State of the Northwest: Northwest Environment Watch Reports

by John C. Ryan

No place on Earth has a better chance to reconcile people and nature than the Pacific Northwest: the greenest part of history’s richest civilization. State of the Northwest—newly revised and updated... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1886093008
• ISBN13: 9781886093003
• Release Date: January 1995
• Publisher: Northwest Environment Watch
• Length: 80 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Compelling Discussion of Northwest's Present and Future.

In State of the Northwest, Ryan dicusses the human ecological and environmental impact in the northwest region (northern California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, western Montana, British Columbia, and southeast Alaska). He uses the life cycle of a Chinook salmon to introduce each chapter. Using the salmon's growth and travel as a guide, Ryan discusses each ecosystem she encounters, beginning with her birth and concluding with her death in the same Idaho river. State of the Northwest contains an abundance of complex information, but is highly readable and never feels pendantic. Using the salmon life cycle is effective and clever because it leads Ryan to discuss each ecosystem as interrelated components of a larger story. The salmon serves to personify, introducing each chapter with a first-hand perspective, while the rest of the chapter presents the nuts-and-bolts information. State of the Northwest presents an honest, succinct introduction to the region's current environmental status and the potential for conservation. While he acknowledges that much of the region has been damaged beyond recovery, the northwest is unique because many areas have only been minimally degraded (or not at all), and many native species remain. In this sense, the much of the northwest environment can still be preserved in it's natural state; an opportunity long since lost to most of the developed world.

A Fascinating Primer on the Pacific Northwest

State of the Northwest 2000 is a fascinating primer on the unique ecology of the Pacific Northwest and the threats our environment faces. Ryan livens up the material by telling the region's story from the point of view of a salmon. The book highlights all of the major environmental problems the region is facing, from decimated salmon runs to cleaning up the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. Even though the problems are many and complex, the ultimate message is hopeful. The Northwest is one of the least degraded parts of the world and has the potential to achieve true sustainability. Also, the writing style is lively, a definite plus when reading a book on such serious topics. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about enviornmental issues in this part of the world.