Best of
Conservation

1994

The Condor's Shadow: The Loss And Recovery Of Wildlife In America


David S. Wilcove - 1994
    Describing the cycles of loss and recovery that have changed many ecosystems in the past 50 years, the author considers both habitat destruction and pollution, as well as the introduction of exotic animals and reforestation that is underway nationwide.

Beyond Fair Chase : The Ethic and Tradition of Hunting


Jim Posewitz - 1994
    In simple but powerful text, the ethical way to hunt is described from preparation to shooting to care after the shot.

Always, Rachel: The Letters of Rachel Carson and Dorothy Freeman 1952-64-The Story of a Remarkable Friendship (Concord Library)


Rachel Carson - 1994
    An intimate collection of letters from the woman who sparked the modern environmental movement. "What is revealed in this selection of letters is the extraordinary, private person of Carson and her relationship with Freeman, the nature-loving, homebody friend of her later years. . . . It is not often that a collection of letters reveals character, emotional depth, personality, indeed intellect and talent, as well as a full biography might; these letters do all that."-Doris Grumbach, The New York Times Book Review

Last of the Free


Gareth Patterson - 1994
    Here, he and his girlfriend Julie set about returning the lions to the wild state as Adamson had wished, divorcing them from the only family they knew – mankind.Gareth’s life with the lions is movingly told: everyday encounters with ferocious opponents such as a leopard or, more worryingly, a bull elephant are lessons for the young lions as he seeks to educate them in the skills they’ll need for coping in the wild. Some meetings, such as the pride male Batian’s with a baby porcupine are humorous; others, with a rival male lion, nearly tragic.Last of the Free is an evocative, vivid and intimate depiction of these lions’ daily life. It is also a heartfelt plea, drawing attention to the wanton and savage destruction of one of the world’s most beautiful creatures.

The Firecracker Boys: H-Bombs, Inupiat Eskimos, and the Roots of the Environmental Movement


Dan O'Neill - 1994
    However, the plan was blocked by a handful of Eskimos and biologists who succeeded in preventing massive nuclear devastation potentially far greater than that of the Chernobyl blast. The Firecracker Boys is a story of the U.S. government's arrogance and deception, and the brave people who fought against it-launching America's environmental movement. As one of Alaska's most prominent authors, Dan O'Neill brings to these pages his love of Alaska's landscape, his skill as a nature and science writer, and his determination to expose one of the most shocking chapters of the Nuclear Age.

The Golden Lion Tamarin Comes Home


George Ancona - 1994
    

From Eco-Cities to Living Machines: Principles of Ecological Design


Nancy Jack Todd - 1994
    Since 1969 with the founding of New Alchemy Institute on Cape Cod, the Todds have become known world-wide for their leadership in the restoration of pure water, bioremediation of wild aquatic environments, food production, and urban design. In this new book, the Todds further develop the idea of Eco-cities, designs for integrating agriculture and flowing pure water into green urban settings and introduce Living Machines, a family of technologies for purifying wastewaters to tertiary quality effluent without chemicals. Provocative and grounded firmly in the principles of biodiversity, the Todds' work encompasses site-specific technological interventions and systems-wide ecological planners and designers, environmental economists, and systems-based engineers working to change the way we utilize production, technology, water and energy.

Gardening with Native Plants of the South


Sally Wasowski - 1994
    They are realizing that these native wildflowers, trees, shrubs, groundcovers, vines, and grasses are far better suited, and therefore easier to grow and maintain, than most of the imported plants that populate traditional landscapes. InGardening with Native Plants of the South, landscape designer Sally Wasowski offers an exciting vision of the many possibilities and advantages of 'going native.' Lavishly illustrated with more than 250 gorgeous color photographs, her book is both an introduction to more than 200 of the most familiar and easiest to find native plants of the South and a basic primer on how to use them effectively.

Mountains and Plains: The Ecology of Wyoming Landscapes


Dennis H. Knight - 1994
    This book by an eminent ecologist presents in word and photograph the ecology of this beautiful area. Dennis H. Knight begins by introducing the diverse environments in the region and their geologic history. He then discusses the landscapes along streams and rivers, the lowland plains and basins, the foothills and mountains, and three regions of special interest - Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and the Black Hills and Bear Lodge Mountains. He concludes by explaining land use constraints and opportunities in the region. Throughout the book, Knight considers plant ecology, plant-animal interactions, geologic influences, nutrient cycling, land management, and disturbances such as fires and insect epidemics. More than 150 photographs, maps, and line drawings illustrate ecological processes and landscape patterns. A remarkable synthesis of information on land management, ecosystem science, and plant and animal adaptation, the book will be of interest to naturalists as well as to ecologists and professional land managers.

Saving Nature's Legacy: Protecting And Restoring Biodiversity


Reed F. Noss - 1994
    It presents a broad, land-based approach to biodiversity conservation in the United States, with the authors succinctly translating principles, techniques, and findings of the ecological sciences into an accessible and practical plan for action.After laying the groundwork for biodiversity conservation -- what biodiversity is, why it is important, its status in North America -- Noss and Cooperrider consider the strengths and limitations of past and current approaches to land management. They then present the framework for a bold new strategy, with explicit guidelines on: inventorying biodiversityselecting areas for protection designing regional and continental reserve networks establishing monitoring programssetting priorities for getting the job done Throughout the volume, the authors provide in-depth assessments of what must be done to protect and restore the full spectrum of native biodiversity to the North American continent.