Introduction

Dear Readers,

We are pleased to introduce the Fall 2013 issue of Southeastern Geographer. As you might have already noticed, our cover art this time is a marked departure from past issues. The photograph, entitled, "The View from Huayna Picchu," was contributed by Andy Reese and depicts a unique image of Machu Picchu, the famous Inca archaeological site located not far from Cusco, Peru. What makes this photograph so interesting is that it was not taken at the Sun Gate—where the typical panoramic view of Machu Picchu can be seen—but from the seemingly inaccessible peak located in the background of most popular images of the site. In the adjoining essay, Reese narrates the journey on which he took his photograph, reminding us how our preconceptions of places and our efforts to document them in photographs and other media can actually hinder our experiencing them. It's a good lesson for geographers who, more than most, appreciate the fact that what is included within the frame of a photograph might not be nearly as significant as what is left out.

This issue of Southeastern Geographer contains five research articles that encompass a range of topics and collectively demonstrate the health and diversity of our discipline in the Southeastern Division of the Association of American Geographers. The first article, written by Chunhao Zhu and Yingkui Li, presents the results of land-use land-cover analysis in the Little River Watershed of Tennessee. Covering the years between 1984 and 2010, this study found that urban areas and forest lands increased at the expense of agricultural land. The second article, written by Jon Bohland, explores collective memory and manifestations of Confederate heritage in Lexington, Virginia. Critiquing local landmarks and university campuses in Lexington, Bohland examines how masculinity and nationalism contribute to the neo-Confederate identity. The third article, by Rakesh Malhotra, Gurmeet Virk, Felix Nwoko, and Amanda Klepper provides an introduction and overview of a new web-based geospatial application for use in transportation planning. Next, Nancy Hoalst-Pullen, Vanessa Slinger-Friedman, Harry Trendell, and Mark Patterson, document the spatial distributions and temporal patterns of Latino immigrant population clusters and Latino businesses in Cobb County, Georgia. Our last article, written by Jennifer Brewer, discusses the increasing call for more publicly engaged research, and how geographers are in a key position to link this science with various groups outside of academia. This issue concludes with two book reviews. Grant Harley has written a review of the book, Longleaf, Far as the Eye Can See: A New Vision of North America's Richest Forest, by Bill Finch, Beth M. Young, Rhett Johnson, and John C. Hall. Heather Ward has written our second review for this issue of The Land Was Ours: African American Beaches from Jim Crow to the Sunbelt South, by Andrew W. Kahrl.

We know that many of you are gearing up for a new school year, but we hope you have enough time to enjoy this issue of Southeastern Geographer. As always, we encourage you to submit your research articles, cover art ideas, geographical notes, and book reviews for consideration in future issues of the journal. We also welcome your comments, whether they are critical or complimentary, on how we can improve Southeastern Geographer.

Best regards,
David M. Cochran, Jr. and Carl A. "Andy" Reese
Editors, Southeastern Geographer