About the Book
Although famed since the 19th century as a classic American wonderland of peaks, forests, and waterfalls, New York’s Catskill Mountains had never been the subject of a natural history. The Ashokan Catskills fills the need for a close look at Catskill flora, fauna, landscape features and natural communities. Devoted to a representative 60-square-mile region of the eastern Catskills, this illustrated survey — with a special section on Native American prehistory — brings to light the combination of rare elements that makes the Catskills unique. Included are annotated checklists of mammals, birds, reptiles, fishes, dragonflies, lichens, mosses, ferns, trees, sedges, and orchids.
This work is based on a three-year project conducted by the Olive Natural Heritage Society in cooperation with the Nature Conservancy. It is co-published by the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development and Purple Mountain Press.
Illustrated with color and black-and-white photographs, along with prints, charts and maps.