Looking for Longleaf

“[Earley] is a keen and incisive writer, and employs lively quotes and quirky factoids. . . . Looking for Longleaf is a must-read for anyone interested in conservation or Southern history.” — Charlotte Observer

“Easy to digest for a non-technical reader. . . . Remarkably complete.” — Natural Areas Journal

“A history of the southeast, an informative natural history, and a paean to a beautiful tree.” — Southeastern Naturalist

“A welcomed addition on an important topic. . . . Should be required reading for anyone interested in the history of conservation in the South.” — Georgia Historical Quarterly

“Not to be overlooked [and] reader-friendly.” — RaleighNews & Observer

“Brings a love of the outdoors and the gift of a great storyteller.” — Chapel Hill News

“The longleaf story, supplemented by ample illustrations, is presented here in lucid, graceful prose. The tale is not just reader-friendly; it’s a page-turner.” — Wildlife in North Carolina

“Upon reading Earley’s accounts of the demise and resurgence of the longleaf pine ecosystem, I was taken in, not only by his ability to present scientific and historical information in a highly accessible manner, but by his ability to evoke the smell and sound of longleaf pines in the southern wind, the distinctive odor of turpentine being distilled, the splinters and sawdust flying as giant longleaf pines were being cut for lumber, the decades-long frustration of professional foresters unable to regenerate longleaf, the excitement of a quail hunt, and the swirl of dust as a consulting forester swings his pickup to halt in front of a newly restored longleaf stand. Looking for Longleaf is a rich travelogue through time, written to inform and delight its reader. . . . Lawrence Earley’s Looking for Longleaf is such an engaging book that I read it straight through from prologue to epilogue. You might want to take a more casual approach, but I suspect that putting it down won’t be as easy as you think.” — Dave Egan, Ecological Restoration

“[Earley’s] fascination with his subject comes through clearly, and it’s also clear that he hopes to pass that fascination, and all the history, on to the rest of us.” — Winston-Salem Journal

“Earley tells this story in a way any reader can follow and enjoy. . . . Looking for Longleaf is full of such interesting insights into the human culture as well as the silviculture of our Southeast region. It is well illustrated with historic photographs. Anyone interested in the history of our natural surroundings will find it well worth reading.” — The Roanoke Times