Best of
Nature

2005

Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World


Paul Stamets - 2005
    That’s right: growing more mushrooms may be the best thing we can do to save the environment, and in this groundbreaking text from mushroom expert Paul Stamets, you’ll find out how. The basic science goes like this: Microscopic cells called “mycelium”--the fruit of which are mushrooms--recycle carbon, nitrogen, and other essential elements as they break down plant and animal debris in the creation of rich new soil. What Stamets has discovered is that we can capitalize on mycelium’s digestive power and target it to decompose toxic wastes and pollutants (mycoremediation), catch and reduce silt from streambeds and pathogens from agricultural watersheds (mycofiltration), control insect populations (mycopesticides), and generally enhance the health of our forests and gardens (mycoforestry and myco-gardening).  In this comprehensive guide, you’ll find chapters detailing each of these four exciting branches of what Stamets has coined “mycorestoration,” as well as chapters on the medicinal and nutritional properties of mushrooms, inoculation methods, log and stump culture, and species selection for various environmental purposes. Heavily referenced and beautifully illustrated, this book is destined to be a classic reference for bemushroomed generations to come.

The Wild Braid: A Poet Reflects on a Century in the Garden


Stanley Kunitz - 2005
    This book is the distillation of conversations, none previously published, that took place between 2002 and 2004. Beginning with the garden, that "work of the imagination," the explorations journey through personal recollections, the creative process, and the harmony of the life cycle. A bouquet of poems and a total of 26 full-color photographs accompany the various sections. The Wild Braid received a 2006 American Horticultural Society Book Award.

Zamba: The True Story of the Greatest Lion That Ever Lived


Ralph Helfer - 2005
    His close friends had found a young lion near death by the Zambezi River in Zambia and had rescued him and brought him back to the States. Ralph had often spoken of wanting to raise a lion from a young age -- he had been developing a philosophy of training animals based on love instead of fear, which he termed "affection training." Weeks later, Zamba, then a two-month-old cub, arrived. As Helfer peeked into Zamba's box, he saw a small lion cub tilt his head, wait a single beat, then amble right into his arms. Hugging Helfer's neck with his soft paws, Zamba collapsed on his chest, got comfortable, and fell asleep, their faces touching. They didn't move for the next two hours. Zamba was home.For the next eighteen years, Zamba would appear in many motion pictures, on television, and in the pages of magazines. Along with Helfer's other famous animal actors -- including Modoc the circus elephant and Gentle Ben the bear -- Zamba proved Helfer's theories resoundingly correct, and affection training revolutionized the way animals are trained and treated in the motion picture industry. Through both happy and tough times the bond between Helfer and Zamba developed into the most important of their lives, and Zamba is now enshrined in Helfer's heart and the memories of moviegoers everywhere as the greatest lion that ever lived. With stories that range from the hilarious to the incredibly sad and poignant, Zamba will give any Lion King fan a new hero and touch every animal lover's heart.

Tending the Wild: Native American Knowledge and the Management of California's Natural Resources


M. Kat Anderson - 2005
    But as this groundbreaking book demonstrates, what Muir was really seeing when he admired the grand vistas of Yosemite and the gold and purple flowers carpeting the Central Valley were the fertile gardens of the Sierra Miwok and Valley Yokuts Indians, modified and made productive by centuries of harvesting, tilling, sowing, pruning, and burning. Marvelously detailed and beautifully written, Tending the Wild is an unparalleled examination of Native American knowledge and uses of California's natural resources that reshapes our understanding of native cultures and shows how we might begin to use their knowledge in our own conservation efforts.M. Kat Anderson presents a wealth of information on native land management practices gleaned in part from interviews and correspondence with Native Americans who recall what their grandparents told them about how and when areas were burned, which plants were eaten and which were used for basketry, and how plants were tended. The complex picture that emerges from this and other historical source material dispels the hunter-gatherer stereotype long perpetuated in anthropological and historical literature. We come to see California's indigenous people as active agents of environmental change and stewardship. Tending the Wild persuasively argues that this traditional ecological knowledge is essential if we are to successfully meet the challenge of living sustainably.

Art Forms from the Ocean: The Radiolarian Prints of Ernst Haeckel


Olaf Breidbach - 2005
    Although original editions of this book are extremely rare, it is now available for the first time in a paperback edition, beautifully reproducing his drawings and watercolours. While the variety and detail of Haeckel's drawings display an impressive understanding of biological structure, the skill with which Haeckel drew these tiny, aquatic protozoa renders them genuine works of art. This volume features commentary and descriptions of each of the radiolarians from Haeckel's work.

More Readings From One Man's Wilderness: The Journals of Richard L. Proenneke, 1974-1980


Richard Proenneke - 2005
    Proenneke--a modern-day Henry David Thoreau--built a cabin in Twin Lakes, Alaska, during the spring of 1968, sparking thirty years of personal growth in which he spent the majority of his time strengthening his relationship with the wilderness around him. Following in the footsteps of One Man's Wilderness, a classic book compiling some of the mountain man's journals, More Readings from One Man's Wilderness chronicles Proenneke's experiences with animals, the elements, park visitors, and observations he made while hiking in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. A master woodcraftsman, a mechanical genius, a tireless hiker with a keen eye, and a journalist, Proenneke's life at Twin Lakes has inspired thousands of readers for decades.Editor John Branson--a longtime friend of Proenneke's and a park historian--ensures that Proenneke's journals from 1974-1980 are kept entirely intact. His colloquial writing is not changed or altered, but Branson's footnotes make his world more approachable by providing a background for names and places that may have otherwise been unknown. Any reader with a love for conservation and true-life wilderness narratives will undoubtedly admire and relish Proenneke's tales of living in the wild.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, is proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports--books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team.In addition to books on popular team sports, we also publish books for a wide variety of athletes and sports enthusiasts, including books on running, cycling, horseback riding, swimming, tennis, martial arts, golf, camping, hiking, aviation, boating, and so much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Life in the Undergrowth


David Attenborough - 2005
    A spider lassoes its prey. A beetle persuades a bee to care for its young. This beautifully illustrated book by veteran naturalist Sir David Attenborough offers a rare glimpse into the secret life of invertebrates, the world's tiniest--and most fascinating--creatures.Small by virtue of their lack of backbones, this group of living things plays a surprisingly large role in the evolutionary cycle. These diverse creatures (more than one million species are believed to exist) roamed the earth before us and will still be here when we have gone. They are the pollinators, cleaners, and recyclers of life on earth. Without them, we would not last long.Attenborough has studied and enjoyed these diminutive beings since he was a schoolboy in the Leicestershire countryside of England. Life in the Undergrowth, part of his innovative series on natural history topics, looks at invertebrates the world over: their arrival on land and mastery of every habitat, and their fantastic variety of hunting, mating, and highly organized social behaviors.Adults are prejudiced against insects--handicapped by their ignorance and fears and limited by their size and vision. Children, who are closer to insects in size, notice and enjoy the tiny creatures.In this companion book to the Animal Planet television program, Attenborough shares his childlike curiosity for invertebrates, taking us down wormholes and into insect homes for an up-close-and-personal look at their habitats. As the biblical book of Proverbs implores: Go to the ant, thou sluggard: consider her ways and be wise. David Attenborough does go. It is worth going with him.

Decade of the Wolf: Returning the Wild to Yellowstone


Douglas W. Smith - 2005
    This work describes the journey of the wolves themselves and the people who faithfully followed them through the wilds of Yellowstone. It also includes details about the lives of these animals.

On This Earth: Photographs from East Africa


Nick Brandt - 2005
    He creates these majestic sepia and blue-tone photoscontrasting moments of quintessential stillness with bursts of dramatic actionby engaging with these creatures on an exceptionally intimate level, without the customary use of a telephoto lens. Evocative of classical art, from dignified portraits to sweeping natural tableaux, Brandt's images artfully and simply capture animals in their natural states of being. With a foreword by Alice Sebold and an introduction by Jane Goodall, On This Earth is a gorgeous portfolio of some of the last wild animalsand a heartfelt elegy to a vanishing world.

Given


Wendell Berry - 2005
    He is an award-winning writer whose imagination is grounded by the pastures of his chosen place and the rooms and porches of his family's home. In Given — his first collection of new poems in ten years now in paperback — the work is as rich and varied as ever before. With his unmistakable voice as the constant, he dexterously maneuvers through a variety of forms and themes — political cautions, love poems, a play in verse, and a long series of “Sabbath Poems” that resulted from Berry's recent Sunday morning walks of meditation and observation.Berry's work is one of devotion to family and community, to the earth and her creatures, to the memories of the past, and the hope of the future. His writing stands alongside the work of William Carlos Williams and Robert Frost as a rigorous American testament.

The Only Kayak: A Journey into the Heart of Alaska


Kim Heacox - 2005
    Finalist for the 2006 Pen Center USA Western award in creative nonfiction.

Findings


Kathleen Jamie - 2005
    Kathleen Jamie, award winning poet, has an eye and an ease with the nature and landscapes of Scotland as well as an incisive sense of our domestic realities. In Findings she draws together these themes to describe travels like no other contemporary writer. Whether she is following the call of a peregrine in the hills above her home in Fife, sailing into a dark winter solstice on the Orkney islands, or pacing around the carcass of a whale on a rain-swept Hebridean beach, she creates a subtle and modern narrative, peculiarly alive to her connections and surroundings.

Acadia: The Complete Guide: Mt Desert Island & Acadia National Park


James Kaiser - 2005
    From outdoor adventures (hiking, biking, sea kayaking, sailing) to the top lobster restaurants in Bar Harbor, Acadia: The Complete Guide puts the best of Acadia at your fingertips. Fascinating chapters on geology, history, ecology and wildlife bring the park to life. Over 20 detailed maps make travel planning easy.Written and photographed by Maine native James Kaiser, Acadia: The Complete Guide offers dozens of insider tips to help you make the most of your time in the park. Whatever your interests—driving the Park Loop Road, hiking to the top of Cadillac Mountain, biking the Rockefeller Carriage Roads, sailing past historic Bass Harbor Lighthouse—Acadia: The Complete Guide is the only travel guide you'll need.The Bestselling Guidebook to Acadia for over a Decade!Over 150 Color PhotographsOver 20 Detailed MapsFascinating Chapters on Geology, Ecology, Wildlife and HistoryDetailed Info on Hiking, Biking, Sea Kayaking and SailingFilled with Tips to Save You Time and Money!

Being Caribou


Karsten Heuer - 2005
    In April 2003, wildlife biologist Karsten Heuer and filmmaker Leanne Allison embarked on a five-month research journey to follow the 2,000-mile migration of a herd of 120,000 Porcupine Caribou, from their winter range to their calving grounds in Alaska, and back again. From Old Crow, Yukon, the Heuers followed ancient paths and the primordial rhythms of the herd through Canada and over the border to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in the United States. The couple travelled on foot and by ski through unforgiving landscapes; fording swift, deadly cold rivers, as well as encountering ravenous grizzlies who tracked them as prey. Having began the expedition as seasoned outdoor adventurers, Karsten and Leanne soon learned they would only be able to find and discern the intent of the herd by adopting the ancient ways of the area's indigenous people. Advised by a Gwich'in native in Old Crow at the start of their trip to "listen to dreams", Karsten and Leanne find they must shed the many insulating layers of pragmatism that distance them from the natural world. They discover a transformational truth in listening to the music of the earth, paying attention to the urgings within dreams, and in truly, beyond their expectations, being caribou.

The Poems of Norman MacCaig


Norman MacCaig - 2005
    This edition contains 778 poems, 100 of them previously unpublished, and has, in addition, a context piece, author's words and CD of readings. It is a definitive (though not complete) collection.

Caterpillars of Eastern North America: A Guide to Identification and Natural History


David L. Wagner - 2005
    The more than 1,200 color photographs and two dozen line drawings include numerous exceptionally striking images. The giant silk moths, tiger moths, and many other species covered include forest pests, common garden guests, economically important species, and of course, the Mescal Worm and Mexican Jumping Bean caterpillars. Full-page species accounts cover almost 400 species, with up to six images per species including an image of the adult plus succinct text with information on distribution, seasonal activity, foodplants, and life history. These accounts are generously complemented with additional images of earlier instars, closely related species, noteworthy behaviors, and other intriguing aspects of caterpillar biology.Many caterpillars are illustrated here for the first time. Dozens of new foodplant records are presented and erroneous records are corrected. The book provides considerable information on the distribution, biology, and taxonomy of caterpillars beyond that available in other popular works on Eastern butterflies and moths. The introductory chapter covers caterpillar structure, life cycles, rearing, natural enemies, photography, and conservation. The section titled Caterpillar Projects will be of special interest to educators.Given the dearth of accessible guides on the identification and natural history of caterpillars, Caterpillars of Eastern North America is a must for entomologists and museum curators, forest managers, conservation biologists and others who seek a compact, easy-to-use guide to the caterpillars of this vast region. A compact guide to nearly 700 caterpillars east of the Mississippi, from forest pests to garden guests and economically important species 1,200 color photos and 24 line drawings enable easy identification Full-page species accounts with image of adult insect for almost 400 species, plus succinct text on distribution and other vital information Many caterpillars illustrated here for the first time Current information on distribution, biology, and taxonomy not found in other popular works A section geared toward educators, Caterpillar Projects An indispensable resource for all who seek an easy-to-use guide to the caterpillars of this vast region

Trees of Delhi: A Field Guide


Pradip Krishen - 2005
    Simply written yet comprehensive, this invaluable field guide will appeal to you whether you are a nature enthusiast or a botanist.

National Geographic Complete Birds of North America


Jonathan Alderfer - 2005
    More an encyclopedia than a field guide, National Geographic's Complete Birds is a browsable treasure trove of facts. This comprehensive volume profiles every bird observable in the continental United States and Canada, featuring species accounts with details that include calls and songs, breeding behaviors, molting patterns, and the vast extent of their polar and neotropical migrations. The precision maps, illuminating photographs, and more than 4,000 exquisite pieces of annotated art make this the biggest and best bird book ever.This third edition, thoroughly updated, includes:Information on more than 1,000 species and subspeciesOverviews of every familyOrganization reflecting current taxonomy850 range maps, more than half updated since the last editionSidebars on identification challenges such as distinguishing between Bay-breasted and Blackpoll Warblers in fall or separating the various species of white egretsThese 752 pages add up to a lifetime of learning for all devoted birders, from those just beginning birders to those who have been building their life lists for decades. Bird lovers will appreciate many other titles from National Geographic, including:Field Guide to the Birds of North AmericaBackyard Guide to the Birds of North AmericaHow to Know the Birds Birds of the Photo Ark

The Golden Spruce: A True Story of Myth, Madness, and Greed


John Vaillant - 2005
    Five months earlier, logger-turned-activist Grant Hadwin had plunged naked into a river in British Columbia's Queen Charlotte Islands, towing a chainsaw. When his night's work was done, a unique Sitka spruce, 165 feet tall and covered with luminous golden needles, teetered on its stump. Two days later it fell.As vividly as John Krakauer puts readers on Everest, John Vaillant takes us into the heart of North America's last great forest.

California Native Plants for the Garden


Carol Bornstein - 2005
    Authored by three of the state's leading native-plant horticulturists and illustrated with 450 color photos, this reference book also includes chapters on landscape design, installation, and maintenance. Detailed lists of recommended native plants for a variety of situations and appendices with information on places to see native plants and where to buy them are also provided.

The Smaller Majority: The Hidden World of the Animals That Dominate the Tropics


Piotr Naskrecki - 2005
    This is the 'smaller majority' that we meet eye-to-eye, often for the first time and certainly as never before, in Piotr Naskrecki's spectacular book. A large-format volume of over 400 exquisite, full-colour photographs, some depicting animals never before captured with a camera, The Smaller Majority takes us on a visual journey into the remote world of organisms that, however little known, overlooked, or even reviled, are critical to the bio-diversity of the tropics, and to the life of our planet. Here are the species who truly dominate the tropics, both in terms of their diversity and the ecological functions they play - invertebrates such as insects, arachnids, or flatworms, but also little-known vertebrates such as the pygmy chameleons of Madagascar or legless, underground frog kin known as caecilians; here is behaviour never before documented, as in katydids preying upon one another, photographed in places few have visited. creatures from their point of view, the book exposes the environment in which they live, the threats they face, and the devastating impact their disappearance may have. A unique introduction to the marvellous variety of the overlooked life under our feet, Naskrecki's book returns us to a child's sense of wonder with a fully informed, deeply felt understanding of the importance of so much of the world's smaller, teeming life.

Earth Mother


Ellen Jackson - 2005
    As she walks the land, swims the seas, and climbs the mountains, nurturing all of creation, she comes across Man, Frog, and Mosquito. They each give her thanks for nature's bounty, yet can't help but give her advice about making their lives better. Everybody’s got an opinion, it seems, and Earth Mother is amused when it becomes clear that the circle of life is not without a healthy dose of cosmic humor. Leo and Diane Dillon lend their formidable talents to Ellen Jackson's original folktale about the unexpected and sometimes humorous ways that life is interconnected.

The Singing Life of Birds: The Art and Science of Listening to Birdsong (with CD)


Donald E. Kroodsma - 2005
    Read stories of thrushes and thrashers, wrens and robins, warblers and whip-poor-wills, bluebirds and cardinals, and may more birds. Learn how each acquires its songs, how songs vary from bird to bird and place to place, how some birds' singing is especially beautiful or ceaseless or complex, how some do not sing at all, how the often quiet female has the last word, and why. 9.25 inches tall x 7.50 inches long x 1.50 inches wide

Encyclopedia of Aquarium & Pond Fish


David Alderton - 2005
    The Encyclopedia of Aquarium & Pond Fish contains a directory of more than 800 of the most popular pet fish species--freshwater, saltwater, coldwater, and tropical--showing not only what each fish looks like, but what food they eat, which species they can cohabitate with, how big they grow, and much more.The book also includes a thorough guide to the general principles of fish care, from choosing the right type of fish for your lifestyle, to constructing a tank or pond, to setting up a complete ecosystem with multiple fish and plant species. With beautiful, full-color photographs to accompany the incredible wealth of information, it's both a joy to look through and an indispensable resource for any fishkeeping enthusiast.

Birds Britannica


Mark Cocker - 2005
    British customs, more than 1,000 years of English literature, the very fabric of society, even the landscape itself, have all been enhanced by the presence of birds. Now, at last, here is a book which pays tribute to the remarkable relationship forged between a nation and its most treasured national heritage.Birds Britannica is neither an identification guide nor a behavioural study (though both these subjects enter its field), it concentrates on our social history and on the cultural links between humans and birds. It includes observations and experiences from more than 1,000 naturalists and bird lovers. These contributions from the public touch on aviation ecology; the lore and language of birds; their myths, the art and literature they have inspired; birds as food; and the crucial role they play in our sense of place and the changing seasons.The book has taken eight years to research and write, and has been assembled by a team which includes some of the finest writers and image-makers of British wildlife. On one level, it is a remarkable collection of humorous stories, field observations and tales of joy, wonder and occasional woe; on another, it is a nationwide chronicle. Scholarly and wide-ranging, a mix of the traditional and the contemporary, Birds Britannica is a comprehensive record of birdlife in the early years of the twenty-first century.

Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley and the Southern Appalachians


Dennis Horn - 2005
    Sponsored by the Tennessee Native Plant Society, this labor of love has been 14 years in the making. The result is a landmark achievement that brings the beauty and uniqueness of wildflowers to amateurs and experts alike. The focus is on Tennessee, but the Ohio Valley and Southern Appalachians are covered, encompassing all or parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North and South Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. 800 color photographs, 96 line drawings, 3 full-color state and region maps.

Eating Stone: Imagination and the Loss of the Wild


Ellen Meloy - 2005
    Naturalist Ellen Meloy tracks a band of these majestic creatures through backcountry hikes, downriver floats, and travels across the Southwest. Alone in the wilderness, Meloy chronicles her communion with the bighorns and laments the growing severance of man from nature, a severance that she feels has left us spiritually hungry. Wry, quirky and perceptive, Eating Stone is a brillant and wholly original tribute to the natural world.

Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest: A Photographic Encyclopedia of Invertebrates, Seaweeds and Selected Fishes


Andy Lamb - 2005
    It is designed to allow the reader to recognize virtually any coastal organism that might be encountered from southern Alaska to southern Oregon--from sea lettuces and feather boa kelp through to the leopard ribbon worm, Pacific red octopus, spiny-thigh sea spider and gutless awning-clam. Each species is identified with photographs and includes a description with information on range, habitat, appearance and behaviour.Andy Lamb and Bernard Hanby have spent most of their lifetimes studying and recording Pacific Northwest marine life and have completed over 4,000 scuba dives between them. Some of the species included in this volume have never been featured in print before. Colour-coded for quick reference and including a glossary and full index, "Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest" is a must-have for serious biologists, scuba divers, beachcombers or anyone interested in marine life and beautiful underwater photography.

Drawn to Nature: Through the Journals of Clare Walker Leslie


Clare Walker Leslie - 2005
    Drawn to Nature comprises excerpts from 25 years of Leslie’s journals devoted to observing and recording the natural world in words, field sketches, and impressionistic watercolors. Delightfully amusing and deeply passionate by turns, this compilation will inspire you to connect with nature, wherever you live.

Living with Sheep: Everything You Need to Know to Raise Your Own Flock


Geoff Hansen - 2005
    A unique guide to sheep, for would-be farmers and people who simply love animals and the outdoors.

Native Plants of the Northeast: A Guide for Gardening and Conservation


Donald J. Leopold - 2005
    Leopold, expert in horticulture, botany, forestry, and ecology No other single volume on native plants has such comprehensive horticultural coverage as Native Plants of the Northeast: A Guide for Gardening and Conservation. Nearly seven hundred species of native trees, shrubs, vines, ferns, grasses, and wildflowers from the northeastern quarter of the United States and all of eastern Canada are included. Each plant description includes information about cultivation and propagation, ranges, and hardiness. An appendix recommends particular plants for difficult situations, as well as attracting butterflies, hummingbirds, and other wildlife.

Rock and Gem


Ronald L. Bonewitz - 2005
    Also included is a focussed look at other precious materials often prized for their beauty, such as amber, coral, ivory, and fossils.Learn how to identify more than 450 rock and mineral specimens through stunning photographs and detailed characteristics. Discover more about rocks and minerals through folklore and historical artifacts, and find out the fascinating stories behind the world's natural treasures, including the Hope diamond and the Great Mogul emerald. Practical advice on cutting, polishing, and displaying your finds further equips you with all the knowledge needed to delve into the world of rock and mineral collecting.Rock and Gem were produced in association with the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, the world's largest museum complex, ensuring the guide's accuracy.

Bad Birdwatcher's Companion


Simon Barnes - 2005
    There are simply too many birds in them. This book introduces the reader to Britain's most obvious birds. But it does more than that: it also explains them. It explains the way that different birds do different things, eat different food, sing different songs and live different lives, and it explains why they are different. If you are a would-be birdwatcher but don't know where to start, A Bad Field Guide is for you. It will help you understand birdwatching: but far more important, it will help you begin to understand birds. Robin...But have you ever wondered what a red breast means to a robin? A red breast is not just the way a human can recognise a robin when it comes a-calling, when it sits on a spade or a Christmas card. The red breast is not just a bit of chance colouration. No: the red breast is the core of the robin's being. The red breast is the love, the honour and the glory of a robin. Have you noticed that a robin positively flaunts it? It is as if he is telling the world: for God's sake, I'm a robin!

Hawks from Every Angle: How to Identify Raptors in Flight


Jerry Liguori - 2005
    Across North America, tens of thousands of people gather every spring and fall at more than one thousand known hawk migration sites--from New Jersey's Cape May to California's Golden Gate. Yet, as many discover, a standard field guide, with its emphasis on plumage, is often of little help in identifying those raptors soaring, gliding, or flapping far, far away.Hawks from Every Angle takes hawk identification to new heights. It offers a fresh approach that literally looks at the birds from every angle, compares and contrasts deceptively similar species, and provides the pictures (and words) needed for identification in the field. Jerry Liguori pinpoints innovative, field-tested identification traits for each species from the various angles that they are seen.Featuring 339 striking color photos on 68 color plates and 32 black & white photos, Hawks from Every Angle is unique in presenting a host of meticulously crafted pictures for each of the 19 species it covers in detail--the species most common to migration sites throughout the United States and Canada. All aspects of raptor identification are discussed, including plumage, shape, and flight style traits.For all birders who follow hawk migration and have found themselves wondering if the raptor in the sky matches the one in the guide, Hawks from Every Angle--distilling an expert's years of experience for the first time into a comprehensive array of truly useful photos and other pointers for each species--is quite simply a must.Key Features? The essential new approach to identifying hawks in flight Innovative, accurate, and field-tested identification traits for each species 339 color photos on 68 color plates, 32 black & white photos Compares and contrasts species easily confused with one another, and provides the pictures (and words) needed for identification in the field Covers in detail 19 species common to migration sites throughout the North America Discusses light conditions, how molt can alter the shape of a bird, aberrant plumages, and migration seasons and sites User-friendly format

The Earth's Blanket: Traditional Teachings for Sustainable Living


Nancy J. Turner - 2005
    This is a thought-provoking look at Native American stories, cultural institutions, and ways of knowing, and what they can teach us about living sustainably.

Domino Guide To The Insects Of Britain And Western Europe


Michael Chinery - 2005
    The text summarises key identification points and characteristics.

Evolution of the Insects


David A. Grimaldi - 2005
    Introductory sections cover the living species diversity of insects, methods of reconstructing evolutionary relationships, basic insect structure, and the diverse modes of insect fossilization and major fossil deposits. Major sections then explore the relationships and evolution of each order of hexapods. The volume also chronicles major episodes in the evolutionary history of insects from their modest beginnings in the Devonian and the origin of wings hundreds of millions of years before pterosaurs and birds to the impact of mass extinctions and the explosive radiation of angiosperms on insects, and how they evolved into the most complex societies in nature. Whereas other volumes focus on either living species or fossils, this is the first comprehensive synthesis of all aspects of insect evolution. Illustrated with 955 photo- and electron- micrographs, drawings, diagrams, and field photos, many in full color and virtually all of them original, this reference will appeal to anyone engaged with insect diversity--professional entomologists and students, insect and fossil collectors, and naturalists. David Grimaldi and Michael S. Engel have collectively published over 200 scientific articles and monographs on the relationships and fossil record of insects, including 10 articles in the journals Science, Nature, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. David Grimaldi is curator in the Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History and adjunct professor at Cornell University, Columbia University, and the City University of New York. David Grimaldi has traveled in 40 countries on 6 continents, collecting and studying recent species of insects and conducting fossil excavations. He is the author of Amber: Window to the Past (Abrams, 2003). Michael S. Engel is an assistant professor in the Division of Entomology at the University of Kansas; assistant curator at the Natural History Museum, University of Kansas; research associate of the American Museum of Natural History; and fellow of the Linnean Society of London. Engel has visited numerous countries for entomological and paleontological studies, doing most of his fieldwork in Central Asia, Asia Minor, and the Western Hemisphere.

The Global Garden


Kate Petty - 2005
    For those who've wondered where sugar grows, what a chocolate tree looks like, or where jeans or bicycle tires come from, the answers are all here and are shared by friendly bees who guide the reader along their way. Inspired by England's Eden Project Botanic Garden, this ingenious, prize-winning volume is ideal for Earth Day celebrations in April.

Archipelago: Portraits of Life in the World's Most Remote Island Sanctuary


David Liittschwager - 2005
    Home to nearly seventy percent of our nation's coral reefs, known as the "rainforests of the sea," the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands is a remarkable ecosystem that supports a vast array of interdependent native plants and animals that have evolved in this habitat over millions of years, many existing nowhere else on the planet.The result is Archipelago. With its more than 300 stunning images, the book illustrates the spectacular diversity of these ocean and island creatures, as well as profiles many of the people dedicated to the preservation of this habitat. The inaccessibility of these islands and the need to protect them means that few people will ever be able to visit them in person, though now, for the first time, the area's inhabitants are available for all the world to see through this important body of work. In conjunction with the publication of Archipelago, exhibitions of these photographs will be mounted in Honolulu and Washington, and will then travel to venues around the country throughout 2006.

Spirit of the Horse


Nicola Jane Swinney - 2005
    Beautiful subject done well.

Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems


Joyce Sidman - 2005
    Though seemingly quiet, ponds are teeming with life and full of surprises. Their denizens—from peepers to painted turtles, duckweed to diving beetles—lead secret and fascinating lives. A unique blend of whimsy, science, poetry, and hand-colored woodcuts, this Caldecott Honor-winning collection invites us to take a closer look at our hidden ponds and wetlands. Here is a celebration of their beauty and their mystery.

Texas Bug Book: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly


Howard Garrett - 2005
    Drawing on years of practical experience and research, organic gardening experts Howard Garrett and Malcolm Beck give detailed instructions on how to identify, understand the life cycle of, and control or protect Texas insects, mites, snails, slugs, nematodes, and other critters. They also include striking color photos and black-and-white drawings to help you identify each bug. Garrett and Beck highlight the many useful roles that bugs play in nature and offer proven organic remedies for infestations of pest insects.

The Meaning of Trees: Botany, History, Healing, Lore


Fred Hageneder - 2005
    Fascinating facts abound: the Druids believed that only the wood of the yew tree was fit to make wands; a Ukrainian tonic of birch leaves contains the same healing properties as aspirin. A visually stunning and engaging guide, The Meaning of Trees is a fitting tribute to this most majestic of natural wonders. 8.60 inches tall x 0.80 inches long x 8.60 inches wide

RHS Plants for Places


Linden Hawthorne - 2005
    The ideal guide to keep on hand when visiting garden centres and plant nurseries.

A Forest for Calum


Frank MacDonald - 2005
    Some voices are not easily silenced.Like many smallish and inelegant towns that dot the coastlines and crossroads of this country, Shean’s postwar, post-industrial economy is in desperate disrepair, and the lengths that some civic leaders will go to in order to do “what’s best” for a town like Shean sometimes requires a leap of faith that has unintended consequences.When a global corporation plans a daring scheme to exploit the remaining coal from an improbable source – and thus to secure Shean’s economic future – politicians try to marginalize the few voices of dissent.

The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life


Tim Haines - 2005
    lifelike detail... this easily readable book should appeal to dinosaur enthusiasts of all ages." -Science NewsThe Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life. The book's concise, jargon-free text and full color illustrations bring the primordial world to vivid photo-realistic life. In-depth profiles of 112 kinds of beasts cover physical characteristics, lifestyle, habitat and behavior. Throughout, "fascinating fact" sidebars offer additional bits of "dinotrivia." But there is more than dinosaurs here. Readers will find creatures from triobites to early human beings. At the heart of the book are 350 richly detailed and lifelike color illustrations -- accompanied by comprehensive text -- which are the result of pioneering work by the Emmy award-winning creative team at Framestore CFC. Using animation, graphic effects and filmmaking, they recreated awe-inspiring prehistoric creatures and the world they lived in. These images are now reproduced to thrill readers.The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life was published to accompany two BBC TV prime-time programs, Life Before Dinosaurs and Walking with Life, both part of the Discovery Channel's award-winning Walking with Dinosaurs series.

Corn Snakes: The Comprehensive Owner's Guide


Kathy Love - 2005
    The AVS series, founded and guided by herpetocultural pioneer Philippe de Vosjoli, is the #1 series on reptile care. From choosing a pet to selecting a veterinarian to feeding, housing, breeding, and more, these books deliver the most helpful and up-to-date information available on popular reptiles and amphibians kept as pets.

Gaia: Medicine for an Ailing Planet


James E. Lovelock - 2005
    Disclaiming the conventional belief that living matter reacts passively in the face of threats to its existence, Lovelock argues that the earth's living matter - air, ocean, and land surfaces - forms a complex system which has the capacity to keep our planet a fit place for life. Now reissued with an updated preface which discusses how Lovelock's predictions have already begun to hold true, Gaia has dramatically altered the way scientists view evolution and the environment.

Shanleya's Quest: A Botany Adventure for Kids Ages 9 to 99


Thomas J. Elpel - 2005
    Each island is home to a separate family of plants and a guardian with lessons to teach about the identification and uses of those plants.

The Things Trees Know


Douglas Wood - 2005
    They have bared witness to so much and have weathered so many storms. In The Things Trees Know, through insightful text and lovely pen and ink illustrations, Doug presents a whispering grove full of wisdom. His brief meditations portray the parallels between trees' lives and ours, as well as the knowledge we can gain from them. Walk this wooded trail and find a shaft of sunlight, a ray of hope, a living landmark, and perhaps the answer to a question or two. The Things Trees Know could change your outlook on life.

Ghosts of Gondwana: The History of Life in New Zealand


George W. Gibbs - 2005
    The science that traces the history of life on Earth is called historical biogeography and it is the theme of this book. Biogeography is a wide-ranging study, involving geology, genetics and biology. There are no departments of it and no professors, but to understand 'what lives where and why' it is necessary to probe the cutting edge of fields as disparate as continental drift and the inner secrets of the magic DNA molecule. Although we are blessed in New Zealand with many descriptive books about our birds, plants, landscapes and conservation issues, there is currently no up-to-date book that explains the origin of our life. George Gibbs' very accessible story summarises exciting new research which leads to an understanding of where our fauna and flora came from and how they evolved to become some of the strangest in the world. It also reveals the landmark events in our deep history which have moulded the life of today and presents a balanced view of the arguments which accompany this type of speculative science. Ghosts of Gondwana is a highly readable and engaging book. Heavily illustrated with photographs and diagrams, this is popular science writing at its best. As the only contemporary book on this subject, it will undoubtedly become essential reading for anyone interested in New Zealand's natural history.

Birds of Maryland & Delaware Field Guide


Stan Tekiela - 2005
    There's no need to look through dozens of photos of birds that don't live in your area. This book features 111 species of Maryland and Delaware birds—including birds in Washington, D.C., and Chesapeake Bay—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.

Butterflies of the East Coast: An Observer's Guide


Rick Cech - 2005
    In addition to providing a wealth of facts and photos, the book is the first to furnish detailed and up-to-date photo-illustrated information on the host plants favored by particular species. With 234 full-page species accounts and accompanying range maps, plus more than 950 large-size color photos, it is an essential reference work for field observers, gardeners, educators, and conservation managers--or anyone interested in appreciating the lepidopteran world close at hand.The introductory chapters detail the subtle ecology of the East Coast region, establishing a consistent ecological framework that enriches the individual species accounts. There is also an overview of current scientific literature and observational findings to help readers better interpret complex butterfly behaviors in the field, including seasonal movements, host plant and diapause strategies, defensive chemistry, and more.The book is written by Rick Cech, a seasoned field observer who has spent years studying and photographing East Coast butterflies. His substantial first-hand experience with both the common and rare species in the region adds much depth and new insight to the commentary.234 full-page species accounts and accompanying range maps950 large-size color photos215 photos of individual host plants and habitats735 high-quality photos of butterflies and caterpillarsIntroductory chapters detailing the subtle ecology of the East Coast regionAn overview of current scientific literature and observational findingsDescriptions of diapause and host plant strategies and defensive chemistryUser-friendly with clear, concise text

My Roots: A Decade in the Garden


Montagu Don - 2005
    This work is a collection of 50 of Monty's best columns, that will provide a practical guide and a poetic record of the garden's changing seasons.

If You Were My Baby: A Wildlife Lullaby


Fran Hodgkins - 2005
    Baby mountain goat is guided up high cliffs. Baby beaver learns to build well. Baby bat is held in mother's protective embrace, upside-down. And your baby will learn to delight in nature's wonders. A "sweet dream bedtime" book for nature lovers of all generations!

No One Loved Gorillas More


Camilla de la Bedoyere - 2005
    Presents a collection of letters written by Dian Fossey that captures her spirit, activism, setbacks, and triumphs during the eighteen years she spent studying and preserving mountain gorillas.

Tallgrass Prairie Wildflowers 2: A Field Guide to Common Wildflowers and Plants of the Prairie Midwest


Doug Ladd - 2005
    This valuable reference enables all prairie enthusiasts to quickly and accurately identify hundreds of tallgrass prairie plants. Fully revised and updated to reflect new trends in conservation and plant identification, this remains the classic guidebook for prairie enthusiasts.

Visual Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs


Dougal Dixon - 2005
    With more than 1,000 full-color photographs, diagrams, charts, cutaway drawings, and detailed illustrations in each book, DK's Visual Encyclopedias cover everything you've ever wanted to know about animals, dinosaurs, and science.- An invaluable family reference, packed with facts, figures, and quotable statistics- An amazing breadth of information on dinosaurs and other prehistoric life, from amphibians to Archaeopteryx, giant plant-eaters to Tyrannosaurus- Full-color photographs and illustrations on every page

Texas Snakes: A Field Guide


James R. Dixon - 2005
    This fully illustrated field guide to Texas snakes, written by two of the state's most respected herpetologists, gives you the most current and complete information to identify and understand all 110 species and subspecies.Texas Snakes: A Field Guide has all the resources you need to identify snakes in the wild and in your yard:110 full-color, close-up photos that show every snake, as well as 39 detailed line drawings110 range mapsUp-to-date species accounts that describe each snake's appearance, look-alikes, size, and habitatA checklist of all Texas snakes and a key to the speciesReliable information on poisonous snakes and preventing and treating snakebitesConcise guides to snake conservation, classification, and identificationDrawn from the authors' monumental, definitive Texas Snakes: Identification, Distribution, and Natural History, this field guide is your must-have source for identifying any snake you see in Texas.

Planet Ocean: Voyage to the Heart of the Marine Realm


Laurent Ballesta - 2005
    These fascinating undersea worlds occupy more than three quarters of the globe, and their natural richness is the source of all life—yet they are still poorly understood. With engaging text and more than 400 photographs presented in a stunning oversize format, authors Laurent Ballesta and Pierre Descamp lead readers on a compelling voyage of discovery. Each page reveals a new marvel, from the exuberance of underwater forests to the delicate intimacy of octopuses and the extreme survival methods of creatures in the Antarctic. More than 25 essays from leading scientists highlight topics such as aquaculture and global warming—for in addition to celebrating earth's marine life, Planet Ocean helps readers understand the threats that weigh on the oceans and why we must protect the incredible diversity of plants and animals there. The World Conservation Union has partnered on the project to ensure an accurate, timely, and interesting presentation of this very important subject. Visually rewarding and excellently priced, Planet Ocean will inspire and inform as it entices us to explore the colorful world beneath the sea.

Clyde Butcher Florida Landscape


Clyde Butcher - 2005
    The exquisite beauty and depth of his work draw the viewer into a relationship with nature. For more than thirty years he has been preserving the untouched areas of the landscape on film, and for twenty of those years he has concentrated on Florida. His images are captured with 8"x10", 11"x14", and 12"x20" view cameras. The large format allows him to express in elaborate detail the textures that distinguish the beauty of the landscape.            Butcher has recently been honored by the State of Florida with the highest award given to a private citizen, the Artists Hall of Fame Award, for photographic excellence, as well as the Heartland Community Service Award for his work in educating the people of Florida about the beauty of their state.            He has received the Conservation Colleague Award from The Nature Conservancy, and the Ansel Adams Conservation Award from the Sierra Club. He was chosen as Person of the Week on the ABC Evening News with Peter Jennings. Two videos, the PBS documentary “Visions of Florida” and “Big Cypress Preserve: Jewel of the Everglades,” have also won awards.

Planting Design: Gardens in Time and Space


Piet Oudolf - 2005
    The book focuses on the general principles behind creating successful and beautiful plant combinations in both time and space — working with perennials in the context of trees, shrubs, and the surrounding landscape. The authors suggest looking across, into, and through the landscape. They ask the reader to consider the rhythms and connections in their designs, through such elements as echoes, linkages, and repetitions. More than just theory, Planting Design includes practical discussion of topics such as soil preparation, plant selection, and garden maintenance. Exceptional photographs show growth of a designed landscape over time, opening the gardener to new ways of seeing and thinking about their landscapes.

Beyond Words: Talking with Animals and Nature


Marta Williams - 2005
    More profoundly, intuitive bonds with the natural world can foster life-altering changes and spiritual redirection. Beyond Words describes what people experience when they connect intuitively with animals and nature. In her first book, Learning Their Language, Marta Williams taught readers how to make this connection; here she explores how life changes once they do. Williams describes a photographer who is healed by dolphins in the waters off Hawaii, how a rottweiler helps her female companion seek the assistance she needs, and how young Neil and his horse Feste together learned about life, death, and loyalty. Easy-to-follow exercises and practices help readers experience these same types of communication.

The Pterosaurs


David M. Unwin - 2005
    Written for the general reader, this is a careful account of the research, analysis, and science, (including reader-friendly notes on various points in the text), with clear discussion of c"

Miss Lady Bird's Wildflowers: How a First Lady Changed America


Kathi Appelt - 2005
    Joy Fisher Hein's colorful wildflowers burst from every page, inviting us to share in Lady Bird's love for natural beauty. From a lonely childhood in the Piney Woods of East Texas to an exciting life in the White House, Lady Bird Johnson loved wildflowers with all her heart. They were her companions in her youth, greeting her everywhere as she explored wild forests, bayous, and hills. Later, as First Lady, she sought to bring the beauty of wildflowers to America's cities and highways. She wanted to make sure every child could enjoy the splendor of wildflowers.Perfect for sharing in classrooms and at home for Women's History Month as well as for units on Texas, presidential family, and environmental history, this unique picture book biography is accessible and appealing.This nonfiction picture book is an excellent choice to share in the classroom and for homeschooling.

Field Guide to the Sandia Mountains


Robert Hixson Julyan - 2005
    This guide will assist visitors in discovering the diverse natural features of the Sandias.Field Guide to the Sandia Mountains includes sections on ecology, including weather and fire, geology, flora (grasses, flowers, trees) and fauna (arthropods, reptiles and amphibians, birds, mammals), and recreational opportunities. Plant keys and fauna checklists add to the book's features.Rather than a comprehensive field guide, the selections offer the most commonly encountered species in each category, presenting information on just over 100 species of flowers, for example, among almost 500 species that can be found in the mountains.A labor of love conceived by the Sandia Ranger District and the New Mexico Friends of the Forest (now known as Friends of the Sandia Mountains), this book is a resource no visitor to the Sandias should be without.

Snakes of the Southeast


Whit Gibbons - 2005
    Filled with more than 300 color photographs and written by two of the region’s most renowned herpetologists, this is the most comprehensive educational guide to the snakes of the Southeast.At the heart of the guide are its heavily illustrated, fact-filled descriptions of each species and its habitat. Also included is a wealth of general information about the importance of snake conservation and the biology, diversity, and life cycles of snakes. Useful information about the interactions of humans and snakes is also covered: species that are likely to be found near houses, snakes as pets, what to do in case of a snake bite, and more.Clearly written, cleanly designed, and fun to use, the guide will promote a better understanding of the habitat needs of, and environmental challenges to, this fascinating group of animals.Features:Conservation-oriented approachOver 300 color photographsNearly 50 distribution mapsClear descriptions of each species, including differences in the appearance of young and mature snakesSize charts, key identifiers (scales, body shape, patterns, and color), descriptions of habitat, behavior and activity, food and feeding, reproduction, predators and defense, and conservation

Venomous Snakes of the World


Mark O'Shea - 2005
    In this comprehensive volume, author Mark O'Shea has combined expertly written, in-depth descriptions of the world's common and exotic venomous snakes, highlighted by previously unpublished gripping accounts of his adventures with snakes, including personal observations and several serious snakebite episodes.The book begins with a description of the anatomies of venomous snakes, along with their diversity and distribution. Also included is a unique in-depth look at the various types of snake venom and the ways that each type attacks the body. A section on anti-venom, including thoughts on the looming anti-venom crisis, is also presented. Information on the adaptations of ocean-dwelling snakes and issues of snake conservation as well as an examination of venomous lizards follow.From bamboo pitvipers to deep-diving seasnakes, and from adders and asps to terciopelos and the massasaugas, this book takes an original approach to examining these enthralling creatures. Rather than the typical taxonomic categorization, the snakes are grouped by geographic location: the Americas, Africa, Eurasia, Tropical Asia, Australasia, and the Oceans. Each section is illustrated with stunning and rare pictures, many of which were taken by the author himself.Suitable for professional snake handlers and armchair herpetologists alike, this extremely accessible book is an enthusiastic celebration of the diversity and beauty of venomous snakes worldwide.Explores the secret world of venomous snakes, revealing their habitats, characteristics, and hunting and feeding behaviorsContains thrilling details of O'Shea's own encounters with snakesProvides detailed information on venomous snake diversity, venom types, and conservationIncludes a world map illustrating venomous snake distribution and detailed accounts of more than 170 speciesFeatures over 150 full-color photographs, many of them of extremely rare species

Chasing Clayoquot: A Wilderness Almanac


David Pitt-Brooke - 2005
    Kennedy Jr., this book of natural history, environmentalism, and politics explores one of the Earth's last primeval places: Clayoquot Sound. Pitt-Brooke takes the reader on 12 journeys, one for each month of the year. Each journey covers the outstanding natural event of that season, such as whale-watching in April, shorebird migration in May, and the salmon spawn in October.

A Field Guide to the Tiger Beetles of the United States and Canada: Identification, Natural History, and Distribution of the Cicindelidae


David L. Pearson - 2005
    Tiger beetles are among the most widely found and popular families of insects worldwide. Enabling amateur naturalists and professionals to use two identification methods--comparison of colored pictures to live or mounted specimens, and use of illustrated dichotomous keys--full biological accounts emphasize points for identification, behaviors, and habitats. Distribution maps show where various species and subspecies can be found. The authors promote a new and exciting activity of insect watching as an alternative or supplement to collecting (the general feeling among butterfliers and dragonfly and damselfly enthusiasts). Communicating primarily through the un-refereed journal Cincindela, (Tiger Beetler) specialists themselves prefer the term, cicindelophiles. They represent an ardent sublet of the growing number of serious amateur naturalists who invest in outdoor activities seeking and identifying birds, butterflies, dragonflies, flowering plants, and various other forms of life.

Mammals of Minnesota Field Guide


Stan Tekiela - 2005
    Award-winning author Stan Tekiela's famous field guide includes all 75 of Minnesota's mammals, organized by family (from small to large). Each type of species gets a full-page photograph and three pages of information including size, habitat, range and more. Track patterns and other signs that an animal might leave behind aid in ensuring correct identification. Professional photos and Stan's naturalist notes help you to discover all of Minnesota's diverse species.

Thomas Merton's Gethsemani: Landscapes of Paradise


Monica Weis - 2005
    In "Thomas Merton's Gethsemani," dramatic black-and-white photographs by Harry L. Hinkle and artful text by Merton scholar Monica Weis converge in a unique experience for lovers of Merton.Hinkle was allowed unprecedented access to many areas inside the monastery and on its grounds that are generally restricted. His photographs invite the reader to experience the various knobs, lakes, woods, and hermitages Merton sought out for times of solitude and contemplation and for reading and writing. These unique images, each accompanied by a passage from Merton's writings, evoke personal reflection and a deeper understanding of how and why Merton came to recognize himself as a part of his Kentucky landscape.Woven throughout the book, Weis's text explores Merton's fascination with nature not only at Gethsemani, but during his early childhood, throughout his spiritual conversion to Roman Catholicism, and while a member of the Trappist community. She examines how Merton's lifelong interaction with nature subtly revealed and informed his profound spiritual experiences and his writing about contemplation. "Thomas Merton's Gethsemani" replicates Merton's path on his solitary hikes in the woods and conveys the wonder of the landscapes that inspired him.

Bear Attacks of the Century: True Stories of Courage and Survival


Larry Mueller - 2005
    Unfortunately, these nightmares all too often come true. People perform almost superhuman feats in their fight to survive bear attacks. Jim Marriott, for instance, was attacked andmauled by a grizzly while carving out a moose head. When playing dead didn’t work, he slammed his skinning knife into the attacker’s neck. The surprised bear backed off only to charge again, cut his tongue trying to bite at the knife, and got the knife sunk into thesame place. By the third charge, Marriott was on his feet despite chewed buttocks and damaged legs. This time the bear left with the knife still sticking in his neck. “In bear attacks, the human survival instinct is extraordinary,” says a doctor who sees the terrible punishment victims of bear attacks live through. “And equally amazing are the heroics and seemingly superhuman efforts of those around the victims.”BEAR ATTACKS OF THE CENTURY gathers together these stories of courage,chronicling the most horrific encounters between bears and people. With expert advice on avoiding attacks and information that may help both species leave an encounter unscathed, this book is required reading for hikers, hunters, campers, or anyone visiting bear country, and those who want to learn more about these sometimes deadly but always fascinating animals.

The Nature Handbook: A Guide to Observing the Great Outdoors


Ernest Herbert Williams - 2005
    The need to understand nature draws us back to its simple beauty again and again, yet underneath this simplicity lies a complex web of associations and patterns. The Nature Handbook does what no other field guide does: explores and explains nature through these connecting patterns, revealing them to the many different types of nature lovers. All naturalists-- from birders to gardeners, hikers to environmentalists, wildflower enthusiasts to butterfliers-- will appreciate the different approach of the Handbook, even those whose interest in the natural world is just beginning to develop. Naturalists who are already well versed in one group of organisms--birders, for example--will find new explanations and patterns for their favorite group, as well as new patterns all around them that they had previously overlooked. Observations in the Handbook are arranged in the three main sections of plants, animals, and habitats. These sections are then connected through discussions of the relationship of size and shape, adaptations, distribution patterns, behavior, and diversity of life. Since the emphasis is on patterns rather than individual species, each chapter has cross-references to related topics. For example, tree-related topics such as leaf shape, treelines, and fall colors, are all discussed in different chapters even though they are related. Leaf shape is associated with trees as organisms, and therefore is in Chapter 2: Trees; treelines are most associated with mountains, so their description is in Chapter 8: Mountains; fall colors apply more broadly to forests than to individual trees, and they are discussed in Chapter 9, Forests.Approximately 500 color photographs help make the more than 200 patterns apparent and recognizable for readers, and each pattern is accompanied by a detailed description and a brief list of sources. The book is designed to invite browsing, and readers will gain a rich ecological perspective and insight. Curiosity about the world around us is a basis for human learning; The Nature Handbook serves to aid all nature lovers in their quest for understanding the many stories that our living world provides.

The Treasury Of Knowledge Book 6, Part 4: Systems Of Buddhist Tantra


Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye - 2005
    The tantric path is often referred to as the indestructible way of secret mantra, the essence of which is the indestructible union of wisdom (the understanding of emptiness) and method (immutable great bliss). This volume sets forth the various systems that constitute this path, both those of the ancient tantra tradition and of the new tradition.

National Geographic Guide to the National Parks: Southwest


National Geographic Society - 2005
    Full of suggestions on when to go and what to see and do, the guides also include guided driving tours and hikes, and special features and sidebars on not-to-be-missed flora and fauna, historical sites, and spectacular landscapes.The focus of each guide are the awe-inspiring scenic national parks in each region. In the West, Yellowstone and Yosemite loom largest, while in the Southwest, the Grand Canyon, Zion, and Death Valley are popular favorites. The East and Midwest is the largest region with the greatest diversity of parks, from the Everglades and Dry Tortugas to Mammoth Cave and Voyageurs. Finally, Alaska is a world all its own with eight major parks—Denali, Gates of the Arctic, Glacier Bay, Katmai, Kenai Fjords, Kobuk Valley, Lake Clark, and Wrangell-St. Elias—and many other fascinating natural areas to explore and enjoy.With these beautifully illustrated and completely reliable National Geographic regional guides in hand, visitors are guaranteed unforgettable national park vacations.

Celestial Realm: The Yellow Mountains of China


Wang Wusheng - 2005
    Located in the southern part of the Anhui province in northern China, Mount Huangshan has often been described as the world’s most beautiful and enchanting mountain. Over the centuries this mountain with its seventy-two peaks has been the subject of Chinese landscape painters, whose singular works are so haunting it seems impossible that these mountains exist in nature. Inspired by the legacy of these paintings, Wang Wusheng has sought to portray this scenic wonder. As shown in the collection of ninety photographs in this extraordinary volume, here are mist-shrouded, granite peaks emerging from an ever-changing veil of clouds, sculptural craggy rocks on lofty cliffs, and weathered, oddly-shaped pine trees, depicted in all seasons and at various times of day. Wang Wusheng’s images are so exceptional that they look like paintings.Accompanying the photographs are two fascinating essays about the art history and natural history of the Yellow Mountains. Art historian Wu Hung provides an eloquent, comprehensive survey of the region’s artistic, literary, and photographic tradition, relating how Wang Wusheng’s work is an important part of this notable legacy.In a second essay, Damian Harper presents an authoritative account of the geology, geography, and natural history of this legendary place. In addition, there is an introduction by the Japanese critic Seigo Matsuoka, who contributes an insightful appraisal of Wang Wusheng’s work.

Elephants of the Tsunami


Jana Laiz - 2005
    Sensitively written and beautifully illustrated, Elephants of the Tsunami is a picture book for all ages, and a wonderful way to tell children about a frightening event without subjecting them to explicit images or traumatic language.

Divine Creatures: Animal Mummies in Ancient Egypt


Salima Ikram - 2005
    Mummified animals are of four different types: food offerings, pets, sacred animals, and votive offerings. For the first time, a series of studies on the different types of animal mummies, the methods of mummification, and the animal cemeteries located at sites throughout Egypt are drawn together in a definitive volume on ancient Egyptian animal mummies. Studies of these animals provide information not only about the fauna of the country, and indirectly, its climate, but also about animal domestication, veterinary practices, human nutrition, mummification technology, and the religious practices of the ancient Egyptians. Contributors: Edda Bresciani, Aidan Dodson, Salima Ikram, Dieter Kessler, Abd el-Halim Nur el-Din, Paul Nicholson, Donald Redford, Susan Redford, Roger Lichtenberg, and Alain Zivie.

The Dogs of Windcutter Down: One Shepherd's Struggle for Survival


David Kennard - 2005
    But as he battles to save his farm from extinction, they take on a greater weight than ever. The storm clouds are already gathering when Borough Farm suffers a series of disastrous setbacks that threaten the Kennard family's traditional way of life. Though the farm has survived foot and mouth disease, an invasion of stray sheep, and the threat of disease, a malfunctioning tractor and a sickly sheepdog all add to the farm's daily pressures. How much longer can they stay afloat financially? And will David be the last shepherd to tend his flock in this rugged corner of England? Is there a way to achieve the seemingly impossible---making a living through farming sheep in the twenty-first century?A shepherd since the age of seventeen, David offers an honest and affectionate, often comic picture of life on his sheep farm. But throughout this gentle meditation on his family's rural way of life, David is in a fight for that life, and for the survival of his family and farm. He must rely---as always---on his faithful sheepdogs Greg, Swift, Gail, Fern, and Ernie. But even he is surprised when the dogs---and the new dog on the farm---exceed his expectations and prove to be Borough Farm's secret weapon.

Return to Wild America: A Yearlong Search for the Continent's Natural Soul


Scott Weidensaul - 2005
    They traveled from Newfoundland to Florida, deep into the heart of Mexico, through the Southwest, the Pacific Northwest, and into Alaska's Pribilof Islands. Two years later, Wild America, their classic account of the trip, was published.On the eve of that book's fiftieth anniversary, naturalist Scott Weidensaul retraces Peterson and Fisher's steps to tell the story of wild America today. How has the continent's natural landscape changed over the past fifty years? How have the wildlife, the rivers, and the rugged, untouched terrain fared? The journey takes Weidensaul to the coastal communities of Newfoundland, where he examines the devastating impact of the Atlantic cod fishery's collapse on the ecosystem; to Florida, where he charts the virtual extinction of the great wading bird colonies that Peterson and Fisher once documented; to the Mexican tropics of Xilitla, which have become a growing center of ecotourism since Fisher and Peterson's exposition. And perhaps most surprising of all, Weidensaul finds that much of what Peterson and Fisher discovered remains untouched by the industrial developments of the last fifty years. Poised to become a classic in its own right, Return to Wild America is a sweeping survey of the natural soul of North America today.

Dino Wars: The Dinosaurs' Biggest, Baddest Battles


Jinny Johnson - 2005
    In this colorful, illustrated book the biggest and baddest battles of prehistory are graphically brought to life. Each dinosaur is expertly drawn and rated in terms of speed, agility, armor, strength, general scariness and special skills-and then pitted against its most ferocious enemy. With thousands of facts on over 150 species and 200 illustrations, kids can indulge in ancient gore and learn the science and history behind their favorite creatures: evolution, habitats, physical characteristics and eating habits. While entertained by the excitement of the dinosaur wars, kids will also learn the real facts about prehistory.

Our National Parks


David Muench - 2005
    Ruth Rudner's moving essay coupled with Muench's visual celebration of these great lands, brings to life everything from the Great Smokies to the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, to Bryce Canyon and hundreds of other unique images.

Frogs: Inside Their Remarkable World


Ellin Beltz - 2005
    Frogs live from the warmest and wettest tropical lowlands to about 17,000 feet above sea level in the Himalayas. Some areas of Earth have more frogs than others, but frogs are true survivors.But it isn't easy being green. This hearty amphibian lives both on land and in the water and is exposed to a host of chemical and environmental threats. The frog is an animal that indicates the overall health of the environment in which it lives. It is not too much to say that "as goes the frog, so goes the swamp," and even perhaps the planet.Frogs contains a detailed look at all 31 frog families, allowing the reader to learn more about specific ones and appreciate the range and diversity of this popular amphibian. And, yes, toads are covered here, too. There is also a fascinating section on frogs in myth and culture, showing the place frogs have occupied in art and literature.This handsome book is lavishly illustrated with over 125 color photographs representing the remarkable range and world of an utterly fascinating creature.

Teaching the Trees: Lessons from the Forest


Joan Maloof - 2005
    Through Maloof’s engaging, conversational style, each essay offers a lesson in stewardship as it explores the interwoven connections between a tree species and the animals and insects whose lives depend on it--and who, in turn, work to ensure the tree’s survival.Never really at home in a laboratory, Maloof took to the woods early in her career. Her enthusiasm for firsthand observation in the wild spills over into her writing, whether the subject is the composition of forest air, the eagle’s preference for nesting in loblolly pines, the growth rings of the bald cypress, or the gray squirrel’s fondness for weevil-infested acorns. With a storyteller’s instinct for intriguing particulars, Maloof expands our notions about what a tree “is” through her many asides--about the six species of leafhoppers who eat only sycamore leaves or the midges who live inside holly berries and somehow prevent them from turning red.As a scientist, Maloof accepts that trees have a spiritual dimension that cannot be quantified. As an unrepentant tree hugger, she finds support in the scientific case for biodiversity. As an activist, she can’t help but wonder how much time is left for our forests.

The Best in Tent Camping: Missouri and Ozarks: A Guide for Car Campers Who Hate RVs, Concrete Slabs, and Loud Portable Stereos


Steve Henry - 2005
    Painstakingly selected from hundreds of campgrounds in Missouri and Arkansas, each campsite is rated for beauty, privacy, security, spaciousness, and cleanliness. Whether you are a native of the area in search of new territory or a vacationer on the lookout for that dream campground, this book unlocks the secrets to the best tent camping that Missouri and the Ozarks have to offer.

Spiders of North America: An Identification Manual


Darrell Ubick - 2005
    The book includes more than 550 genera. The manual contains 72 chapters and a wealth of information including an introduction to spider morphology, natural history, collecting techniques and preservation methods; an overview of the current status and most recent developments in spider evolutionary history; a key to the 68 families of spiders found in North America, north of Mexico; keys to the genera in each of these 68 families; an etymological dictionary explaining the derivation of the names of spider genera and families; and a well illustrated glossary.

Great British Marine Animals


Paul Naylor - 2005
    Second Edition with an additional 30 species and 90 new photographs This book is a colourful photographic guide to the fabulous wealth of marine

Eastern Pacific Nudibranchs: A Guide to the Opisthobranchs from Alaska to Central America


David W. Behrens - 2005
    This edition includes an additional 107 species, and updates the reader with newly named species and name changes. Natural history information is included for each species. 7" x 9", 137 pages, 324 color plages. Quality Paperback.

Woodpeckers of North America


Frances Backhouse - 2005
    Woodpeckers of North America specifically covers all species of woodpeckers found in the United States, Canada and northern Mexico.Woodpeckers are renowned for their cavity-excavating abilities. Although trees and telephone poles are the choice of most woodpeckers, desert dwellers frequently excavate nests in cacti. While all eat insects, many drink tree sap, eat acorns, and consume other surprising foods.Woodpeckers are distinguished by several anatomical features, including:short legs and long toes to assist in climbing a head built to withstand repeated hammering a long, straight bill designed for chopping wood a long tongue with a barbed end to extract hidden prey nostrils covered with feathers to keep them free of wood debris. 100 color photographs capture the intriguing woodpeckers in their natural environments. Woodpeckers of North America is a handy, well-written reference covering the biology and environment of these fascinating birds.

365 Ways to Save the Earth


Philippe Bourseiller - 2005
    This experience has given him unique insight into the richness but also the fragility of our environment. 365 Ways to Save the Earth takes the reader on a daily journey through our planet, revealing its hidden face. For every day it proposes a photograph and a simple everyday action that allows the reader to take part in the protection of planet Earth.

Trees, Shrubs, and Vines of the Texas Hill Country: A Field Guide


Jan Wrede - 2005
    The Edwards Plateau, upon which the Hill Country sits, is also a land of lush cypress-lined streams, diverse thickets, and shady hardwood bottomlands. Edged by canyonlands and intersected by creeks, these rocky hills support an abundance of trees, shrubs, and vines that provide food and cover for wildlife and create a distinct and durable landscape.In this book, Jan Wrede has compiled a field guide to more than 125 species of mostly native, mostly woody plants of the Texas Hill Country. A thoughtful introduction discusses deer, cedar, water, oak wilt, and invasive species—timely issues of increasing importance for a growing number of Texas landowners. Plant descriptions contain information about the leaves, flowers, fruit, and bark of each plant and also give insights into the species’ range and habits. A color photograph accompanies each account.Especially useful is a comprehensive plant chart with tips about color, scent, flowering period, height, site preference, and wildlife and livestock utilization. A recommended reading list, a resource guide, and a glossary round out this information-packed book.

500 of the Most Important Health Tips You'll Ever Need: An A-Z of Alternative Health Hints to Help Over 200 Conditions.


Hazel Courteney - 2005
    From ginseng to chick peas, Hazel Courteney's cures provide a means to gaining health, preventing common diseases and ailments and healing a range of conditions from heart troubles to aging, cancer, stress and sleeplessness.

Waterfowl of Eastern North America


Chris G. Earley - 2005
    It is home to an astonishingly large variety of ducks, geese, and other waterfowl.Waterfowl of Eastern North America is a richly illustrated pocket-sized field guide for birders and naturalists. Full-color photographs show these birds in their natural habitats in each season.Comparison pages group similar-looking birds on a single spread for quick reference. Concise and accurate information on each species includes:Common name Biological classification Identifying features Seasonal changes to plumage color. The detailed information on each species is concisely organized and includes the differences between male and female, seasonal and immature plumage, morphs and distinctive markings.The coverage includes:Ducks and geese Swans and pelicans Loons, grebes and cormorants. Waterfowl of Eastern North America also features essential information for birders who want to support conservation groups that protect waterfowl and their quickly disappearing habitats.

Earth, My Likeness: Nature Poetry of Walt Whitman


Walt Whitman - 2005
    His poetry expresses an earthy sensuality that was out of sync with the expanding industrialization all around him. His love of wild nature and the sensual experiences of life are felt in his every poem. This carefully selected collection, alongside the beauty of Roderick MacIver's watercolor art, creates a grand tribute to this sensitive soul.

Identify Yourself: The 50 Most Common Birding Identification Challenges


Bill Thompson III - 2005
    Combining clear, easy-to-understand text with beautiful illustrations that show key field marks, Identify Yourself is the solution to identifying many of North America's hard-to-distinguish birds..

Bears: A Year in the Life


Matthias Breiter - 2005
    The teddy bear is a familiar symbol of childhood and security, yet the notion of the bear as a dangerous killer has survived the taming of the wilderness and remains frightening to the camper, rancher and wilderness traveler.In Bears, the author covers:Polar bears and their unique marine habitat Brown and black bears across their range Dangers from bears living too close to human habitation Biology and breeding The five bear species that do not live in North America Bears: A Year in the Life is packed with facts and details and is lavishly illustrated with more than 125 remarkable color photographs.

A Field Guide to North Atlantic Wildlife: Marine Mammals, Seabirds, Fish, and Other Sea Life


Noble S. Proctor - 2005
    . . Yale’s Field Guide to North Atlantic Wildlife will be an indispensable companion."—Michael Kenney, Boston Sunday Globe "A great summary book—it is attractive, easily accessed, and should quickly open the public's eyes to the wonders of our amazing world."—Tom Bergh, Maine Island Kayak Company This beautifully illustrated guide covers an unprecedented range of species that may be sighted along the coastline or offshore by the whale watcher, bird watcher, fisher, boating enthusiast, or natural history buff. Designed in a handy pocket size, the book provides concise information for identifying the invertebrates, mammals, birds, turtles, fish, sharks and rays, and even floating seaweeds and common algae that live along the Atlantic coast and offshore from North Carolina to the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.With range maps and text on pages directly opposite the full-color illustrations, the book makes identification of more than two hundred species of offshore wildlife quick and easy. Special features include full-page spreads to compare similar species of seabirds, and inserts to help identify whales by their blowhole patterns, diving, and other behaviors.

Jejak Kampus di Jalan Alam 40 Tahun Mapala UI


Rudy David Badil - 2005
    From Sabang till Merauke, old till young, old times till this time. A history book that is worthed to read. (Paparan cerita pengalaman pencinta alam tertua di Indonesia. Sabang sampai Merauke, tua sampai muda, dan jadul sampai hare gene. Buku sejarah yang layak di baca)

Birds of Central Park


Cal Vornberger - 2005
    It is also, according to the New York City Audubon Society, one of the top ten birding spots in America. More than 200 species pass through the park on their migratory routes each spring and fall, close to one third of the bird species found in the United States. For the past two and a half years Cal Vornberger has been in the park every day photographing these feathered park residents. The best of those images are now collected in this gorgeous volume. Vornberger's photos capture birds engaged in all types of activities: feeding, bathing, caring for their young, flying, singing. Among the more than 100 species featured are warblers, egrets, herons, kingfishers, a boreal owl, and hawks (including the famous Pale Male, whose eviction last December from its ritzy Fifth Avenue perch sparked nationwide news stories). Packaged inside the book is a removable foldout pocket guide. Vornberger's spectacular photography, interspersed with his comments about birds, the park, and photography, will appeal to all bird-watchers, nature lovers, photography aficionados, and visitors to New York's Central Park.