The tallgrass prairie once stretched from Indiana to Kansas to Minnesota. Most of this land is now growing corn and soybeans. In To Find a Pasqueflower, Greg Hoch shows us that the tallgrass prairie is the most endangered ecosystem on the continent, but it’s also an ecosystem that people can play an active role in restoring.
Hoch blends history, culture, and science into a unified narrative of the tallgrass prairie, with an emphasis on humans’ participation in its development and destruction. Hoch also demonstrates how variable and dynamic the prairie is, creating both challenges and opportunities for those who manage and restore and appreciate it.
By:
Greg Hoch
Imprint: University of Iowa Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions:
Height: 203mm,
Width: 152mm,
Weight: 175g
ISBN: 9781609388256
ISBN 10: 1609388259
Series: Bur Oak Book
Pages: 288
Publication Date: 24 May 2022
Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Introduction Chapter 1. Prairie, People, and Perceptions A Prairie Education Chapter 2. Where the Prairie Begins The Next Prairie Visit Chapter 3. Where the Prairie Ends Personal Geographies Chapter 4. Historic Prairie Fires Prairie Wilderness Chapter 5. A Stable, Balanced, Cooperative Equilibrium Conversing with the Dead Chapter 6. Prairie Flora What We Know Chapter 7. Modern Fires, Plant Community, and Productivity Ashes to Ashes Chapter 8. Prairie Remnants Prairies I’ve Known Chapter 9. Prairie Belowground Only Gravel Ridges Are Poor Enough Chapter 10. Prairie Beasts An Acceptable Substitute Chapter 11. Prairie Feathers Counting Chickens Chapter 12. Prairie Insects Two Worlds Chapter 13. Patches, Mosaics, and Management Through a Lens Chapter 14. Prairie Trees Lawns of God Chapter 15. Prairie Restoration Keeping the Cogs and Wheels Chapter 16. New Advocates for Prairie Conservation Prairie Spring Conclusion Bibliography Index
Greg Hoch works as a prairie habitat supervisor for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. He is author of Booming from the Mists of Nowhere: The Story of the Greater Prairie-Chicken (Iowa, 2015), Sky Dance of the Woodcock: The Habits and Habitats of a Strange Little Bird (Iowa, 2019), and With Wings Extended: A Leap into the Wood Duck's World (Iowa, 2020). He lives near Cambridge, Minnesota.
Reviews for To Find a Pasqueflower: A Story of the Tallgrass Prairie
""Greg Hoch has created a truly valuable new contribution to the literature on prairies. Of particular note is the depth of his research, reflected in the amazing array of fascinating quotes scatter throughout the book and his comprehensive references. Hoch poses more thought-provoking questions than he answers, giving an accurate portrayal of how much we still have to learn about prairies and how to care for them. This is a must-have volume for anyone interested in prairies as a naturalist, ecologist, land manager, artist, or casual enthusiast.""--Scott Fulton, president, the Prairie Enthusiasts ""Hoch blends history, science, and personal experience to paint a richly detailed portrait of the North American tallgrass prairie. He also highlights the role of humans in the development and near disappearance of the prairie and the need for action to preserve this iconic ecosystem for future generations.""--John Blair, director, Konza Prairie Biological Station ""To Find a Pasqueflower invites us into the love of Greg Hoch's life: America's unfathomably complex tallgrass prairies. Science-based chapters summon us to look more closely and ask more questions. Enticing personal essays speak of landscapes of the heart and soul--springtime's emergence, wolves glimpsed on the trail, the booming of prairie chickens. Hungry for prairie? This book will feed your desires.""--Cornelia F. Mutel, author, A Sugar Creek Chronicle: Observing Climate Change from a Midwestern Woodland