Home Books Ever Green: Saving Big Forests to Save the Planet

Ever Green: Saving Big Forests to Save the Planet

Ever Green: Saving Big Forests to Save the Planet

by John W. Reid; Thomas E. Lovejoy

W. W. Norton & Company ·2022 ·320 pages
Near the Top
Near the Top
I Index
74/99
Top of the Pile

78/99

Critics' Rating Index

Near the Top

70/99

Readers' Rating Index

n/a

Scholars' Citation Index

66/99

Volume of Reviews

20/99

Volume of Reader Ratings

Sign in to add to your shelf, rate, or review this book.


About This Book

Clear, provocative, and persuasive, Ever Green is an inspiring call to action to conserve Earth's irreplaceable wild woods, counteract climate change, and save the planet. Five stunningly large forests remain on Earth: the Taiga, extending from the Pacific Ocean across all of Russia and far-northern Europe; the North American boreal, ranging from Alaska's Bering seacoast to Canada's Atlantic shore; the Amazon, covering almost the entirety of South America's bulge; the Congo, occupying parts of six nations in Africa's wet equatorial middle; and the island forest of New Guinea, twice the size of California. These megaforests are vital to preserving global biodiversity, thousands of cultures, and a stable climate, as economist John W. Reid and celebrated biologist Thomas E. Lovejoy argue convincingly in Ever Green. Megaforests serve an essential role in decarbonizing the atmosphere—the boreal alone holds 1.8 trillion metric tons of carbon in its deep soils and peat layers, 190 years' worth of global emissions at 2019 levels—and saving them is the most immediate and affordable large-scale solution to our planet's most formidable ongoing crisis. Reid and Lovejoy offer practical solutions to address the biggest challenges these forests face, from vastly expanding protected areas, to supporting Indigenous forest stewards, to planning smarter road networks. In gorgeous prose that evokes the majesty of these ancient forests along with the people and animals who inhabit them, Reid and Lovejoy take us on an exhilarating global journey.


Reviews

"Although the idea of saving the forests is hardly new, the language and details the authors use (as well as the included images) to describe these regions lead to an especially powerful message ..."

Kirkus Read review ↗ Top of the Pile

"We must preserve the forests to survive, and we must preserve the forests because it is a moral imperative ..."

Cory Oldweiler· The Boston Globe Read review ↗ Top of the Pile

"They vividly describe tree species and the myriad life forms they sustain ..."

Donna Seaman· Booklist Read review ↗ Top of the Pile

"or all its scholarly precision, is ultimately an impassioned plea to save the world's last great wild places by two men who had come, through long professional acquaintance, to love them."

Richard Schiffman· The Washington Post Read review ↗ Top of the Pile

"The authors depict the flora and fauna of these far-flung locations in vivid descriptions that chart how each species is part of a vast ecosystem, and make a strong case for the inherent value of the plants, animals, and people that live in the megaforests."

Publishers Weekly Read review ↗ Near the Top

"Through this accessible narrative, readers get an up-close view of these different forests, including the Indigenous people who live there and the scientists who are working to preserve these areas ..."

Diana Hartle· Library Journal Read review ↗ Near the Top

Preview


Reader Reviews

0 reviews

Sign in to write a review.

No reader reviews yet. Be the first!