In a series of lyrical chapters, Sargent takes readers into vernalponds and moose yards, up mountain summits and into the dens of hibernating bears. He shows that the present pattern of evergreen and deciduous trees we think of as natural is actually the result of centuries of human alteration. Describing how humans have become the newest geophysical force shaping our planet, he ruminates on how well the earth's immune system can withstand the onslaught. Offering up-to-date science on the geology and biology of New England, A Year in the Notch explains the interaction between life, rocks, and water—the intricate dance that keeps our planet alive and makes our own existence possible.