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The View From Cascade Head


Lessons from the Biosphere from the Oregon Coast

To be released by Oregon State University Press in October 2020.

Cover with photo by Duncan Berry
Cover with photo by Duncan Berry

Book Description from the OSU Press Catalogue

Cascade Head, on the Oregon Coast between Lincoln City and Neskowin, has stunning ocean views, abundant recreational opportunities, and a rich history of ecological research and conservation. Its landscape and seascape support a multitude of species, some of which are threatened, such as the Oregon silverspot butterfly, spotted owl, and coho salmon. In The View from Cascade Head, Bruce Byers tells the fascinating story of this special place and the people who have worked to protect it. Drawing from his lifelong relationship with the Oregon Coast and recent experience living and working at Cascade Head, Byers weaves together personal observations and experiences, ecological science, the history and philosophy of nature conservation, and wider cross-cultural worldviews, in a series of interconnected essays.

Cascade Head is Oregon’s only biosphere reserve, part of the international network of biosphere reserves coordinated by UNESCO. The concept of the biosphere, and the network of biosphere reserves that arose from it, are important milestones in the history of ecology and nature conservation. Biosphere reserves around the world are laboratories for understanding how humans affect ecosystems and models for how we can heal the human-nature relationship.

The essays that make up The View from Cascade Head illustrate three main lessons: the actions and efforts of committed individuals make a difference; ecological mysteries still abound despite decades of scientific research; and our worldviews—how we think about our place in nature—shape our individual and collective effect on the ecosystems we inhabit. Byers helps us understand how they apply everywhere and can lead us toward a more sustainable relationship with our home planet.

Frontispiece illustration by Nora Sherwood
Frontispiece illustration by Nora Sherwood
Chapter-heading illustrations by Nora Sherwood
(left: Oregon silverspot butterfly, right: coho salmon)

OSU Press promotional offer

Want to take advantage of an early bird special? Preorder online at: http://osupress.oregonstate.edu/book/view-from-cascade-head and get 25% OFF (expires 9/15/2020) when you use promo code F20.

Click here to view the OSU Press promotional flyer.



About Bruce Byers

Bruce Byers Bruce Byers is an ecologist, writer, and international ecological consultant. His creative nonfiction writing tells stories of science and conservation from around the world. As an independent consultant, he assists government agencies, NGOs, and the private sector in the United States and worldwide with strategies for conserving biodiversity and improving the human-nature relationship.

1 Comments

  1. Janice Knausenberger
    June 28, 2020 2:48 am

    Well done! What a rich life you share with others.

    Reply

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