Forests

First published in 1990, Forests explores the ecological, economic, and human influences on over thirty significant types of woodlands. Laurence Walker focuses especially on the effects of site factors-climate, physiography, biology, and soils-upon the growth of various kinds of trees. Projects for amateur naturalists, reading lists, and a glossary make this the perfect introduction for general readers.

• Preface
• 1. The Changing Forest: Seeds and Their Seedlings / On Roots / Ecological Succession / A Little Knowledge Is …
• The Needleleaf Trees
  • 2. Westward Wood: Douglas-fir: Taxonomic “Confusion Worse Confounded,” / Reforest-and-Stay-Put / When Clearcutting Is Not Evil / On Imitating Nature / When Fire Is Not Evil / When Red Alder Is Not Evil / Ecological Associates
  • 3. Dwarf and Giant: Longleaf Pine: The Grass Stage / Growing Straight and Tall / A Needle Blight / Predator Pests / Seed for the Sowing / The New Forest
  • 4. Tall Timbers: Coast Redwood: Sequoias Are Not All Redwoods / Four Factors of Site / A Conifer That Sprouts / The Shortest Distance Is Up and Down / Wood of Redwood / Tribute to the Chief
  • 5. Murky Bottom and Droughty Land: Loblolly Pine: Indian Influences / Virgin Forest and Second-Growth / Clearcutting Is Good Ecology / Phenology / Habitat / Uses of the Trees
  • 6. Ancient Wonders: Bristlecone Pine: Trees of the Past / Trees for the Future
  • 7. Redcedar Riddle: Eastern Redcedar: Cedar Sites / Measurements Follow Observations
  • 8. Enduring Giants: Giant Sequoia: Sentinels of the Sierras / Sequoia, Chief Among Trees / Big Tree, Little Seed / A Riddle / Tall Trees, Tough Men / Climb and Climate / Ancient World, Old World, and New World Meet
  • 9. Up from the Ashes: Sand, Pond, Pitch, Jack, and Lodgepole Pines: Tree for a Sandy Land / Tree for a Swampy Land / Tree for a Barren Land / Tree for a Desecrated Land / Tree for a Rocky Land / Trees for Many Lands
  • 10. Mountain Heights to Low Bogs: Spruce and Fir Trees: Alike, Yet Different / Distinctions Between the Spruces / Flowers and Seeds / Spruce—Fir and Wildlife / Insect and Disease Attack / Uses of the Wood / Chemical Uses / Ecological Trends / Locales / Scandinavia’s Presentation to North America / Names and Their Derivations / Big Trees Among Them / The Muskeg Bog / Appalachian Balds
  • 11. Trees on the Range: Junipers and Pinyon Pine: “A Worthy Purpose,” / “Be It Ever So Humble,” / “The Company One Keeps,” / Extending the Range / Holding the Line / A Nature Note
  • 12. Swamp Dweller: Baldcypress: About the Old Forest / About the New Forest / Woodland Cathedral / Blue Elbow / Knees and Swollen Butts / A Wood Worth Growing
  • 13. Timber for a King: Eastern White Pine: Where It Grows / A Southern Highland Situation / How It Grows / A Northern Highland Situation / White Birch Nurse Trees / A Nutritional Malady / A Barren Land Reclaimed / Chemical Tests as a Tool / Foliage Symptoms for Diagnosing Ailments / An Insect Malady / Sunshine, a Malady / A Pathological Malady / An Environmental Malady / And White Pine Blister Rust
  • 14. From Monterey to the World: Monterey Pine: At Home and Abroad / Climate Preference / Soil Preferences / Discriminating Preferences / Chromosomal Preferences / Flowers and Seeds / Mycorrhizae—The Good-Guy Fungi / Some Pros and Cons / To the World
  • 15. Woods of Longevity: White-Cedars and Junipers: Atlantic White-Cedar / Acid Swamps / Seeds and Seedlings / Regeneration / Wildlife in These Woods / Problems for Atlantic White-Cedar / Northern White-Cedar / Northern White-Cedar Wood / From Seed to Harvest / Landscapes’ Choice/Cedars of the Brakes, the Glades, and the Basin
  • 16. Pioneer Plant for Paper Pulp: Virginia Pine: Where They Grow / How They Grow / Christmas Trees
  • 17. Krummholz and Elfinwood: Subalpine Fir: Associates Among the Trees / Associates Among the Lesser Plants / Associates Among the Animals / Spire-Shaped and Prostrate Habit
  • 18. Sandhills and Flatwoods: Slash Pine: Sandhills Sites / Flatwoods Forests / Extending the Range / Scientific Exploration
• The Broadleaf Trees
  • 19. Lost Bonanza: American Chestnut: The Tree That Had Everything / A Threat That Became a Catastrophe / Salvage / What After Chestnut? / Toward a Future Chestnut
  • 20. Oranges That Are Apples: Osage-Orange: An Old Tale / Oranges and Apples, the French and the Indians / Shelterbelts and Windbreaks / A Look at the Tree / A Drupe Fruit / Uses for the Wood
  • 21. Cinderella Cellulose: Trembling Aspen: Bunyan’s Toothpicks / Coppice Reproduction / Single-Sex Trees / Fire Is Not Alone / Cinderella, Did We Say!
  • 22. Living Riprap: Willows: Kin to Cottonwood / Willow Wood
  • 23. Toxic Defense: Black Walnut: Allelopathy / Influence on Succession / Walnut Wood / Earlier Uses of the Tree / Walnut in Mythology / Appearance of a Noble Tree / Plantations / Silviculture
  • 24. From Cotton to Cottonwood: Cottonwood: New Trees / Ecological Characteristics / Tolerance to Flooded Land / Tolerance to Arid Land / Soil Moisture Regulates Growth / Ecological Succession Begins / New Forests Not From Nature / Management Matters / Usefulness / Some Pests: Insects / Other Pests: Fungi / Still Other Pests / The Future
  • 25. Species Proliferation: The Oaks: Casks and Pipes / Other Uses for White Oak Group Woods / Red Oak Group Wood and Its Uses / The Wood of Both Groups / Outward Appearances—Form / Leaves / Twigs / Flowers and Fruits / Spiral Arrangements / Taxonomists’ Fun and Games / Champion Trees / Problems for the Genus / How Foresters Regenerate Oaks / Biblical Beards
  • 26. Tree Legume: Black Locust: How the Bacteria Work / Roots, a Tree’s Brain / Nitrogen Is Not a Mineral Fertilizer / Wood of Black Locust / Identifying Characteristics / Mesquite Story / Black Locust for Spoil Banks / Environmental Concern / Black Locust Problems / Final Note
  • 27. Ship Timbers: Live Oak: What Kind of Tree Is Live Oak? / Ecological Relationships—Dunes / In the Forest / Farmland Competition / What Kind of Wood Does Live Oak Have? / The Live Oakers / Moving the Wood Pieces / Live Oak Trees and Politics / Live Oaks as Monuments
  • 28. Stink-Bomb Tree: Ginkgo: Tree of Antiquity / A Matter of Mating / Leaf Spigots / Living Scissors
  • 29. Forests to Fine Furniture: The Northern Hardwoods: Climax Vegetation / Where These Trees Grow / Seeds and Seedlings / Uses of the Wood / Injurious Aspects / Conflict Over Trees
  • 30. Tropical Hardwoods: The Dipteroearps: Two Wings / Ecological Contemporaries / Reforestation Efforts / Natural Regeneration / Big Fire / Socioforestry / Exploitation and Government Edicts
  • 31. Low-Mountain Shrubs: Chaparral: Fire and Development
  • 32. Tree-Like Monocots: Bamboos and Palms: Bamboos / Synchrony, a Physiological Symphony / Palms / See How They Grow / Other Uses of Palm / Cabbage Palms / Royal Palm / Washington Palm / Canary Island Date Palm Problem / Roundup
• The Forest—Whose Woods These Are
  • Forests for the Future
• Afterword
• Further Reading
• Glossary
• Index