Kennesaw

Natural History of a Southern Mountain

By Sean P. Graham

University of Alabama Press

The first in-depth ecological treatment of one of the most frequently visited National Battlefield parks in the country

Designated as a battlefield in 1917 and as a park in 1935, the 2,965-acre Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park now preserves far more than the military history and fallen soldiers it was originally founded to commemorate. Featuring eighteen miles of interpretive trails looping around and over the mountain, the park is a popular destination for history buffs, outdoor recreationists, and nature enthusiasts alike. Located approximately twenty miles northwest of downtown Atlanta, Kennesaw Mountain rises 608 feet above the rolling hills and hardwood forests of the Georgia Piedmont. Kennesaw Mountain’s geology and topography create enough of a distinctive ecosystem to make it a haven for flora and fauna alike. As the tallest mountain in the metropolitan Atlanta area, it is also a magnet for human visitors.

Written for a diverse range of readers and park visitors, Kennesaw: Natural History of a Southern Mountain provides a comprehensive exploration of the entire park punctuated with humor, colorful anecdotes, and striking photographs of the landscape. Sean P. Graham begins with a brief summary of the park’s human history before transitioning to a discussion of the mountain’s nature, including its unique geology, vegetation, animals, and plant-animal interactions. Graham also focuses on Kennesaw Mountain’s most important ecological and conservation attribute—its status as a globally important bird refuge. An insightful chapter on bird watching and the region’s migrating bird populations includes details on migratory patterns, birding hot spots, and the mountain’s avian significance. An epilogue revisits the park’s Civil War history, describing how Union veterans pushed for establishment of the park as a memorial, inadvertently creating a priceless biological preserve in the process.

Any visitor to Kennesaw Mountain, whether amateur naturalist or professional ecologist, whether military historian or geologist, whether bird watcher or botanist, will want to read this book. Kennesaw melds the mosaic of southern culture and the natural habitat known as Kennesaw Mountain into a fascinating and informational story.’
—Whit Gibbons, coauthor of Ecoviews Too: Ecology for All Seasons

Kennesaw Mountain rises slightly, though prominently, above highly populated metropolitan Atlanta, serving as a biological oasis protected primarily for its American Civil War history. But in Kennesaw, Sean Graham provides an exceptionally informative natural history lesson on the mountain’s geology and biology and the amazing interactions between organisms and their habitats. [. . .] While the focus is clearly on Kennesaw Mountain and this region of Georgia, the book contains stories and information that should appeal to anyone in the Southeast, and likely beyond, with an interest in the natural world.’
—John B. Jensen, coeditor of Amphibians and Reptiles of Georgia

Protected now as a national battlefield park, the mountain no longer echoes with the sound of battle but instead rings with the cacophony of birdsong. Dr. Graham explores this natural aspect of the mountain, from its geology to its plants and animals, including how they interact. Writing in an easy style, he ties Kennesaw’s military and natural histories together beautifully. Without a doubt, Kennesaw: Natural History of a Southern Mountain is uniquely informative and stands as an exemplary piece of nature writing.’
—Carlos D. Camp, coeditor of Amphibians and Reptiles of Georgia

‘Sean Graham’s Kennesaw: Natural History of a Southern Mountain is a delightful collection of essays on many different and diverse topics concerning Kennesaw Mountain. Each chapter is supremely entertaining and chock-full of great information on the topic being discussed. As someone who has led over 1000 nature walks up Kennesaw I was constantly surprised and pleased to discover new angles or aspects to natural history subjects about Kennesaw, and Graham’s infectuous and enthusiastic writing style keeps every subject fresh and fascinating. I highly recommend this book to anybody who has an interest in Kennesaw Mountain or any other southern outcrop.’
—Giff Beaton, coauthor of Tiger Beatles of the Southeastern United States

Sean P. Graham is associate professor of biology and curator of the vertebrate collections at Sul Ross State University. He is author of American Snakes.

List of Figures

Preface

Chapter 1. Unfortunate Rocks

Chapter 2. Ancient Forest

Chapter 3. Succession (Not to Be Confused with Secession)

Chapter 4. How the Forest Works

Chapter 5. Plant Adaptations

Chapter 6. Webster’s Salamander

Chapter 7. Copperheads

Chapter 8. Unlikely Links in a Web of Interactions

Chapter 9. Little Green Eating Machines

Chapter 10. Mixed Foraging Flocks