Eric Dinerstein has some very kind words to say about Reed Noss's book: Forgotten Grasslands of the South
Professor Noss crawling along steephead stream, Nokuse Plantation, Walton County, Florida. Photo by April Noss
Reed Noss is widely acclaimed as one of the leading thinkers in the field of Conservation Biology and his new book illustrates his vast influence. Like many biologists, I can say unequivocably that over the years I have gained more knowledge and inspiration from Reed Noss's writings than that of any other contemporary biologist.
Noss's new book, and in many ways his magnum opus, Forgotten Grasslands of the South will prove to be an instant classic on several levels. As a piece of natural history writing it is unparalleled in its depth and scope.
But this book is so much more than an exploration of little-known grasslands or an explanation of why this region is of global biological importance. It is a rich brew of the most important theories in ecology, plant ecology, conservation biology, biogeography and related sciences, applied to a region he knows well and one that most ecologists, excepting E.O. Wilson who wrote a glowing foreword for the book, have little familiarity with. This is a book I read a few pages at a time because I learned so much on every page.
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Most of all though this book is an exploration into the workings of a brilliant scientific mind and independent thinker. To that end, Forgotten Grasslands of the South should be read by every senior undergraduate or graduate student interested in a career in the natural sciences. Here is their role model at home in the fields of the south. To be able to dig so deep and reveal the mystery of southern grasslands, through the lenses of ecological and evolutionary theory and the implications for conservation is a singular gift.
The awareness of how unique our country is biologically is often lost on most Americans. It is as if we Americans won the biodiversity lottery but forgot to look at our winning ticket. Reed Noss, in his opus about a region he loves and knows so well, shows us why our ticket is priceless.
Professor Noss crawling along steephead stream, Nokuse Plantation, Walton County, Florida. Photo by April Noss