The Maya Tropical Forest, which occupies the lowlands of southern Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize, is the closest rainforest to the United States and one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Western Hemisphere. It has been home to the Maya peoples for nearly four millennia, starting around 1800 BC. Ancient cities in the rainforest such as Palenque, Yaxchilan, Tikal, and Caracol draw thousands of tourists and scholars seeking to learn more about the prehistoric Maya. Their contemporary descendants, the modern Maya, utilize the forest's natural resources in village life and international trade, while striving to protect their homeland from deforestation and environmental degradation.

Writing for both visitors and conservationists, James Nations tells the fascinating story of how ancient and modern Maya peoples have used and guarded the rich natural resources of the Maya Tropical Forest. He opens with a natural history that profiles the forest's significant animals and plants. Nations then describes the Maya peoples, biological preserves, and major archaeological sites in Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. Drawing on more than twenty-five years of conservation work in the Maya Tropical Forest, Nations tells first-hand stories of the creation of national parks and other protected areas to safeguard the region's natural resources and archaeological heritage. He concludes with an expert assessment of the forest's future in which he calls for expanded archaeological tourism to create an ecologically sustainable economic base for the region.

The true story of a volunteer firefighter who finds himself involved in fighting the largest wildfire in the history of the State of Arizona.

For nearly a year, Edwin A. Tucker tape recorded interviews with early-day Rangers and other officials, some retired, some still in harness. And from newspapers and official sources he gleaned news items, letters and reports concerning early activities and people. This book is a distillation of that material, plus such other material and chapters that were needed to clarify and bring up to date the story of some of the people of the Forest Service in the Southwest. Tucker has spent his adult life in the Forest Service, beginning during the period when many pioneer conditions still prevailed in the Southwest, and he knew and worked with many of the old timers and of course with the new breed of professionals who now guide the destiny of the Service.

The Northern Forest Region lies between the oak forests of the eastern United States and the boreal forests of eastern Canada. It is, collectively, one of the largest and most continuous temperate forests left in the world and, like much of the biosphere, it is at risk. This guide is an essential companion for those interested in stewardship and conservation of the region. With multi-image composite photos that allow for unparalleled depth and clarity, this unique guide illustrates the myriad varied and beautiful-and often overlooked-mosses of the Northern Forest. Large, easy-to-use format Easily characterize and compare over 300 moss species High-definition composite images, ecological diagrams, habitat keys, and a visual glossary Accompanying large-scale foldout charts also available A complete online archive of images and articles, including digital atlases, is available at northernforestatlas.org.

Delcourt takes readers on her personal journey to document the history of the forest from its elusive and nebulous presence at the peak of the last ice age through its development as a magnificent natural resource to its uncertainty in today's, and tomorrow's, greenhouse world. Along this journey, the reader is introduced to methods of studying vegetation, collecting and interpreting data, and applying the insights of forest ecology and history to project future needs of the forest in a world that is increasingly dominated by human activities. The philosophical, intellectual, and methodological perspectives contained in the book will appeal to readers interested in understanding how the natural history of North America has been studied and how that study can contribute to the protection and preservation of America's important biological resources.

An annotated bibliography focused on Borneo and the Southern Philippines. With over 1,000 citations, this reference work identifies patterns of forestland transformation common to the areas under consideration. A subject index is included.

Boreal ecosystems contain one-third of the world's forests and stored carbon, but these regions are under increasing threat from both natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Written by leaders from the forefront of private, public and academic sectors, Restoration and Reclamation of Boreal Ecosystems emphasises a broad, conceptual approach to the specific application of empirical research into development planning, restoration and modelling of these ecosystems. The importance of this is highlighted at a time of global climate change, as these ecosystems act as carbon sinks. There is a focus on the reclamation of exploited ecosystems from a holistic standpoint, ranging from environmental and edaphic variables to the restoration of keystone flora. Recent advances in quantification of ecosystem services, such as habitat suitability and carbon storage modelling, are also detailed. The book contains case-studies which address how both historical and novel assemblages can provide ecosystem stability under projected climatic and land-use scenarios.

The rapid disappearance of tropical forests is widely recognized as a crucial problem for the world's environment, yet little is known about these complex ecosytems. In this book, experts on the four most thoroughly studied rainforests in Central and South America-Manaus, Brazil; Manu Park, Peru; Barro Colorado Island, Panama; and La Selva, Costa Rica-compare the flora, fauna, and ecological characteristics of these forests. This assemblage of reliable data, available for the first time, will be an invaluable resource for researchers and students.

Shabano -- the name for the hamlets of palm-thatched dwellings where the Yanomama Indians of Venezuela and southern Brazil live -- recounts the vivid and unforgettable experience of anthropologists Florinda Donner's time with an indigenous tribe in the endangered rain forest. Shabano dramatically documents the daily life and mysterious rituals of a disappearing people.

Tropical forests form the most diverse and complex ecosystem on earth a virtual powerhouse of evolution containing 40 percent of all living species. They provide us with food, medicines, germplasm stocks to replenish our crops, and new types of energy sources. It is clear we cannot afford to lose our tropical forests. But we are losing them to the overexploitation of multinational corporations, to the severe economic needs of the Third World, and to the consumerist appetites of the developed nations. Where is this happening and why? The answers to these critical questions are set forth eloquently by Norman Myers, one of the world s leading experts on the environment and the author of The Long African Day, The Sinking Ark, and A Wealth of Species. Dr. Myers delineates the scope of the problem and offers a blueprint for its solution."

2020 Charles A. Weyerhaeuser Award During the nineteenth century, the development and codification of forest science in France were closely linked to Provence's time-honored tradition of mobile pastoralism, which formed a major part of the economy. At the beginning of the century, pastoralism also featured prominently in the economies and social traditions of North Africa and southwestern Anatolia until French forest agents implemented ideas and practices for forest management in these areas aimed largely at regulating and marginalizing Mediterranean mobile pastoral traditions. These practices changed not only landscapes but also the social order of these three Mediterranean societies and the nature of French colonial administration. In Nomad's Land Andrea E. Duffy investigates the relationship between Mediterranean mobile pastoralism and nineteenth-century French forestry through case studies in Provence, French colonial Algeria, and Ottoman Anatolia. By restricting the use of shared spaces, foresters helped bring the populations of Provence and Algeria under the control of the state, and French scientific forestry became a medium for state initiatives to sedentarize mobile pastoral groups in Anatolia. Locals responded through petitions, arson, violence, compromise, and adaptation. Duffy shows that French efforts to promote scientific forestry both internally and abroad were intimately tied to empire building and paralleled the solidification of Western narratives condemning the pastoral tradition, leading to sometimes tragic outcomes for both the environment and pastoralists.

The very ancient Eastern forest of North America is characterized by an extraordinary variety of plants, animals, and human communities. Barry M. Buxton refers to this diverse area as the Great Forest in his book A Great Forest: An Appalachian Story, published in 1985. Buxton examines the natural and cultural landscape of the Appalachian region, and provides a detailed history of the area. In order to study the ecology of the forest, he includes a narrative of the people behind the forest and how they have impacted and changed the landscape.

This is the first book to describe the forests of the entire tropical Asian region, from Sind to New Guinea. Based on Peter Ashton's working field experience of over 55 years in every country, Burma and Laos excepted. Following a chapter on physical geography and geological history, seven chapters address forest and tree structure and dynamics, floristics, mountain forests, the other organisms on which the forests and trees depend, as well as genetics, evolutionary history, species diversity, and past and present human impact. A final chapter covers future policy and practice options for the sustainment of what remains.

Innate Terrain addresses the varied perceptions of Canada's natural terrain, framing the discussion in the context of landscapes designed by Canadian landscape architects. This edited collection draws on contemporary works to theorize a distinct approach practiced by Canadian landscape architects from across the country. The essays - authored by Canadian scholars and practitioners, some of whom are Indigenous or have worked closely with Indigenous communities - are united by the argument that Canadian landscape architecture is intrinsically linked to the innate qualities of the surrounding terrain. Beautifully illustrated, Innate Terrain aims to capture distinct regional qualities that are rooted in the broader context of the Canadian landscape.

In today's world of specialization, people are attempting to protect the Earth's fragile state by swapping limousines for hybrids and pesticide-laced foods for organic produce. At other times, environmental awareness is translated into public relations gimmicks or trendy commodities. Moreover, simplistic policies, like single-species protection or planting ten trees for every tree cut down, are touted as bureaucratic or industrial panaceas. Because today's decisions are tomorrow's consequences, every small effort makes a difference, but a broader understanding of our environmental problems is necessary to the development of sustainable ecosystem policies. In Trees, Truffles, and Beasts, Chris Maser, Andrew W. Claridge, and James M. Trappe make a compelling case that we must first understand the complexity and interdependency of species and habitats from the microscopic level to the gigantic. Comparing forests in the Pacific Northwestern United States and Southeastern mainland of Australia, the authors show how easily observable species, trees and mammals are part of a complicated infrastructure that includes fungi, lichens, and organisms invisible to the naked eye, such as microbes. Eminently readable, this important book shows that forests are far more complicated than most of us might think, which means simplistic policies will not save them. Understanding the biophysical intricacies of our life-support systems just might.  

The indigenous people of the Amazon Basin known as the Huaorani are one of the world's most intriguing peoples. The community of just under four thousand in Ecuador has been known to the public primarily for their historical identity as a violent society. But Laura Rival reveals the Huaorani in all their humanity and creativity through a longitudinal ethnography, bringing a deeper perspective beyond the stereotype. Rival's intimate knowledge of Huaorani culture spans twenty-five years. Here in a collection of broad-ranging essays, she offers a fascinating and provocative study. The first section, "Among Forest Beings," shows that the Huaorani have long adapted to life in the tropical rain forest with minimal reliance on horticulture, yet have developed a complex relationship with plants. In "In the Longhouse," the second section, Rival focuses on the intimate relations that create human persons and enact kinship relations. She also discusses women's lives and perspectives. The third section, "In the Midst of Enemies," considers how Huaorani society fits in larger political and economic contexts, illustrating how native values shape their encounters with oil companies, the state, and other external forces. Rival carefully analyzes insider/outsider dialectics wherein Huaorani people re-create meaningful and valued worlds in the face of alien projects, such as petroleum development, carbon trading, or intercultural education. Capitalizing on the author's decades-long study and interactions in the community, Huaorani Transformations in Twenty-First-Century Ecuador brings new insights to the Huaorani's unique way of relating to humans, to other-than-humans, and to the forest landscape they have inhabited for centuries.

The Amazon rain forest covers more than five million square kilometers, amid the territories of nine different nations. It represents over half of the planet's remaining rain forests. But is it truly in peril? And what steps are necessary to save it? To understand the future of Amazonia, one must know how its history was forged: in the eras of large pre-Columbian populations, in the gold rush of conquistadors, in centuries of slavery, in the schemes of Brazil's military dictators in the 1960s and 1970s, and in new globalized economies where Brazilian soy and beef now dominate, while the market in carbon credits raises the value of standing forest. Susanna Hecht and Alexander Cockburn show in compelling detail the panorama of destruction as it unfolded and also reveal the extraordinary turnaround that is now taking place, thanks to both social movements and the emergence of new environmental markets. Exploring the role of human hands in destroying - and saving - this vast, forested region, "The Fate of the Forest" pivots on the murder of Chico Mendes, the legendary labor and environmental organizer assassinated after successful confrontations with big ranchers. A multifaceted portrait of Eden under siege, complete with a new preface and afterword by the authors, this book demonstrates that those who would hold a mirror up to nature must first learn the lessons offered by some of their own people.

Forest ecosystems cover around 31% of the total land area of the Earth. They represent important biodiversity and genetic resources; provide material goods, including fuelwood, commercial timber, soils, medicinal plants and others; as well as environmental services, such as cleaning air and water, sequestering carbon and maintaining biodiversity. Old-growth forests are those developed during long periods without relevant human impact and with distinctive features in terms of forest continuity, structural heterogeneity, large volumes of standing and fallen deadwood, decaying ancient and veteran trees, and large diameter live trees. These characteristics ensure the growth and dispersal of forest-dwelling species, playing thus a vital role in the conservation of biodiversity. This book discusses the ecology, habitat and conservation of old-growth forests, as well as coniferous forests.

This book provides a broad-ranging textbook on the relationships between forests and society. It discusses the ways in which society can interact with forest landscapes without adversely affecting their sustainability. Topics covered include attitudes to, and uses of forests, the creation of today's forest landscapes, the impact of humans on forests, and forest sustainability and human health. The book also examines emerging issues in forestry such as possible solutions to balancing societies' needs with forest sustainability, managing forests in the urban-wildland interface, and the impact of illegal logging. It is packed with real-world case studies from the USA, Australia, Bolivia, Botswana, Canada, China, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Thailand.

Set in the rich natural, cultural, and political landscape of Haida Gwaii, Islands’ Spirit Rising examines the long-term conflict over the islands’ ancient forests and recent events that unfolded in the context of collaborative land-use planning. In response to threats posed by a century of logging, a local Indigenous-environmental-community movement built enough momentum to challenge the multinational forest industry and the political structures enabling it. This book traces the evolution of this dynamic force, from the early days of Haida resistance to the modern context of alliances, legal battles, and evolving forms of governance.

A must-read for anyone with an adventurous spirit, a yen to whittle and chop, and a desire to get out into nature and play with sticks! These 50 achievable ideas for making and playing with sticks - all with beautiful step-by-step illustrations - make a great gift. The next title in Pavilion's best-selling outdoor adventure series, 50 Things to Do with a Stick will introduce you to the joy of making something out of almost nothing. With a few gathered twigs and sticks, start with simple ideas such as making plant markers or tent pegs and work up to constructing a lantern or woven basket. Working with wood is common to nearly every culture - it's nature's most adaptable raw material, malleable yet strong, and biodegradable. Until the 1960s woodworking was taught widely in schools, but since then has been in decline, robbing generations of the satisfaction of making useful things by hand. Richard Skrein begins by guiding you in choosing sticks and tools. Four chapters with evocative illustrations take you step by step through projects to use at home; to make music and decorative objects with; to play with; and to use out and about - the perfect accompaniments to a camping trip (2020 and 2021 saw unprecedented campsite bookings in the UK, and this trend is set to continue). This is the perfect book for anyone wishing to be more self-sufficient. Find your inner explorer with these battery-free, no-emission ideas! Chapters include: Home Sticks: cutlery, coat hooks, brooms, candlesticks Stick Craft: jewellery, weaving, mobiles, picture frames Stick Play: catapults, musical sticks, magic wands, story sticks Camp Sticks: lanterns, ladders, stools, stick bread! Word count: 15,000 words

Tropical deforestation and rural poverty are among the major apprehensions of developing nations in the 21st century. The protectionist paradigm that had dominated nature conservation since the 19th century is replaced by a strong notion that poverty reduction and environmental protection should go hand in hand. Decentralization is among the key polices devised to achieve these dual objectives of forest governance. This book presents the role decentralized forest governance can contribute to address the aforementioned problems by comparing and contrasting three forms of decentralization, i.e. deconcentration, delegation and devolution in Ethiopia. Owning to the alarming rate of deforestation and the large number of biodiversity hosted by the remnant forests, the Ethiopian forests are included in global biodiversity hot-spots by Conservation International. The country is also well known for recurrent poverty. Consequently, it is a perfect candidate to investigate the linkage among decentralized forest governance, forests and poverty.