Cascade Head, on the Oregon Coast between Lincoln City and Neskowin, has stunning ocean views, abundant recreational opportunities, and a rich history of ecological research and conservation. Its landscape and seascape support a multitude of species, some of which are threatened, such as the Oregon silverspot butterfly, spotted owl, and coho salmon. In The View from Cascade Head, Bruce Byers tells the fascinating story of this special place and the people who have worked to protect it. Drawing from his lifelong relationship with the Oregon Coast and recent experience living and working at Cascade Head, Byers weaves together personal observations, ecological science, and the history and philosophy of nature conservation in a series of interconnected essays. Cascade Head is Oregon’s only biosphere reserve, part of the international network of biosphere reserves coordinated by UNESCO. Biosphere reserves around the world are laboratories for understanding how humans affect ecosystems and models for how we can heal the human-nature relationship. The View from Cascade Head illustrates three main lessons: the actions and efforts of committed individuals can make a difference; ecological mysteries still abound despite decades of scientific research; and our worldviews—how we think about our place in nature—shape our individual and collective effect on the ecosystems we inhabit. Byers helps us understand how these lessons apply everywhere and can lead us toward a more sustainable relationship with our home planet.

Biosphere reserves, Biosphere reserves Oregon Cascade Head, Cascade Head (Or.), Oregon Cascade Head

1. Eagle's View
2. Big Brother in Pixieland
3. The Midnight Forest and the Spruce Goose
4. Old Orchard and the Biosphere
5. Reference Marsh
6. Art and Ecology at the Otis Cafe
7. Voices of the Old Forest
8. So Long, Silverspot
9. Fish in the Forest
10. Beavers in Pixieland
11. Where Have All the Seastars Gone?
12. Whale Haven
13. Salmon in the Net of Indra
14. Dancing on the Shortest Day
15. Out Beyond the Eagle's Kitchen Acknowledgments Sources

Illustrations and map by Nora Sherwood

Illustrations and map by Nora Sherwood