We’re proud to announce that our first book has gone into production. Author Joan Maloof, PhD, has signed a contract with ruka press to publish her new book, tentatively titled Getting to Old Growth: Adventures in the Eastern Forests. Publication is slated for Spring 2011. This will be the first release from ruka press, which began operation in January.

Dr. Maloof is a professor of biology and environmental studies at Salisbury University in Salisbury, MD, and is also the author of Teaching the Trees: Lessons from the Forest, published by the University of Georgia Press in 2005.

Dr. Maloof in one of 26 forests.

The upcoming book, Getting to Old Growth, is a fascinating chronicle of Dr. Maloof’s quest to visit publicly accessible old-growth forests in all 26 U.S. states east of the Mississippi River. An immensely readable natural-history primer, Getting to Old Growth is also an adventure story and an impassioned plea to preserve and support the few untouched stretches of forest that remain. With special appeal for environmentalists, eco-travelers and armchair naturalists, the book will include travel directions and details so that readers may visit the forests themselves.

Dr. Maloof’s manuscript will be put into production immediately, with a publication target of Spring 2011. In keeping with the book’s environmental consciousness and ruka press’s philosophy, Getting to Old Growth will be published on 100% recycled paper, as well as in appropriate e-book editions.

We’re thrilled to have Getting to Old Growth as our first release. It fulfills our greatest hopes for what this new press could be. Dr. Maloof has written a brilliant book, and we can’t wait to have readers discover it. Now it’s up to us to do it justice through the visual presentation and quality of production.