A Natural History of the Central Appalachians, written by University of Arkansas research professor Steven L. Stephenson, was awarded the gold medal as a top regional nonfiction book in the 2013 Independent Publisher Regional and E-Book Awards.

The book, which examines the biology and ecology of the plants, animals and other organisms of the Appalachian region and also touches on the history of humans in the region, won in the the Mid-Atlantic category.

Stephenson describes the Central Appalachians as a system of linear ridges, intervening valleys and deeply dissected plateaus that make up the rugged terrain found in western and southwestern Virginia, eastern and central West Virginia, western Maryland, and a portion of south central and southwestern Pennsylvania.

In the 27 years that he spent on the faculty of Fairmont State College (now university) in West Virginia, Stephenson carried out numerous research projects in the woods of the Appalachian Plateau. Stephenson, one of the world’s leading experts in the field of slime mold research, has been at the U of A since 2003 but he still returns regularly to the Central Appalachians to conduct field research.

The awards ceremony to honor the medalists is scheduled for May 29 in New York City, on the eve of the BookExpo America convention. Medalists in attendance will be introduced and presented medals and certificates.

A Natural History of the Central Appalachians is published by West Virginia University Press.

Launched in 2006, the regional “IPPY” awards — presented by the online publication Independent Publisher — are designed to bring increased recognition to the deserving but often unsung titles published by independent authors and publishers. Gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded to the best fiction and best nonfiction books in eight U.S. regions, two Canadian regions, and since 2011, the Australia/New Zealand region.

This year, 382 medalists were recognized in 77 national and regional categories.