Paper pub. date
October 2020
ISBN 9780870710353 (paperback)
ISBN 9780870710506 (ebook)
6 x 9, 232 pages. 16 b&w illustrations. 1 map. Bibliography.

The View from Cascade Head

Lessons for the Biosphere from the Oregon Coast

Bruce A. Byers
Summary

Cascade Head, on the Oregon Coast between Lincoln City and Neskowin, has stunning ocean views, abundant recreational opportunities, and a rich history of ecological research and conservation. Its landscape and seascape support a multitude of species, some of which are threatened, such as the Oregon silverspot butterfly, spotted owl, and coho salmon. In The View from Cascade Head, Bruce Byers tells the fascinating story of this special place and the people who have worked to protect it. Drawing from his lifelong relationship with the Oregon Coast and recent experience living and working at Cascade Head, Byers weaves together personal observations, ecological science, and the history and philosophy of nature conservation in a series of interconnected essays.

Cascade Head is Oregon’s only biosphere reserve, part of the international network of biosphere reserves coordinated by UNESCO. Biosphere reserves around the world are laboratories for understanding how humans affect ecosystems and models for how we can heal the human-nature relationship.

The View from Cascade Head illustrates three main lessons: the actions and efforts of committed individuals can make a difference; ecological mysteries still abound despite decades of scientific research; and our worldviews—how we think about our place in nature—shape our individual and collective effect on the ecosystems we inhabit. Byers helps us understand how these lessons apply everywhere and can lead us toward a more sustainable relationship with our home planet.


About the author

Bruce A. Byers is an ecologist, writer, and consultant with more than forty years of professional experience in more than forty countries. His work aims to inform and inspire a more ecologically sustainable, equitable, and resilient relationship between humans and the planet. He has worked in thirty-five biosphere reserves in seventeen countries.


Read more about this author

Upcoming Events

The 2024 Pacific Northwest History Conference offers space for sharing the ways you are using regional history to make meaning of, or to escape from, the present — and to imagine the future. How has historical work made you feel more connected to other people? How has it helped you understand current events? How has it inspired you to envision a hopeful future?

9:00 am, Friday, October 18th - 4:00 pm, Saturday, October 19th

Sign Up for Our Newsletter