Photos and Progress

Macranthera flammea by Rob Nykvist

Since our August 29 meeting with the chapter authors we've been working quietly, but we'll try to keep this blog more frequently updated.

The co-editors met in Auburn on Dec. 11 and 12 to review hundreds of 35mm Kodachromes by George Folkerts, selecting many for probable inclusion in the book.

The University of Alabama Library's Hoole Collection has scanned and posted many of Roland Harper's images here, but they are not searchable or indexed. Let's hope they are working on that; otherwise it's not a very useful resource. You can view them by clicking each image's hyperlink, but you can't tell what you'll be seeing until it opens. Many are of people, structures, etc., and none seem to be dated, and location data is lacking. Eric and Mark have looked at the actual images at the library, and the information is for the most part all there, so that won't be a problem for the Harper images we end up using.

We will be meeting again in Auburn with the lead chapter authors on February 6. Our deadline for completion of chapters is August 31 2010, just over 9 months away.

If you have photos you'd like to submit for consideration, you can send them to Mark at mbailey@conservationsoutheast.com. Above is a Macranthera flammea image sent in by Rob Nykvist.

Announcements going out

We are sending out the formal announcement and request for participation this week to ten tentative lead chapter authors: Sharon Hermann, Al Schotz, Alvin Diamond, Ken Wills, Ann Johnson, Carol Johnston, Jim Godwin, Dan Spaulding, Jim Miller, and Nancy Lowenstein. Several other potential contributors are also being contacted.

Meeting #3

On May 25, Debbie, Eric, Mark, and Al Schotz met at Debbie's house to flesh out some chapter structure details and brainstorm over the potential contributors. Hooking Mark's laptop to Debbie's big TV, we were able to cover a lot of ground. Next scheduled meeting: June 20, again at Debbie's.

Auburn Meeting

Eric, Debbie, and Mark will be meeting on April 20 and 21 in Auburn for another session. We'll be going through some of George's materials as well as planning next steps. A recent development is learning this past week of Scot Duncan's book-in-progress on the biodiversity of Alabama, which will overlap considerably with ours.

Al Schotz on Board

Without Al, this would not be the book we want it to be. I vote for Al as our "Technical Adviser," to the extent he has time.

Thanks, Al!

Kickoff Meeting

We had a great meeting in Auburn on February 6. Convening for lunch at the China Palace across from Funchess Hall were the three co-editors, joined by the ever-supportive Beth Motherwell of the U of A Press and Chris Oberholster of TNC. The meeting then moved to Debbie's office, where we continued with a brief visit from Gary Mullen. Then more strategizing at Debbie's house. We will be developing an outline and a draft chapter for circulation to potential contributors. Some of these people have already been contacted, and others will be approached in the coming days.

U of A Press Gosse Nature Series

Alvin Diamond reminds me (and Debbie Folkerts has previously told me) that Gary Mullen is editing the Philip Henry Gosse nature series of books being published by the University of Alabama Press. I understand Beth Motherwell at U of A Press is aware of our concept, and quite interested. It would seem that our book belongs in this series.