A biogeoscience view of ecosystems

ingly, these same tensions persist on Martha’s Vineyard (and other New England islands) today, and are perhaps made even more intense by the astronomical land prices. Martha’s Vineyard represents a model of what can be achieved with 40% of the land currently protected, a land bank established, and an island-wide conservation commission. The book concludes with a vision of how effective land management could help conserve the island’s landscapes. Rather than advocating for expensive and recurring management methods, such as fire or mowing, to lock the landscape in place, Foster strongly argues for land managers to allow foresters and farmers to use the land at low cost as long as they carry out practices that are compatible with conservation goals. For example, farmers could be given grazing or haying rights at a low price as long as they agree to mow fields only after birds have fledged. Foresters could be allowed to selectively cut trees to facilitate successional species and create open spaces. In the process, more local employment opportunities would be created, and more locally produced goods would be supplied to the island economy. One missing piece from the book is a description of how the landscapes of Martha’s Vineyard contribute to conservation education and the quality of life on the island. How much are the citizens of the island involved in monitoring island biodiversity or restoring damaged ecosystems? What efforts are being made to reach local people, especially school children and tourists, with messages of conservation and sustainability? And even though it is probably beyond the scope of the book, I would have liked to see something about how landscape conservation can be used to address some of the major social issues on the island, such as the difficulty of yearround residents, especially the immigrant community, to find affordable housing and equitable incomes? As I read Foster’s book, I wondered whom the audience would be for 300 pages focused on land-use history and conservation. I picture two main audiences. First, for Martha’s Vineyard residents who already know something about land-use history and are committed to conservation and want to know a great deal more, this book will provide a wealth of information. For those looking for a more general introduction to the land use of Martha’s Vineyard within the context of New England, it is perhaps too detailed. Second, ecologists and natural historians will provide another keen audience for this book, especially those interested in the rigorous application of ecological theory to conservation management. Members of the Ecological Society of America could apply this same approach to their own town, city, island, national park, or study area, to the great benefit of local residents and the conservation and ecology communities. Foster’s telling of how to apply the powerful Harvard Forest approach to land use and conservation to Martha’s Vineyard should inspire ecologists to dig into their local natural history, and apply this approach to other places.