From the Texas Blackland Prairies to the Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain of the Carolinas, this volume provides a snapshot of the most spectacular and important natural places in the southern United States. America's Natural Places: South and Southeast examines over 50 of the most spectacular and important areas of this region, with each entry describing the importance of the area, the flora and fauna that it supports, threats to the survival of the region, and what is being done to protect it. Organized by state within the volume, this book informs readers about the wide variety of natural areas across the south and southeast and identifies places near them that demonstrate the importance of preserving such regions.

A colorful, charming, and immersive guide to exploring and treasuring the complex, miraculous natural world in your own backyard and beyond.

Backyard Wonders is an illustrated celebration of the vast natural diversity of the world, one that you can find by simply stepping outside. This guide to backyard (or front stoop!) ecology encourages you to notice every sight, sound, and smell—the rustle of falling leaves, the chirping of crickets, the scent of spring rain, and the radiance of the stars above—as a way of understanding the wonders of our complex, beautiful planet.

Interact mindfully with your surroundings and embrace the simple joys offered by the great outdoors while gleaning tidbits of scientific information written to teach and inspire all ages. Each chapter—teeming with gorgeous, intricate nature illustrations—begins with a mindfulness prompt like "Notice the Small Things," "Taste the Wild," or "Discover Patterns," encouraging curiosity about the call-and-response interactions between birds or what a cloud can tell us about the future. Learn about foraging, sacred geometry, moon phases, animal tracks, clouds, weather, and more.

As you leaf through Backyard Wonders, you will find your understanding of nature's everyday feats expanding. Let wonder and curiosity bloom as you embark on this illustrated journey of the outdoors.

Originally published in 1992, Petrology of Sedimentary Rocks is now back in print and available. In Petrology of Sedimentary Rocks, Dr. Sam Boggs wrote what has come to be considered the definitive text on the subject of sedimentary petrology. The book is intended for students at the senior and graduate level. The text provides a comprehensive description, classification and interpretation of all major sedimentary rock groups. The essential aspects of diagenesis, particle and chemical composition, and provenance receive unparalleled coverage. Photographs, line drawings and tables are utilized to enhance understanding and illustrate sedimentary structures, textures and compositions. A clear, fluid writing style distills the vast amount of information contained in the text, and presentation of controversial topics provides students with insight into divergent views and opinions. Prior to receiving his Ph.D. in geology from the University of Colorado in 1964, Sam Boggs worked as a petroleum exploration geologist for the Phillips Petroleum Company. On completion of his doctorate, Dr. Boggs conducted research for Esso Production Research, applying geological and geophysical techniques to interpret the stratigraphic characteristics of sedimentary sequences and stratigraphic controls on oil accumulation in major U.S. basins. During his career, Dr. Boggs, has authored many papers in sedimentary petrology, geological oceanography, stratigraphy and organic geochemistry.

Originally published in 1860, this early work on Bees and Bee keeping is both expensive and hard to find in its first edition. This fascinating work is thoroughly recommended for inclusion on the bookshelf of all Bee Keepers as much of the information contained is still usefull and practical today. Chapters include; History & Physiology of the honey bee, Breeding of bees, The Apiary and Artificial Swarms amongst others. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

Riding the Rim is one man's response to the catastrophic events in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. The wetlands had been disappearing at an ever-increasing rate over fifty years. America's demand for oil combined with a mismanaged levee system had finally dealt a mortal blow to the defenses of New Orleans. The city lay open to the wrath of a 20 foot wall of tidal surge. We could not let this happen again. Little was being done. It was important that someone step up. Someone did. The audacious idea was that a guy on a motorcycle, traveling 16,500 miles around the perimeter of the United States, talking about coastal erosion just might call attention to the issue. If this rider was also a trained public speaker with a passion for his message, perhaps he could be the catalyst needed to raise awareness in the rest of the country. There was no way to predict success. There was risk as well as reward. The author took the risk and discovered a nation genuinely concerned for New Orleans but with little understanding of the importance of the wetlands to the country's economy and security. The wetlands are still endangered, but one man stepped up and made his voice heard. This is his story. "While many serve the cause of saving America's WETLAND, Terry Forrette takes his show on the road, mile by mile enlisting supporters. These personal and sincere acts of advocacy are seldom recognized in a time of media hype, but they are the backbone of our efforts to show that America cannot not afford to lose coastal Louisiana." Valsin A. Marmillion Managing Director, America's WETLAND Foundation President and Founder, Marmillion + Company

Seeking a taste of unspoiled wilderness, more than nine million people visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park each year. Yet few probably realize what makes the park unusual: it was the result of efforts to reclaim wilderness rather than to protect undeveloped land. Daniel S. Pierce tells how park supporters set about raising money to buy the land—often from resistant timber companies—and describes the fierce infighting between wilderness advocates and tourism boosters over the shape the park would take. He also discloses the unfortunate human cost of the park’s creation: the displacement of the area’s inhabitants. The new preface chronicles developments in the park since the book’s original publication in 2000. Over the past decade and a half, the park has experienced a dramatic and improbable improvement in air quality, a variety of successful animal reintroduction programs—including, most spectacularly, elk—numerous improvements to trails and roads, and the ending of long-standing dispute over the “Road to Nowhere,� which had its origins in the founding of the park eight decades ago. Pierce also points out new challenges that have emerged in the park—and there is none more dangerous than the invasive species known as the wooly adelgid, which threatens to annihilate the park’s 800 acres of old-growth hemlocks. The recent history of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park provides ample proof of Pierce’s conclusion: “just as people have the power to set aside places as wonderful as the Cataloochee Valley and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, they also have the power to destroy it.�

An authoritative introduction to the fascinating topic of archaeoastronomy—ancient peoples' understanding and use of the skies. Ancient Astronomy: An Encyclopedia of Cosmologies and Myth draws on archaeological evidence and oral traditions to reveal how prehistoric humans perceived the skies and celestial phenomena. With over 200 entries, it offers a number of ways to approach ancient astronomy, from key examples and case studies worldwide (Stonehenge; Mexican and Egyptian pyramids; Chaco Canyon, New Mexico; the Nazca lines in Peru) to general themes (cosmologies, calendars, ancient ideas of space and time, origin myths), to fundamental concepts and methods (how the sky has changed over the centuries, how to survey a site), and to the field's most frequently asked questions (How did ancient peoples navigate the ocean using the stars? How does astrology relate to ancient astronomy? Can ancient sites be dated astronomically?) By revealing the astronomical significance of some of the world's most famous ancient landmarks and enduring myths and by showing how different themes and concepts are connected, Ancient Astronomy: An Encyclopedia of Cosmologies and Myth brings a unique authoritative perspective to an area too often left to speculation and sensationalism.

Pyrenean Dogs - A Complete Anthology of the Dog gathers together all the best early writing on the breed from our library of scarce, out-of-print antiquarian books and documents and reprints it in a quality, modern edition. This anthology includes chapters taken from a comprehensive range of books, many of them now rare and much sought-after works, all of them written by renowned breed experts of their day. These books are treasure troves of information about the breed - The physical points, temperaments, and special abilities are given; celebrated dogs are discussed and pictured; and the history of the breed and pedigrees of famous champions are also provided. The contents were well illustrated with numerous photographs of leading and famous dogs of that era and these are all reproduced to the highest quality. Books used include: The Kennel Encyclopaedia by J. Sidney Turner (1910), Dogs Of The World by Arthur Craven (1931) and many others.

Originally published in 1912. An extremely useful manual for all with an interest in the production of eggs and poultry for the market and the breeding of poultry for exhibition. The illustrated contents contain much practical advice on Poultry Raising Housing Food Ailments Incubation Brooding Eggs Market Poultry Showing Judging Statistics Technical Terms etc. Many of the earliest farming books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Home Farm Books are republishing many of these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

A balm for our times from the internationally bestselling author of Wintering. Our sense of enchantment is not only sparked by grand things. The awe-inspiring, the numinous, is all around us, all the time. It is transformed by our deliberate attention. The magic is of our own conjuring. 'A total joy . . . Thoughtful, patient and beautifully written, like walking with a friend as dusk settles, this is the book your soul needs right now.' CARIAD LLOYD 'Beautifully written.' PHILIPPA PERRY Feeling bone-tired, anxious and overwhelmed by the rolling news cycle and the pandemic age, Katherine May seeks to unravel the threads of a life wound too tightly. Could there be another way to live - one that feels more meaningful, more grounded in the places beneath our feet? One that would allow us to feel more connected, more rested and at ease, even as seismic changes unfold on the planet? Craving a different path, May explores the restorative properties of the natural world and begins to rekindle her sense of wonder. It is a journey that takes her from sacred wells to wild moors, from cradling seas to starfalls. Through deliberate attention and ritual, she finds nourishment and a more hopeful relationship to the world around her. Enchantment is an invitation to each of us to experience life in all its sensual complexity and to find the beauty waiting for us there. Praise for Wintering: 'A beautiful, gentle exploration of the dark season of life and the light of spring that eventually follows.' RAYNOR WINN 'A book for the soul.' CAITLIN MORAN 'Every bit as beautiful and healing as the season itself.' ELIZABETH GILBERT 'Absolutely beautiful.' CHERYL STRAYED

'A brilliant book [that] shows a way out of the destructive trap of Anthropocentric arrogance.' Vandana Shiva, from the Foreword Biocivilisations is a fascinating, original and important exploration into how complex civilisations existed on Earth long before humans. What is life? This is arguably the most important question in all of science. Many scientists believe life can be reduced to ‘mechanistic’ factors, such as genes and information codes. Everything can be sequenced and explained. But in a world as rich and complex as this one, can such an assertion really be true? A growing army of scientists, philosophers and artists do not share this mechanistic vision for the science of life. The gene metaphor is not only too simplistic but also misleading. If there is a way to reduce life to a single principle, how does that principle acknowledge the creativity of life that turns both genetic and information determinism on their heads? Biocivilisations is a groundbreaking book exploring the mysteries of life and its deep uncertainty. Dr Predrag Slijep�ević turns anthropocentric scientific thinking on its head, showing how the humble bacteria created the equivalent of cities and connected them with information highways, bringing our planet to life three thousand million years ago. He explains how bacteria, amoebas, plants, insects, birds, whales, elephants and countless other species not only preceded human beings but also demonstrate elements of complex civilisation – communication, agriculture, science, art, medicine and more – that we associate with human achievement. More than 99.99 percent of life on Earth has existed without humanity, and life will continue without humans long into the future. Biocivilisations is an important rethinking of the current scientific paradigm. It challenges us to reconsider the limited scope and time-window of our current ‘scientific revolution’ and to fundamentally reimagine what we call ‘life on Earth’.

Fifty-five islands, nineteen countries, seventeen thousand miles ... and one amazing adventure. A fascinating story of four sailors who discovered the magic of the South Pacific ... and the islands time forgotAfter recovery from a serious illness, Graham Morse vowed to achieve his dream of sailing across the South Pacific with his wife, Janet, and reliving the adventures of his boyhood heroes, Captain Cook, Thor Heyerdahl, and Christian Fletcher.They had expected to find some of the most beautiful islands in the world, and were not disappointed. But they were surprised to find a world where life has changed very little in two hundred years, and where the people have very different values than his own society, and however poor, take pleasure in giving. But sadly it is a world on the cusp of change.Travel with them as they discover the mysteries of ancient Polynesian culture, are welcomed into the homes of humble people, meet fascinating characters, are invited to village feasts, work with black pearl farmers, and swim with seals, sharks, and whales.The voyage --which took them across the world's largest ocean --was not without its dangers, incident, and tragedy. The Islands Time Forgot is not just for sailors who yearn to make such a voyage, but for all armchair travelers who have dreamed about the South Pacific that only a sailing boat can reach.

The Pug - A Complete Anthology of the Dog gathers together all the best early writing on the breed from our library of scarce, out-of-print antiquarian books and documents and reprints it in a quality, modern edition. This anthology includes chapters taken from a comprehensive range of books, many of them now rare and much sought-after works, all of them written by renowned breed experts of their day. These books are treasure troves of information about the breed - The physical points, temperaments, and special abilities are given; celebrated dogs are discussed and pictured; and the history of the breed and pedigrees of famous champions are also provided. The contents were well illustrated with numerous photographs of leading and famous dogs of that era and these are all reproduced to the highest quality. Books used include: House Dogs And Sporting Dogs by John Meyrick (1861), The Show Dog by H. W. Huntington (1901), The Dog Book by James Watson (1906) and many others.

This early guide to poultry husbandry is a fascinating read for any poultry keeper or historian of the breed and contains much information and anecdote that is still useful today. Contents Include: How chickens use their feed; General principles of feeding chickens; Nutritive requirements of chickens; Effect of feed on flesh and eggs; Deficiency diseases and vices; Selecting feedstuffs; Practical points in feeding chickens; Use of milk and home-grown grain. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.