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In the Country of the Kaw: A Personal Natural History of the American Plains by James H. Locklear at Abbey's Bookshop,
In the Country of the Kaw: A Personal Natural History of the American Plains
— —
James H. Locklear

In the Country of the Kaw

A Personal Natural History of the American Plains

James H. Locklear

$73.95   $63.12

Hardback

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English
University Press of Kansas
31 May 2024
Ecological science, the Biosphere; Grasslands, heaths, prairies, tundra; The Earth: natural history general
Gathering its waters from the plains of Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska, the Kaw is truly America’s prairie river; the only one to arise entirely on the Great Plains and traverse all three major grasslands—shortgrass, mixed-grass, and tallgrass prairies. James Locklear’s In the Country of the Kaw is a joyous exploration of the realm of the Kaw River, which stretches from the High Plains of Colorado to the Kansas City metropolitan area.

The book’s first section profiles geology, landforms, and the region’s woodlands and grasslands. The second explores the rich biological diversity associated with the land and its inhabitants’ remarkable adaptations to the environment and each other. The final section is a collection of stories of human interaction with the landscape, how nature has shaped culture and culture nature. Locklear finds “astonishments” at every turn.

In the Country of the Kaw is also a call to seek the flourishing of the natural and human communities of the region. Locklear describes staggering, human-wrought environmental degradations, but also finds great hope in the resilience of Nature and the inspiring work of conservation, preservation, restoration, and renewal being accomplished by individuals and organizations throughout the region. Locklear’s relationship with the country of the Kaw stretches from his childhood in Kansas City in the 1960s to his current professional life as a botanist working in the Great Plains. A half century of rambling and rooting around in this region has given him a deep awe and affection for its uniqueness and goodness, which he conveys to the reader on every page.
By:  
Imprint:   University Press of Kansas
Country of Publication:   United States
Dimensions:   Height: 229mm,  Width: 152mm, 
Weight:   272g
ISBN:   9780700636419
ISBN 10:   0700636412
Pages:   328
Publication Date:  
Audience:   General/trade ,  ELT Advanced
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Acknowledgments Prologue Part I the Face of the Land 1. Headlands 2. Heartland 3. Scarplands 4. Tree Folk 5. Setting Sail on the Star-Grass Sea 6. A Kaw Florilegium Part II the Membership 7. The Days of Manure River 8. O Elkader! 9. Bird Sketches 10. Surprised by Shorbs 11. The Waters of Mother Kaw 12. Beautiful Contrivances 14. The Hard Places Part III Nature and Culture 14. Paradise Undone 15. Community Ecologies 16. The Showalter Lilac 17 Lithophilia 18. The Greatest Day in the History of Beeler 19. Rock Towns 20 Stickers Epilogue Appendix A: Plant Names Mentioned in the Text Appendix B: Animal Names Mentioned in the Text Selected Bibliography Index

James H. Locklear is director of conservation at Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha, NE.

Reviews for In the Country of the Kaw: A Personal Natural History of the American Plains

“In the Country of the Kaw is a singular and significant addition to the literature of the Great Plains. Thoughtfully written, it captures the essence of the entire Kaw River basin, from the High Plains of eastern Colorado to the forested hills of northeastern Kansas. In the Country of the Kaw will help you understand this part of our natural world and live there more fully.” - Rex C. Buchanan, editor of Kansas Geology and coauthor of Roadside Kansas“James Locklear writes about the land with the easy grace of someone describing an old friend. Indeed, Locklear’s ambition with In the Country of the Kaw is to convey the personality of the plains along the Kansas River through a series of sketches of the plants, animals, fossils, towns, and people to be found in the 173 water miles from Junction City to the confluence with the Missouri. It is an eclectic and sometimes quirky journey, but always expertly informed, as Locklear describes his avian dreams of swirling kettles of Swainson’s hawks to his waking sorrow at the historic slaughter of wolves and bison. This is a book to delight and instruct and to reassure that you aren’t the only one thinking and caring deeply about the natural world.” - Max McCoy, author of Elevations: A Personal Exploration of the Arkansas River


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