A complete list of the people who contributed to this book would comprise another chapter. Rather than try to list them all, we would like to single out a few people and organizations that are emblematic of the kind of support we have received. We owe a very special debt of gratitude to James Amon, the director of New Jersey’s Delaware and Raritan Canal Commission. He collaborated on Chapter 1 and his words can be found throughout this document. Without him, this book might never have happened.
Every page of this book stems in part from our clients, both public and private, who haved worked with us to set new standards for how we use the land. They have accepted the challenge to change conventional approaches with eagerness and often courage in the face of uncertainty about any innovation. Behind every restoration effort there are a few extraordinarily dedicated and creative people who make it all happen. Central Park, for example, has many heroes, but none has been so important to forest restoration as Maryanne Cramer, the Central Park Planner, who has championed the North Woods Project since its inception. We thank her and the many others like her with whom we have worked.
We have also relied upon many organizations and volunteer groups. One in particular, the Society for Ecological Restoration, has served as the most diverse and creative forum for exchanging ideas and information about restoration. The Wissahickon Rebuilding Committee has shown us the potential of grassroots initiatives. We also wish to express our gratitude to Island Press, a very exceptional publisher whose books fill our library. It has been a pleasure to work with Barbara Dean, Barbara Youngblood, and Fran Haselsteiner, who together brought this project to fruition.
We can never adequately thank the many individuals at Andropogon who have had a hand in this book and the projects that inspired it. In addition to providing invaluable help with graphics and manuscript preparation, they have been instrumental in developing our approach to landscape planning and design. Lastly, Leslie Sauer wishes to express her deepest gratitude to her partners, Carol and Colin Franklin, Rolf Sauer, Noëline Mills, José Almiñana, and Yaki Miodovnik, for their willingness to undertake this effort and for making Andropogon a firm with a mission.