Download or read book Exploring Southern Appalachian Forests written by Stephanie B. Jeffries and published by UNC Press Books. This book was released on 2014-09-22 with total page 331 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This unique hiking guide to the southern Appalachian mountains leads readers to explore the rich forest ecosystems and other natural communities visitors encounter along the trail. Drawing on years of experience guiding forest walks throughout the region, Steph Jeffries and Tom Wentworth invite hikers and nature lovers to see their surroundings in new ways. Readers will learn to decipher clues from the tree canopies, forest floor, and other natural features to appreciate more fully the environmental factors that make the southern Appalachians home to an amazing biodiversity. These thirty popular hikes in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia range from short walks along Blue Ridge Parkway pull-offs to longer day trips in the region's backcountry. Offering spectacular mountain scenery and natural wildflower gardens, these trails are the perfect place to gain a new appreciation for the natural communities of the region. Features include * A summary including distance, difficulty, and GPS coordinates for each hike * A narrative description of each hike, including the unique natural features waiting to be discovered * Detailed instructions to keep you on the trail * Best seasons to go for wildflower and foliage views * Contact information for each area * Photos and maps to orient you * An illustrated guide to southern Appalachia's most common trees and shrubs, including tips on identification

Download or read book The Appalachian Forest written by Chris Bolgiano and published by Stackpole Books. This book was released on 1998 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An eloquent account of Appalachia's past and future. Since European settlement, Appalachia's natural history has been profoundly impacted by the people who have lived, worked, and traveled there. Bolgiano's journey explores the influx of settlers, Native American displacement, lumber and coal exploitation, the birth of forestry, and conservation issues. 37 photos.

Download or read book Mountain Nature written by Jennifer Frick-Ruppert and published by Univ of North Carolina Press. This book was released on 2010-04-15 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Southern Appalachians are home to a breathtakingly diverse array of living things--from delicate orchids to carnivorous pitcher plants, from migrating butterflies to flying squirrels, and from brawny black bears to more species of salamander than anywhere else in the world. Mountain Nature is a lively and engaging account of the ecology of this remarkable region. It explores the animals and plants of the Southern Appalachians and the webs of interdependence that connect them. Within the region's roughly 35 million acres, extending from north Georgia through the Carolinas to northern Virginia, exists a mosaic of habitats, each fostering its own unique natural community. Stories of the animals and plants of the Southern Appalachians are intertwined with descriptions of the seasons, giving readers a glimpse into the interlinked rhythms of nature, from daily and yearly cycles to long-term geological changes. Residents and visitors to Great Smoky Mountains or Shenandoah National Parks, the Blue Ridge Parkway, or any of the national forests or other natural attractions within the region will welcome this appealing introduction to its ecological wonders.

Download or read book Waterfalls and Wildflowers in the Southern Appalachians written by Timothy P. Spira and published by UNC Press Books. This book was released on 2015-03-02 with total page 299 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: If you love waterfalls, here are some of the best hikes in the Southern Appalachians. And if you love plants--or simply would like to learn more about them--you will be in hiking heaven: naturalist Tim Spira's guidebook links waterfalls and wildflowers in a spectacularly beautiful region famous for both. Leading you to gorgeous waterfalls in Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Georgia, the book includes many hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and along the Blue Ridge Parkway. As he surveys one of America's most biologically diverse regions, Spira introduces hikers to the "natural communities" approach for identifying and understanding plants within the context of the habitats they occupy--equipping hikers to see and interpret landscapes in a new way. Each of the 30 hikes includes: * a detailed map and GPS coordinates * a lively trail description highlighting the plants you are most likely to see, as well as birds and other animals along the way * an associated plant species list Also featured: * beautiful color photographs of 30 destination waterfalls, 125 plants, and more * detailed descriptions of 125 key plant species * 22 drawings to help identify plant structures * a glossary of botanical terms

Download or read book A Field Guide to the Trees and Shrubs of the Southern Appalachians written by Robert E. Swanson and published by JHU Press. This book was released on 1994-03 with total page 420 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although the title suggests this is a guide to plants in a limited geographic range, the plants here are found in many areas of eastern North America, and the book can therefore be used as a guide for this larger area. But for naturalists visiting the beautiful area of the Southern Appalachians, it is a detailed and useful guide to the amazing variety of trees, shrubs, and woody vines growing there. "For naturalists visiting the beautiful area of the Southern Appalachians, it is a detailed and useful guide to the amazing variety of trees, shrubs, and woody vines growing there."-American Reference Books Annual

Download or read book Wildflowers and Plant Communities of the Southern Appalachian Mountains and Piedmont written by Timothy P. Spira and published by Univ of North Carolina Press. This book was released on 2011-05-16 with total page 541 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This richly illustrated field guide serves as an introduction to the wildflowers and plant communities of the southern Appalachians and the rolling hills of the adjoining piedmont. Rather than organizing plants, including trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants, by flower color or family characteristics, as is done in most guidebooks, botanist Tim Spira takes a holistic, ecological approach that enables the reader to identify and learn about plants in their natural communities. This approach, says Spira, better reflects the natural world, as plants, like other organisms, don't live in isolation; they coexist and interact in myriad ways. Full-color photo keys allow the reader to rapidly preview plants found within each of the 21 major plant communities described, and the illustrated species description for each of the 340 featured plants includes fascinating information about the ecology and natural history of each plant in its larger environment. With this new format, readers can see how the mountain and piedmont landscapes form a mosaic of plant communities that harbor particular groups of plants. The volume also includes a glossary, illustrations of plant structures, and descriptions of sites to visit. Whether you're a beginning naturalist or an expert botanist, this guidebook is a useful companion on field excursions and wildflower walks, as well as a valuable reference. Southern Gateways Guide is a registered trademark of the University of North Carolina Press

Download or read book Exploring the Southern Appalachian Grassy Balds written by Amy Duernberger and published by Univ of South Carolina Press. This book was released on 2017-11-15 with total page 127 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A field guide to the unique ecosystems and mountain trails in Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee "Treeless wonders" of the Southern Appalachians, grassy balds have long baffled scientists and enchanted outdoor enthusiasts. They exist as open spaces, often grassy meadows, found on or near the summits of mountains that are technically below the tree line. Are they artificial, the result of climate change, or something else entirely? While no one knows for sure, their natural beauty is undeniable. This book tells the story of these unique ecosystems and offers enthusiasts a guide to nineteen representative hiking trails across three states: Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Each season on the balds ushers in something special: 360-degree views on clear, crisp days in winter, a blanket of wildflowers across the mountaintops in spring, Catawba rhododendron and flame azaleas in early summer, and blueberries galore in the fall. But these unusual places are also under threat. The balds with their adjacent habitats host more than thirty plant and animal species that are endangered or threatened with many rapidly succumbing to new tree growth. Unique among hiking guides, this book is divided into two parts. Part 1 focuses on the balds collectively, with chapters on Native American legends and origin theories, European settlement and the effects of grazing, and efforts to preserve and maintain the balds in the face of environmental disruption. One chapter highlights the flora and fauna of the balds. Part 2 describes the hikes, each offering a unique experience, from the majestic wild ponies of Mount Rogers to the amazing pioneer history of Hooper Bald. This is the first guidebook to focus exclusively on the southern Appalachian grassy balds. The trails are organized into five geographic areas, with complete descriptions, maps, photos, and historical tidbits. At once a reference work and field guide, this book will encourage outdoor enthusiasts not only to experience the balds but to gain new appreciation for efforts to preserve and maintain these natural wonders.

Download or read book Cherokee National Forest Hiking Guide written by William H. Skelton and published by Univ. of Tennessee Press. This book was released on 2005 with total page 612 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First published in 1992, Cherokee National Forest Hiking Guide has been a vitalcompanion to thousands who have explored the 640,000-acre Cherokee National Forest. This second edition has been substantially expanded to cover all hiking trails in the forest as of 2003.Stretching across the Tennessee?North Carolina state line, the Cherokee NationalForest includes much of the western slopes of the southern Appalachian Mountains, north and south of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The area encompasses atremendous diversity of wildlife, vegetation, and scenic vistas of high mountain peaks and beautiful creeks, waterfalls, and valleys.Almost two hundred described and mapped trails and footpaths wind throughout this wildlife haven, inviting everyone who loves the outdoors-- hikers, backpackers, hunters, anglers, and horseback riders-- to explore its natural beauty. The Cherokee National Forest Hiking Guide provides maps and specific directions along with a wealth of general information on the forest's present and past wildlife, vegetation, and geology, as well as a history of the forest's human inhabitants-- including the political battles that have been waged to protect the forest.Featuring a new foreword by Senator Lamar Alexander, this book remains the definitiveguide to this expansive and alluring landscape sure to thrill outdoorsmen for manygenerations to come.

Download or read book The Southern Appalachians written by Susan L. Yarnell and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 1998 with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Folk Medicine in Southern Appalachia written by Anthony Cavender and published by UNC Press Books. This book was released on 2014-07-25 with total page 287 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the first comprehensive exploration of the history and practice of folk medicine in the Appalachian region, Anthony Cavender melds folklore, medical anthropology, and Appalachian history and draws extensively on oral histories and archival sources from the nineteenth century to the present. He provides a complete tour of ailments and folk treatments organized by body systems, as well as information on medicinal plants, patent medicines, and magico-religious beliefs and practices. He investigates folk healers and their methods, profiling three living practitioners: an herbalist, a faith healer, and a Native American healer. The book also includes an appendix of botanicals and a glossary of folk medical terms. Demonstrating the ongoing interplay between mainstream scientific medicine and folk medicine, Cavender challenges the conventional view of southern Appalachia as an exceptional region isolated from outside contact. His thorough and accessible study reveals how Appalachian folk medicine encompasses such diverse and important influences as European and Native American culture and America's changing medical and health-care environment. In doing so, he offers a compelling representation of the cultural history of the region as seen through its health practices.

Download or read book Conifer Country written by Michael Edward Kauffmann and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book A Land Imperiled written by John Nolt and published by Univ. of Tennessee Press. This book was released on 2005 with total page 456 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cherokees called the magnificent mountain range in eastern Tennessee "land ofthe blue mist," which European settlers later changed to "Smoky Mountains."Today, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of SouthernAppalachia's leading tourist attractions. But that fabled blue mist isn't so blue-- orhealthy-- any longer. Particularly in the summer months, the "smoke" of the Smokies isa haze of sulfate particles and other pollutants released by coal-burning power plants, amixture more likely to create dangerous ozone levels for visiting tourists than the invigorating "mountain air" so many come to seek.It is a story common throughout Southern Appalachia, one of America's most beautiful, biologically diverse, and fragile bioregions. A Land Imperiled is a symptom-by-symptomlook at the myriad of ecological issues threatening the health of the southernhigh country. Sections on air, water, plants and animals, food, energy, waste, transportation, and population and urbanization make this the most comprehensive environmentalstudy of Southern Appalachia to date-- a much-needed wake-up call for anyone concernedabout the region's natural legacy.But it is not just the future we have to worry about, the author asserts; pollution, development, and other forms of degradation are already affecting our quality of life. Theexcessively high ozone levels plaguing the Smokies have been connected to a host of respiratory problems, including chronic bronchitis and asthma. Once-crystal streams aregreen and sluggish with runoff from agricultural wastes. Over half of the South's naturalforests are gone, and a mere 2 percent of the remaining forests have protected status.The environment of Southern Appalachia is a collection of complex, interrelatedsystems that needs care and protection to function in full health. A Land Imperiled notonly illustrates the many ways in which the health of this bioregion is being affected, but also provides examples of how the damage can be reversed to sustain ourselves andthis natural treas

Download or read book Discovering the Appalachian Trail written by Joshua Niven and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2022-06-01 with total page 337 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From beginners to thru-hikers, Discovering the Appalachian Trail has something for anyone that wants a connection with the nation’s longest marked footpath at approximately 2,181 miles. Starting at Springer Mountain in Georgia and finishing far to the north in Maine’s Mount Katahdin, the A.T. crosses 14 states, 6 national parks, and 8 national forests. Taking on the A.T. is a pilgrimage because of both its beauty and accessibility. Let Joshua Niven and Amber Adams guide you across the best trails that the Appalachian Trail has to offer. Complete with full-color photography, you’ll also have hikes suited to every ability, mile-by-mile directional cues, sidebars, and maps.

Download or read book Medicinal Plants of the Southern Appalachians written by Patricia Kyritsi Howell and published by Boston Academic Pub. This book was released on 2006-01-01 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This concise guide to medicinal plants of the Southern Appalachians includes botanical descriptions of 45 native plants, their historical and current uses in herbal practice, detailed, easy-to-follow medicine making instructions and unique recipes for syrups, liniments, digestive bitters and more. The book invites the reader to explore native plants in their wild habitats and offers step-by-step ethical harvesting guidelines while emphasizing conservation issues. The author is a well-respected medical herbalist and teacher who lives in the mountains of north Georgia. Praise for Medicinal Plants of the Southern Appalachians. "This is one volume that I want to own as we enter the post-corporate age: a priceless guide to Southern plant alchemy. This practical yet enchanting botanical brings an ancient art to modernity. These pages are as rich as the cove forests they honor. Even to peruse Howell's manual is healing, and exhilarating, not only because of the book's inherent beauty, but because it contains vital knowledge all of us will need as fossil fuels dwindle and we return to the local. One day this book may save your life." Janisse Ray, author of Ecology of a Cracker Childhood, Wild Card Quilt and Pinhook: Finding Wholeness in a Fragmented Land "An elegant introduction presented in a clear-as-a-bell style that educates as well as entertains." Peter Loewer, author of The Wild Gardener and Jefferson's Garden "There are many comprehensive volumes about medicinal plants in other regions of North America but none for the botanically rich southeast. Now, a widely experienced and knowledgeable herbalist has written a thorough guide to the virtues of Yellow Root, Rabbit Tobacco, Dogwood Bark, Sweet Fern and other better known herbs of the region. From Howell's book, readers can learn to use local plants safely and consciously to improve the health of their families or patients." David Winston, RH (AHG), Dean, Herbal Therapeutics School of Herbal Medicine "An excellent, much needed resource on Southeastern herbs. Well thought out and easy to follow." Tim Blakely, co-author of The Bootstrap Guide to Medicinal Herbs in the Garden, Field and Marketplace "I often remind veterinarians that the foundation of botanical medicine lies in the experience of learning all aspects of medicinal plants thoroughly. This book guides the reader out of the classroom and into the fields and forest where plants become, to the student, more tangible sources of healing. Recommended for any practitioner who wants to deepen their understanding of our native apothecary." Susan Wynn, DVM, RH (AHG), Executive Director, Veterinary Botanical Medical Assoc.

Download or read book Native Orchids of the Southern Appalachian Mountains written by Stanley L. Bentley and published by . This book was released on 2000 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Native Orchids of the Southern Appalachian Mountains

Download or read book Our Southern Highlanders written by Horace Kephart and published by Smokies Life. This book was released on 1913 with total page 472 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This special expanded third edition of Horace Kephart's classic work on the people of Southern Appalachia has been completely re-typeset and includes a new introduction by writer George Ellison. This edition also includes eight articles written by Horace Kephart and published after the previous edition on such topics as moonshiners, rifle-making, mountain culture, and the proposed Great Smoky Mountains National Park. All told, readers will find over 100 pages of new material not included in any of the book's previous editions.

Download or read book Hiking and Traveling the Blue Ridge Parkway Revised and Expanded Edition written by Leonard M. Adkins and published by UNC Press Books. This book was released on 2018-08-03 with total page 394 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This comprehensive guidebook provides a detailed description of every official National Park Service trail along the Blue Ridge Parkway. But that's just the beginning: veteran hiker Leonard M. Adkins includes information on every trail that touches the parkway, including the Appalachian Trail and other public pathways on national park, state park, national forest, municipal, and private lands, along with citations for the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. Far more than a guide to the trails, this book will help you plan your whole trip. It's the perfect companion for your next parkway adventure. Includes: - every public trail along the parkway - GPS coordinates and 72 maps - 255 total trails, including 12 new trails since the last edition - trail length and difficulty - points of interest - wheelchair accessibility - a short history of the parkway and region - campgrounds and lodges - public restroom locations - elevation change charts for cyclists - tunnel heights for RVs - wildflower bloom calendar - selected sightseeing information on nearby towns