The Hudson River is on of the great rivers of the world. Not long ago, it was deeply threatened by pollution. Now it is coming back to life, a river where fish and birds can thrive again, a river valued once more by communities along its shores. The unique environmental education program on board the sloop Clearwater - founded by folk singer Pete Seeger - has taught thousands of children and adults to love the river. With this guidebook, Clearwater teachers bring their wealth of knowledge about the Hudson to a wider audience. This book covers, for the first time, the full sweep of the river's natural history and human heritage. It introduces you to the Hudson's diversity of plants and wildlife, to the geological forces that created the river, to the people who explored and settled its banks, to the river's enduring place in American history and art, and to the battles waged over its environmental preservation. Its engaging illustrations, maps, and text - distilled from the best research on the Hudson's habitats and history - invite you to explore the river yourself.

Ch. 1. A Physical Overview of the Hudson
Ch. 2. Energy Flow and Nutrient Cycles in the Hudson
Ch. 3. The Hudson's Habitats and Plant Communities
Ch. 4. The Hudson's Invertebrate Animals
Ch. 5. The Hudson's Fishes
Ch. 6. The Hudson's Birds and Beasts
Ch. 7. Exploration, Colonization, and Revolution
Ch. 8. The Romantic River
Ch. 9. Industrialization and the Transformation of the Landscape
Ch. 10. Conservation and Environmentalism
Ch. 11. Resolving River Conflicts
Ch. 12. Is the Hudson Getting Cleaner?