The Forest Dumbledore
Called “The Forest Dumbledore” by Elizabeth Royte in a New York Times Book Review, Bernd Heinrich is considered by many to be the finest naturalist author now living. He has written about topics from bumblebees to raven behavior to the natural history of running. He is the author of eighteen books on the natural world and a frequent contributor to publications such as the New York Times, Scientific American, and Audubon.
In yet another New York Times review, David Quammen writes that “Heinrich has a rare ability to embed dense scientific explications within graceful, lightfooted nature writing. . . . The mind of Bernd Heinrich is a big, antic thing, like a raven, and meant to live outdoors.”
Add to this the fact that Bernd Heinrich is an ultra-marathoner. He won numerous long distance running events and set a number of open U.S ultra-marathon and masters (40+) records throughout the 1980s. In his book Why We Run: A Natural History, Heinrich reflected on the sport of running as a scientist, and recounted his performance in the 100- kilometer race that ushered in his ultra-marathon career.
Heinrich studied at the University of Maine and UCLA, and is professor emeritus of biology at the University of Vermont. He divides his time between Vermont and the forests of western Maine.
To Listen to Bernd, click on the links below:
Track 3 Interplay of Ecology and Biology
Track 5 One study leading to another
Track 7 Surprised by the Little Things
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Wow, Mary! That is a plum assignment. I have admired his writing for years and years!