|
Books > Sport & Leisure > Natural history, country life & pets > Plant life: general
Tree sitters. Logger protests. Dying timber towns. An iconic
species on the brink. The Timber Wars consumed the Pacific
Northwest in the late 1980s and early1990s and led political
leaders to ask scientists for a solution. The Northwest Forest Plan
was the result. For most of the twentieth century, the central
theme of federal forest management in the Pacific Northwest had
been logging old-growth forests to provide a sustained yield of
timber. During the 1970s and 1980s, however, a series of studies by
young scientists highlighted the destructive impact of that logging
on northern spotted owls, salmon, and the old-growth ecosystem
itself. Combining this new science with newly minted environmental
laws like the Endangered Species Act, environmental activists
obtained court injunctions to stop old-growth logging on federal
land, setting off a titanic struggle in the Pacific Northwest to
find a way to accommodate conservation imperatives as well as the
logging that provided employment for tens of thousands of people.
That effort involved years of controversy and debate, federal
courts, five science assessments, Congress, and eventually the
president of the United States. It led to creation of the Northwest
Forest Plan, which sharply and abruptly shifted the primary goal of
federal forestry toward conserving the species and ecosystems of
old-growth forests. Scientists went from spectators to planners and
guides, employing their latest scientific findings and expertise to
create a forest plan for 20 million acres that would satisfy the
courts. The largest upheaval in federal forest management in
history had occurred, along with a precipitous decline in timber
harvest, and there was no going back. In this book, three of the
scientists who helped craft that change tell the story as they know
it: the causes, development, adoption, and implementation of the
Northwest Forest Plan. The book also incorporates personal
reflections from the authors, short commentaries and histories from
key figures— including spotted owl expert Eric Forsman—and
experiences from managers who implemented the Plan as best they
could. Legal expert Susan Jane M. Brown helped interpret court
cases and Debora Johnson turned spatial data into maps. The final
chapters cover the Plan’s ongoing significance and
recommendations for conserving forest and aquatic ecosystems in an
era of megafires and climate change.
An introduction to the flowers of the Scandanavian Svalbard
Islands.
Learn to identify Missouri trees with this handy field guide,
organized by leaf type and attachment. With this famous field guide
by award-winning author and naturalist Stan Tekiela, you can make
tree identification simple, informative, and productive. There’s
no need to look through dozens of photos of trees that don’t grow
in Missouri. Learn about 119 species found in the state, organized
by leaf type and attachment. Just look at a tree’s leaves, then
go to the correct section to learn what it is. Fact-filled
information contains the particulars that you want to know, while
full-page photographs provide the visual detail needed for accurate
identification. Book Features 119 species: Every native tree plus
common non-natives Easy to use: Thumb tabs show leaf type and
attachment Compare feature: Decide between look-alikes Stan’s
Notes: Naturalist tidbits and facts Professional photos: Crisp,
stunning full-page images This new edition includes updated
photographs; expanded information; a Quick Compare section for
leaves, needles, and silhouettes; and even more of Stan’s expert
insights. So grab Trees of Missouri Field Guide for your next
outing—to help ensure that you positively identify the trees that
you see.
When you're out and about, keep this tabbed booklet by Nora and
Rick Bowers close at hand. Featuring only Southwest cacti of
Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado and Texas,
the booklet is organized by group for quick and easy
identification. Narrow your choices by group, and view just a few
cacti at a time. The pocket-sized format is much easier to use than
laminated foldouts, and the tear-resistant pages help to make the
book durable in the field.
Discover the wonders at the centre of our planet's ecosystem. In
ten short and accessible essays, science and nature writer Carolyn
Fry takes us on an awe-inspiring journey of the Earth's lungs. From
what makes a plant a tree and the incredible impact of forests, to
how trees are under attack and what we can do to save them, this
book will enthral and inform on the monumental power of the humble
tree. Trees: 10 things you should know is an essential introduction
to why trees are so important, and why our lives depend on them!
Begin your lifelong love affair with the mindful art of bonsai. Do
you know your shari from your nebari? Can you tell literati styling
from informal upright? Want to know how to create that gnarled and
twisted look? Let Happy Bonsai guide you along the path to
enlightenment, with care and display profiles for 40 top trees and
fully illustrated step-by-steps of more than 20 bonsai techniques
and styles. Find your perfect tree and discover how to prune,
shape, and tend to its needs to create a beautiful living
sculpture. Fall in love with this most meditative of garden crafts.
This title explores the botany, ecology, and rich lore of Texas
wildflowers, in easy-to-locate color groupings. Each spring
throughout the celebrated hill country and well beyond, locals and
visitors revel in the palettes and variety of Texas wildflowers.
From the Panhandle canyonlands to the islands of South Texas, from
the eastern Pineywoods to the farthest reaches of the arid
Trans-Pecos, some 5,000 species dot Texas' 268,820 square miles.
Now ""Lone Star Wildflowers"" offers easy identification through
color grouping and a wealth of insight from the origin of
scientific and common names to growth cycles, uses, history, and
native lore. Nieland and Finley have made countless forays with
camera and notebook and have broadened their approach through years
of research. In language accessible to every enthusiast, they offer
wildflower lovers unparalleled enrichment. In the field, by the
roadside, or in the classroom, ""Lone Star Wildflowers"" reveals
the science, ecology, and rich lore of Texas flowers with these
helpful features: nearly 500 full-color flower photographs, grouped
according to the color spectrum and further arranged by family; an
'Exploring Further' section in each color category, showing details
of seedpods, leaves, buds, and fruits; current and historical uses
of each flower, including applications for landscaping, water
conservation, traditional medicine, pharmaceuticals, and food;
information about plant toxins and range management practices
affecting livestock and wildlife; and, coverage of growth cycles
throughout the seasons, depicting young plants, buds, mature seed
heads, and fruits as well as flowers.
A beautiful gift book commemorating the nation's most cherished
springtime tradition, the National Cherry Blossom Festival, through
original works of art from the Library of Congress collections
Experience the splendor of the annual spring viewing of the
nation's sakura (cherry blossoms) with this stunning keepsake book.
Original artwork, photographs, and objects from the Library of
Congress collections illuminate the story of these landmark trees
and how they came to the nation's capital as a symbol of friendship
with Japan. More than one million visitors from the US and abroad
gather each year to enjoy Washington's glorious profusion of
cloud-like blossoms and join in the festivities. Cherry Blossoms:
Sakura Collections from the Library of Congress showcases exquisite
watercolor drawings of blossom varieties among the original cherry
trees, Japanese woodblock prints by such master artists as Kiyonaga
and Hiroshige, early 3-D stenographs and contemporary photos of the
Tidal Basin cherry blossoms, mementos from a former cherry blossom
princess, posters of the festival, and more. These works offer the
opportunity to explore Japanese culture while celebrating
Washington's beloved cherry blossoms.
Lawrence Newcomb's system of identification on wild flowers is
based on natural structural features that are easily visible to the
untrained eye and enables amateurs and experts to identify almost
any wildflower quickly and accurately.
This is the ultimate field guide to the trees and landscapes of
Central Park, with a lively, authoritative text and over 900 color
photographs, botanical plates, and extraordinarily detailed maps.
Under the direction of the Central Park Conservancy, the park's
landscapes have been painstakingly restored to achieve the effects
envisioned more than 150 years ago by the park's designers,
Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. This book highlights the
leading role that trees play in defining 22 of these landscapes and
chronicles the history of each of more than 200 tree species and
varieties present in the park-where it came from and where the most
outstanding specimens are located. Besides being a superb guide to
the world's greatest center-city park, this book is a highly
informative guide to most of the tree species commonly encountered
in the eastern United States. Anyone who loves trees will find this
book a very rewarding read, full of fascinating details and
beautiful illustrations. Central Park Trees and Landscapes is
divided into two major sections: "The Landscapes" opens with a
geological account of Manhattan Island-from its position 500
million years ago on the edge of the proto-North American continent
to its emergence about 15,000 years ago from the Laurentide Ice
Sheet. The effects that human inhabitants had on the ecology of the
island are described-from the burning of field stubble by Native
Americans to the clearing of forest trees by Europeans. Next, the
narrative focuses on the land that would eventually become Central
Park-how it was saved from being dissected by John Randel's rigid
street grid and how Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux became
the park's designers. The heart of the section is devoted to the
construction of the park in the late 1850s and 1860s. Twenty-two of
the park's grand landscapes are pictured in dozens of photographs
and in seven detailed maps pinpointing nearly 20,000 trees. Readers
can identify each tree on the maps by species using the Tree Maps
Key (located on the back of the front flap). "The Tree Guide"
contains informative essays full of intriguing botanical and
historical facts on over 200 of the park's tree species and
varieties. Each two-page entry features illustrations of leaves,
fruits, flowers, and bark as well as a striking portrait photograph
of a park tree. The entries are organized into groups by leaf
shapes shown on an easy-to-use identification key (located inside
the front cover).
"The best wine book I read this year was not about wine. It was
about cider"--Eric Asimov, New York Times, on Uncultivated Today,
food is being reconsidered. It’s a front-and-center topic in
everything from politics to art, from science to economics. We know
now that leaving food to government and industry specialists was
one of the twentieth century’s greatest mistakes. The question is
where do we go from here. Â Author Andy Brennan describes
uncultivation as a process: It involves exploring the wild;
recognizing that much of nature is omitted from our conventional
ways of seeing and doing things (our cultivations); and realizing
the advantages to embracing what we’ve somehow forgotten or
ignored. For most of us this process can be difficult, like
swimming against the strong current of our modern culture. The hero
of this book is the wild apple. Uncultivated follows Brennan’s
twenty-four-year history with naturalized trees and shows how they
have guided him toward successes in agriculture, in the art of
cider making, and in creating a small-farm business. The book
contains useful information relevant to those particular fields,
but is designed to connect the wild to a far greater audience,
skillfully blending cultural criticism with a food activist’s
agenda. Apples rank among the most manipulated crops in the world,
because not only do farmers want perfect fruit, they also assume
the health of the tree depends on human intervention. Yet wild
trees live all around us, and left to their own devices, they
achieve different forms of success that modernity fails to
apprehend. Andy Brennan learned of the health and taste advantages
of such trees, and by emulating nature in his orchard (and in his
cider) he has also enjoyed environmental and financial benefits.
None of this would be possible by following today’s prevailing
winds of apple cultivation. Â In all fields, our cultural
perspective is limited by a parallel proclivity. It’s not just
agriculture: we all must fight tendencies toward specialization,
efficiency, linear thought, and predetermined growth. We have
cultivated those tendencies at the exclusion of nature’s full
range. If Uncultivated is about faith in nature, and the power it
has to deliver us from our own mistakes, then wild apple trees have
already shown us the way.Â
The organic grower's guide to planting, propagation, culture, and
ecology Trees are our allies in healing the world. Partnering with
trees allows us to build soil, enhance biodiversity, increase
wildlife populations, grow food and medicine, and pull carbon out
of the atmosphere, sequestering it in the soil. Trees of Power
explains how we can work with these arboreal allies, specifically
focusing on propagation, planting, and individual species. Author
Akiva Silver is an enthusiastic tree grower with years of
experience running his own commercial nursery. In this book he
clearly explains the most important concepts necessary for success
with perennial woody plants. It's broken down into two parts: the
first covering concepts and horticultural skills and the second
with in-depth information on individual species. You'll learn
different ways to propagate trees: by seed, grafting, layering, or
with cuttings. These time-honored techniques make it easy for
anyone to increase their stock of trees, simply and inexpensively.
Ten chapters focus on the specific ecology, culture, and uses of
different trees, ones that are common to North America and in other
temperate parts of the world: Chestnut: The Bread Tree Apples: The
Magnetic Center Poplar: The Homemaker Ash: Maker of Wood Mulberry:
The Giving Tree Elderberry: The Caretaker Hickory: Pillars of Life
Hazelnut: The Provider Black Locust: The Restoration Tree Beech:
The Root Runner Trees of Power fills an urgent need for up-to-date
information on some of our most important tree species, those that
have multiple benefits for humans, animals, and nature. It also
provides inspiration for new generations of tree stewards and
caretakers who will not only benefit themselves, but leave a
lasting legacy for future generations. Trees of Power is for
everyone who wants to connect with trees. It is for the
survivalist, the gardener, the homesteader, the forager, the
permaculturist, the environmentalist, the parent, the
schoolteacher, the farmer, and anyone who feels a deep kinship with
these magnificent beings.
A top priority in climate research is obtaining broad-extent and
long-term data to support analyses of historical patterns and
trends, and for model development and evaluation. Along with
directly measured climate data from the present and recent past, it
is important to obtain estimates of long past climate variations
spanning multiple centuries and millennia. Dendroclimatic Studies
at the North American Tree Line presents an overview of the current
state of dendroclimatology, its contributions over the past few
decades, and its future potential. The material included is not
useful not only to those who generate tree-ring records of past
climate-dendroclimatologists, but also to users of their
results-climatologists, hydrologists, ecologists and archeologists.
In summary, this book: Sheds light on recent and future climate
trends by assessing long term past climatic variations from tree
rings Is a timely coverage of a crucial topic in climate science
portraying recent warming trends which are of serious concern today
Features well-reputed scientists highlighting new advanced
methodologies to reconstruct past climate change Models the tree
growth environmental response
Following the publication of Part One of this work, "Coast Plants",
a self-appointed committee consisting of Rolf Nordhagen, Johannes
Lid, Knut Faegri, Per Stormer and Olav Gjaerevoll decided that
mapping of Norwegian vascular plants should continue, priority
given to alpine plants and species belonging to the southern and
southeastern floral elements. The work includes discussion of the
concept of alpine plants, the distribution of the Scandinavian
alpine plants, the history of the alpine flora, the ecology of
alpine plants, and the species.
Covering 825 species, more than any comparable field guide, "
Trees of Eastern North America" is the most comprehensive, best
illustrated, and easiest-to-use book of its kind. Presenting all
the native and naturalized trees of the eastern United States and
Canada as far west as the Great Plains--including those species
found only in tropical and subtropical Florida and northernmost
Canada--the book features superior descriptions; thousands of
meticulous color paintings by David More that illustrate important
visual details; range maps that provide a thumbnail view of
distribution for each native species; "Quick ID" summaries; a
user-friendly layout; scientific and common names; the latest
taxonomy; information on the most recently naturalized species;
keys to leaves and twigs; and an introduction to tree
identification, forest ecology, and plant classification and
structure. The easy-to-read descriptions present details of size,
shape, growth habit, bark, leaves, flowers, fruit, flowering and
fruiting times, habitat, and range. Using a broad definition of a
tree, the book covers many small, overlooked species normally
thought of as shrubs. With its unmatched combination of breadth and
depth, this is an essential guide for every tree lover.The most
comprehensive, best illustrated, and easiest-to-use field guide to
the trees of eastern North AmericaCovers 825 species, more than any
comparable guide, including all the native and naturalized trees of
the United States and Canada as far west as the Great
PlainsFeatures specially commissioned artwork, detailed
descriptions, range maps for native species, up-to-date taxonomy
and names, and much, much moreAn essential guide for every tree
lover
This superbly illustrated book is a comprehensive identification
reference to over 550 of the most important and best-known trees of
Britain and Europe, from Iceland in the north to the Mediterranean
in the south. A detailed introduction looks at the origins of
trees, their evolution over time and the ways in which they have
adapted to suit the variety of terrains in which they thrive. The
book then presents an extensive illustrated directory of the most
common, popular, prolific or unusual trees, including maps
illustrating the region in which each tree can be found. With over
1600 beautiful photographs, artworks and illustrations, this volume
is perfect for home or study.
Flowers have played an important role in human culture and survival
for thousands of years. The final products of flowers-fruits and
seeds-are vitally important as food. Flowers provide bursts of
color to homes and gardens and they symbolize love, sorrow, and
renewal. Yet we often overlook their real purpose. Why do flowers
exist and why do they have certain colors, shapes, and smells? What
function does a flower have in the life and survival of the plants
themselves? In nature, flowers play an essential role in improving
a plant's chances of survival. Some flowers are pollinated by wind
or water but most are designed to attract and reward pollinators,
such as bees, butterflies, birds, and bats, to carry their pollen
from flower to flower. After being pollinated, flowers produce
fruits and again take advantage of wind, water, and animals to
disperse their seeds, ensuring a new generation of their species.
Pollination and seed dispersal are fine-tuned systems, and their
importance in sustaining a healthy environment cannot be
overstated. And, as ongoing climate and other environmental changes
apply new pressures, flowers must continue to adapt in order to
survive. In this beautifully illustrated book with over 200
stunning photographs, Michael Fogden and Patricia Fogden draw from
existing research and their extensive field experiences all over
the world to present a detailed but accessible introduction to the
natural history of flowers. They discuss a representative sample of
flowering and fruiting strategies, illustrating interactions
between plants and their pollinators and dispersers, and conclude
with descriptions of their favorite tropical flowers.
This elegant and easy-to-use guide is an updated and amended
revision of Lauren Brown's seminal Grasses: An Identification
Guide, which was first published in 1979. While maintaining the
spirit and goals of the original edition-a portable,
straightforward, and user-friendly guide for naturalists and plant
enthusiasts-the new edition features more than one hundred grasses,
sedges, and rushes that are presented with line drawings and color
photographs, concise descriptions, and details on the uses of
various plants throughout history. In addition, the authors are
careful to highlight the subtle differences in similar species to
avoid confusion, as well as offering relevant notes on plant
survival strategies, invasiveness, and how different plants fit
within the broader ecological landscape. Devoid of technical
jargon, this volume is an indispensable tool for those curious
about the often-overlooked grasses, sedges, and rushes that
surround us.
Learn more about the beautiful trees around you with this
identification guide, perfect for beginners, featuring over 150
common British and European species. If you want to know the
difference between a Serbian spruce and a silver birch or how
different trees change through the seasons then What's that Tree?
is the ideal guide for you. Species overviews show you what to look
for where and related trees are shown side by side for quick
comparison and identification. Clear photography of leaves will
help you to directly compare the tree you're looking at with those
in the guide and will assist you with specific features of the leaf
to help identify the tree. This quick-reference guide also includes
information on bark, flowers, and seeds. The perfect pocket guide
for beginners but also a handy reference for the more seasoned
naturalist, What's that Tree? will help you to become an expert
tree-spotter in no time.
THE UPDATED, AUTHORITATIVE GUIDE TO SPORTS FIELD MANAGEMENT THAT
INCLUDES THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN, AND ON, THE FIELD The updated
Third Edition of Sports Fields: Design, Construction, and
Maintenance is a comprehensive reference for professionals who are
responsible for the design, construction, renovation, and
maintenance of athletic facilities. This book contains illustrative
examples of specific design elements of the most popular sports
facilities. This Third Edition contains new chapters on safety,
public relations, and professionalism for future sports field
managers, as well as fresh drawings and photos that highlight
innovative field layout, grading, irrigation, and drainage. All-new
case studies review best practices and techniques for sports fields
ranging from youth and high school fields to fields that are
designed for professional athletes. This text is also an ideal
resource for anyone studying for Sports Field Manager Certification
(offered by STMA). Features new case studies that include design
and management best practices for all levels and types of sports
facilities Offers new chapters on safety, public relations, and
professionalism for future sports field managers Includes new
illustrations and photos of innovative field layout, grading,
irrigation, and drainage Contains the most recent information on
sand-based field systems and synthetic turf Presents discussions of
a range of fields including baseball, softball, football, soccer,
lacrosse, field hockey, tennis, and track and field Sports Fields:
Design, Construction, and Maintenance, Third Edition is a blueprint
for field managers, designers, and builders for successful sports
field projects.
'Blanc set about the most thorough apple-tasting and cooking
project I have heard of . . . [The Lost Orchard] condenses the
highlights, his love letters to the forgotten apple breeds.' The
Times 'I began to dream about an orchard filled with thousands of
fruit trees... Today we have an orchard with over 150 ancient
varieties of apple. Each one has its heritage in a village or a
county that used to thrive on that particular variety. They tell
the story not only of what we have lost in Britain but also what we
could regain.' Over the past seven years, Raymond Blanc has planted
an orchard of 2,500 trees in the grounds of his hotel-restaurant in
Oxfordshire. Yielding about 30 tonnes of fruit for his kitchen each
year, it is full of ancient and forgotten varieties of British
apples and pears, along with walnut trees, quince, medlars,
apricots, nectarines, peaches, plums, damsons and cherries. A
further 600 heritage fruit trees have been added from Raymond's
home region of Franche-Comté in France. The Lost Orchard is a love
letter to each of these varieties, complete with beautiful black
and white drawings, photographs of Belmond Le Manoir and
fascinating information and anecdotes about each fruit, along with
recipes and stories.
|
|