The mountain chain known as the Blue Ridge traces a 550-mile arc through
Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, and
Georgia. Along the way, it encompasses Shenandoah National Park, Great
Smoky Mountains National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway, seven national
forests, numerous federal wilderness areas and state parks, and parts of
the Appalachian Trail. It is the largest concentration of public lands
east of the Mississippi and home to an astonishing diversity of plant and
animal life. But as the most extensive natural area in the increasingly
populous Southeast, the Blue Ridge ecosystem faces unique challenges in
the next decades.
Drawing on scientific research in a variety of disciplines, journalist
Steve Nash provides a clear and evenhanded introduction to some of the
most hotly disputed environmental issues facing the Blue Ridge, including
the invasion of exotic plants and insects, the explosive growth of
suburban-style communities in natural areas, worsening air and water
pollution, and the erratic management of national forests. Informative
and highly readable, Blue Ridge 2020 takes a hard look at
what is
at risk in these mountains and what we--as the "owners" of the public
lands--must do if we intend to preserve their future.
For more information about the book, the author, and the Blue Ridge,
take a look at the author's website at http://blueridge2020.com
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