New Dawn for the Kissimmee River - by Doug Alderson (Paperback)

About the Book

This book chronicles a paddling expedition down the
restored Kissimmee River, exploring the history and ecology
of the region while highlighting the most successful
restoration project of its kind in the world.

Book Synopsis

First-Place
Winner, Florida Writers Association Royal Palm Literary Award

Exploring and chronicling a restored river in the heart of Florida

The
Kissimmee Valley, which includes the Kissimmee chain of lakes and Kissimmee
River, covers an area from Orlando to Lake Okeechobee. The headwaters and grand
gateway to the Everglades, the area is the domain of the alligator and bald
eagle, snail kite and spoonbill, stretching more than 100 miles through central
Florida.

Between 1960 and 1971, the Army Corps of Engineers
straightened and diverted the river's flow to control persistent flooding.
These alterations shortened the length of the Kissimmee, significantly reduced
wildlife populations, and created a lucrative real estate market that further
threatened native species. In 1992, Congress acted to restore the river to its
original flow.

In the spring of 2007, Doug Alderson joined an
expedition down the Kissimmee chain of lakes and the newly restored river. The
group witnessed firsthand the recovering bird populations, spotted otters,
turtles, alligators, and other wildlife that make up the hidden beauty of this
part of Florida.

In
New Dawn for the Kissimmee River, Alderson uses this twelve-day paddling
excursion as a thread to explore the history and ecology of the region, while
highlighting the most successful restoration project of its kind in the world,
the model for the overall Everglades restoration plan.

Review Quotes

"A
chronicle as enthralling and meandering as its subject, New Dawn for the
Kissimmee River is one of those increasingly rare species of nature books
infused with (gasp!) optimism for the environment."--Orlando Sentinel

About the Author

Doug
Alderson,
former associate editor of Florida Wildlife magazine and current Florida
Paddling Trails Coordinator for the Florida Department of Environmental
Protection, is the author of Waters Less Traveled: Exploring Florida's Big
Bend Coast; Encounters with Florida's Endangered Wildlife; and The
Ghost Orchid Ghost and Other Tales from the Swamp.