Line drawings highlight family characteristics, and plant entries discuss medicinal uses, edibility, toxicity, and look-alike plants. A standard reference at herbal and wilderness schools across the country, this resource is essential for herbalists, gardeners, and naturalists.

    Earthbound, we can only look and listen, enjoying their lightness, freedom and richness of plumage and song.David Attenborough has been watching and learning all his life. His new book, with its accompanying series of films for BBC TV, is a brilliant introduction to bird behaviours around the world: what they do and why they do it. He looks at each step in birds' lives and the problems they have to solve: learning to fly; finding food; communicating; mating and caring for nests, eggs and young; migrating; facing dangers and surviving harsh conditions.Sir David has no equal in helping others to learn and making it exciting. His curiosity and enjoyment are infectious. He shows the lifelong pleasure that birds around us offer, and how much we miss if unaware of them.

    Just about everyone's familiar with the Venus flytrap...but did you know that there are pitcher plants that can-and do!-digest an entire rat? Or that there are several hundred species of carnivorous plants on our planet? Full-color photographs of the plants at work and play, plus everything you need to know to successfully grow your own Little Shop of Horrors.Awards1999 American Horticultural Society Book Award Winner ReviewsHow to get kids interested in gardening? The San Francisco Chronicle recommends The Savage Garden, "because there's nothing children like better than catching insects and feeding them to their houseplants."

    Each entry includes identification characteristics related to leaves, buds, and stems. Most are accompanied by an illustration of the leaf or branch. Additional facts about each plant are available on topics such as flowers and/or fruits, diseases and insects, landscape value, propagation, and native habitat.

    From the unforgettable moment when a wild chimpanzee gently grasps her hand to the terror of a hostage-taking and the sorrow of her husband's death. Here, thoughtfully exploring the challenges of both science and the soul, she offers an inspiring, optimistic message as profound as the knowledge she brought back from the forests, and that gives us all...reason for hope.

    Scientist and fisherman Carl Safina takes readers on a global journey of discovery, probing for truth about the world's changing seas, deftly weaving adventure, science, and political analysis.

    Anthropologist Daniel E. Moerman has devoted 25 years to the task of gathering together the accumulated ethnobotanical knowledge on more than 4000 plants. More than 44,000 uses for these plants by various tribes are documented here. This is undoubtedly the most massive ethnobotanical survey ever undertaken, preserving an enormous store of information for the future.

    This exquisite book, now in softcover, is the result of that bold and immensely personal project. Through the accompanying essay, Brandenburg shares his innermost thoughts and passions as he witnesses the cycle of nature near his home in the northwoods of Minnesota.Brandenburg also contributes new photos and an Epilog that illustrates and discusses the devastating summer wind storm that wreaked havoc on the locations photographed for the original project.

    Using her own upsate New York property as her model and laboratory, she leads us through the garden's seasons as they parallel the stages of our own lives. First is conception (the idea of the garden as it takes shape in January and February), followed by birth (the planting time of March and April), youth (an explosion of flowers in May and June), adulthood (harvesting and dividing in July and August), senescence (taking inventory in September and October), and death and afterlife (the winter garden of November and December).For every month she makes note of the activities of the moment -- how to plan a garden before the snow melts, select hardy and forgiving plants that build the gardener's confidence, plant a 'late-start' vegetable garden, create a crevice garden in the cracks of the patio, and force bulbs indoors to stave off the winter blues.Throughout, Roach's friendly, conversational writing not only explains exactly what needs to be done and how to do itt, but also inspires us with a love of gardening itself -- the closest many of us come to nature in our everyday lives.

    There's no need to look through dozens of photos of birds that don't live in Minnesota. This book features 111 species of Minnesota birds, organized by color for ease of use. Do you see a yellow bird and don't know what it is? Go to the yellow section to find out. Fact-filled information, a compare feature, range maps and detailed photographs help to ensure that you positively identify the birds that you see.

    This compact volume contains:An easy-to-use field guide for identifying 1,000 of the region's wildflowers, trees, mushrooms, mosses, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, butterflies, mammals, and much more;A complete overview of the Pacific Northwest's natural history, covering geology, wildlife habitats, ecology, fossils, rocks and minerals, clouds and weather patterns and night sky;An extensive sampling of the area's best parks, preserves, beaches, forests, islands, and wildlife sanctuaries, with detailed descriptions and visitor information for 50 sites and notes on dozens of others.The guide is packed with visual information -- the 1,500 full-color images include more than 1,300 photographs, 14 maps, and 16 night-sky charts, as well as 150 drawings explaining everything from geological processes to the basic features of different plants and animals. For everyone who lives or spends time in Washington or Oregon, there can be no finer guide to the area's natural surroundings than the National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Pacific Northwest.

    Interweaving a memoir of his mother's long struggle with Alzheimer's and cancer, meditations on his own wilderness experience, and illuminating commentary on the Christian via negativa--a mystical tradition that seeks God in the silence beyond language--Lane rejects the easy affirmations ofpop spirituality for the harsher but more profound truths that wilderness can teach us. There is an unaccountable solace that fierce landscapes offer to the soul. They heal, as well as mirror, the brokeness we find within. It is this apparent paradox that lies at the heart of this remarkablebook: that inhuman landscapes should be the source of spiritual comfort. Lane shows that the very indifference of the wilderness can release us from the demands of the endlessly anxious ego, teach us to ignore the inessential in our own lives, and enable us to transcend the false self that isever-obsessed with managing impressions. Drawing upon the wisdom of St. John of the Cross, Meister Eckhardt, Simone Weil, Edward Abbey, and many other Christian and non-Christian writers, Lane also demonstrates how those of us cut off from the wilderness might make some desert in our lives. Written with vivid intelligence, narrative ease, and a gracefulness that is itself a comfort, The Solace of Fierce Landscapes gives us not only a description but a performance of an ancient and increasingly relevant spiritual tradition.

    This compact volume contains:An easy-to-use field guide for identifying 1,000 of the state's wildflowers, trees, mushrooms, mosses, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, butterflies, mammals, and much more;A complete overview of Florida's natural history, covering geology, wildlife habitats, ecology, fossils, rocks and minerals, clouds and weather patterns and night sky;An extensive sampling of the area's best parks, preserves, beaches, forests, islands, and wildlife sanctuaries, with detailed descriptions and visitor information for 50 sites and notes on dozens of others.The guide is packed with visual information -- the 1,500 full-color images include more than 1,300 photographs, 14 maps, and 16 night-sky charts, as well as 150 drawings explaining everything from geological processes to the basic features of different plants and animals. For everyone who lives or spends time in Florida, there can be no finer guide to the area's natural surroundings than the National Audubon Society Field Guide to Florida.

    Through dramatic graphics and age-appropriate text, this authoritative volume charts the discovery of all the main types of dinosaurs and reveals the latest details on how these creatures most likely looked, behaved, defended themselves, found food, cared for their young, and interacted. Stunning murals, based on scientific evidence, depict various dinosaurs in their habitats--beautifully complementing the color photographs, paintings, charts, and maps. Some 53 major types of dinosaurs are described, representing a wide range of physical structures, sizes, and lifestyles.The book presents recent discoveries and current scientific thought--including the dinosaur-bird connection, profiles of feathered dinosaurs, and theories on dinosaur extinction. Readers also see how today' s paleontologists obtain evidence, piece together clues, and continue to reconstruct life in prehistoric times.

    This trove of previously uncollected writings is a priceless addition to our knowledge of Rachel Carson, her affinity with the natural world, and her life.

    It is a journal filled with strong emotions about a wondrous place on the American landscape. Her entries tell the sad saga of the decision to flood Glen Canyon on the Colorado River. Her words and songs make the canyon come alive and they provide a vivid picture of what has been lost.

    Find out what you truly believe. Get away from the familiar." This collection of essays stems directly from that philosophy. Here is far-flung travel (the beauty of remote Hokkaido Island, the over-explored Galápagos, enigmatic Bonaire); a naturalist's concerns (for endangered communities as well as their land) and pure adventure. Here, too, are seven exquisite memory pieces; beautiful, meditative recollections that will stand as classic examples of the personal essay.

    Each monthly section discusses one herb in detail -- how and where it grows and what it does -- and presents recipes for simple teas, lotions, and foods, along with rituals appropriate to the season that can bring your life back into harmony with the moods of nature. Even in the city, the constant presence of the natural world and the use of herbs can be a touchstone to lead both body and soul back to a natural cadence.

    But in 1991, he decided to act on his own concern and investigate the escalating crisis for himself. Traveling on his own dime, he embarked on an odyssey lasting most of the decade and spanning nineteen countries. Now, in Earth Odyssey he reports on our environmental predicament through the eyes of the people who live it.Earth Odyssey is a vivid, passionate narrative about one man's journey around the world in search of the answer to the essential question of our time: Is the future of the human species at risk? Combining first-rate reportage with irresistible storytelling, Mark Hertsgaard has written an essential--and ultimately hopeful--book about the uncertain fate of humankind.

    The most comprehensive field guide available to the flora and fauna of California--a portable, essential companion for visitors and residents alike--from the go-to reference source for over 18 million nature lovers.This compact volume contains:An easy-to-use field guide for identifying 1,000 of the state's wildflowers, trees, mushrooms, mosses, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, butterflies, mammals, and much more;A complete overview of California's natural history, covering geology, wildlife habitats, ecology, fossils, rocks and minerals, clouds and weather patterns and night sky;An extensive sampling of the area's best parks, preserves, beaches, forests, islands, and wildlife sanctuaries, with detailed descriptions and visitor information for 50 sites and notes on dozens of others.The guide is packed with visual information -- the 1,500 full-color images include more than 1,300 photographs, 14 maps, and 16 night-sky charts, as well as 150 drawings explaining everything from geological processes to the basic features of different plants and animals.

    This compact volume contains:An easy-to-use field guide for identifying 1,000 of the region's wildflowers, trees, mushrooms, mosses, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, butterflies, mammals, and much more; A complete overview of New England's natural history, covering geology, wildlife habitats, ecology, fossils, rocks and minerals, clouds and weather patterns and night sky;An extensive sampling of the area's best parks, preserves, beaches, forests, islands, and wildlife sanctuaries, with detailed descriptions and visitor information for 50 sites and notes on dozens of others.The guide is packed with visual information -- the 1,500 full-color images include more than 1,300 photographs, 14 maps, and 16 night-sky charts, as well as 150 drawings explaining everything from geological processes to the basic features of different plants and animals. For everyone who lives or spends time in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, or Vermont, there can be no finer guide to the area's natural surroundings than the National Audubon Society Field Guide to New England.

    Includes: Trees, Leaves and Bark; Caterpillars, Bugs and Butterflies; Tracks, Scats and Signs; Rabbits, Squirrels and Chipmunks; Snakes, Salamanders and Lizards; and Frogs, Toads and Turtles.

    Notes on origin of name, ecology, native uses, edibility and similar species are included, as are color-coded sections to allow for quick identification.

    Based on more than twenty years of working with, training, and observing horses, Irwin explains why trust and honesty are essential elements in building relationships with horses, and why the sensitivity and awareness that characterize a horse's perception of the world are qualities we can use to enrich our own lives. "A horse knows what you know," Irwin reminds us, and in Horses Don't Lie his message is clear: Horses have a great deal to teach us about how to communicate with empathy and patience -- not only with them, but also with each other.

    Noted spiritual and environmental thinkers Joanna Macy and Molly Young Brown contend that this crippling response to world crisis is a psychological defense mechanism that has been endemic since the years of the Cold War arms race, when we had to adapt within a single generation to the horrific possibility of nuclear holocaust.Since its publication in 1983, Joanna Macy's book, Despair and Personal Power in the Nuclear Age has sold nearly 30,000 copies and has been the primary resource for groups of men and women confronting the challenging realities of our time without succumbing to paralysis or panic. Coming Back to Life provides a much needed update and expansion of this pioneering work. At the interface between spiritual breakthrough and social action, Coming Back to Life is eloquent and compelling as well as being an inspiring and practical guide. The first third of the book discusses with extraordinary insight the angst of our era, and the pain, fear, guilt and inaction it has engendered; it then points forward to the way out of apathy, tio "the work that reconnects". The rest of the book offers both personal counsel and easy-to-use methods for working with groups in a number of ways to profoundly affect peoples' outlook and ability to act in the world.Table of ContentsForeword by Mathew Fox1. To Choose Life2. The Greatest Danger: Apatheia, The Deadening of Mind & Heart3. The Basic Miracle: Our True Nature & Power4. The Work that Reconnects5. Guiding Group Work6. Affirmation: Coming from Gratitude7. Despair Work: Owning & Honoring Our Pain for the World8. The Shift: Seeing with New Eyes9. Deep Time: Drawing on Past & Future Generations10. The Council of All Beings: Rejoining the Natural World11. Going Forth12. Meditations for Coming Back to LifeJoanna Macy has developed an international following over the course of 40 years as a speaker and workshop leader on Buddhist philosophy and the deep ecology movement

    Eighty-three thousand copies sold.

    It contains full-colour illustrations and detailed descriptions of 388 species, with each account including information on: * Size * Status * Habitat * Nesting * Feeding * Voice * Similar species cross-referenced * Best sites for viewing * Range maps showing seasonal occurrences of the bird and migration routes. * Colour-coded header bars and a quick reference guide make finding information fast and easy. Also includes a glossary of terms and a birder's checklist.

    Now exhaustively updated to offer a more complete view of backpacking today, it covers the latest developments in gear—such as Global Positioning Systems and ultralight hiking equipment—first aid, and Leave No Trace comping, and includes a chapter devoted to outdoor leadership resources and basics. Beginners and experienced hikers alike will find this book indispensable for trip planning strategies and also as a quick reference on the trail for:BACKCOUNTRY SKILLS—how to forecast the weather, identify trees, bear-proof your campsite, wrap an injured ankle, and more--illustrated with more than 100 line drawings.TRICKS OF THE TRAIL—time-tested practical lessons learned along the wayGOING ULTRALIGHT—downsizing suggestions for those who want to lighten upEvery traveler knows that space in a backpack is limited, so on your next trip, carry the only guide you'll ever need—this one—and take to the great outdoors with confidence.

    The awesome journey of life's transformation from the first microbes 4 billion years ago to Homo sapiens today is an epic that we are only now beginning to grasp. Magnificent and bizarre, it is the story of how we got here, what we left behind, and what we brought with us. We all know about evolution, but it still seems absurd that our ancestors were fish. Darwin's idea of natural selection was the key to solving generation-to-generation evolution -- microevolution -- but it could only point us toward a complete explanation, still to come, of the engines of macroevolution, the transformation of body shapes across millions of years. Now, drawing on the latest fossil discoveries and breakthrough scientific analysis, Carl Zimmer reveals how macroevolution works. Escorting us along the trail of discovery up to the current dramatic research in paleontology, ecology, genetics, and embryology, Zimmer shows how scientists today are unveiling the secrets of life that biologists struggled with two centuries ago. In this book, you will find a dazzling, brash literary talent and a rigorous scientific sensibility gracefully brought together. Carl Zimmer provides a comprehensive, lucid, and authoritative answer to the mystery of how nature actually made itself.

    He stated that, within fifty to eighty years, we would see the consequences of mechanizing the forces that had previously operated organically in the beehive. Such practices include breeding queen bees artificially.The fact that over sixty percent of the American honeybee population has died during the past ten years, and that this trend is continuing around the world, should make us aware of the importance of the issues discussed in these lectures. Steiner began this series of lectures on bees in response to a question from an audience of workers at the Goetheanum.From physical depictions of the daily activities of bees to the most elevated esoteric insights, these lectures describe the unconscious wisdom of the beehive and its connection to our experience of health, culture, and the cosmos.Bees is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the true nature of the honeybee, as well as those who wish to heal the contemporary crisis of the beehive. Bees includes an essay by David Adams, "From Queen Bee to Social Sculpture: The Artistic Alchemy of Joseph Beuys."The art and social philosophy of Joseph Beuys (1921-1986) is among the most influential of the twentieth century. He was strongly influenced by Rudolf Steiner's lectures on bees. The elemental imagery and its relationship to human society played an important role in Beuys's sculptures, drawings, installations, and performance art. Adams' essay on Beuys adds a whole new dimension to these lectures, generally considered to be directed more specifically to biodynamic methods and beekeeping.C O N T E N T SIntroduction by Gunther HaukEight Lectures by Rudolf SteinerBlackboard DrawingsAppendix" Extracts from Various LecturesAfterword by David Adams: "From Queen Bee to Social Sculpture: The Artistic Alchemy of Joseph Beuys"IndexThis volume consists of 8 lectures (of 15) from Mensch und Welt. Das Wirken des Geistes in der Natur. �ber das Wesen der Bienen (GA 351).

    Simpson is a true Alaskan who lives all of the adventures and traverses the wild places of her essays. Her subjects range from a sobering introduction to the ways of trapping in "Killing Wolves" to a meditation on the terror of disappearing into the Alaskan outback in "The Book of Being Lost". With a clear-eyed, unsentimental appreciation of the great northern place, this writer expresses a commanding view of Alaska.

    It describes more than 100 food plants and gives specific information on the growth habits, culture, harvest, and storage of each.

    The windows are open and bugs are everywhere! Children will delight in this collection of twenty-one buggy poems - just don't forget the calamine lotion.

    Wells captures with exquisite detail how limpets, like bees, navigate by the stars; how the brainless sea urchin makes a myriad of critical survival decisions every day; how “deserted islands” teem with an incredible abundance of animal life; and why deep-diving whales never get the bends. Elegant and finely crafted, Civilization and the Limpet will enlighten, amuse, and awe anyone interested in the natural world.

    He finds many -- from a community of giant cave bats that were supposedly extinct to the elusive black-and-white tree-kangaroo -- and along the way has a wealth of unforgettable adventures. Flannery scales cliffs, descends into caverns, and cheats death, both from disease and at the hands of the local cannibals, who wish to take revenge on his "clan" of wildlife scientists. He eventually befriends the tribespeople, who become companions in his quest and whose contributions to his research prove invaluable. In New Guinea pidgin, throwim way leg means to take the first step of a long journey. The journey in this book is a wild ride full of natural wonders and Flannery's trademark wit, a tour de force of travelogue, anthropology, and natural history.

    The ultimate travel memoir, Voyage Beyond Doubt allows you to witness the power of the human mind as moen uses his Monroe Institute training to communicate with the dead, journey through the afterlife and come back again with a greater understanding of life, death, and what it's really all about.Moen relates numerous incredible experiences of discovery: meeting his dead grandmother, aiding lost souls to find their way to the afterlife, beginning a "ghost-busting" service, and gaining a fuller, more complete understanding of the regions of the nonphysical. Moen even encounters now-deceased OBE explorer Bob Monroe in his travels in the beyond. A thrilling adventure into the unknown. Voyage Beyond Doubt is a travel guide for the new intrepid explorers of the nonphysical realms.

    But, it is also a practical guide for those who wish to create a cottage garden tailored to their specific climates and horticultural passions.

    Uncommon good sense on water food trout flies and behavior equipment ethics and manners

    There's a reason: it's gorgeous. The photos of trails and vistas are breathtaking. These are hikes you will want to hike, dream about hiking, or both. Based on their more than 100 years of combined experience in Washington's backcountry, Ira Spring and Harvey Manning chose their favorite trails for this compendium of classic hikes.Along with the images and hand-drawn maps, you'll get the authors' first-hand descriptions of the trails they hiked many times over. Featuring spectacular views, flower-filled alpine meadows, lakes and streams, ancient forests, animals and birds, and solitude, these trails will give hikers a taste of Washington's best. Infused with a strong conservation message, this guidebook not only introduces hikers to Washington's gems but encourages them to become active participants in an effort to preserve and, in some cases, reclaim the remaining wilderness.

    The author looks at the views of thinkers including John Muir, Aldo Leopold, and Al Gore, and suggests alternative ways to view nature, assign it value, and respond to ecological crises.

    No other guide to the animal world combines such comprehensiveness, consistency of style, and elegance. This catalogue of the animal world depicts species in detail -- mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish -- illustrating each in color, a stunning guide to the staggering diversity of vertebrate animals. Organized by the taxonomic categories of order, family, genus, and species, the text gives an overview of the characteristics shared by animals within each family. When a family's members are similar, the most typical and most interesting are depicted, with more species included for every dramatic visual variation. Each illustrated animal is described in detail, and every entry includes information on size, breeding patterns, feeding habits, intriguing adaptations and behaviors, common and scientific names, conservation status, geographic range, and habitat.Written by leading scientists in each field, and incorporating innovative graphics -- cladograms -- in to illustrate the evolution and diversity of each class in the animal kingdom, this remarkable book is an essential reference for every home.

    It is also the first of the final three such collections, since Dr. Gould has announced that the series will end with the turn of the millennium. In this collection, Gould consciously and unconventionally formulates a humanistic natural history, a consideration of how humans have learned to study and understand nature, rather than a history of nature itself. With his customary brilliance, Gould examines the puzzles and paradoxes great and small that build nature's and humanity's diversity and order. In affecting short biographies, he depicts how scholars grapple with problems of science and philosophy as he illuminates the interaction of the outer world with the unique human ability to struggle to understand the whys and wherefores of existence. "From the Hardcover edition."

    And in fox-hunting they join together with their most ancient friends among the animals, to pursue an ancient enemy. The feelings stirred by hunting are explored by writer and philosopher Roger Scruton, in a book which is both illuminating and deeply personal. Drawing on his own experiences of hunting and offering a delightful portrait of the people and animals who take part in it, Roger Scruton introduces the reader to some of the mysteries of country life. His book is a plea for tolerance toward a sport in which the love of animals prevails over the pursuit of them, and in which Nature herself is the center of the drama.

    The white rhino on the jacket is an indication of the truly sensational quality of the animal portraits in this book. They capture not only the fine details of the animals' appearance but the essence of their nature as well. This is Robert Bateman's first book for children, and it is one that naturalists of any age will want to study and refer to repeatedly.

    Showcases over one hundred of the noted marine artist's paintings, including his Whaling Wall project--a plan to paint one hundred murals depicting life-size whales and dolphins around the globe by the year 2011.

    Now she applies her loving watercolor brush and witty pen to the botanical world. 100 illustrations.

    These heartfelt tributes to two unique regions include personal observations and informative explorations. The illustrations, magnificently composed to create the look and feel of a scrapbook, present intricate and fascinating portraits of two distinctive ecosystems. Young artists, readers, and journal keepers will be inspired by the chance to watch an artist at work and will long to create sketchbooks and scrapbooks of their own special environments.

    

    Colorful close-up photographs by Herb Clarke, alongside Gray's at-a-glance identification tips and intriguing facts on behavior and life history in her Field Notes section, make The Guide to Colorado Birds both easy to use in the field, and fun to browse at home. Gray's latest is a must for birders and hikers alike.

    This first volume of a long-anticipated three-volume set covers reef environments, fish behaviors, anatomy, taxonomy, and evolution, with hundreds of species accounts and world-class photographs. A much-needed reference for aquarists, as well as for divers and coral reef naturalists, this authoritative account includes more than 800 species photographs.Scott W. Michael is an underwater photographer widely regarded as one of the world s foremost authorities on the behavior and husbandry of reef fishes in aquarium systems. He is a regular contributor to Aquarium Fish Magazine and has served as a scientific consultant to National Geographic Explorer and the Discovery Channel.

    There an odd and amiable band of nature lovers devote themselves to observing and protecting the park's rich wildlife. When a pair of red-tailed hawks builds a nest atop a Fifth Avenue apartment house across the street from the model-boat pond, Marie Winn and her fellow "Regulars" are soon transformed into obsessed hawkwatchers. The hilarious and occasionally heartbreaking saga of Pale Male and his mate as they struggle to raise a family in their unprecedented nest site, and the affectionate portrait of the humans who fall under their spell will delight and inspire readers for years to come.

    Instructions for drawing plants and animals in motion.

    Born in Dunbar in 1838, Muir is famed as the father of American conservation. This collection, including the rarely-seen Stickeen, presents the finest of Muir's writings, and imparts a rounded portrait of a man whose generosity, passion, discipline, and vision are an inspiration to this day. Combining acute observation with a sense of inner discovery, Muir's writings of his travels though some of the greatest landscapes on Earth, including the Carolinas, Florida, Alaska, and those lands which were to become the great National Parks of Yosemite and the Sierra Valley, raise an awareness of nature to a spiritual dimension. These journals provide a unique marriage of natural history with lyrical prose and often amusing anecdotes, retaining a freshness, intensity, and brutal honesty which will amaze the modern reader. Introduced by Graham White.

    Exquisite, large format photography by internationally known nature photographer, Graham Osborn with text by Wade Davis

    A building cleared of every living thing by a band of tiny spiders. An infant insect eating its living prey from within, saving the vital organs for last. These are among the deadly feats of natural engineering you'll witness in The Red Hourglass, prize-winning author Gordon Grice's masterful, poetic, often dryly funny exploration of predators he has encountered around his rural Oklahoma home. Grice is a witty and intrepid guide through a world where mating ends in cannibalism, where killers possess toxins so lethal as to defy our ideas of a benevolent God, where spider remains, scattered like "the cast-off coats of untidy children," tell a quiet story of violent self-extermination. It's a world you'll recognize despite its exotic strangeness--the world in which we live. Unabashedly stepping into the mix, Grice abandons his role as objective observer with beguiling dark humor--collecting spiders and other vermin, decorating a tarantula's terrarium with dollhouse furniture, or forcing a battle between captive insects because he deems one "too stupid to live."Kill. Eat. Mate. Die. Charting the simple brutality of the lives of these predators, Grice's starkly graceful essays guide us toward startling truths about our own predatory nature. The Red Hourglass brings us face to fanged face with the inadequacy of our distinctions between normal and abnormal, dead and alive, innocent and evil.From the Hardcover edition.

    The Shaman's Apprentice tells the story of a Tirio Indian boy who dreams of one day being the tribal shaman, and how he and his people learn the importance of their own knowledge about the healing properties of the rain forest.

    Long one of contemporary art's most highly regarded painters, Raffael transforms intense observations of nature into color-drenched, deeply felt works of art. He often works on a very large scale, using either watercolor, oil, or acrylic to achieve the painstaking detail of his dazzling images.Amei Wallach's warmly perceptive introduction, inspired by a visit to the artist's home and studio in the south of France, explores Raffael's life history, his sources, and his ideas about art. Her individual chapter openers address the predominant subjects within the artist's work, including water and shore scenes, flowers, animals, fish and lilies, sacred symbols, and Raffael's wife, Lannis. A thought-provoking essay by Donald Kuspit places Raffael's painting within the larger context of twentieth-century art, psychology, and philosophy. Complementing these texts are the paintings themselves-sun-dappled carp, luminous iris, tumultuous rivers, and other wonders of nature captured in radiant visual meditations.The artist has also contributed two engaging written pieces, both of which illuminate the pleasures and occasional terrors of the creative process. His "Diary of a Painting" traces the evolution of one major work over several months, from the original slide to the finished wall-size watercolor, providing insight into the emotional and technical demands of creating a work of art. His informative and revealing "Autobiographical Chronology" provides a personal look back, from his Brooklyn childhood to his art-making career in New York, California, and the south of France, where Joseph Raffael lives and works today.

    Presenting the findings of scientific research of mammals, this reference text contains over 200 photographs and 100 paintings, diagrams and maps.

    This comprehensive, A-to-Z guide will help serious and casual gardeners alike choose the specific plants, flowers, shrubs, and trees for attracting some of the best-loved backyard birds, including bluebirds, warblers, goldfinches, and cardinals. Readers will discover top plants for birds, profiles of more than fifty common backyard birds, special bird feeding and planting tips to attract specific birds, and other features making this book invaluable to gardeners and bird lovers alike!

    In fact, you don't even have to like to fish to enjoy and appreciate the latest book from respected psychologist, fisherman, and essayist Paul Quinnett.Fishing Lessons is a rich mix of anecdotes, observations, essays, short stories, one-liners, and personal revelations from Quinnett's rich life and fishing journals. In his honest, straightforward style, the renowned psychologist/fisherman rounds out the trilogy that began with Pavlov's Trout and Darwin's Bass, the first books ever written on the psychology of fishing. This time he tackles the philosophy of fishing -- a philosophy of enjoying life. Over the course of its 240 pages. Fishing Lessons provides satisfying essays that won't so much teach you about fishing as they will teach you about yourself.

    An informative, visual guide to the natural science of birds as well as a field guide to over 150 species found in North America.

    It has long been a habit of writer Barry Lopez to remove dead animals from the road. At the conclusion of a journey from Oregon to Indiana in 1989, he wrote Apologia to explore the moral and emotional upheaval he experienced dealing with the dead every day. On the highway he encountered dozens of animals - raccoons, jackrabbits, porcupines, red foxes, sparrows, spotted skunks, owls, deer, gulls, badgers, field mice, garter snakes, barn swallows, pronghorn antelope, squirrels - all victims of vehicular destruction. Stopping for each body he saw, he gently removed each one from the road. Lopez's eloquent prose is accompanied by Robin Eschner's dramatic woodcuts. By turns violent, raw, and tender, they provide a stunning counterpoint to a reverent testimony.

    Written as a field guide to the physical and biological processes that generate patterns on Western Atlantic shorelines, it is intended for a wide audience ranging from undergraduate students and amateur naturalists to professionals in other disciplines.

    Condensed versions of the famous Peterson Field Guides, the First Guides focus on the animals, plants, and other natural things you are most likely to see. They make it fun to get into the field and easy to progress to the full-fledged Peterson Guides.

    It is probably in our nature. Itis also, apparently, in our nature to destroy that which we hold inawe. --from The Enchanted BraidOf the myriad ecosystems populating the underwater world, coralreefs are by far the most complex. While their stunning beauty hasbeen extolled for centuries, the intricate workings of reefenvironments remained largely hidden from view. In fact, until theadvent of scuba diving just fifty years ago, corals have been amongthe last natural histories to be extensively explored. The highpassion with which scientists have greeted this particularinvestigation --beginning with the foundational theories of CharlesDarwin in 1842--is perhaps unprecedented, but hardly difficult tounderstand. A phenomenon of both awesome beauty and vitalimportance, the coral reef is home to the most diverse range ofspecies of any environment on the planet, including fish, shrimps, worms, snails, crabs, sea cucumbers, sea stars, urchins, anemones, and sea squirts.The crux of reef life, scientists have discovered, lies in nature'smost intimate example of symbiosis: the mutually beneficialrelationship between the coral polyp and its tenant, thezooxanthellate algae. Davidson's history begins with thisdeceptively diminutive hybrid, the engine behind the constructionof the limestone-based coral structure. Together, the threeelements comprise a unique zoophytalite (animal-plant-mineral)form, or an enchanted braid.Aided by an eight-page, full-color photographic insertdemonstrating the incredible intricacies of the reef and its uniqueinhabitants, The Enchanted Braid identifies the approximately240,000 square miles of coral reef on the planet today asindispensable not only to the livelihood of the oceans but also tohumans. The reef is, after all, the soul of the sea, the spawningground for tens of thousands of marine species. As sources of food(many islands rely on reefs for all their protein), medicine(corals are used in bone grafts and to fight cancer and leukemia), and detailed insight into the history of climatic conditions, coralreefs are critically important to human life on Earth. However, ina world of oil tanker disasters, global warming, and dwindlingnatural resources, they are also in grave danger ofextinction.Osha Gray Davidson's urgent clarion call to halt today's man-madedegradation of coral reefs is both alarming and persuasive, effectively underscored by the rich historical context of passagesfrom Darwin's captivating diary of his seminal work on reefs 150years ago. Like the coral reef, The Enchanted Braid is itself arare hybrid, a graceful combination of aesthetic appreciation, scientific inquiry, and environmental manifesto.

    

    Finch III. The title, derived from a Dogon name for Sirius B. reflects the cosmic nature of African science.

    You'll find page after page of teas, tinctures, supplements, formulas, masks, compresses, and more. Special blends for relaxation, rejuvenation, and healing. Tonics that prevent or relieve colds and flu, hot flashes and menstrual cramps, digestive upsets, mood swings, pelvic pain, urinary tract infections, and much more. The book, based on modern scientific evidence, kicks off with a look at the long tradition of herbal healing, then provides lavishly illustrated profiles of the 50 top healing herbs for women. Next, you'll find step-by-step directions, with color photos, for making tonics, compresses, and other herbal medicines in your kitchen with everyday equipment. A special section of the book, arranged alphabetically, offers herbal remedies for more than 80 health complaints, from altitude sickness to water retention. Throughout, the authors emphasize safe and effective use of herbs for problems ranging from everyday complaints (like sage for bad breath and rosemary for headaches) to long-range concerns (like hawthorn for heart health and astragalus for immunity). Included are popular herbs like echinacea for colds and St.-Johns-wort for depression as well as up-and-coming herbs like kavakava for anxiety and black cohosh for menopausal symptoms.

    This logbook is designed to help build the self-esteem of kids by creating something of their own: their own artwork and written observations, their own keepsake. The logbook includes log pages to record written and drawn observations, a life list, photo and art pages, and a log tips page. Bring this on your next outing, have fun, and enjoy the birds!

    Its 297 color photographs are arranged by flower color and blooming time. Plant characteristics, habitat and range are provided.

    Each bird is described in vivid detail - its natural history, habitat, voice, range, and field marks - and illustrated in stunning color photographs. Range maps show where each species is found in different seasons. The audio CD features original high-quality field recordings of each bird's songs and calls, which are track-coded for easy access. Common Birds and Their Songs will be valuable to anyone interested in birds, from beginner to expert. It's the perfect gift for any birder - or anyone with a bird feeder.

    But not just watching—deeply absorbing every nuance of color, markings, shape, flight, and song; all the subtle clues that can identify a bird barely glimpsed among the highest branches in fading twilight. With the same skill, he has been observing and writing about birding and birders for over twenty years, using humor, sentiment, occasional sarcasm, and unashamed passion for his chosen profession to explore why birdwatching is so irresistibly compelling to so many people. This book brings together thirty-two vintage essays that Dunne originally wrote for publications such as American Birds, Bird Watcher’s Digest, Birder’s World, Birding, Living Bird, the New Jersey edition of the Sunday New York Times, WildBird, and Wild Bird News. Encounters with birds rare and common is their shared theme, through which Dunne weaves stories of his family and friends, reflections on the cycles of nature, and portraits of unforgettable birders whose paths have crossed his, ranging from Roger Tory Peterson to a life-battered friend who finds solace in birding. A cliff-hanger story of the bird that got away gives this book its title.

    A quiet quest for meaning in a rugged physical and psychic terrain.

    We no longer have to limit ourselves to the 50 to 60 fruits and vegetables commonly grown in North America but can now learn and begin to enjoy more than 4,000 wild and delicious foods growing in our own back yards!Noted ethnobotanist Dr. Francois Couplan has been teaching the uses of various fruits, nuts, and grains world wide since 1975 and has published more than 13 books about plants in both French and German. He has worked with world-renowned chefs including Jean-Georges Vongerichten in New York, to bring wild plants to gourmet menus and has been cooking with hundreds of different plants for the past thirty years. This title is not only a guide to intriguing and palatable edible plants based on the author's personal experiences but a unique pathway to appreciating nature.

    Explaining the functions of anatomical characteristics such as heat-sensitive facial pits, Manny Rubio also describes rattlesnakes' diverse habitats, feeding strategies, reproductive cycles, and seasonal hibernation patterns. Drawing on recent research and replete with never-before-published photographs, Rattlesnake is landmark guide for both professional and amateur herpetologists, as well as a fascinating introduction to the most maligned reptile of the Americas.

    Working in Provence, in barren, sun-scorched fields inhabited by countless wasps and bees, he observed their intricate and fascinating world, recounting their activities in simple, beautifully written essays.This volume, based on translations of Fabre's Souvenirs Entomologiques, blends folklore and mythology with factual explanation. Fabre's absorbing account of the scarab beetle's existence, for example, begins with the ancient Egyptians' symbolic view of this busy creature, eventually leading to a careful discussion of its characteristic method of rolling a carefully sculpted ball of food to its den. Elsewhere, he discusses with infectious enthusiasm the physiologic secrets behind the luminosity of fireflies, the musical talents of the locust, the comfortable home of the field cricket, and the cannibalism of the pious-looking praying mantis, among other topics.These charmingly related stories of insect life are a rare combination of scientific study and literary classic that will delight entomologists, naturalists, and nature lovers alike.

    Must read for anyone interested in these magnificant creatures - filled with the true stories of recent bear attacks.

    This second edition marks the 10th anniversary of Robert L. Henn's popular guide. It has been expanded to include more than 300 species of wildflowers arranged by color and taxonomy, each with a thorough description of characteristics, habitat, distribution, and human uses. Henn includes a glossary, diagrams of flower parts and leaf arrangements, and a succinct, informative introduction. Designed for durability, the guide retains its innovative side-flip design for ease of use. Any Ohioan or resident of neighboring states who is captivated by the wonders of the natural world will find this pocket guide to be indispensable.

    From Earth to Herbalist is a must for anyone interested in making and using their own plant medicines.

    An instant hit when it was published in France in 1879, Souvenirs Entomologiques has endured as a testament to our universal fascination with the smallest of creatures. McLoughlin's exquisite original paintings were created especially to illuminate this collection of clever, amusing, and provocative writings. Whether depicting the intricate texture of a butterfly's wings or the pale delicacy of a hummingbird's egg, Jean Henri Fabre and Marlene McLoughlin create a vivid world of discovery.

    Vulnerable to storms that arise in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico, Florida has been hit by far more hurricanes than any other state. In many ways, hurricanes have helped shape Florida's history. Early efforts by the French, Spanish, and English to claim the territory as their own were often thwarted by hurricanes. More recently, storms have affected such massive projects as Henry Flagler's Overseas Railroad and efforts to manage water in South Florida. In this book, Jay Barnes offers a fascinating and informative look at Florida's hurricane history. Drawing on meteorological research, news reports, first-person accounts, maps, and historical photographs, he traces all of the notable hurricanes that have affected the state over the last four-and-a-half centuries, from the great storms of the early colonial period to the devastating hurricanes of 2004 and 2005--Charley, Frances, Ivan, Jeanne, Dennis, Katrina, and Wilma. In addition to providing a comprehensive chronology of more than one hundred individual storms, Florida's Hurricane History includes information on the basics of hurricane dynamics, formation, naming, and forecasting. It explores the origins of the U.S. Weather Bureau and government efforts to study and track hurricanes in Florida, home of the National Hurricane Center. But the book does more than examine how hurricanes have shaped Florida's past; it also looks toward the future, discussing the serious threat that hurricanes continue to pose to both lives and property in the state. Filled with more than 200 photographs and maps, the book also features a foreword by Steve Lyons, tropical weather expert for the Weather Channel. It will serve as both an essential reference on hurricanes in Florida and a remarkable source of the stories--of tragedy and destruction, rescue and survival--that foster our fascination with these powerful storms.Vulnerable to storms that arise in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico, Florida has been hit by far more hurricanes than any other state. In this updated edition of Florida's Hurricane History, Jay Barnes draws on meteorological research, news reports, first-person accounts, maps, and historical photographs to trace all of the notable hurricanes that have affected the state over the last four-and-a-half centuries, from the early colonial period to the devastating hurricanes of 2004 and 2005--Charley, Frances, Ivan, Jeanne, Dennis, Katrina, and Wilma. Illustrated with more than 200 photographs and maps, the book is filled with fascinating stories of tragedy and survival.

    Born in the coastal logging communities of coastal Oregon, Holmstrom built his own wooden boats and soloed several of the country's great whitewater rivers. He died mysteriously on the Grande Ronde River at age 37.

    Planted as single specimens in beds or on the terrace in a container, grasses are striking focal points. Smaller forms bring rhythm and diversity to mixed borders, and clumping forms richly carpet the ground. This beautifully illustrated book by two imaginative garden designers will provide equal measures of information and inspiration.

    Octavo, PP.248, Warmly Inscribed To A Friend And Forager With Author's First Name Signature; Includes A Contemporary Newspaper Clipping Story Of The Book Release With A Photo Of The Author Holding The Book

    He performed at Carnegie Hall as a member of the legendary Weavers and pioneered the use of synthesizers in pop music and film. He worked with musicians such as Mick Jagger, Frank Zappa, and George Harrison, and he contributed to the soundtrack of "Apocalypse Now" and more than 100 other films. As a recorder of natural sound, however, he has been intimately associated with even more remarkable characters: humpback whales, polar bears, silverback gorillas, and the rich sound environments in which they perform. In its portrayal of Krause's transition from pop music to the music of the wild, "Into a Wild Sanctuary" opens the door to a new and enlarged way of perceiving the natural world.

    The superbly illustrated autobiography of a Pacific Northwest hiking, climbing, and skiing icon.

    The St. Bernard is noted for its congenial temperament and comes in both shorthaired and longhaired varieties. Here is detailed information on understanding this breed, as well as specific tips on selecting a puppy or dog.

    Each day and overnight hike contains four key elements to help readers plan and enjoy the perfect trip: GPS-based trail maps, GPS-based elevation profiles, directions to the trailhead, and trail descriptions.Designed to fit easily into a back pocket, this guide leads hikers and backpackers to sites of exceptional beauty and solitude.

    Its inhabitants, some 6,000 people of Cajun and other ancestries, retain strong economic and cultural ties to the land and its teeming wildlife. They call it paradise . . . but it is a vulnerable paradise. In this multifaceted study, Gay Gomez explores the interaction of the land, people, and wildlife of the Chenier Plain, revealing both the uniqueness of the region and the challenges it faces. After describing the geography and history of the Chenier Plain, Gomez turns to the lifeways of its people. Drawing on their words and stories, she tells how the chenier dwellers combine modern occupations with traditional pursuits such as alligator and waterfowl hunting, fur trapping, and fishing. She shows how these traditions of wildlife use provide both economic incentives for conservation and a source of personal and place identity. This portrait of a "working wetland" reveals how wildlife use and appreciation can give rise to a stewardship that balances biological, economic, and cultural concerns in species and habitat protection.

    She focuses on the little details first, from soil and leaves to wildflowers and birds.

    It reveals the premises of the investigators, the nature of their inquiry and the extent of their knowledge, while also revealing the bristlecone pine itself.

    Philosopher Bruce Wilshire considers remedies for specific addictions, including drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, and gambling, and suggests ways to rediscover our "humanness".

    Whether one photographs songbirds in the backyard, or travels to wildlife refuges to observe them in their natural habitat, this hands-on guide to capturing gorgeous images of avian subjects covers all the bases, from buying the right camera equipment to composing the perfect picture.

    Written by a contributing editor of "Backpacker" Magazine.

    Lively text, accurate maps, and clear site descriptions reveal great sources of rhodonite, alabaster, tourmaline, amethyst, blue barite, and much more.

    Beginning with tiny plankton, "floating free," followed by a "shrimp as small as a snail (lots of legs and a squiggly tail)," each verse introduces a new link and then connects it to everything else. It reminds us to appreciate the intricate chain of life in the sea that feeds us. Robert Baldwin is a storyteller and musician, many of his songs and stories are those of the sea.

    Clare Walker Leslie has transformed what could have been an ordinary diary into something truly unique. The text and illustrations offer just the right amount of inspiration and guidance to help the journal-keeper begin and succeed at making this book his or her own. First Clare explains to the budding journal-keeper how to get started and suggests some possible formats to follow. She even includes a few sample pages from her own journal as inspiration.Then come the journal pages themselves. The left-hand page has ghosted-back lines for those who prefer a sense of structure. The right-hand pages are left blank for sketching or writing. Short, inspir ational quotes and exercises to help guide the journaling process are scattered among the pages.At the back of the journal is Clare's mini-field guide, packed with essential information on how to recognize (and draw!) basic families of birds, insects, and trees, thus sparing the journal-keeper the trouble of lugging multiple field guides into the wild. An elastic band keeps paper from flapping while you're writing, holds specimens, and acts as a bookmark. Drop it in the mud. Get trail mix stuck between the pages. This journal can take it! Printed on recycled, acid-free paper with a lay-flat binding.

    It contains a comprehensive collection of the most valuable garden plants available today, including unusual and choice varieties as well as easy popular favorites. The introduction explains the various forms of plant that we cultivate in our gardens - trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, biennials etc - and the factors that affect their performance. Plants are then detailed in the A-Z section with essential cultural and descriptive information, plus approximately 1,500 magnificent color photographs to enable the reader to choose and identify suitable plants for every purpose. The catalogue is simple and clear; arranged by the correct botanical names by which they are widely known and sold. English names are included wherever they are commonly used and there is an index of these names so that plants can be found quickly and easily. This encyclopedia provides a storehouse of ideas for pleasurable browsing and a mine of practical information for all gardeners.

    Simons Lighthouse, one of America's oldest continuously working lighthouses and home to the ghost of keeper Frederick Osborne, whose footsteps can be heard in the tower at night-- Jekyll Island Club, a posh retreat established in 1886 by some of the wealthiest families in America, including the Astors, Rockefellers, and Vanderbilts-- Fort King George was called the Invalid Regiment because many of its soldiers were either sickly or victims of foreign campaigns-- Each site is illustrated with a full-color painting-- A great gift for lighthouse or art enthusiasts

    There is an ecology of conscience at work in the human spirit--an instinct, at times blind and groping, to leave as gentle and light a footprint as possible on this earth." -- from Nature's Keepers In this eloquent and moving work, acclaimed nature writer Michael Tobias examines the endangered status of many wild plants and animals, exposes illegal killing by "trophy hunters" in national parks, and shines a spotlight on a worldwide epidemic of poaching and illegal trade in animals and animal parts that threatens many species with extinction. Nature's Keepers highlights some of the thorniest problems involved in the fight to preserve and protect what's left of the wild animals in the United States and, by implication, throughout the world.Although the battle has already been lost for untold numbers of animals, Tobias focuses on those whose futures might still be preserved. Most Americans, be they urban or rural, are dangerously cut off from an awareness of wild animals and plants and of their threat of extinction. Nature's Keepers offers hope that through education and awareness, legal and judicial diligence, and compassion, some species can be saved and the most dangerous trends reversed.With its Special Operations unit, agents of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are among the foot soldiers in the battle to save endangered wildlife--the Green Berets of anti-poaching. Tobias takes us inside their command structure and into the only wildlife crime lab in the world: the Clark Bavin National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory, in Ashland, Oregon, where unique pathology studies and significant DNA blood and tissue matching of wildlife is carried on in an effort to identify illegal kills and their perpetrators. Pulling in more key evidence than is gathered for most murder trials, agents are nonetheless frustrated by laws in many states where parking tickets are more expensive than fines for illegally slaughtering animals.Although the trade in illegal wildlife is second only to the drug trade in the United States, the wildlife authorities are seriously understaffed, with 7,000 officers in the entire country (across all branches of wildlife law enforcement) versus tens of millions of hunters, dealers, and recreational users--a nearly uncontrollable population of potential abusers spread out over 7.5 million square miles of wildlife habitat. Despite these daunting odds of engagement, Tobias shows how the dedicated members of the USFW Sp. Ops unit mounted such dramatic and successful sting operations as "Whiteout" and "Renegade" in recent years.What is the future for endangered plants and animals, squeezed not only by a vanishing habitat, but also by an expanding global black market estimated at between $10 and $30 billion a year? Tobias demonstrates how energetic citizens may use democratic processes and free enterprise to stem, if not halt, the destruction of wild animals and awaken the "ecology of conscience" in all people, everywhere."The list of endangered species in America provides some inkling of the loss of experience with the wild that this history of extinction will have on the next generation of children. They will grow up in a country bereft of Florida panthers (30 to 50 left at this time), Schaus swallowtail butterflies (less than 100 holding on), the Eastern indigo snake (the largest benign snake in North America, number unknown), the red wolf (population 300), the Wyoming toad (less than 50 surviving), the elegiac whooping crane (their numbers down to 175 in the wild), and many, many others."Recognizing the legal, conceptual, and emotional rights of other life-forms as the next great extension of the human community suggests both a spiritual and political transformation. . . . It means a revolution in animal rights, welfare, and protection. . . . It portends a necessary change from mere consumers who expect entitlements, into environmental citizens, whose rights hinge upon responsibilities from one generation to the next."