An eminent ecologist shows how an iconic New England island has been shaped by nature and human history, and how its beloved landscape can be protected.
Full of surprises, bedecked with gorgeous photographs and maps, and supported by unprecedented historical and ecological research, this book awakens a new perspective on the renowned New England island Martha's Vineyard. David Foster explores the powerful natural and cultural forces that have shaped the storied island to arrive at a new interpretation of the land today and a well-informed guide to its conservation in the future.
Two decades of research by Foster and his colleagues at the Harvard Forest encompass the native people and prehistory of the Vineyard, climate change and coastal dynamics, colonial farming and modern tourism, as well as land planning and conservation efforts. Each of these has helped shape the island of today, and each also illuminates possibilities for future caretakers of the island's ecology. Foster affirms that Martha's Vineyard is far more than just a haven for celebrities, presidents, and moguls; it is a special place with a remarkable history and a population with a proud legacy of caring for the land and its future.
About the Author
David R. Foster is a faculty member in biology, Harvard University, and director of the 4,000-acre Harvard Forest. He also serves on the board of the Edey Foundation and Trustees of Reservations on Martha's Vineyard. He divides his time between Petersham and West Tisbury, MA.
Reviews
"From his years of first-hand observations and thorough research, in combination with an exceptional ability for making what he has to say clear and compelling, David R. Foster has given us not only a different way of looking at the landscape and history of Martha's Vineyard, but also at history and our human settings overall – and the inevitable influences of the past on the future. All in all, with its superb maps and marvelous photographs, 'A Meeting of Land and Sea' is a stunning achievement" – David McCullough
"Opening this book is like opening a vault filled with discoveries about the natural and human history of a magnificent island. David Foster has created an important and unique work, a journey through time, about the creation and future of a magical place" – Jeff Fager, Executive Producer, 60 Minutes
"David Foster has created what is indisputably the most important volume about Martha's Vineyard ever written" – Paul Schneider, editor of Martha's Vineyard Magazine and author of "The Enduring Shore", "A History of Cape Cod", "Martha's Vineyard", and "Nantucket "
"Even for those of us who do not live on the island, the idea of Martha's Vineyard – people living in harmony with natural beauty – inspires. David Foster shows us how this waking dream is threatened, but also offers hope that the Vineyard can still offer an example of peaceful co-existence and kinship between humans and the rest of nature. A beautiful book" – Richard Louv, author of "Last Child in the Woods" and "The Nature Principle"
"This book is a masterwork that uses one small island to share the news of thousands of years of relations among people, land, and sea. Intimate and global as well as a history, almanac, atlas, and handy reference, 'A Meeting of Land and Sea' is natural history that reads like a novel. It is an epic in which to wander for hours" – Jesse H. Ausubel, Director, Program for the Human Environment, Rockefeller University
"It is remarkable in the breadth of material woven together into that history... The manuscript is a tour de force" – Charles D. Canham, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
"David's perspective is unique and important. He combines history and ecology in a way that brings special meaning to special places. This book could help guide the next chapter in the island's history" – John D. Aber, University of New Hampshire
"David Foster has created what is indisputably the most important volume about Martha's Vineyard ever written. With a combination of scientific understanding and gifted writing reminiscent of Stephen Jay Gould or Oliver Sacks and packed with fascinating illustrations, A Meeting of Land and Sea uses the lens of island's natural and human history to explore a universal story about the way all creatures, including people, live within overlapping cycles of change and continuity" – Paul Schneider, editor of Martha's Vineyard Magazine and author of "The Enduring Shore", "A History of Cape Cod", "Martha's Vineyard", and "Nantucket" and "Old Man River: The Mississippi in North American History"
