The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission to pleased to announce the upcoming publication of "The Nature of the Meadowlands," an amazing coffee-table book that celebrates the environmental comeback of this amazing place.

With a foreword by N.J. Governor Thomas H. Kean, the lavishly illustrated, 128-page book illuminates the region's natural and unnatural history —  from its darkest days of a half-century ago to its  environmental revival.

It also celebrates the amazing landscapes and parks to be found here, including DeKorte Park, Kearny Marsh and Secaucus’s Laurel Hill.

And it features some pretty cool images, from including present-day nature and landscape photography to pictures of an old Secaucus pig farm, a "Sopranos" landmark, a Harp Seal in Carlstadt, an Eastern Coyote on a Meadowlands landfill, and rare Laurel Hill minerals.

More information follows.

Individual chapters are devoted to birds, butterflies, and mammals — with a final photo-essay chapter that captures the essence of the Meadowlands throughout the year.

The book features several rare archival photos and paintings, as well as dozens of spectacular images of the wildlife to be found in the region.

“The Nature of the Meadowlands” is a great resource and beautiful keepsake for staffers, residents, visitors, nature lovers, and history buffs. It also makes a great present for the upcoming holiday season. The publication date is early October.

The author, Jim Wright, keeps this blog for the NJMC, in addition to his other duties. He is also the birding columnist for The Record, nature columnist for The South Bergenite, and author of three other coffee-table books — Jungle of the Maya, Hawk Mountain, and In the Presence of Nature.

Principal photography for the book was done by Wright and North Jersey nature photographers Ron Shields and Marco van Brabant. Marco also took the main cover photograph.

Additional images were taken or provided by Herb Houghton, Sanford M. Sorkin, Secaucus Historian Dan McDonough, Dennis Cheeseman, Regina Geoghan, Mike Girone, Michael C. Malzone, the Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute, the Smithsonian Institution, Newark Art Museum, New-York Historical Society, Montclair Art Museum, Jeff  Nicol, Greg Miller, Thomas F. Yezerski and Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Frank W. Zabransky and the Little Ferry Historical Society, The Associated Press, Kenneth Matteo of Central Jersey Pheasants Forever, Stephen D. McNamara of the Dawson Corporation, Harvey Sullivan IV, MacKenzie Hall of CWF, the late John R. Quinn, Jack R. Troy, Brent Thorne, and the Meadowlands Museum.

To reserve your signed copy  (copies) now and get a 20 percent discount good through October 1, 2012, e-mail Jim at jim.wright (at) njmeadowlands.gov.  He will be happy to notify you by e-mail when the book arrives.