“Lively and nuanced.”—David McCally, author of The Everglades: An Environmental History
“As we work to repair the damage we have done to fragile ecosystems, this book tells us how much we have lost and how little time we have left before it is completely destroyed. Important reading for all interested in saving what is left of vanishing natural Florida.”—Steven Noll, coauthor of Ditch of Dreams: The Cross Florida Barge Canal and the Struggle for Florida’s Future
“Osborn has finally gifted the long misunderstood Indian River Lagoon with the discerning scientific insights and cultural perspective it deserves.”—Bill Belleville, author of The Peace of Blue: Water Journeys
“Unwinds the natural and human histories that have made the region both popular and fragile.”—Evan P. Bennett, author of When Tobacco Was King: Families, Farm Labor, and Federal Policy in the Piedmont
“In his fascinating concise study of this unique piece of Florida real estate, Nathaniel Osborn covers all the bases: dredging, filling, farming, fishing, citrus, industry, tourists, astronauts, retirees and, of course, mosquito control. Each have had a major impact on the fragile ecosystem behind the barrier islands.”—Florida Times-Union
“Today the Indian River Lagoon sits on the brink of environmental collapse, owing in large part to human ‘makeovers.’ . . . The enormity of this loss is made clear in Nathaniel Osborn’s Indian River Lagoon.”—Journal of Florida Studies
“Osborn deftly explores the ecological history of Florida’s Indian River Lagoon.”—Journal of Southern History
“A nuanced story about how a changing ecosystem and a changing human society have mutually shaped one another.”—Florida Historical Quarterly
