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Jacksonville's Emerald Necklace

WHERE TO BUY

1. Shop Locally

We invite you to support your local book store if you are lucky enough to have one. If the book is not on their shelves, they can order it easily and often have it for you in a few days.

 Search here for bookstores near you

Available at three locations in historic Jacksonville: Rebel Heart Books and The Happy Alpaca Toys and Supplies near the intersection of California and Oregon Streets, and Art Presence Art Center on 5th Street next to City Hall.

2. Shop Online Worldwide

  Best online price ($40.00) at:

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Larry Smith chats with Ginna BB Gordon
Livestream November 2022

Jacksonville's
Emerald Necklace

From Goldmines to Woodland Trails
by Larry B. Smith

Suggested retail price: $40
Softcover, 7.5 x 9.5 inches, 418 pages
400 color and black & white photos
24 maps, timelines, detailed index

ISBN: 979-8-218-05587-5

Published in November, 2022
by the Jacksonville Woodlands Assoc.
Jacksonville, Oregon
jvwoodlands.org

Editing, design, and production
by Lucky Valley Press
luckyvalleypress.com

Distributed worldwide by Ingram

JACKSONVILLE'S
EMERALD NECKLACE

From Goldmines to Woodland Trails

by Larry B. Smith

This monumental new book is the heartwarming story of how an historic village in Southern Oregon created the most successful, small-town, all-volunteer land preservation project in the state of Oregon.

A group of dedicated volunteers, in an Oregon town of only 2,500 residents, have preserved nearly 300 acres of undeveloped native and historic woodlands and created 16 miles of interconnected hiking trails used by several thousand hikers monthly.

Compared to other Oregon cities’ parklands, these woodlands conservation efforts might seem modest at first glance, but the results have been monumental and have changed the course of Jacksonville history.

"The Jacksonville Woodlands is the most unique and successful preservation project of its kind in the whole state." - Oregon Parks Department

Jacksonville’s Emerald Necklace includes nearly 400 illustrations in its 418 pages.This expansive volume is a definitive history of the Jacksonville Woodlands.

Woven throughout the book are stories telling how Larry Smith’s 5th grade students took the project to a whole new level of community involvement.

Smith’s students wrote letters persuading land owners to convey their land to public ownership, built trails, planted trees, produced an award-winning video, and won four national land preservation awards.

Through their many-faceted efforts the students raised $1.1 million over two decades. The kids really did make a difference and their story is a central thread of this book.


Larry Smith

About the Author

Larry Smith grew up on a small farm in Phoenix, Oregon and attended both Southern Oregon College (SOU) and LeTourneau College (LetU), graduating with degrees in Engineering and Elementary Education.

While attending college, Larry began working as a seasonal Park Ranger at Crater Lake National Park, where he spent 52 years, including his volunteer seasons. Larry taught 5th grade at Jacksonville School for 33 years, and field classes for both SOU and Antioch University. He has been the recipient of four national teaching awards recognizing his support of environmental education.

In 1989 Larry helped found the Jacksonville Woodlands Association, serving as president, executive director, and currently as development director.

Now semi-retired, Larry still teaches part-time for the Medford School District as a substitute and also conducts Crater Lake and Jacksonville field trips for school classes, tour buses, and community groups. Larry also serves on several boards and community committees, including the board of the Crater Lake Institute and the City of Jacksonville’s budget committee. Larry and his wife Linda have a son, Brian, a daughter, Amber, seven grandchildren, and one great grandson.

Visit the Jacksonville Woodlands Website

To view Larry Smith's 22,000 photos of Jacksonville,
visit www.jvphotos.org