs; aquatic caves; estuarine waters and seafloors; submarine meadows, sponge, rock, and reef communities; and the Gulf and Atlantic Ocean.

A rare collection of photographs that are the heart of The Springs of Florida was obtained over a period of many years. They are the result of hundreds of hours underwater, during both day and night, and in all seasons of the year. The many realms of fresh water that most often surround us are dark rivers, clouded ponds and the opaque depths of inland lakes. We cannot see into them or fathom the incessant activities of life that occurs throughout their depths. The many springs that jewel the landscape of Florida are ornate exceptions to an environment often veiled in obscurity. They are translucent openings to a dominion very rare: a crystalline and vibrant world of flowing fresh water that rises from the earth and reaches to the sea.

Now in its fourth edition, The Springs of Florida brings updated research and discussion to readers interested not only in the ecosystem and environment, but also in preserving the springs and the creatures that reside there. Doug Stamm, prominent voice in the Florida springs community and professional diver/underwater photographer, aims to increase awareness about springs conservation as well as bring new updates to light in his text. With a combination of legacy and new photos throughout the book, readers will see first-hand how beautiful the springs are and learn why conservation efforts are needed now more than ever.

When Henry David Thoreau decided to learn the essential facts of life and what it had to teach, it's not surprising that he lived next to a pond. There are few things in life as peaceful and as tranquil as a pond.

However, not all of us are as geographically fortunate as Thoreau . . . until now. Thanks to Tim Matson, we can all have a pond to philosophize next to, swim in, or skate on. The Earth Ponds Sourcebook: The Pond Owner's Manual and Resource Guide provides expert advice for pond building and maintenance, with up-to-date lists of suppliers and bibliographies, as well as information on pond-related structures like rafts, docks, and gazebos.

Additionally, The Earth Ponds Sourcebook covers ecological and legal issues involved in creating your own pond; including an in-depth look at potential structural disasters that could turn your peaceful water feature into a financial headache.

Tim Matson, the acclaimed guru of earth pond building, covers everything you need to know about successfully building and maintaining your own pond, including:

• Deciding what size pump you'll need for irrigation
• How to prepare your pond for winter
• How to deal with weeds, algae, and wildlife
• How to maintain a goldfish pond
• Converting your pond to a cold-weather skating rink
  

Readers interested in related titles from Tim Matson will also want to see: Landscaping Earth Ponds (ISBN: 1626543984).

2017 Gertrude H. Dyke Award -- Nominated

The history of Lake Nipigon, where the Great Lakes begin.

The name Nipigon is evocative of storied brook trout, cold clear waters, elusive woodland caribou, sweeping vistas, and spectacular scenery. Situated in the heart of Northwestern Ontario, almost every map of North America shows Lake Nipigon as a significant geographic feature, yet few people know its story. As the primary watershed that flows into Lake Superior, Nipigon is the headwaters of the Great Lakes.

This, the first inclusive historical account of Lake Nipigon, provides a fascinating overview of its extensive natural history, including information on species at risk, and interprets the story of human incursion into the area, from its aboriginal prehistory to the colourful fur trade, the harvesting of resources, the coming of the railway, recreational fishing, eventual settlement, and the communities that remain today.

A beautifully detailed exploration of flora and fauna.

Author Ron Larson offers a natural history of a Great Basin landscape that focuses on the northern region including Lake Abert and Abert Rim, and the adjacent area in southcentral Oregon. Although the jewel of this landscape is a lake, the real story is the many plants and animals--from the very primitive, reddish, bacteria-like archaea that thrive only in its high-salinity waters to the Golden Eagles and ravens that soar above the desert. The untold species in and around the lake are part of an ecosystem shaped by ageless processes from massive lava flows, repeated drought, and blinding snowstorms. It is an environment rich with biotic and physical interconnections going back millions of years.

The Great Basin, and in particular the Lake Abert region, is special and needs our attention to ensure it remains that way. We must recognize the importance of water for Great Basin ecosystems and the need to manage it better, and we must acknowledge how rich the Great Basin is in natural history. Salt lakes, wherever they occur, are valuable and provide critically important habitat for migratory water birds, which are unfortunately under threat from upstream water diversions and climate change. Larson's book will help people understand that the Great Basin is unique and that wise stewardship is necessary to keep it unspoiled. The book is an essential reference source, drawing together a wide range of materials that will appeal to general readers and researchers alike.

Exploring and appreciating the fascinating ecosystems of bogs and fens

Peatlands--and specifically bogs--have long been a source of fascination for humans, and these amazing places are truly living relicts of the Ice Age. More recently, bogs have come to be regarded as complex and fascinating wetland ecosystems. Peatlands of Ohio and the Southern Great Lakes Region focuses on the sphagnum peat bogs and rich fens of the lower Great Lakes states of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, southern Michigan, and the glaciated northern corners of Pennsylvania.

The peatlands of today are products of the Wisconsinan Glaciation, when peatland plants originating in northern latitudes migrated southward in a wide band preceding the glacial wall of ice. After thousands of years, the glacier's retreat severely diminished the sites with the very special environmental conditions needed to sustain these ecosystems.

However, in a few sites, kettlehole lakes and cold alkaline hillside seeps and springs enabled remnants of peatland vegetation to survive to this day. Guy L. Denny, with accompanying photographs by Gary Meszaros, closely examines this habitat and its special environmental constraints, the geological and climatological origins, and the flora and fauna unique to the bogs and rich fens of this region. As readers will discover as they learn about places like Cranberry Bog in Michigan or Triangle Lake in Ohio, kettlehole sphagnum peat bogs and rich fens are not only essential places to protect, but they are amazing sites to explore, discover new plants, and observe the beauty and splendor of the natural world.

The unexpected diversity, beauty, and strangeness of life in ancient lakes--some millions of years old--and the remarkable insights the lakes are yielding about the causes of biodiversity.

Most lakes are less than 10,000 years old and short-lived, but there is a much smaller number of ancient lakes, tectonic in origin and often millions of years old, that are scattered across every continent but Antarctica: Baikal, Tanganyika, Victoria, Titicaca, and Biwa, to name a few. Often these lakes are filled with a diversity of fish, crustaceans, snails, and other creatures found nowhere else in the world. In Our Ancient Lakes, Jeffrey McKinnon introduces the remarkable living diversity of these aquatic bodies to the general reader and explains the surprising, often controversial, findings that the study of their faunas is yielding about the formation and persistence of species.

The first single-authored volume to synthesize studies of ancient lakes, Our Ancient Lakes provides an overview of the lakes and their distinctive geological origins; accounts of the evolutionary processes that have generated the incredible diversity found in the lakes and produced some of the fastest speciation rates known for vertebrates; the surprisingly important role of interspecies mating in the most rapid diversifications; the uniquely complete records of the creatures that inhabited the lakes, which are being extracted from deep lake sediments; the prospects for the lakes as we tumble into the Anthropocene; and much more.

Shining a light on a class of biodiversity hot spot that is equivalent to coral reefs in the ocean or tropical rainforests on land, Our Ancient Lakes chronicles in a refreshingly personal and accessible way the often singular wonders of these venerable water bodies.

The MIT Press gratefully acknowledges Furthermore: a program of the J.M. Kaplan Fund.

Colorful and lively personal essays about life in the wilds of Alabama's Mobile-Tensaw River Delta

Among the Swamp People is the story of author Watt Key's discovery of the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta. The swamp consists of almost 260,000 acres of wetlands located just north of Mobile Bay. There he leases a habitable outcropping of land and constructs a primitive cabin from driftwood to serve as a private getaway. His story is one that chronicles the beauties of the delta's unparalleled natural wonders, the difficulties of survival within it, and an extraordinary community of characters--by turns generous and violent, gracious and paranoid, hilarious and reckless--who live, thrive, and perish there.

There is no way into the delta except by small boat. To most it would appear a maze of rivers and creeks between stunted swamp trees and mud. Key observes that there are few places where one can step out of a boat without sinking to the knees in muck the consistency of axle grease. It is the only place I know where gloom and beauty can coexist at such extremes. And it never occurred to me that a land seemingly so bleak could hide such beauty and adventure.

It also chronicles Key's maturation as a writer, from a twenty-five-year-old computer programmer with no formal training as a writer to a highly successful, award-winning writer of fiction for a young adult audience with three acclaimed novels published to date.

In learning to make a place for himself in the wild, as in learning to write, Key's story is one of hoping someone--even if just myself--would find value in my creations.

LEARN TO BUILD A BACKYARD WILDLIFE POND
IN ONE WEEK
FOR LESS THAN $300

Observe wildlife you otherwise wouldn't see: watch frogs and dragonflies in your own backyard.
Provide the one essential habitat element that benefits all wildlife: water.

In this 46 page, easy to follow booklet, you can quickly learn the basics of everything you need to know to create and enjoy your own wildlife pond. Follow the author as she builds her pond during a one-week vacation, for less than $300, as part of a plan to have a certified backyard wildlife habitat. Color photos illustrate each step of her pond building process, including:

choosing a pond location

designing a pond that benefits the most wildlife

digging and leveling the pond

installing padding to protect the liner

buying and installing the liner

filling the pond with soil, rocks, and water

adding rocks around the edges.

A wildlife pond is cheaper to build and easier to maintain than other types of backyard ponds:

It doesn't need an electric pump, which can be expensive to buy, install, and run.

Plants are grown directly in soil at the bottom of the pond, rather than in pots that need to be removed each Winter and repotted each Spring.

Instead of goldfish provided by humans, it is stocked by Nature with local wildlife.

Once it achieves a balanced state that mimics natural ponds, it needs very little input from humans.

Join the author on her adventure and discover how she welcomes frogs, dragonflies, tadpoles, snails, bathing birds, and other creatures where she can observe them in her own backyard.

Woody Bog Plants: A Field Guide for New England and Adjacent Canada, describes and illustrates with color photos more than 50 of the most typical encountered trees and shrubs in the region's sphagnum moss-dominated environments. Each plant's characteristics, such as growth form, leaves, flowers, and fruit, are described, with additional information on each plant's usual flower and fruiting times. County-level and North American range maps provide insight into each plant's distribution. An easy-to-use key to the species is helpful in identifying unknown plant specimens. Plants are organized within plant families, grouping related species together helping readers learn important characteristics of each family. The guide includes a list of selected references, a botanical glossary, and an index of scientific and common names (including those used in French-speaking portions of Quebec).