Born of Fire and Rain

“Accessible and engaging.”—Bryony Cottam, Geographical“Born of Fire and Rain is filled with deeply researched scientific stories about the adaptations and intricacies at work in ancient forests. Beautifully written and illustrated, inviting, and up-to-the-minute, this wonderful and remarkable book is a rewarding and enjoyable read. It will appeal especially to readers who liked Braiding Sweetgrass or Finding the Mother Tree.”—Kathleen Dean Moore, author of Earth’s Wild Music“The Douglas-fir forests of the Pacific Northwest region of North America are nearly without rival in the world, and their distinctions have rarely been fully appreciated. M. L. Herring beautifully captures their story.”—Jerry F. Franklin, University of Washington College of the Environment“This is a passionate and extremely readable tribute to the Pacific Northwest forests, giving readers a true sense of the importance, ecology, and special sanctuary of these trees.”—Meg Lowman, author of The Arbornaut“This thrilling book, charged with awe, compassion, humility, and wonder, takes us on an unforgettable journey among ancient giants and unstable terrain. In the face of environmental disaster, M. L. Herring offers real hope for a shared future springing from new ways of seeing, imagining, and understanding our astonishing planet.”—Fiona Stafford, author of The Long, Long Life of Trees“M. L. Herring weaves together strands of science and nature writing, local history, and memoir to create a contemplative, deeply researched, and sensory-rich portrait of the Pacific temperate rain forest.”—James Barilla, author of My Backyard Jungle

M. L. Herring is associate professor emerita of science communication at Oregon State University, where she continues to lead workshops to inspire people to experience the world through observation, art, and ecology. She lives in Corvallis, OR.