Book Description
With a new epilogue
Though the Plains have been in economic and population decline since the twenties, they are actually within closer reach of vibrant ecological sustainability than any other region of the country. This visionary book offers a constructive alternative to the decline of cattle ranching, depletion of underground water, and dependency on outside energy sources. It shows how bringing back the hardy, majestic bison and using the region's winds to generate power are keys to renewed economic and social health for Plains communities.
Customer Reviews:
An excellant series of suggestions for the rural plains.......2003-10-20
Well, I'll try this a second time. The first time I wrote this review, it disappeared from the screen as soon as I clicked on the Edit button, so take care. At any rate...
Callenbach makes an excellent case for changing the way we utilize the Great Plains. With depleting aquifers, failing farms, and resultant loss of population, the region is changing drastically, regardless. With a semi-arid climate, the High Plains are best utilized for ranching, with some farming of suitable crops. The author points out that the native American bison is far more suited to this environment than the domestic bovines now dominant. They are low-maintainance, and provide meat that is leaner than beef, with more protein. And, it's quite delicious. (In fact, after I get off the web, I intend to cook a stroganoff with ground buffalo!) Thru both public and private efforts, as well as projects by Indian tribes in the region, bison can once more become part of a sustainable future for the Plains. Callenbach also advocates bringing back associated grazers like elk, deer, and antelope, as well as appropriate natural predators. Still, man will continue to be the main predator. By using the Plains in a sustainable fashion, a better future could be in store for this great region of the country. Tourism, in the form of wildlife viewing, picture-taking, and hunting would add to the economy. He correctly points out that wind-power would become a major source of power thru-out this whole area.
All in all, a fascinating and thought-provoking series of ideas for projects and policies that would help reverse the decline in the heartland. I would recommend it to anyone interested in a sustainable future. Needless to say, there is much more to the book. I've only mentioned a few of the main points. (I listed more in my disappearing first review; that still ticks me off.) Nevertheless, read it and I guarantee it will not be time wasted.
The Buffalo and the Bear.......2000-01-29
To begin with, i haven't read this book.But the idea seems to me great. Bringing buffalos to the plains will start a new period in the life of America, only we'll have to bring indians too. They would live quietly though loudly, producing some kind of energy which was always here, and which otherways is dissolving into Nowhere.This energy is necessary for generating life all over America. Joseph Campbell tells an interesting story about how buffalos interchanged with indians in the process of buffalo-hunt. They (buffalos) said they are not against hunting them in general, but they must be asked to and treated politely. Anyway all this play is inevitable, they said (indians used to follow them to the end of the rock and made them jump into the precipice) You must only find a suitable form. Another, more human and beautiful attitude we see in the film "Bless the beasts and the children", but this is a kind of unfair play from the side of the bad guys that we see there. Anyway, America must return to It's roots, the only question is where and what these roots are? perhaps this returning is going on somewhere without us, humans, and this is for better because we would spoil everything, even the ecologists? And this process is wild and strong? And it is expressed in our personal mythologies? I had written about the russian-american connections( i am a Russian originally) as the connections of the Bear and the Buffalo, both of them are beautifully and roughly strong, but they differ very much in their behaviour. So i think they would not fight, when they meet, imagine what they would do? Bear had a strong hand, Buffalo a strong foot...no, it's hard to imagine. Dance perhaps? Do circus? So to finish with this short review of an unread book( I liked Ecotopia very much, and want to ask if somebody knows what Mr.Callenbach is doing at the moment)I would like to phantasise about returning bears to the Russian forests. There are still a lot of them, but so many were killed, and so many went to the zoo and circus. What would be Russia with bears in the streets of Moscow? Perhaps people are so tired that nobody would notice?
Really opens your eyes to the importance of restoring bison.......1999-10-01
An excellent book. Callenbach clearing shows that he did his "homework". A must read for anyone who feels that bison should be reestablished on the American scene.
The poorest book ever written about the Great Plains.......1998-08-24
Callenbach demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of the people who live on the Great Plains and the issues facing them. This book is very poorly researched, is full of factual errors, and consists primarily of wishful thinking. The idea that taking land from the people that own it and creating a giant buffalo park will be an economic boon and reverse the population declines the Plains has experienced for the past 60 years is ludicrous. If you're really interested in the future of the Great Plains, read some of the more recent articles by Frank and Deborah Popper. The Buffalo Commons is a useful metaphor, but nothing more.
Book Description
With appropriate urgency and a thorough understanding of history and the issues, Jonathan Adams offers a sound conservation strategy in The Future of the Wild, using the latest in conservation science as well as the desires of local communities to protect the places where people live and work. With modern examples, Adams shows how each small success moves conservationists closer to creating protected landscapes large enough to support animals like bison and wolves. Only with freedom to roam through and between these huge lands, using wilderness corridors, can such large animals flourish.
Customer Reviews:
Tree Huggers Beware.......2006-07-04
This is the best book ever on conservation of natural resourses--should be read by all: those who believe in individual property rights, those who believe in preserving our natural resources, and those who know that tradeoffs have to be made, but do not know how to articulate their beliefs.
A 'must read' for any serious ecologist.
An important topic for everyone to understand better.......2006-05-15
This book presents the approaches and challenges of conservation efforts over the last few decades. I wish it had been more tightly edited -- it was repetitive and a bit tedious to read.
Essentially the points of the book are:
1) The best approaches for conserving species is more of a decision based on values than hard science. The complexity of understanding everything that affects a species is too much to expect science to "know all the answers".
2) Conservaton efforts based on today's isolated parks and reserves is inadequate because they're too small. Finding ways to expand their "effective boundaries" is important.
3) The influence of man and the interplay of nature in and around parks and reserves is important to understand well enough to make effective conservation choices.
4) It's imperative to include local communities in the discussion of the issues and obtaining committment to the solutions.
A 'must' for any seriously concerned about the fate of wild animals on the planet.......2006-03-07
The conservation of isolated parks and reserves alone will fail, but there's an alternative option: one that The Future Of The Wild: Radical Conservation For A Crowded World covers. Conservationist Adams ranges across the U.S. in showing how to tie together scattered remnants of this continent's wild places. Stories about the species endangered and the possibilities of wildlife conservation corridors which can help connect and save them make for chapters which blend conservation history and biology with tales of successful partnerships among groups concerned with land and wildlife management. The Future Of The Wild: Radical Conservation For A Crowded World is a 'must' for any seriously concerned about the fate of wild animals on the planet.
Book Description
In the 1990s, three times as many people were attacked my mountain lions as had been attacked in the previous century. These shy predators must kill to survive, and in areas where their habitats are shrinking, human-cat encounters are on the rise. Stalked by a Mountain Lion tells the stories of attacks and strange encounters between cougars and people and offers a sensitive look at the often complex issues surrounding their interactions.
Customer Reviews:
Well written book.......2007-08-22
I bought this book after my own "close encounter" with a mountain lion while running on a remote trail to try to understand the animal a little better and to try to understand why my encounter turned out the way it did (the lion walked away) as opposed to other encounters where serious injury or death is the result. The answers are less than satisfying, since no two encounters seem to follow the same pattern--there really is no pattern. This book is extremely well-written and sometimes more graphic than I might have liked, but very informative. I'll never run alone again.
Just change the title and BINGO! A NEW BOOK!.......2007-01-31
BEWARE THIS BOOK! If you've read "Cat Attacks: True Stories and Hard Lessons from Cougar Country," be advised that "Stalked by a Mountain Lion..." is the exact SAME BOOK, only with a new title and some (very few) updates provided. That's not to say it isn't a good book - it is, and I enjoyed it when I bought it the first time as "Cat Attacks..." But I am really unhappy at being fooled by a new title into buying the book twice. For that little manuever (not the content) I give this edition one nasty star.
Average customer rating:
|
Inside the Minds: The Pharmaceutical Industry: Leading CEOs on Drug Development, Product Differentiation and the Future of Specialty Pharma (Inside the Minds) (Inside the Minds)
Richard B. Hollis ,
Gregory J. Mossinghoff ,
Martine Rothblatt ,
Anthony H. Wild ,
Cameron Durrant ,
Aspatore Books , and
aspatore. com
Manufacturer: Aspatore Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Popular Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Industries & Professions
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Health Care Delivery
| Administration & Policy
| Medicine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Pharmacology
| Medicine
| Subjects
| Books
Health Care Delivery
| Administration & Medicine Economics
| Medical
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Pharmacology
| Medical
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Pharmacy
| Pharmacology
| Medical
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Business Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Drugs-From Discovery to Approval
-
Global Competitiveness in the Pharmaceutical Industry: The Effect of National Regulatory, Economic, and Market Factors
-
Inside the FDA: The Business and Politics Behind the Drugs We Take and the Food We Eat
-
Pharmaceutical Marketing: Principles, Environment, and Practice
-
Building Biotechnology: Starting, Managing, and Understanding Biotechnology Companies - Business Development, Entrepreneurship, Careers, Investing, Science, Patents and Regulations
ASIN: 1587620464 |
Book Description
Inside the Minds: The Pharmaceutical Industry is an authoritative, insider's perspective on the ins and outs of this business and the future of pharmaceuticals, on a global scale. Featuring Chairmen, Presidents and CEOs representing some of the nation's leading drug development and specialty pharma companies, this book provides a broad, yet comprehensive overview of the current shape and future state of the industry. Beginning with dispelling misconceptions about the industry as a whole, pulling readers through the exhaustive processes of research and development, discussing how to carve a niche in specialty pharma and addressing the challenges involved in complying with governmental standards and regulative changes, authors raise critical points around the business and offer indispensable advice for success. From the characteristics of an effective product to the processes involved in securing patents and troubleshooting their inevitable expiration, the responsibilities of drug developers to health care and general wellness on a global scale, authors explore all facets of the business - beginning to end. The different niches represented and the breadth of perspectives presented enable readers to get inside some of the great minds of today as experts offer up their thoughts around an endlessly demanding and highly rewarding industry.
Download Description
Inside the Minds: The Pharmaceutical Industry is an authoritative, insider's perspective on the ins and outs of this business and the future of pharmaceuticals, on a global scale. Featuring Chairmen, Presidents and CEOs representing some of the nation's leading drug development and specialty pharma companies, this book provides a broad, yet comprehensive overview of the current shape and future state of the industry. Beginning with dispelling misconceptions about the industry as a whole, pulling readers through the exhaustive processes of research and development, discussing how to carve a niche in specialty pharma and addressing the challenges involved in complying with governmental standards and regulative changes, authors raise critical points around the business and offer indispensable advice for success. From the characteristics of an effective product to the processes involved in securing patents and troubleshooting their inevitable expiration, the responsibilities of drug developers to health care and general wellness on a global scale, authors explore all facets of the business - beginning to end. The different niches represented and the breadth of perspectives presented enable readers to get inside some of the great minds of today as experts offer up their thoughts around an endlessly demanding and highly rewarding industry.
Average customer rating:
|
Endangered Species, Threatened Convention: The Past, Present and Future of CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
Manufacturer: Earthscan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Law
| Subjects
| Books
General
| International Law
| Law
| Subjects
| Books
Conservation
| Environment
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
Ecology
| Environment
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
Nature Writing
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Conservation
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
Endangered Species
| Conservation
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
Reference
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
International Law
| Law
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Natural Resources
| Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Outdoors & Nature Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
ASIN: 1853836362 |
Amazon.com
The subtitle of this oversized ode to garden design is fascinating. Despite the fact that industrial aesthetics (plastics, AstroTurf, chain-link) are explored along with high-tech ideas like artificial fog and fiber-optics, the authors, well-known British designers, still see the garden in the context of its potential wildness, its site-specific possibilities. Flamboyantly photographed, international in scope, Gardens for the Future enlarges our mind's eye to include gardens of theory made manifest, such as the Garden of Cosmic Speculation in southwestern Scotland. Designer Charles Jencks explains, "Nature is basically curved, warped, undulating, jagged, zigzagged, and sometimes beautifully crinkly," all of which he has captured in stainless steel, concrete, and giant earthworks. Contrast this with the classic redesign, by Belgian Jacques Wirtz, of the 16th-century Tuileries gardens at the Louvre in Paris, or the perspective-skewered red garden made by Jack Lenor Larsen at his house on Long Island, and the reader gets an idea of the breadth, the exoticism, the sheer artistry of contemporary garden design. Not only do Cooper and Taylor take us on a tour of 20 exciting public and private gardens, they also help us make the leap into understanding them by starting out with a discussion of the influence of three great contemporary designers; Barragan, Noguchi, and Roberto Burle Marx.
One of the most startling gardens in the book is Robert Irwin's Lower Central Garden at the Getty Center in Los Angeles. His mantra for the design, inscribed in stone in the garden, may be the only words that could be spoken of all the unusual gardens depicted in this elegant book. Irwin describes his work as "A sculpture in the form of a garden aspiring to be art." --Valerie Easton
Customer Reviews:
Found It.......2000-05-31
I have been looking for a book like this for a while. When looking for a book on modern landscape and garden design what I usually would find is a book with a few select pictures and often the same pictures from one book to the next. This is a very nice book that deals exclusivly with modern design. It is not a how to book, but a great source for insperation.
Book Description
The companion book to the television series The Future is Wild!
If dinosaurs roamed the earth millions of years ago, what creatures will be around in the next 5 million years? 100 million years? 200 million years? A team of international scientists, documentary film makers and animators are imagining the future based on present-day science. Their vision of the future comes alive in a 7-part television series and
The Wild World of the Future, a fascinating introduction to evolution, geology and biology. It clearly explains how the amazing creatures of the future will evolve and what our planet may look like millions of years from now.
The Wild World of the Future:
Profiles 36 amazing creatures including the bumblebeetle, scrofa, poggle and sharkopath
Explains how the Earth changes, how it may change in the future and what habitats will develop
Describes past evolution and adaptation such as how the Cactus finch evolved on the Galápagos Islands
Shows future evolution in action-how a snail becomes a desert hopper
Invites kids to imagine their own future with a behind-the-scenes look at the science of the show and tips for creating their own creatures
Features 200 color photographs and illustrations, a glossary and index
Customer Reviews:
The Wild World is certainly wild!.......2007-01-14
Readers that disapprove of this book may be missing the point of their own biological present. How could agile gibbons and even homo sapiens have evolved from rodent-like mammalian ancestors? How could manatees have evolved from elephants? Birds from reptiles? Our biological present is just as wild as this book!
This is the book my eldest son, now 7, has enjoyed the most. It is not only imaginative but also true to the evolutionary trends observed in our fossil history. This book is thought-provoking and therein readers may find its value. The mostly computer-based illustrations are detailed and realistic, which adds to the reading experience.
There is also a DVD series, btw!
great for imagination AND science.......2006-12-21
I bought this for my 5 year old after he saw The Future is Wild series (one time, he borrowed it from a friend).
From his love of dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals, he already had a good understanding of evolution and of change on this scale. The idea of taking it into the future is a fantastic one. He understands that these are just ideas, that these are not animals certain to live.
He absolutely loves it. He is always creating the creatures with his legos or making them from all sorts of odds and ends around the house. He also creates other creatures and discusses what their adaptations are and why and how they work. It is great for his imagination as well as his understanding of some scientific principles. We've read the book many times and he really wants a copy of the DVD series.
Imaginative, but unlikely........2004-12-30
I bought this book when I was 11 years old, and have owned it for three months. It already seems ridiculous. However, to give it some credit, I suppose that it does educate toung readers in evolution and other thing that are viewed as blasphemous or unholy by many people.
The author, Claire Pye, starts out with an introduction to plate tectonics, evolution, and the major habitats of today's world. This, unfortunately, is probably the only feasible part of the book.
The second section explores how the world might look in 5 million years. They imagine that the Polar Ice will advance again to cover about the same area that it did during the last Ice Age. This, of course, is unlikely to happen in a span of 5 million years, as it took about 40 million years for the last Ice age to reach that point. The Mediterranean Sea has turned into a vast salt flat, the middle of North America has become a desert, and the Amazon Rainforest has become hot, dry grassland.
The Fauna that they exhibit for this time period is not quite as unlikely as the rest of the book, but I have to take issue with one species: The 'Gannetwhale'.
Gannetwhales are large birds that have evolved to suit the place of the seals and sea lions. however, this is one of the many examples of creatures evolving too quickly.
If as their name suggests, they evolved from gannets, I doubt that the change from small, flying seabird to huge, ungainly gannetwhale could not happen in less than 10 million years.
The other creatures are mostly about as unlikely as the Gannetwhale. 100 million years from now, Mammals are almost completely extinct, and the major predators are wasps the size of seagulls which would obviously implode in our gravity.
200 million years in the future is, in my opinion the worst. All advanced species of vertebrate have died out. The major herbivores here are giant terrestrial Squid and hopping snails the size of rabbits, and the Birds have been replaced by 'Flish'.
A word about Flish. According to Claire Pye, Fish have somehow managed to come out of the water (without reevolving legs), have evolved nostrils, and have been able to fly using overgrown fins, all in about 50 million years.
One species, the Ocean Flish, has a pair of jaws that shoot out of its "beak".
Needless to say, this book is only plausible to the young reader or the person with no understanding of evolution, natural selection, and survival of the fittest.
However, for what it's worth, the pictures are interesting.
Geared more toward young people than the other TFIW book........2004-01-31
Still, this book is a great summary of the ideas that TFIW's scientists came up with, and provides tidbits of interesting info on animals of today that correspond with those guessed at for the far future. A glossary nicely rounds out this highly worthwhile, fascinating book. Give it a read.
I'm sure the reviewer below looks.......2003-05-14
I bought this book after reading The Future is Wild.
This book is much the same, but adapted to younger tastes. It also expains that although they may look "silly" as the reviewer below remarked, but are proven body designs that would supposably accually work, or somethin or another. Please do not listen to the adjacent and dissilusioned reviewer. Althogh, you would probably appreciate the book better if you read the other first.
Average customer rating:
- Fun for natural history fans
- The Future Is Definitely Wild
- Fun introduction to evolution!
- I wouldn't be suprised if squid did take over! Yay for squid!
- Great Book
|
The Future is Wild
Dougal Dixon , and
John Adams
Manufacturer: Firefly Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Math
| Science, Nature & How It Works
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Movie Tie-Ins
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Evolution
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Evolution
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science & Technology
| Teens
| Subjects
| Books
Mathematics
| Science & Technology
| Teens
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Teen Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Wild World of the Future (Animal Planet)
-
The Future Is Wild
-
Extraterrestrials: A Field Guide for Earthlings
-
Future Evolution
-
Chased By Sea Monsters
ASIN: 1552977234 |
Book Description
Imagine the world in the far distant future -- a world without humans, a world so different from ours that, until now, it's been impossible to consider.
What creatures will roam the land or swim in the oceans?
The Future Is Wild brings to life a world of amazing creatures and sets them loose in our imagination.
Based on fundamental biological and evolutionary principles, they could -- and may yet -- exist:
5 million years from now.
It cannot fly, but the carakiller is the Amazon's swiftest predator.
100 million years from now.
Toratons, descendents of tortoises, are the biggest animals ever to walk the Earth.
200 million years from now.
Warrior terabytes disable victims by spraying chemicals at them.
In five million years, Northern Europe and North America are covered by ice sheets. Only the hardiest, most adaptable species are able to survive. In 100 million years, Earth is a global hothouse, brimming with life. Another 100 million years and Earth is a single, huge supercontinent and one vast, warm ocean.
Using state-of-the-art computer animation,
The Future Is Wild is able to transform the imagination into actual images, creating a living world of strange creatures and extraordinary habitats.
Customer Reviews:
Fun for natural history fans.......2007-08-17
This is a fun look at what some scientists and artists imagine the world's flora, fauna and natural environment might be like 5 million, 100 million and 200 million years from now, under the assumption that human beings have become extinct.
At first glance, the creatures seem to be mere fanciful products of a vivid imagination, some well-suited for a good science fiction tale. However, the authors explain how each is actually based on reasonable evolutionary changes according to what we currently know about the history and evolution of today's living species. There is also a companion DVD series available for this book.
The Future Is Definitely Wild.......2006-09-16
"The Future Is Wild" is an interesting look at what life on Earth in the far, far future will be like. The book takes the reader to five million years, one hundred million years and two hundred million years to show how life on Earth may evolve through climatic changes and vast time changes.
Although other reviewers may not agree with some of the proposed evolutionary suggestions, one must remember that all of the proposed evolutionary changes are based on speculation. There is no way to know what life will look like in five million years time; science bases those evolutionary theories on what we currently know about evolution and how life has evolved to its current day forms.
Will squids eventually be the 'new intelligence' of the future? Will there be pack hunting sharks? Will fish develop bird-like traits? We have no way of knowing but "The Future Is Wild" provides both an entertaining as well as scientific look at what might be...
Fun introduction to evolution!.......2006-08-22
Even those who think science is boring would have their interest peaked by this book which describes both the future of the earth and the possible future of life on earth.
Going five million, one hundred million and two hundred million years into the future this book forcasts an earth where human life has made a permanent sojourn elsewhere to see what happens to the life left behind. In so doing, we get to evolution transmogrify pigeons into flightless beach dwellers, fish into "flish" that fly out of the water for dinner and land dwelling octupi that are in the process of evolving intelligence.
A lot of fun!
I wouldn't be suprised if squid did take over! Yay for squid!.......2006-04-23
I love how they made all of the animal based on science to make them all propable, most of the reason people criticize the show is because of the Mammal extintions and the squid, but I believe it is propable, seeing that the dinosaurs died out, because the dinosaurs shared most of the niches that mammals did and were too warm blooded, but they died out anyways, and seeing that the squid, octopus, and cuttlefish are extremely intelligent animals (a little known fact), I wouldn't be suprised if they could spawn a new civilization. Octopuses already have some adaptions to make them amphibious, because they have been known to escape from aquariums and crawl across land to steal food when they're human companions aren't around, so they could also evolve to take on land. I wish they explained some of that stuff in the show and book, but it's still awesome!
Great Book.......2005-06-09
This book goes great with "The Future is Wild" DVD. If you have the DVD set, I would get this book too. It goes in to more detail about the animals in the show.
Average customer rating:
|
Rhino Rescue: Changing the Future for Endangered Wildlife (Firefly Animal Rescue)
Garry Hamilton
Manufacturer: Firefly Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Animals
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
| Fiction
| Nonfiction
Nonfiction
| Mammals
| Animals
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Nonfiction
| Environment
| Nature
| Science, Nature & How It Works
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Animals
| Biological Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Mammals
| Zoology
| Biological Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science & Technology
| Teens
| Subjects
| Books
Ecology
| Science & Technology
| Teens
| Subjects
| Books
Nonfiction
| Mammals
| Animals
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| Environment
| Nature
| Science, Nature & How It Works
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Animals
| Biological Sciences
| Science
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Mammals
| Zoology
| Biological Sciences
| Science
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Ecology
| Science & Technology
| Teens
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Science & Technology
| Teens
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Elephant Rescue: Changing the Future for Endangered Wildlife (Firefly Animal Rescue)
-
Rhinos (Zoobooks Series)
ASIN: 1552979105 |
Book Description
"Whenever you touch a rhino, you think you're touching a dinosaur."
- from the introduction
A rhinoceros is a powerful beast weighing 3 tons or more and wielding a deadly horn up to five feet long. Ruthlessly slaughtered for centuries, rhinos are suddenly one of conservation's great success stories as populations of white rhinos and black rhinos recover. Even so, rhinos are still at risk: Javan and Sumatran rhinos are close to extinction and the world rhino population is still less than it was just 30 years ago.
Rhino Rescue profiles people around the world who are helping rhinos, including:
- Terri Roth of the Cincinnati Zoo, who guided the successful breeding of a rare Sumatran rhino in captivity for the first time in 112 years
- Esmond Martin, who helped stop the use of rhino horn in ceremonial daggers, a change that saved thousands of rhinos
- Rob Brett, who risks his life relocating rhinos, a key to successful conservation
- Bibhab Talukdar, a conservationist from India, who does almost anything to protect the Indian rhino, including going undercover to nab poachers.
Illustrated with 50 spectacular color photographs,
Rhino Rescue also surveys the biological issues in and challenges of preserving a future for endangered wildlife.
About the Firefly Animal Rescue series:
The Firefly Animal Rescue identifies endangered and threatened species and what is being done to protect them. Combining lively, accessible text and stunning color photographs, each book provides a detailed overview of the species, describing its characteristics, behavior, habits, physiology and more.
"These attractive books are a call to action... fascinating readable accounts."
- School Library Journal
"Succinct introductions to the science and practice of wildlife conservation... written in accessible, lively language."
- Booklist
Book Description
Although food-production systems for the world's rural poor typically have had devastating effects on the planet's wealth of genes, species, and ecosystems, that need not be the case in the future. In Ecoagriculture, two of the world's leading experts on conservation and development examine the idea that agricultural landscapes can be designed more creatively to take the needs of human populations into account while also protecting, or even enhancing, biodiversity. They present a thorough overview of the innovative concept of "ecoagriculture"?the management of landscapes for both the production of food and the conservation of wild biodiversity. The book:
- examines the global impact of agriculture on wild biodiversity
- describes the challenge of reconciling biodiversity conservation and agricultural goals
- outlines and discusses the ecoagriculture approach
- presents diverse case studies that illustrate key strategies
- explores how policies, markets, and institutions can be re-shaped to support ecoagriculture
While focusing on tropical regions of the developing world?where increased agricultural productivity is most vital for food security, poverty reduction, and sustainable development, and where so much of the world's wild biodiversity is threatened?it also draws on lessons learned in developed countries. Dozens of examples from around the world present proven strategies for small-scale, low-income farmers involved in commercial production.
Ecoagriculture explores new approaches to agricultural production that complement natural environments, enhance ecosystem function, and improve rural livelihoods. It features a wealth of real-world case studies that demonstrate the applicability of the ideas discussed and how the principles can be applied, and is an important new work for policymakers, students, researchers, and anyone concerned with conserving biodiversity while sustaining human populations.
Customer Reviews:
Ecological Agriculture: A look inside the alternative.......2005-02-25
Ecoagriculture effectively addresses the ever-demanding needs of the world's population while incorporating strategies to conserve wild biodiversity. McNeely and Scherr assert, "the impressive gains for our species have often come at the expense of other species with whom we share our planet," and therefore, one of their goals tackles the process by which ecological agriculture can not only reverse, but also prevent such negative impacts. The book explores key social and ecological issues by extensively exploring the different approaches to ecological agriculture. Anyone new to the issues could easily become familiar with hot topics in ecoagriculture after reading this book.
McNeely and Scherr describe six strategies for the implementation of ecological agriculture while increasing food production. They divide them into two groups; three of them make space for wildlife within agricultural landscapes while the other three enhance the habitat value of productive areas. These strategies are described with a reasonable amount of detail and are followed by a total of 36 case studies. The strategies that are outlined include:
1. Creating biodiversity reserves that also benefit farming communities
2. Develop habitat networks in non-farmed areas
3. Reduce the conversion of wild lands to agriculture by increasing farm productivity
4. Minimize agricultural pollution
5. Modify the management of soil, water, and vegetation resources, and
6. Modify farming systems to mimic natural ecosystems.
The authors do a good job in providing examples from a variety of locations throughout the developing and developed world.
Despite successfully providing an introduction to the complex subject of ecological agriculture, McNeely and Scherr do a poor job of explaining the cause and effect of their strategies for ecological agriculture nor do they adequately address arguments of its skeptics. One obvious omission is a discussion of genetic modification technology. As well, many of the case studies presented in the book were not explained thoroughly and no negative effects were discussed. Often times the strategies employed in the case studies contradicted each other - for example at once advocating grass-fed livestock and silage-fed livestock. Obviously, there are many trade-offs in a subject as complex as ecoagriculture, but McNeely and Scherr never provide a matrix for evaluating these trade-offs.
The authors finish by laying out policies for implementing their six strategies. However, these suggestions are vague and overly optimistic. McNeely and Scherr's reliance on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to implement their strategies ignores the difficulty of combining these strategies with existing NGO programs. Since the issue of the environment and food security is such a divisive topic, a more pragmatic book would discuss ways of building consensus towards environmentally sustainable agriculture solutions.
Reviewed by: Jessica DeLisi, Alan Heck, Matt Ortynsky, Rollie Berry, Kristin Hamilton, Kevin Waters, and Sarah Bauerle (Students in Environmental Issues Seminar, Villanova University)
Books:
- Building Genetic Medicine: Breast Cancer, Technology, and the Comparative Politics of Health Care (Inside Technology)
- Catastrophes and Lesser Calamities: The Causes of Mass Extinctions
- Chemical Oceanography
- Coaching for Improved Work Performance, Revised Edition
- Darwin on Trial
- Darwinian Psychiatry
- Dispersal Biology of Desert Plants (Adaptations of Desert Organisms)
- Earth System History
- Eat Right 4 Your Type: The Individualized Diet Solution to Staying Healthy, Living Longer & Achieving Your Ideal Weight
- Einstein: His Life and Universe
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- American Mourning: The Intimate Story of Two Families Joined by War, Torn by Beliefs
- The Way of a Pilgrim
- The Oldest Orphan: L'Aine Des Orphelins
- The Bomb in My Garden: The Secrets of Saddam's Nuclear Mastermind
- The Chronicles of Narnia: Never Has the Magic Been So Real
- The Colours of Infinity: The Beauty, The Power and the Sense of Fractals
- The New American Story
- Elle Woods: Beach Blonde - #2
- The Legend of Barjo Restaurant: The Life of Josephine McAllister Stone
- The Life And Heroic Deeds Of Admiral Dewey
Where the Buffalo Roam: Restoring America's Great Plains
American Bison: A Natural History (Organisms and Environments, 6)
Buffalo Book: The Full Saga Of The American Animal
Grassland: The History, Biology, Politics and Promise of the American Prairie
The Destruction of the Bison: An Environmental History, 17501920 (Studies in Environment and History)
