Slow Wood by Brian Donahue

Brian Donahue chronicles his journey of building a personal dream through the lens of forest care with detailed descriptions of the New England landscape. The book starts by invoking the name and spirit of Henry David Thoreau, who once walked the same landscape that Donahue describes and where his own spirit walks. He begins this book by describing how he as a young man experienced the forest of his youth, pointing out that his views could not be separated from the context of his own time. The forests he walked in were young, simple, and lacking the structure and function of an old forest. This in many ways was similar to the experience that Thoreau had when living on the edge of the urban landscape in a forest already diminished by clearing by European settlers. It is this recognition of context that needs highlighting in the discussion of how we care for our forests, the conflict of active versus passive management.  Donahue aptly describes how wild forests depend on well-managed forests that provide wood products for society while also maintaining and enhancing the full range of ecological benefits. He explains that implementing proper care, growing big trees, and harvesting slow wood can move the forest to a resilient and diverse condition.

There is much to learn about the ecological history of New England in this book, as each chapter focuses on a separate part of the house Donahue is building along with family and friends. It is also a social history and love letter to the landscape of his chosen home.

Recommended by Nancy Patch