The Organ Mountain Range, Its History and Its Orchids

By David Miller, Richard Warren, Izabel Miller and Helmut Seehawer

ISBN 978-85-60217-01-4

Over ten years, the authors criss-crossed the Organ Mountain Range looking for fragments of original forest in an area which had been devastated by the coffee and railway booms of the previous centuries. What they found will fascinate orchid lovers and environmentalists alike. Small, inaccessible fragments – forest oases - still hold populations of plants that were abundant in precolonial time. And from the priceless comprehensive data they collected and present, the authors are able to reconstruct what the original pristine forest must have looked like when Darwin was there.

But the book covers so much more than orchids. It delves into the geological and social history of the Range which in biodiversity is one of the richest on the planet. It’s also one of the most endangered, due to past and present human activity. The role of forest in water conservation and climate control, more relevant now than ever before, is explored.

It is an attractive, intelligent and important book which uses orchids - so called ‘flagship species’ - to highlight the plight of this magical yet fragile environment. With over 600 species lovingly photographed and described in their own habitats, it is a mine of useful information for growers. As a bonus, 200 beautifully detailed watercolours of the miniature group of Pleurothallids have been reproduced making identification of these difficult species easier.

572 pages – 315 orchid photos – 228 water colours – 602 species described

Price £55.00 + £8 postage, UK only. Postage Europe £12; world wide £13 surface & £24 airmail.

Review by Harold Koopowitz in Orchid Digest:
This readable book covers the history, geography, importance and orchids of a biodiversity rich region of Brazil. And along the way, it offers useful insight about conservation and how anyone can make a difference to the world. [...] This book will stand as a monument to a handful of enthusiastic orchid lovers who realized that conservation only needs a few committed people to achieve worthwhile goals.

Looking for Mountain Orchids of Vermont? Their web site is mountainorchids.com