The Great Forest

The rare beauty of the Victorian Central Highlands

David Lindenmayer, Chris Taylor, Sarah Rees , Steve Kuiter

$49.99

Hardback

In stock
Ready to ship

QTY:

English

Allen & Unwin
31 August 2021

Mathematics & Sciences; Conservation of the environment; Forestry & silviculture: practice & techniques; The natural world, country life & pets

The city of Melbourne lies on the edge of a vast plain surrounded by a green and blue mountainous rim, whose hills and peaks are home to the magnificent Mountain Ash, the tallest flowering plant on the planet. The Mountain Ash forests were 20 million years in the making, and deep within the valleys are even more ancient, Gondwanic rainforests. The Great Forest showcases these forests as well as the world's tallest moss, breathtaking snow gum plateaus and the remnants of massive extinct volcanoes.

The Great Forest is a tribute to extraordinary landscapes now under severe threat from logging and wildfires, such as the catastrophic fire that struck on Black Saturday in 2009. It uncovers the intricate webs of life that make Mountain Ash forests so much more than their towering trees. It explores the unique forests that have sustained the Gunaikurnai, Taungurung and Wurundjeri peoples for tens of thousands of years, and that provide a home for creatures found almost nowhere else. The exquisite photographs reveal the Central Highlands of Victoria to be one of Australia's largely undiscovered natural treasures.

'With its glorious photographs, The Great Forest shows why these forests must be preserved for future generations.' - Tim Flannery

'The Great Forest shows the incredible beauty, wonder and value of this amazing part of Victoria.' - David Pocock

'It's rare to read a book that fills your heart with joy and your eyes with tears, all at the same time. The Great Forest does just this.' - Sophie Cunningham

'This wonderful new book highlights the magnificent wet forests of Victoria, and why it is so critical to protect them for their biodiversity, their beauty, and for all of humanity.' - Dame Jane Goodall

See more in SCIENCE CENTRAL

By: David Lindenmayer
Photographs by: Chris Taylor, Sarah Rees, Steve Kuiter
Imprint: Allen & Unwin
Country of Publication: Australia
Dimensions: Height: 255mm, Width: 230mm,
Weight: 1.163kg
ISBN: 9781760879822
ISBN 10: 1760879827
Pages: 192
Publication Date: 31 August 2021
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Out of Print

Statement of sovereignty Introduction: The Central Highlands 1. Landscapes 2. Geology 3. Rainforest 4. Mountain Ash and other forests 5. The understorey and forest floor 6. Water 7. Fire 8. Wildlife 9. Logging The future About the author About the photographers Acknowledgements Sources for Aboriginal place names Index

Professor David Lindenmayer AO is a world-leading expert on forest conservation and ranked among Australia's top 50 scientists. Based at the Australian National University, he has led some of the largest scale environmental research programs in Australia, including almost 40 years of work in Victoria's magnificent mountain ash forests. Chris Taylor, Sarah Rees and Steve Kuiter are outstanding photographers who have worked in Victoria's Central Highlands forests for many years.