This book summarises legal and political events related to active sonar and marine mammals. While strandings and mortality of marine mammals, primarily beaked whales, have been observed in concurrence with mid-frequency sonar operation, additional controversy has focused on the development of low-frequency active (LFA) sonar. Some peacetime use of military sonar has been regulated under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and other statutes due to concerns that active military sonars are operated at frequencies used by some cetaceans (i.e., whales, porpoises, and dolphins), and their high-intensity sound pulses may travel long distances in the ocean. Although mid-frequency sonar has been implicated in several beaked whale strandings, there is scientific uncertainty surrounding the totality of the effects active sonar transmissions may have on marine mammals. This book also addresses the concern regarding environmental effects of ocean noise on three activities -- military sonar exercises, oil and gas exploration, and commercial shipping. This is an edited, excerpted and augmented edition of a CRS publication.

The most authoritative reference guide to every cetacean species and subspecies in the world Handbook of Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises of the World is the most comprehensive and up-to-date guide to these popular mammals. With nearly 1,000 accurate color illustrations-complete with detailed annotations pointing out significant field marks-this outstanding book covers all 90 species and every subspecies of cetaceans around the globe. Leading cetacean biologists have collaborated with pioneering conservationist Mark Carwardine on the concise text, which is packed with helpful identification tips. From the blue whale to the Indo-Pacific finless porpoise, the illuminating species accounts are accompanied by abundant distribution maps and photographs. Designed to ensure easy access to critical information, Handbook of Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises of the World is an indispensable resource that every whale watcher and cetacean seeker will find invaluable. Provides details on every species and subspecies of whale, dolphin, and porpoise Features nearly 1,000 meticulous color illustrations and 90 distribution maps Includes helpful facts about behavior, life history, and conservation

We are pleased to announce a new series of environmental history readers, suitable for students. Comprising essays selected from our journals, Environment and History and Environmental Values, each inexpensive paperback volume will address an important theme in environmental history, combining underlying theory and specific case-studies. The first volume, Bio-invaders, investigates the rhetoric and realities of exotic, introduced and 'alien' species. The book comprises a number of general essays, exploring and challenging common perceptions about such species, and a series of case studies of specific species in specific contexts. Its geographical coverage ranges from the United Kingdom to New Zealand by way of South Africa, India and Palestine; and the essays cover both historical and recent introductions.

A Book-of-the-Month Club, Quality Paperback Book Club, and One Spirit Selection. "The day we met Cuny] was feeding five beautiful yearlings intravenously, who surely would have died from dehydration, while she simultaneously supervised the feeding of skunks, possums, squirrels-you name it. She is selfless and dauntless in her battle to rescue and rehabilitate animals. I feel privileged to know her and serve on her board. There are few better qualified to look through the eyes of an animal. It is a beautiful, touching book." Loretta Swit, actress "Heartwarming tales of rescued creatures are presented in this collection of vignettes from a large wildlife rehabilitation center . . . Cuny's love for her charges shines through in her stories." -- Booklist "Her brief stories are often touching, such as when she describes a young raccoon, rescued from a fire, self-medicating its burned paws with aloe vera plants; or two crab-eating macaques, confined inside a research facility for eighteen years, experiencing the outdoors for the first time." -- Natural History "This book deserves a spot on every library shelf along with such nonfiction animal story classics as Adamson's Born Free, North's Rascal, and the work of Jane Goodall . . . Cuny's achievement is in her ability to present the animals' experiences in a factual, sympathetic, but unsentimental tone."-- Appraisal: Science Books for Young PeopleLynn's stories from Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation (WRR) range from the humorous to the tragic, from the surprising to the inevitable. The animals she describes range from the day-old field mouse to the three-legged coyote; from a fox-loving hen to the exotic and abused mountain lions, macaque monkeys and black bears. Always, she reveals the dignity of each animal, trying to survive in a world made cruel and dangerous by the thoughtlessness of humans.

Native only to the California Channel Islands, the island fox is the smallest canid in North America. Populations on four of the islands were threatened to extinction in the 1990s due to human-mediated predation and disease. This is the first account of the natural history and ecology of the island fox, illustrating both the vulnerability of island ecosystems and the efficacy of cooperative conservation measures. It explains in detail the intense conservation actions required to recover fox populations, such as captive breeding and reintroduction, and large-scale ecosystem manipulation. These actions were successful due in large part to extraordinary collaboration among the scientists, managers and public advocates involved in the recovery effort. The book also examines the role of some aspects of island fox biology, characteristic of the 'island syndrome', in facilitating their recovery, including high productivity and an apparent adaptation to periodic genetic bottlenecks.

DK brings you an all-encompassing guide to exploring, understanding and appreciating nature like never before. Join Chris Packham as he reveals how easy it is to learn about the flora and fauna that surround us every single day, from boosting your bird-watching skills to approaching urban farming, this horticultural handbook has it all! Let DK plant the seed of curiosity in the minds of our readers, and watch as it blossoms into a life-long love of nature and nurture, allowing you to engage with the wonders of the world, without intruding! With passion in every page, Packham brings you: -An informative yet jargon-free guide to exploring and understanding nature in all its forms -Illustrated visual studies of how habitats interact and coexist with each other -Top tips on observing and monitoring local wildlife sustainably -Photographic guides to seasonal outdoor activities for the whole family to enjoy -Quick-reference panels explaining key scientific concepts for each habitat explored First published in 2010, this naturalist handbook has since been revised extensively to encompass the latest technology and equipment accessible for naturalists to discover and engage with local wildlife no matter where you live. Touching upon the latest conservationist issues in today's current climate, this curated wildlife encyclopedia will appeal to all nature enthusiasts passionate about exploring the natural world, whilst simultaneously setting out to protect it. This nature guide promotes conservation and demonstrates simple ways to contribute to the health of the natural world. From raising caterpillars into blooming butterflies, to handy hints on how to record nature respectfully, this wonders of nature book is sure to shape your learning experience like never before. This beautifully illustrated wildlife book encompasses a habitat-by-habitat approach, introducing readers to different ecosystems in turn with both informative text and inspirational imagery, proving the perfect gift for budding botanists, green-fingered gardeners or for the nature lover in your life.

From Iowa's Decorah Ice Cave to the Kitty Todd Nature Preserve in Ohio, this volume provides a snapshot of the most spectacular and important natural places in the Midwestern United States. America's Natural Places: The Midwest 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 work informs readers about the wide variety of natural areas across the Midwest and identifies places near them that demonstrate the importance of preserving such regions.

In the first decades of the twentieth century, fish in the Great Lakes and Puget Sound, seals in the North Pacific, and birds across North America faced a common threat: over harvesting that threatened extinction for many species. Progressive era conservationists saw a need for government intervention to protect threatened animals. And because so many species migrated across international political boundaries, their protectors saw the necessity of international conservation agreements. In The Dawn of Conservation Diplomacy, Kurkpatrick Dorsey examines the first three comprehensive wildlife conservation treaties in history, all between the United States and Canada: the Inland Fisheries Treaty of 1908, the North Pacific Fur Seal Convention of 1911, and the Migratory Bird Treaty of 1916. In his highly readable text, Dorsey argues that successful conservation treaties came only after conservationists learned to marshal scientific evidence, public sentiment, and economic incentives in their campaigns for protective legislation. The first treaty, intended to rescue the overfished boundary waters, failed to gain the necessary support and never became law. Despite scientific evidence of the need for conservation, politicians, and the general public were unable to counter the vocal opposition of fishermen across the continent. A few years later, conservationists successfully rallied popular sympathy for fur seals threatened with slaughter and the North Pacific Fur Seal Convention was adopted. By the time of the Migratory Bird Treaty of 1916, the importance of aesthetic appeal was clear: North American citizens were joining chapters of the Audubon Society in efforts to protect beautiful songbirds. Conservationists also presented economic evidence to support their efforts as they argued that threatened bird species provided invaluable service to farmers. Dorsey recounts the story of each of these early treaties, examining the scientific research that provided the basis for each effort, acknowledging the complexity of the issues, and presenting the personalities behind the politics. He argues that these decades-old treaties both directly affect us today and offer lessons for future conservation efforts.

Publisher's Note: Products purchased from Third Party sellers are not guaranteed by the publisher for quality, authenticity, or access to any online entitlements included with the product. The Latest Advances in Remote Sensing for BiodiversityThis state-of-the-art volume provides fundamental information on and practical applications of remote sensing technologies in wildlife management, habitat studies, and biodiversity assessment and monitoring. The book reviews image analysis, interpretation techniques, and key geospatial tools, including field-based, aerial, and satellite remote sensing, GIS, GPS, and spatial modeling. Remote Sensing for Biodiversity and Wildlife Management emphasizes transdisciplinary collaboration, technological innovations, and new applications in this emerging field. Landmark case studies and illustrative examples of best practices in biodiversity and wildlife management remote sensing at multiple scales are featured in this pioneering work. COVERAGE INCLUDES: Management information requirements Geospatial data collection and processing Thermal, passive and active microwave, and passive and active optical sensing Integrated remote sensing, GIS, GPS, and spatial models Remote sensing of ecosystem process and structure Proven methods for acquiring, interpreting, and analyzing remotely sensed data Habitat suitability and quality analysis Mapping anthropogenic disturbances and modeling species distribution Biodiversity indicators, including species richness mapping and productivity modeling Habitat quality and dynamics Indicators and processes Invasive alien species Species prediction models Food and resources Biodiversity monitoring Fragmentation and spatial heterogeneity

Many of Canada's superb national parks owe their existence to James Bernard Harkin (1875-1955), the first commissioner of Canada's new Dominion Parks Branch in 1911. Ted Hart follows Harkin's career from his apprenticeship in the Department of the Interior to his retirement in 1936, and presents Harkin as a major force in early Canadian parks and wildlife conservation. He supported Canadian wildlife conservation at its inception, created the world's first park service, and developed major park policies. Conservationists, serious history enthusiasts, and those with an interest in Canada's national parks will enjoy this biography of a multifaceted and significant individual.

"The Game of Conservation" is a brilliantly crafted and highly readable examination of nature protection around the world.
Twentieth-century nature conservation treaties often originated as attempts to regulate the pace of killing rather than as attempts to protect animal habitat. Some were prompted by major breakthroughs in firearm techniques, such as the invention of the elephant gun and grenade harpoons, but agricultural development was at least as important as hunting regulations in determining the fate of migratory species. The treaties had many defects, yet they also served the goal of conservation to good effect, often saving key species from complete extermination and sometimes keeping the population numbers at viable levels. It is because of these treaties that Africa is dotted with large national parks, that North America has an extensive network of bird refuges, and that there are any whales left in the oceans. All of these treaties are still in effect today, and all continue to influence nature-protection efforts around the globe.
Drawing on a wide variety of primary and secondary sources, Mark Cioc shows that a handful of treaties--all designed to protect the world's most commercially important migratory species--have largely shaped the contours of global nature conservation over the past century. The scope of the book ranges from the African savannahs and the skies of North America to the frigid waters of the Antarctic.

An accessible and thought-provoking introduction to timespans in the natural world, featuring more than 80 beautifully designed diagrams. Which organisms live the longest? How does the natural world recover from fire? How long do eggs take to hatch? What are the world's fastest and slowest growing plants? Which species invest the most in parental care? How Nature Keeps Time discovers the natural world's most important and intriguing patterns of time. Beautifully designed with stunning colour photography and more than 80 reader-friendly charts and diagrams, this witty book examines a broad range of species from across the world and throughout time. From the lifecycle of immortal jellyfish and identifying the perfect amount of time for a 'good sleep' to mass extinction and the destruction of the coral reef, Helen Pilcher tackles highly relevant and fascinating topics in this deeply entertaining read.

Skiing and wildlife are both victims of misinformation, which produces needless adversity. Ski trails can restore wildlife habitat by facilitating thinning, prescribed fire, and diverting recreation away from wilderness.

"Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Natural Resource Management" examines how traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) is taught and practiced today among Native communities. Of special interest is the complex relationship between indigenous ecological practices and other ways of interacting with the environment, particularly regional and national programs of natural resource management.
Focusing primarily on the northwest coast of North America, scholars look at the challenges and opportunities confronting the local practice of indigenous ecological knowledge in a range of communities, including the Tsimshian, the Nisga'a, the Tlingit, the Gitksan, the Kwagult, the Sto: lo, and the northern Dene in the Yukon. The experts consider how traditional knowledge is taught and learned and address the cultural importance of different subsistence practices using natural elements such as seaweed (Gitga'a), pine mushrooms (Tsimshian), and salmon (Tlingit). Several contributors discuss the extent to which national and regional programs of resource management need to include models of TEK in their planning and execution.

This volume highlights the different ways of seeing and engaging with the natural world and underscores the need to acknowledge and honor the ways that indigenous peoples have done so for generations.

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the "2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development". On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection. The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. It encompasses 17 volumes, each one devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume is dedicated to SDG 14 "Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development". Marine and coastal bio-resources, play an essential role in human well-being and social and economic development. This volume addresses this sustainability challenge providing the description of a range of terms, which allows a better understanding and fosters knowledge about it. Concretely, the defined targets are: Prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution Sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels Effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics Conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information Prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation 16 Increase the economic benefits to small island developing states and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing states and least developed countries Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of "The future we want" Editorial Board Ulisses M. Azeiteiro, Anabela Marisa Azul, Luciana Brandli, Ernesto Brugnoli, Ana M. M. Goncalves, Giulia Guerriero, Nathalie Hilmi, Walter Leal Filho, Filipe Martinho, Fernando Morgado, Saleem Mustafa, Nidhi Nagabhatla, Melissa Nursey-Bray, Jessica M. Savage, Teppo Vehanen

This book, the first of its kind to be published in Malawi, considers the role of animals in African human culture and history, taking Malawi as a case study. It examines the relationship between humans and mammals from the time of the first inhabitants of Malawi through to the present day. It explains how game parks and protected species came into existence, the reasons why mammal numbers have dwindled, and provides details of the different mammal species, government and independent data.

Barbara McMartin narrates the history of Adirondack environmental policy in depth, beginning with the 1970 formation of the Adirondack Park Agency, set up to regulate private development and to oversee the planning of public terrain. Although hailed as the most innovative land-use legislation of its time, it ignited a wildfire of controversy, creating a landscape of conflict. Park residents protested. Government stood firm. Over the decades, disparate groups have sought to shape an effective program to protect Adirondack wildland but cannot seem to work together. This is the first comprehensive account of that ongoing drama: a stirring story of the environmental movement, public action, and government failure and success.

Otters are highly charismatic and popular animals of very considerable concern to conservationists worldwide. Written by the pre-eminent authority in the field, this book builds on the reputation of the author's landmark monograph of the European otter, Wild Otters (OUP, 1995). Furthermore, its broader scope to include all species of otter in North America as well as Europe and elsewhere leads to a deeper synthesis that greatly expands the book's overall relevance and potential readership. Aimed at naturalists, scientists and conservationists, its personal style and generously illustrated text will appeal to amateurs and professionals alike. It emphasises recent research and conservation management initiatives for all 13 species of otter worldwide, incorporates recent molecular research on taxonomy and population genetics, and discusses the wider implications of otter studies for ecology and conservation biology. As well as enchanting direct observations of the animals, there is guidance about how and where to watch and study them. From otters in the British and American lakes and rivers, to sea otters in the Pacific Ocean, giant otters in the Amazon and other species in Africa and Asia, this book provides an engaging approach to their fascinating existence, to the science needed to understand it, and to the very real threats to their survival.

"Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Natural Resource Management" examines how traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) is taught and practiced today among Native communities. Of special interest is the complex relationship between indigenous ecological practices and other ways of interacting with the environment, particularly regional and national programs of natural resource management.
Focusing primarily on the northwest coast of North America, scholars look at the challenges and opportunities confronting the local practice of indigenous ecological knowledge in a range of communities, including the Tsimshian, the Nisga'a, the Tlingit, the Gitksan, the Kwagult, the Sto: lo, and the northern Dene in the Yukon. The experts consider how traditional knowledge is taught and learned and address the cultural importance of different subsistence practices using natural elements such as seaweed (Gitga'a), pine mushrooms (Tsimshian), and salmon (Tlingit). Several contributors discuss the extent to which national and regional programs of resource management need to include models of TEK in their planning and execution.

This volume highlights the different ways of seeing and engaging with the natural world and underscores the need to acknowledge and honor the ways that indigenous peoples have done so for generations.

Animal Tracks and Signs was first published in English in the 1970s, and immediately established itself as an all-time classic. Totally unique in its accessible, down-to-earth approach and detailed coverage of more than 200 creatures, it is the only book in print that enables readers to determine which animals have passed through the countryside by examining the traces they have left behind, opening up a captivating new world that might otherwise remain unseen.
Whether following footprints in mud, sand, or snow, feeding marks on cones, nuts, trees, and animal remains; homes and hiding places above and below ground; or feathers, pellets, and droppings, readers are taught how to identify the bird or mammal that has been before them, aided by hundreds of beautiful, informative colour photographs, line drawings, and diagrams, and clear descriptions of the anatomy, behavior, movements patterns, and habitat of different species.
Quick-reference place sections compare actual-size prints, pellets, and droppings for fast identification on the move, covering such diverse wildlife as the shrew, hedgehog, fox, elk, and bear; the sparrow, kestrel, and eagle owl.
The new reissued edition includes a new Foreword by Ray Mears, who has found this book to be an invaluable point of reference throughout his career, and recommends it to students on his Bushcraft and Survival courses.

Bobwhite quail are one of America's favorite game birds. Healthy coveys of bobwhites indicate healthy land, and because quail hunting can bring in valuable income, landowners and game managers value these birds and encourage them wherever the habitat is suitable. Although biologists have studied bobwhites since the 1920s and have amassed an awesome base of information about this species, their knowledge has not been made widely available to landowners, hunters, and other lay readers. The questions that arise during periods of reflection after a hunt or in discussions around a campfire already have answers, but these, too often, are all buried in the scientific literature. Fred S. Guthery, one of the leading experts on bobwhite quail in the Southwest and southern Midwest, provides a wealth of useful and interesting information in this very readable, well-organized single volume. He offers new experiences and perspectives, based on the latest research, along with a review of his well-known writings and insights from the past fifteen years of observation. Guthery has concentrated most of his work on the Southwest, but this book provides information about all the areas that bobwhite inhabit and also includes information on the related species, Gambel's quail. Because the biology of quail and the principles of their management are very general, the information presented in this book will have application everywhere bobwhites are known. Wildlife managers, landowners, hunters, and anyone else interested in ensuring that quail thrive on their property will find this an accessible and valuable contribution by a leader in the field. FRED S. GUTHERY is professor and holder of the Bollenbach Chair in the Department of Forestry, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater.

"By carefully blending anecdotes, personal stories, personal interviews, nice prose, and 'hard' scientific data, Ellins presents a comprehensive picture of coyotes and shows how they've been maligned and also revered historically and nowadays. . . . an important contribution to the field . . ." -- Marc Bekoff, University of Colorado, Boulder, editor of Coyotes: Biology, Behavior, and Management and The Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior

The coyote may well be North America's most adaptable large predator. While humans have depleted or eliminated most other native predators, the coyote has defied all attempts to exterminate it, simultaneously expanding its range from coast to coast and from wilderness to urban areas. As a result, coyotes are becoming the focus of increasing controversy and emotion for people across the continent-- from livestock growers who would like to eradicate coyotes to conservationists who would protect them at any cost.

In this thoughtful, well-argued, and timely book, Stuart Ellins makes the case that lethal methods of coyote management do not work and that people need to adopt a more humane way of coexisting with coyotes. Interweaving scientific data about coyote behavior and natural history with decades of field experience, he shows how endlessly adaptive coyotes are and how attempts to kill them off have only strengthened the species through natural selection. He then explains the process of taste aversion conditioning-- which he has successfully employed-- to stop coyotes from killing domestic livestock and pets. Writing frankly as an advocate of this effective and humane method of controlling coyotes, he asks, "Why are we mired in the useof archaic, inefficient, unsophisticated, and barbaric methods of wildlife management in this age of reason and high technology? This question must be addressed while there is still a wildlife to manage."

Indira Gandhi, prime minister of India for sixteen years, was as charismatic as she was controversial-at once admired and criticized for her political judgements and actions. Yet beyond such debate, what has not been fully understood is her life-long communion with nature and how that defined her very being. Weaving personal, political, and environmental history, politician-scholar Jairam Ramesh narrates the compelling story of Indira Gandhi, the naturalist. He tells us why and how she came to make a private passion a public calling; how her views on the environment remained steadfast even as her political and economic stances changed; how her friendships with conservationists led to far-reaching decisions to preserve India's biodiversity; how she urged, cajoled, and persuaded her colleagues as she took significant decisions particularly regarding forests and wildlife; and how her own finely-developed instincts and beliefs resulted in landmark policies, programmes, initiatives, laws, and institutions, that have endured. Drawing extensively from unpublished letters, notes, messages, and memos, Indira Gandhi: A Life in Nature offers a lively, conversational narrative of a relatively little known but fascinating aspect of Indira Gandhi's tumultuous life. Equally, the book acts as a compass to India at a time when the country faces the formidable challenge of ensuring ecological security and sustainability in its pursuit of high economic growth.

Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) is one of the most complex and urgent issues facing wildlife management and conservation today. Originally focused on the ecology and economics of wildlife damage, the study and mitigation of HWC has gradually expanded its scope to incorporate the human dimensions of the whole spectrum of human-wildlife relationships, from conflict to coexistence. Having the conflict-to-coexistence continuum as its leitmotiv, this book explores a variety of theories and methods currently used to address human-wildlife interactions, illustrated by case studies from around the world. It presents some key concepts in the field, such as values, emotions, social identity and tolerance, and a variety of insights and solutions to turn conflict into coexistence, from individual level to national scales, including conservation marketing, incremental and radical innovation, strategic planning, and socio-ecological systems. This volume will be of interest to a wide range of readers, including academics, researchers, students, practitioners and policy-makers.

Consider just two of the countless facts about the damage we have done to the Everglades: Half of its original 14,000-square-mile expanse is gone, and saving what is left will cost at least $8.4 billion. Alluding to destruction on a scale we can barely grasp, figures like these can at once stir and immobilize us. In Liquid Land, Ted Levin guides us past the dire headlines and into the magnificent swamp itself, where we come face-to-face with the plants, animals, and landscapes that remain and that will survive only if we protect them. Levin has traveled extensively through the Everglades, often in the company of such dedicated individuals as Archie Jones, the conchologist who for fifty years has been studying and rescuing tree snails, or Frank Mazzotti, with whom Levin spent two weeks in the field monitoring American crocodiles. Through Levin's adventures we come to know intimately a place where water was meant to flow as a broad, shallow "sheet" and where minuscule changes in elevation yield a dramatic change in the diversity of life, from manatees and mangroves on the coast to panthers and orchids in the interior. Throughout, Levin profiles the various parties who have tried to master, protect, or coexist with the Everglades from the agribusiness concerns known collectively as Big Sugar to Friends of the Everglades to a small community west of Miami, nameless but for the designation "8.5 Square Mile Area." As we float, sometimes slog, alongside Levin through hammocks, keys, and sloughs, we see firsthand how drainage and development have led to water pollution and salinity fluctuations, a disruption of the swamp's wet/dry seasonal cycle, an explosion in the mosquito population, and a weakened response of the ecosystem to drought, fire, hurricanes, and invasive species. Liquid Land captures the Everglades' essential beauty and mystery as it explores ongoing restoration efforts. Our success or failure will have an impact on environmental policy around the world, Levin believes. As the preservationist rallying cry goes, "The Everglades is a test. If we pass, we get to keep the planet.