Blue Ridge 2020

“Steve Nash is a journalist and a college professor, and he approaches the subject of the Blue Ridge Mountains with the discipline required of both professions. In Blue Ridge 2020: An Owner’s Manual, he strives to describe his subject with scientific clarity, neither exaggerating the damage done to the forests nor minimizing the dim prospects for many of the species that live there. The result is a thorough and clear-eyed examination of this most precious and majestic resource.” — Greensboro News and Record

“Patient, painstaking and even-handed. . . . A helpful look at a valued resource — just the sort of owner’s manual for those who feel a sense of ownership in the Blue Ridge.” — Jack Betts, The Charlotte Observer

“Connects problems with solutions.” — Rupert Cutler, The Roanoke Times

“Takes a hard look at what may happen in the coming decades to the natural systems of the Blue Ridge mountains.” — Publishers Weekly

“A fascinating account of the economic and ecological forces shaping the Blue Ridge . . . highly recommended.” — Library Journal

“Blue Ridge 2020 is a book that needed to be written if we are to have the public awareness that will cause us to do the right things to perpetuate the beauty and charm of the mountains.” — Hugh Morton

“Steve Nash’s treatment of the environmental troubles facing the Blue Ridge Mountains is thoughtful, compelling, and very well stated.” — William K. Reilly, former administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

“Blue Ridge 2020: An Owner’s Manual brings to life the rich biological and human heritage of the southern mountains, the environmental issues this important area faces, and the scientific understanding that has developed over the last several decades for this unique landscape. The writing is clear and accurate. But take note of the subtitle: this book also reminds us of our responsibility to be wise stewards of the mountains' rich resources.” — Peter S. White, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

“The Blue Ridge is one of earth’s hot spots of biological diversity and possesses some of the last remaining old growth forests. Steve Nash’s book is the best overview to date of these resources and the environmental challenges they face — from air pollution to development and exotic species invasions. Take heed of the subtitle: the book reminds us that we must partake in the decisions that will affect the survival of these resources for future generations.” — Peter S. White, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

“[Nash] has presented a sobering view of what we must do if we want our spaceship Earth, especially here in the Blue Ridge Mountains, to survive.” — Harvard Ayers, Appalachian State University