The Twilight Forest - by Gary Ferguson (Hardcover)

About the Book

Ponderosa pine has long been a charismatic icon of the American West--yet a quiet unraveling has begun. In the past decade, in a vast area from Santa Fe to the Sierras, more than two hundred million ponderosa have died. While some will survive in cooler places, scientists estimate that by mid-century, less than five percent of the ponderosa in the American Southwest may remain. As the very character of this vast region shifts, what will be left behind? In The Twilight Forest, Gary Ferguson brings readers on an expansive journey through the ponderosa forests of the Southwest both to mourn--and to celebrate--the forests that nurtured him. The result is a life-affirming tribute to one of America's most cherished wild landscapes and a reminder that loss can be a pathway to connection.

Book Synopsis

With their towering, cinnamon-colored trunks and dusky green canopies, ponderosa pine has long been a charismatic icon of the American West. Yet a quiet unraveling has begun: in the past decade, in a vast area from Santa Fe to the Sierras, more than two hundred million ponderosa have died. While some trees will survive in cooler places, scientists estimate that by mid-century less than five percent of the ponderosa in the American Southwest may remain. As the very character of this vast region shifts, what will be left behind? And how can we come to terms with such profound loss?

In The Twilight Forest, Gary Ferguson brings readers on an expansive journey through the ponderosa forests of the Southwest both to mourn--and to celebrate--the forests that nurtured him. In warm and luminous storytelling, Ferguson weaves together the human and natural history of ponderosa, from its march across the West more than 10,000 years ago, to centuries of artists inspired by its dazzling stature and shady passageways. Both wildfire and climate change are constant presences on this journey. Fire is necessary for healthy forests but has turned deadly, while climate change stresses even the hardiest beings of the natural world. Yet the story of ponderosa reminds us that loss can be a gateway to connection--to nature and each other.

While it is tempting to hide from the changes around us, Ferguson offers a healing approach: "to pick even one of these thousand doors of loss, pull it open and walk through." The resulting journey is a life-affirming tribute to one of America's most cherished wild landscapes.

Review Quotes

"A title that could stir thought, then action."-- "Booklist"

"Ferguson uses the ponderosa to illustrate the impact of nature on culture, providing the inspiration readers may need to take action and help conserve the ponderosa pine.... A passionate work for those interested in a detailed exploration of ponderosa pines and their influence on the cultural landscape of the Americas."-- "Library Journal"

"Gary Ferguson's latest book is a love letter to the great ponderosa pine, an icon of arid forests. In the shade and the scent of the ponderosa, Ferguson finds inspiration, solace, and a shelter of sorts against the ravages of the climate change era. The Twilight Forest is a wonderous exploration of the ponderosa's past, present, and uncertain future."---Jason Mark, author of "Satellites in the High Country"

"One of our finest writers of life and the land, Gary Ferguson honors each in The Twilight Forest. This devastating elegy and thrilling love song leaves me stricken with loss yet glad to be alive. The mighty Ponderosa could have no more constant lover or better voice."---Robert Michael Pyle, author of "Wintergreen" and "Magdalena Mountain"

"The forests of the American Southwest are one of the most remarkable landscapes in the U.S, yet few other ecosystems have suffered as much in modern times. In The Twilight Forest, life-long Westerner Gary Ferguson takes us on a journey full of both mourning and celebration, demonstrating along the way how our respect for the trees reflects the respect we have for our own lives."---Chip Blake, former Editor-in-Chief, "Orion"

"Those of us lucky enough to have wandered these forests in their prime are grateful for this graceful elegy. It's more than that, of course--it's also a deep warning about what we're doing to all the landscapes of the earth as we rapidly warm this planet. May we remember, mourn, and organize."---Bill McKibben, author of "Here Comes the Sun"

About the Author

Award-winning author Gary Ferguson has written for a variety of national publications, including Vanity Fair and Outside, and is the author of twenty-seven books on nature and science. His memoir The Carry Home, which the Los Angeles Times called "gorgeous, with beauty on every page," was awarded "Best Nature Book of the Year" by the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute. Hawks Rest--described as "dazzling" by The San Francisco Chronicle--was the first title to win the Best Book award from both the Mountains and Plains and the Pacific Northwest booksellers associations. Decade of the Wolf, meanwhile, written with Yellowstone wolf project director Doug Smith, was Montana Book of the Year. Gary's 2016 article "A Deeper Boom," for Orion magazine, was chosen "Best Essay of the Year" by the American Society of Journalists and Authors.

Gary is a frequent keynote speaker on a variety of conservation issues, as well as a former member of the National Geographic Lecture Series.