These photograph-laden, episodic essays outline the ecological stories and preservation needs of the Central Appalachians. Beautiful and wild, the Central Appalachians of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia are a hotspot for biodiversity. They also make up a large part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and are responsible for a majority of its freshwater flow to the Chesapeake Bay. Award-winning author and nature photographer Mark Hendricks spent years documenting life on the mountain trails and underneath Appalachian waters and built camera traps to capture images of rarely seen species. Not only are these images beautiful and fascinating, but they bring more understanding of the environmental importance of the area. Between seasonal portfolios are various essays, featuring: . stories of an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker, . a biologist dedicated to saving fungus-plagued bats in winter caves, . an ecologist who protects one of the most rare ecosystems in the region, . a close encounter with a bobcat, and . various encounters with other rare and exciting species such as black bear, eastern hellbender and other rare salamanders, and sparring elk. Well-known locations such as Shenandoah National Park are featured prominently, as are little-known areas such as the Finzel Swamp and the famous reintroduced elk herd of north-central Pennsylvania. It's a wild and wonderful journey for all nature lovers. AUTHOR: Mark Hendricks is a freelance natural-history photojournalist and public speaker. He has been published in the Washington Post, Nature Photographer, Audubon, and many others. He is an adjunct faculty member at Towson University and a fellow in the International League of Conservation Writers. 254 colour photographs
