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The Klamath Mountains: A Natural History

By Justin Garwood and Michael Kauffmann

The Klamath Mountains: A Natural History
$29.95-$54.95
  • Publisher: Backcountry Press
  • Editor: Michael Kauffmann, Justin Garwood
  • Edition: First
  • Available in: Hardcover, PDF
  • ISBN: 978-1-941624-09-8
  • Published: September 1, 2022
HardcovereBookHardcover and eBook

This new book celebrates the natural history of the Klamath Mountains of northwest California and southwest Oregon through stories of diversity and resilience over deep time.

Shaped by geology, these mountains form an ancient jigsaw puzzle and topographic mosaic dissected by big-shouldered river canyons and sharp ridgelines that create localized climatic gradients. Within the geomorphic province, the rocks are much older than in surrounding regions. This dichotomy has allowed many distinct evolutionary lineages of plants and animals to adapt, survive, and sometimes speciate where elsewhere they became extirpated long ago.

The Klamath Mountains: A Natural History

  • Describes and documents one of the most biodiverse temperate mountain ranges on Earth. 
  • The first comprehensive Natural History written for this region.
  • 34 contributing authors–all experts in their fields.
  • Chapters including Mammals, Birds, Amphibians, Plant Communities, First Peoples, Geology, Climate, Fire Ecology, and much more. 
  • Full color, rich illustrations, and well-curated photographs bring 496 pages to life!

Table of Contents

  1. Prologue • David Rains Wallace
  2. Klamath as a Teacher • Keith Parker, Matt Johnson, Dawn Blake, & Charley Reed
  3. First Peoples • Frank Lake
  4. Western Science Arrives • Jim Agee
  5. Geology • Mark Bailey
  6. Climate • Rosemary Sherriff, Justin Garwood, & Michael Kauffmann
  7. Water • Tim Palmer & Justin Garwood
  8. Fire Ecology • Jeffrey Kane
  9. Cryptogams • Michael Kauffmann, Jordan Mayor, Dana York, Tom Carlberg, Eric Peterson, and Lucy Kerhoulas
  10. Plant Communities •  Michael Kauffmann, Julie Evens, Julie Kierstead, Michael Murray
  11. Forest Pests • Chris Lee
  12. Invertebrates • Michael Kauffmann, Justin Garwood, Len Mazur, Brian Dykstra, Rod Crawford, Dana Ross, and Paul Hammond
  13. Vertebrates
    • Fishes • Justin Garwood & Andrew P. Kinziger
    • Amphibians • Justin Garwood
    • Reptiles • Chris Feldman & Justin Garwood
    • Birds • Greg Gray, Michael Kauffmann, Dan Barton, & Tiana Williams-Claussen
    • Mammals • Karen Reiss, Michael Kauffmann, and Chris Feldman
  14. Change and Stewardship

In praise of The Klamath Mountains: A Natural History

I am deeply impressed by this book, which has all of the virtues of an old-fashioned ecological aspection, but so much more as well. I have never before seen published such a complete portrait of an entire region’s biota, in the full context of its physical setting, by such a knowledgeable collection of authors. And what a region! The Klamath Mountains are unlike any others for their diversity and complex geological and evolutionary origins, and this is just the book to do them justice. A stunning accomplishment, and a phenomenal resource for all naturalists. –Robert Michael Pyle, Ph.D., author of Wintergreen, Nature Matrix, and The Butterflies of Cascadia

Hallelujah! Far too long ignored in favor of the Sierra Nevada, the richly diverse Klamath Mountains are at last the subject of a thorough and beautifully illustrated guide to their natural history, Indigenous history, and conservation and management concerns, assembled by a team of the region’s leading experts. This much-needed contribution will guide exploration and appreciation of the Klamaths for many years to come. –Susan Harrison, professor of ecology at the University of California, Davis

A truly impressive collaborative effort, this book is a treasure trove of useful information for all who wish to learn more about the unique and fascinating Klamath bioregion. –Stephen C. Sillett, Kenneth L. Fisher Chair in Redwood Forest Ecology at Cal Poly Humboldt

­­­­­­­­The editors have assembled an all-star cast of biologists, ecologists, and practitioners that develops a complete picture of this region’s amazing diversity and caters to the nature nerd inside us all. This book is an excellent companion for anyone seeking to explore the ancient forests of the Klamath region. It gives readers the means to fully understand the context of the natural history – from the connection to its First Peoples, to geology and climate – and promotes the important notion that this special landscape needs stewards and advocates. –Chandra LeGue, author of Oregon’s Ancient Forests: A hiking guide


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