The Road to El Cielo: Mexico's Forest in the Clouds (Treasures of Nature Series, Gorgas Science Foundation) [Hardcover]

Fred Webster (Author), Marie S. Webster (Author), Nancy McGowan (Illustrator), Paul S. Martin (Foreword)

Book Description

Series: Treasures of Nature Series, Gorgas Science Foundation | Publication Date: March 15, 2002

Hidden high in the Sierra de Guatemala mountain range of north-eastern Mexico in the state of Tamaulipas is the northernmost tropical cloud forest of the western hemisphere. Within its humid oak-sweetgum woodlands, tropical and temperate species of plants and animals mingle in rare diversity, creating a mecca for birders and other naturalists. Fred and Marie Webster first visited Rancho del Cielo, cloud forest home of Canadian immigrant Frank Harrison, in 1964, drawn by the opportunity to see such exotic birds as tinamous, trogons, motmots, and woodcreepers only 500 miles from their Austin, Texas, home. In this book, they recount their many adventures as researchers and tour leaders from their base at Rancho del Cielo, interweaving their reminiscences with a history of the region and of the struggle by friends from both sides of the border to have some 360,000 acres of the mountain declared an area protected from exploitation - El Cielo Biosphere Reserve. Their firsthand reporting, enlivened with vivid tales of the people, land, and birds of El Cielo, adds an engagingly personal chapter to the story of conservation in Mexico. Now retired in Austin, Fred and Marie Webster share their birding expertise through lectures and field trips. Their writings appeared for many years in Audubon Field Notes (now American Birds) and other publications.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The Websters have produced an entertaining and informative account of a magical place... Their book should be of interest not only to those familiar with El Cielo or with other natural areas in Mexico, but also to anyone drawn to natural history, travel, and memorable places." Lane Simonian, author of Defending the Land of the Jaguar: A History of Conservation in Mexico

Product Details

• Hardcover: 311 pages
• Publisher: University of Texas Press; 1St Edition edition (March 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0292791402
• ISBN-13: 978-0292791404
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,188,419 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #62 in Books > Science & Math > Nature & Ecology > Ecosystems > Tropical

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Book -- A Wonderful Adventure, May 24, 2002

By 

Stephaie G. Dreyer (Buda, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Road to El Cielo: Mexico's Forest in the Clouds (Treasures of Nature Series, Gorgas Science Foundation) (Hardcover)

This is a wonderful book. There is an adventure with every page turn and the descriptions are deliciously vivid. I always look for books that will "take me away," and at the same time, teach me something new. The Road To El Cielo took me to Mexico's cloud forests and inspired in me a new appreciation for its wildlife, plant life, and way of life. Highly Recommended.