Join us on a journey through time to examine how different cultures and civilizations have interacted with their natural environments, particularly forests, as we dive into the multifaceted ways in which forests have influenced the development, sustainability, and progress of various societies across the world. “A Forest Journey,” written by John Perlin, Visiting Scholar of the University of California Santa Barbra, offers a comprehensive exploration of the intertwined history of trees, forests, and human civilization, shedding light on the profound ways in which these natural resources have shaped societies and cultures over time.
According to Perlin, human civilizations have been profoundly influenced and affected by the way people have used – and abused – trees and forest products. He states, “To save our home and each other, we must actively protect what is left of the Earth’s forests.” Sadly, as Perlin notes throughout the book, those lessons of history are still not being learned – here in Oregon, across the United States, and across the world, forests and trees are under constant threat by logging.
Reviews have said, “A Forest Journey is a brilliant book that should be compulsory reading for everybody – not just those with an interest in plants and people.” Join us as we dive deeper into the important role trees play in societies and learn about current opportunities to permanently protect mature and old-growth forests on federal public lands from logging.
John Perlin is the author of four highly acclaimed books on solar energy and forestry: A Golden Thread: 2500 Years of Solar Architecture and Technology; A Forest Journey: The Role of Trees in the Fate of Civilization; From Space to Earth: The Story of Solar Electricity; and Let It Shine: The 6000 Year Story of Solar Energy – Harvard University Press has chosen A Forest Journey as one of “One Hundred Books for Every Bookshelf” ever published by the press which includes such scientific luminaries as Stephen Jay Gould and E.O. Wilson.
