At Home in the Northern Forest

The Northern Forest of North America—stretching from New England and eastern Canada into the Upper Midwest—is one of the world’s largest contiguous forests. Complex and beautiful, it supports a wide variety of life, and the woodlands offer an interconnected vastness that gives American and Canadian lives perspective and balance. This book is timely, for the Northern Forest is at the heart of important environmental and economic issues that have become critical, especially as big logging companies sell large portions of their land. The very existence of this forest is extraordinary. For instance, in 1870 the forest covered just thirty percent of Vermont, but today eighty percent is woodland. This remarkable turnaround has taken place on what is overwhelmingly private land. Environmentalist Bill McKibben, in his introduction, says, “This unintentional and mostly unnoticed renewal of the rural and mountainous east represents the great environmental story of the United States and, in some ways, the whole world.” But forest acreage has begun to decrease in every state in New England, as trees are removed for commercial development. Renowned photographer John Huddleston brings a contemporary vision to show the unique and transitory character of this amazing forest. His photographs were made with precise attention to ordinary beauty and circumstance as he sauntered in the woods with camera in hand. Through his photographs we gain a deep appreciation and understanding of the Northern Forest and see how proper forest management enhances both commercial and ecological interests. Under Huddleston’s care, natural change is embodied in a new type of photographic composite created from exposures made of similar scenes in different seasons. This difficult, labor-intensive process elicits direct comprehension of cyclic time. Coupled with his straight photographs, the book reveals the dynamic forms and processes of the Northern Forest. And an array of text references explore the biology, economics, history, philosophy, and vulnerability of this vast regional landscape.