White Pine: The Natural and Human History of a Foundational American Tree

John Pastor’s White Pine: The Natural and Human History of a Foundational American Tree, is an interesting, informative and easy read. First and foremost, the reader does not require a degree in Botany to understand Pastor’s book, because White Pine is much more than just the biology of the tree.The 170 pages of text are divided into eleven chapters. The first three chapters include the evolution of the White Pine, a seemingly inexhaustible supply of White Pine, and the path of the loggers saw across the White Pine strongholds in North America. An interesting story by Pastor included the white Pines importance in mast building for the worlds sailing ships and navies during the 17 hundreds, and how, during the our Revolutionary War, Great Britain was denied access to White Pines, and how that may have affected the outcome of the war.Chapter 4 pertains to naturalists, including Thoreau, who bemoaned the loss of the giant virgin stands of White Pine following the onslaught of logging. The White Pine was the go to tree for the building of homes and businesses as the young United States grew and expanded. A small movement began to restore the woodland giants. Chapters 5 and 6 explain the ecological importance of the White Pine in regard to watershed maintenance and the beginning of an understanding of White Pine ecology and management.Chapter 7 involves unintended consequences as the re-establishment of White Pine in the US involved the importation of saplings from Europe ( white Pine seeds had been taken to Europe as early as 1605, and sizable nurseries were established in France and Germany. Thus, the entry of blister rust into North America, how blister rust works, and potential means of combatting this fatal fungal infection of white pine.Chapter 8 is about Roosevelt’s Army, The Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) and how they were put to work planting seedlings and establishing white pine “plantations”. This was prior to the knowledge of the micro biota within the soil necessary for white pine to thrive. The last three chapters discuss: the importance of fire for white pine, as well as the coping strategies of the white pine in regard to fire; an in depth look at what is necessary to restore white pine; and what the future holds for white pine in out rapidly warming world.John Pastor’s White Pine: The Natural and Human History of a Foundational American Tree is a very readable and informative book. Pastor provides a 17 page bibliography and 15 pages of notes for further research by the reader, and a comprehensive index at the books end. As I mentioned in my first paragraph, the reader will not require a botany degree to understand and appreciate Pastor’s work, only an interest is this great North American tree. I highly recommend John Pastor’s White Pine.

This book greatly exceeded my exceptions. I probably learned more from this book than most others have have read recently. It is not just about a single tree species but encompasses ecology, sociology, economics, history and many others. It may even solved a decades long battle I've been having with deer browsing on my land. A highly recommended book for naturalists and land owners!

This book really put things into perspective for me. It’s an easy to follow historical and cultural view of this iconic tree. Fun fact. Right after reading this I saw an example of the technique of saving white pine seedlings from the hungry deer. Loved that. Highly recommend.

Everyone can walk through a forest and enjoy the grandeur of trees, the fine-scale beauty of summer flowers on the forest floor, and the scents of plants and the decay of organic matter being recycled in the soil. These sensory insights can go much deeper if we understand more of the fantastic stories going on in a forest. John Pastor’s book gives us the broad story of how forest ecosystems click, and then peppers that tale with lots of fascinating details. White Pine: The Natural and Human History of a Foundational American Tree weaves a grand tapestry that covers evolution (how did these trees come to be?), ecology (what’s up with squirrels, and with fire?), geography (why aren’t forests the same everywhere?), and history. The history is a blend of natural history, but also the human history of how Indigenous people related to white pines, and how the history of the United States was built with white pines. I’ve been a fan of Pastor’s science and writing for decades, and I looked forward so much to reading this book that I took it along on a hike in the Grand Canyon. And did I mention the author’s great art?

This nonfiction book takes an in-depth look at the white pine tree, a foundation species of the Northwoods ecosystem that stretches from Maine to Minnesota. The author uses the white pine to trace changing attitudes of Americans toward natural resources and conservation. I was particularly intrigued by the ways that white pine influenced early conservation efforts like reforestation CCC projects and the plant quarantine act as well as the establishment of the U.S. Forest Service.

Up to date and enjoyable from the author of "What Should a Clever Moose Eat"