50 Simple Things Kids Can Do to Save the Earth

Customer Reviews:

Greatest book on Earth!!!.......2006-09-04

I loved this great book on caring about the environment. It gave me facts and how I could help save the planet by not using my car, recycling and reusing. You Must read this book!

IT'S NOT ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL POLITICS.......2005-10-24

I like this little book because it's realistic and doesn't try to use scare tactics. It's not put out by radicals and it isn't trying to get us to take on too much, too fast. Those who politicize the ecology bug me to death. As if taking care of this planet that we fleetingly occupy is about whether you're on the right or the left, where you stand on gun control, taxes, what defines marriage, or whether the school board should remove Huck Finn from the high school shelves. Making the earth's environment better is selfish, because we stand to benefit from it. It's a planet we share, folks, and we're not doing all we could to leave it in good shape for those who are here now or will live on it when our time is done.

Let's get this straight once and for all: being environmentally conscious does not mean you're a tree-hugging liberal! What it means is, you like a planet that doesn't make you, your children, your grandma and your pet golden retriever sick. The Soviets were a leftist nation and they destroyed their ecology past the point of no return. On the flip side, the right-wing American President Theodore Roosevelt, as Republican as can be, has as one of his legacies the establishment of the National Parks System. "Saving" the planet is not the exclusive domain of leftists, nor-saying it again here--does it equate you with "tree huggers" if you try to do something that benefits the environment. I personally like clean air, clean water, a place to take a walk in nature without stepping in a nice glowing barrel of toxic sludge, don't you? I don't care if you're farther right than Sister Attila the Fourth-Grade Nun you can't honestly say you don't want there to be forests for you to go hunting in, or unpolluted rivers left for you to take your grandkids trout fishing in, am I right? And, yes, we ALL can recoil at the well-intended but self-defeating environmental fanatics who alienate the mainstream society of America by being too extreme and dogmatic. This book is not written for those who chain themselves to an endangered species of mollusk and go on hunger strikes to protest a TV show on global warming. This excellent little book is not like that at all. It presents what I think are really worthy ideas for cleaning up around the neighborhood where you live. It sets some nice projects out for kids (and grown ups) to get done and that is surely better than not educating our young people in environmental responsibility.

Okay, let me put it this way: would you rather have a child dear to you outside some weekend picking up litter, planting a tree in the side yard and sorting recyclable materials, or would you rather have that child sitting in front of the TV with a PS2, becoming another statistic in the epidemic of pre-teen obesity? This book is a small step in the right direction, and if it does nothing more than makes someone, whatever the age, think about the connection between personal behavior and the state of the earth's environment, then it's a nice investment of time and money.

Practical, realistic, easy........2002-09-05

I first read this book years ago as a child. Perhaps the few reviewers on here who do not like the book (and use this review as an outlet for their own personal politics) on here do not realize that parents, teachers, community leaders and religious leaders hardly shelter kids from the outside world as it is, and this book will not upset children, ruin their happiness or waste their childhood at all. As a kid, my friends and I readily accepted this book and were happy to carry out many of the suggestions. Adults seem to look down on kids a lot and think that they just want to play all day and have little care for anything but themselves. The things kids love, such as animals and the outdoors, are in danger, and this book lets kids contribute to help saving them. There are plenty of little tips in this book that do not advocate huge, drastic lifestyle changes. This book also does not come across as preachy or arrogant. Overall it is practical and enjoyable to read.

WOW!.......2002-09-03

This book is totally awesome. I am interested in the environment and since this book includes quotes by kids my age, I feel I am really connected. It makes me feel really cool, like I can really make a difference in the world. And it helps. It tells you ways to help the earth- simple ways. And I learned a lot from it. It has a lot of good, interesting facts in it too.

Wonderful: informative and fun to read !.......2001-06-22

I checked this book out from the library and we enjoyed it so much we had to buy one. This book contains simple eco-friendly ideas anyone can try, such as making a bird house out of a milk carton, planting a garden to attract butterflies and other creatures, how to avoid overuse of styrofoam and other non-recyclable materials. It does not suggest major lifestyle changes, just small changes that can add up over time. And it is fun to read! It contains mini-quizes for kids on each topic, such as: which of the following will a worm not eat- vegetables, dirt, or steak?(answer= worms don't eat meat). Each idea includes a question & answer, a description of the concept (such as recycling), a few projects to try at home (such giving old toys to charity or having a yard sale instead of throwing them out), and addresses to write to for more information (such as the National Wildlife Federation, which can help you plan a custom made wildlife-friendly yard). Great, simple projects for kids - a grown-ups too. I am going to buy the sequel as well and look forward to reading it cover-to-cover.

Principles of Conservation Biology, Third Edition

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Conservation Biology review
Impressed
Great book

Principles of Conservation Biology, Third Edition
Martha J. Groom , Gary K. Meffe , and C. Ronald Carroll
Manufacturer: Sinauer Associates
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0878935185
Release Date: 2005-08-01

Book Description

Principles of Conservation Biology, Third Edition features a wholly revised organization, emphasizing analyses of different categories of threat and approaches to conservation. Coverage has been expanded to incorporate both terrestrial and marine conservation issues, and efforts in the U.S. and across the globe.

Principles' eighteen chapters introduce the major themes and concepts of this diverse and dynamic field. The biological and social underpinnings of conservation problems and potential solutions are interwoven throughout the text, which is divided into three sections: foundations of the field, threats to biodiversity, and approaches to solving conservation problems. Guest essays and case studies provide a diversity of perspectives and real-world examples that add insight and provoke discussion. The text is richly illustrated, and concludes with an extensive glossary and bibliography.

This book is intended for use in conservation biology courses at the advanced undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as by researchers and practitioners, and assumes a basic background in biology and ecology.

Customer Reviews:

Conservation Biology review.......2007-03-09

Excellent book, either for the serious student or for someone just interested in the subject. However most of the graphics are in black and white, so it takes some getting used to, but there are some nice color plates in the middle of the book. It is generally written well and seldom assumes you know what they are talking about without an explanation of some of the concepts.

Impressed.......2006-03-05

The book was sent fairly quickly and packaged very well. The book is new as it was advertized. Would buy from seller again.

Great book.......2005-10-14

I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in this subject. It has a lot of great case studies and examples. Some conservation biologists call this one "the Concervation biology bible".

Elephant Memories: Thirteen Years in the Life of an Elephant Family

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Captivating Elephant Saga
HOW WONDERFUL ELEPHANTS ARE
The lives of elephants revealed
Intriguing
Thorough and moving study of elephants!

Elephant Memories: Thirteen Years in the Life of an Elephant Family
Cynthia Moss
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0226542378

Book Description

Cynthia Moss has studied the elephants in Kenya's Amboseli National Park for over twenty-seven years. Her long-term research has revealed much of what we now know about these complex and intelligent animals. Here she chronicles the lives of the members of the T families led by matriarchs Teresia, Slit Ear, Torn Ear, Tania, and Tuskless. With a new afterword catching up on the families and covering current conservation issues, Moss's story will continue to fascinate animal lovers.

"One is soon swept away by this 'Babar' for adults. By the end, one even begins to feel an aversion for people. One wants to curse human civilization and cry out, 'Now God stand up for the elephants!'"—Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, New York Times

"Moss speaks to the general reader, with charm as well as scientific authority. . . . [An] elegantly written and ingeniously structured account." —Raymond Sokolov, Wall Street Journal

"Moss tells the story in a style so conversational . . . that I felt like a privileged visitor riding beside her in her rickety Land-Rover as she showed me around the park." —Sarah Blaffer Hrdy, New York Times Book Review

"A prose-poem celebrating a species from which we could learn some moral as well as zoological lessons." —Chicago Tribune

Customer Reviews:

Captivating Elephant Saga.......2006-12-21

Moss takes you on an incredible journey into the lives of African elephants and allows you to take a bird's eye view of the research she has done. The book, while captivating, can seem a little discombobulated to some, however. The book divides itself into the different years Moss is writing about, each chapter being a different year. This set up, however, is a bit confusing as the chapters do not limit themselves to that particular year, but instead discussed a myriad of years all while focusing on a particular topic. That said, you do see progression in the timeline as the book reads on.

The only downside I saw to this book was the fictional retelling of circumstances that she was not witness to. She describes the deaths of a few elephants as well as some mishaps involving the elephants in near poetic detail, though she never actually saw what happened, or she only witnessed the very end of the circumstance. She does not note where the fictionalization begins, and you only understand what parts are ficionalized after reading on and seeing where she says "I don't know what happened." These are merely assumptions made on the part of the author and though they could have very real merit, it can hurt the integrity of the book when read by someone who is looking for a purely factual account of African elephants. While Moss does warn that she does make assumptions, it would have been better if she noted right before each fictionalized story that it was an assumption. That said, the stories do involve true elephant behavior and shows the audience how elephants may react in certain situations.

There is an incredible amount of insight in this book. You become attached to certain elephants, feel joy over new births, celebrate victory over hardship, and mourn the deaths of these creatures. It teaches the reader about their behaviors, environment, and most of all, the conservation of these majestic animals.

HOW WONDERFUL ELEPHANTS ARE.......2006-07-05

IT IS AMAZING TO ME THAT MAN DOESNT KNOW OR CHOOSES NOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HOW INTELLEGENT AND WONDERFUL THESE BEAUTIFUL CREATURES OF GOD ARE AND THIS BOOK MAKES IT REAL CLEAR.

The lives of elephants revealed.......2002-01-18

This is a wonderful book. Cynthia Moss takes the reader deep into the intricate social lives of Africa elephans in Amboseli National Park (Kenya), and leaves a profound impression. How very sensitive these animals are, and how endearing. It is entirely clear how these creatures have suffered at the hands of humans, but also nobody can read this book and not feel the urge to conserve this fantastic species. Also it may inspire some to travel to Amboseli to see the elephants 'in person' - an experience that you will never forget!

Intriguing.......2002-01-05

This is an excellent book. At first, the book seems confusing as the author continuously refers to the individual elephants on a first name basis when one has no idea of who these "people" are. As the names become more familiar and the individual stories develop, the strange names develop into a wonderful, although at times anthropomorphic story on the natural history of these gentle animals. As she warns us, the author takes the liberty of adding unwitnessed, fictional pieces to most stories, which can be confusing and at times blur the objective observations that she makes with subjective, although probably real, assumptions.
But this book is not a hard core technical text, despite glimpses of it being so in the beginning. The book is about remembering the wonderful social and behavioral characteristics of individuals that make up a population. From matriarchs to lonely males, from birth to death during periods of drought or at the hands of Masai warriors, this book gives a comprehensive insight into relevant issues affecting the survival of the African elephant. The author comes across as a human being, with emotions that go beyond the hard-core science. Although her prose is dry at times, this book is very enjoyable and opens a magnificent window into the world of the Amboseli elephants.

Thorough and moving study of elephants!.......2001-01-11

This book covers thirteen years of Cynthia Moss' research on elephants at Amboseli National Park in Kenya. Several of the elephant families residing at Amboseli are featured in this book. Cynthia Moss learned to distinguish each individual elephant by such characteristics as the shape of their ears, ear markings or the size and shape of the tusks. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of elephant life like mating, draught etc. Together with fellow researcher Joyce Poole Cynthia Moss discovered that the bulls like their Asian cousins go into musth too (the period they are the most attractive to the cows). Thus a longstanding mystery was solved. But through it all shines Cynthia Moss' deep love for the elephants, she found with them so much to recommend. Learning from them. She certainly succeeds in sharing the joy of studying and living with elephants. I warmly recommend Ian and Oria Douglas-Hamilton and Joyce Poole's books too. Indeed Cynthia Moss has found new insights but this is still the book to read on elephants in the first place.

Better Trout Habitat: A Guide To Stream Restoration And Management

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Better Trout Habitat: A guide to Stream Restoration and Mana
Good Trout Habitat and Life Cycle Reference

Better Trout Habitat: A Guide To Stream Restoration And Management
Christopher J. Hunter
Manufacturer: Island Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0933280777

Book Description

Explains the physical, chemical, and biological needs of trout, and shows how climate, geology, vegetation, and flowing water all help to create trout habitat.

Customer Reviews:

Better Trout Habitat: A guide to Stream Restoration and Mana.......2001-11-01

This book provides an in depth review of the methods and techniques used to provide habitat characteristics to a variety of streams. The writting style is excellent for both the lay reader as well as someone with a scientific back ground. However, it does not dwell on some fot the more technical details which requires a more technical level book to provide more indepth details. However, as a general manual to habitat resoration it provides an excellent background as well as the necessary caution needed when conducting these types of instream restoration projects.

Good Trout Habitat and Life Cycle Reference.......2000-06-07

This book offers a good variety of man-made trout improvement structures, but the current (2000) state-of-the art in trout habitat improvement trends toward a more natural, vegetation and channel reconstruction approach. This book provides excellent design guidelines and background information on trout and their life cycle, and perhaps the most useful part of this book was the author's ability to teach the reader enough about the habitat requirements of trout to allow the reader some latitude and innovation with their habitat improvement designs.

I personally enjoyed the workable, readable and philosophical approach to fish habitat improvement, and I believe that this book would be a good reference for anyone who wishes to improve trout habitat.

Book Description

Bats and big cats. Armies of ants. Squawking parrots. Strangling figs. From the ground up to the tree tops, the tropical rainforest teems with life. Stunning drawings, step-by-step experiments, fun-to-do activities, and fascinating facts abound in this magical exploration of an essential ecosystem, in danger of disappearing forever. Tropical Rain Forest is a new edition to the One Samll Square Series not previously published in hardcover.

Customer Reviews:

Great, whether you get to the rain forest or not.......2002-03-14

The One Small Square series is wonderful: the concept is that you take a hypothetical square foot of an environment- woods, seashore, arctic tundra, rainforest, etc.- and explore it at all levels, from underground to the sky. Each book is extensively illustrated with all of the inter-connected layers of life- from fungus to megafauna- in the Square. On the margin of most of the 2-page spreads are activities that you can do, no matter where you live. Food chains, life cycles & seasons are explored, and the back section has an identification guide to all of the life forms presented in the book.

We took One Small Square: Tropical Rain Forest with us on a trip to the Brazilian rainforest with our 5 & 7 year olds. The book was great- for the grown ups & the kids! We used it as a guide to identify many of the animals & plants we saw, as background to help the girls understand what they were going to see, as reading on the long trips up the river. We did many of the activities- some before, some during, and some after the trip. Our guide was so impressed with it that he ordered a copy for himself, saying that it was hard to find something with so much information that was both accurate and interesting to people at many different levels of knowledge. Highly recommended!

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Got Pollinators?

Open a wonderful new world, and then enjoy conserving it

Pollinator Conservation Handbook: A Guide to Understanding, Protecting, and Providing Habitat for Native Pollinator Insects
Matthew Shepherd , Stephen L. Buchmann , Mace Vaughan , and Scott Hoffman Black
Manufacturer: The Xerces Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Forgotten Pollinators

Plant-Pollinator Interactions: From Specialization to Generalization

The Natural History Of Bumblebees: A Sourcebook for Investigations

The Bees of the World

Bumblebee Economics

ASIN: 0974447501

Book Description

The Pollinator Conservation Handbook is an indispensable resource for gardeners, farmers, and managers of parks, recreational areas, and wild lands. It will guide you through the steps for creating and improving habitat for insect pollinators, including selecting and planting forage flowers, providing nesting and egg-laying sites, and caring for your pollinator habitat over time. The Handbook also contains an extensive resources section and ideas for educational activities.

Customer Reviews:

Got Pollinators?.......2004-06-01

If you're not sure, want to attract more, are a home gardener, restorationist, or simply care about nature you will want to read this book. It is the first of its kind: a simple, well-written and comprehensive handbook all about pollinators. Not just butterflies and bees, but some flies, moths, beetles and others that you may not have considered.

Did you know that pollinators are responsible for two-thirds of the food in the US; that the activity of ground nesting bees improves soil texture, water and nutrient movement; the larval stage of beetles create tunnels in trees where bees can nest; we have approximately 4500 native bees - most of which do not sting?? Do you also know what some of the threats are to both our common, and not-so-common 6-legged friends? They include: habitat loss, degradation & fragmentation, agriculture, pesticides and invasive species. Would you like to know what you, as an individual can do to help such as how to build your own bee nest blocks and other ways of offering up your property to more of these creatures? The extensive appendices include nectar and host plant lists, educator & family resources and a wealth of information for further reading and relevant organizations.

This is not only a very readable book but also a reference that no gardener or other nature lover should be without. It is written by the experienced and dedicated staff of the Xerces Society, based in Portland Oregon, which is "an international non-profit organization dedicated to protecting biological diversity through invertebrate conservation." Many of the photos are unrivaled!

If you are interested in some other excellent reading regarding many of our often-overlooked pollinators, be sure to read "The Forgotten Pollinators" by Stephen Buchmann & Gary Nabhan.
Enjoy!

Open a wonderful new world, and then enjoy conserving it.......2004-05-24

Despite the significance of the subject matter, there are few widely available publications dedicted to pollinator conservation. Fortunately, staff from America's leading invertebrate conservation organization have filled the void with this wonderful book. The handbook is comprehensive in coverage; from its introduction to pollination and pollinators, the threats these insects face, and the actions that can conserve them. These aspects are all covered quite well in a very readable manner, which is not an insignificant fact, because the book is applicable to such a wide audience, from the land managers of National Parks to backyard gardeners. The color photos illustrations are not only splendid close-ups of insects and flowers, but images of the places that pollinators live, everyday sights that readers will recognize, and thus realize the ample opportunities there are for all of us to conserve these insects and the benefits they bestow upon us. Few individuals have the opportunity to be in distant lands furthering the conservation of whales and tigers, but with this very reasonably priced handbook, everyone can in their own way participate and enjoy maintaining the equally, dare I say even more important, richness and health of the special place where they live.

Marine Conservation Biology: The Science of Maintaining the Sea's Biodiversity

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Marine Conservation Biology: The Science of Maintaining the Sea's Biodiversity

Manufacturer: Island Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1559636629

Book Description

Humans are terrestrial animals, and our capacity to see and understand the importance and vulnerability of life in the sea has trailed our growing ability to harm it. While conservation biologists are working to address environmental problems humans have created on land, loss of marine biodiversity, including extinctions and habitat degradation, has received much less attention. At the same time, marine sciences such as oceanography and fisheries biology have largely ignored issues of conservation.

Marine Conservation Biology brings together for the first time in a single volume leading experts from around the world to apply the lessons and thinking of conservation biology to marine issues. Contributors including James M. Acheson, Louis W. Botsford, James T. Carlton, Kristina Gjerde, Selina S. Heppell, Ransom A. Myers, Julia K. Parrish, Stephen R. Palumbi, and Daniel Pauly offer penetrating insights on the nature of marine biodiversity, what threatens it, and what humans can and must do to recover the biological integrity of the world's estuaries, coastal seas, and oceans.

Sections examine: distinctive aspects of marine populations and ecosystems; threats to marine biological diversity, singly and in combination; place-based management of marine ecosystems; the often-neglected human dimensions of marine conservation.

Marine Conservation Biology breaks new ground by creating the conceptual framework for the new field of marine conservation biology -- the science of protecting, recovering, and sustainably using the living sea. It synthesizes the latest knowledge and ideas from leading thinkers in disciplines ranging from larval biology to sociology, making it a must-read for research and teaching faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate and advanced undergraduate students.

Bats in Forests: Conservation and Management

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Bats in Forests: Conservation and Management

Manufacturer: The Johns Hopkins University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Bat Ecology

ASIN: 0801884993

Book Description

Although bats are often thought of as cave dwellers, many species depend on forests for all or part of the year. Of the 45 species of bats in North America, more than half depend on forests, using the bark of trees, tree cavities, or canopy foliage as roosting sites. Over the past two decades it has become increasingly clear that bat conservation and management are strongly linked to the health of forests within their range.

Initially driven by concern for endangered species -- the Indiana bat, for example -- forest ecologists, timber managers, government agencies, and conservation organizations have been altering management plans and silvicultural practices to better accommodate bat species. Bats in Forests presents the work of a variety of experts who address many aspects of the ecology and conservation of bats. The chapter authors describe bat behavior, including the selection of roosts, foraging patterns, and seasonal migration as they relate to forests. They also discuss forest management and its influence on bat habitat. Both public lands and privately owned forests are considered, as well as techniques for monitoring bat populations and activity.

The important role bats play in the ecology of forests -- from control of insects to nutrient recycling -- is revealed by a number of authors. Bat ecologists, bat conservationists, forest ecologists, and forest managers will find in this book an indispensable synthesis of the topics that concern them.

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Birds of Panama
Strong overall with a few significant flaws
A Guide to the Birds of Panama
The only guide out there
Best available field guide to the birds of Panama

A Guide to the Birds of Panama
Robert S. Ridgely , and John A. Gwynne
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0691025126

Book Description

This is the first paperback version of the second edition of the popular A Guide to the Birds of Panama. In the second edition, published in 1989, the authors expanded information on the birds of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras: approximately 200 new species were added to the material in the 1976 edition. Over 300 additional species, some of them Panamanian, were illustrated. Sixteen new plates were added, and three of the original plates were replaced by improved versions. Throughout the book changes were made to accommodate the explosion in knowledge of the birds of Panama and nearby areas and of neotropical birds in general. The basic sequence and systematics of the AOU 1983 Check-list were adopted. Also included in the revised edition was expanded and updated information on birdfinding in Panama, prepared with the assistance of two of Panama's best resident birders. The book also contains a special section outlining developments in Panama ornithology and conservation. "A sophisticated treatment of one of the world's richest avifaunas."--The Quarterly Review of Biology

Customer Reviews:

Birds of Panama.......2007-01-08

I would recommend that anyone interested in the birds of Panama buy this book, however it is not the only book available about the birds of Panama. There is the Guia de Las Aves de Panama by Ridgely and Gawynne (ISBN 958-95245-0-8) and An Illustrated Field Guide to the Birds of Panama by Ponce y Muschett (ISBN 84-89127-76-X). It is best to have as much information as possible before a trip even if all these books have their shortcomings. Robert B Gillies, Volcan, Chiriqui, The Republic of Panama.

Strong overall with a few significant flaws.......2006-08-18

The text in this book is excellent, with good descriptions of the various species and nice writeups of behavioral habits. However if you want to use the book as a field guide to identify the birds you are seeing, there are some flaws that make this hard to do:

1. Not all birds are represented in the color plates. None of the 15 swift species, for example, get an entry on the plates.
2. Some birds have no picture at all, not even a black and white line drawing in the text. Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, for example.
3. The index is incomplete. Try finding a saltator in the index.
4. There are two sets of plates. Most birds are in the first set, but there is a seemingly arbitrary set of birds relegated to "additional" plates near the back of the book. This makes it hard to do the tried and true method of scanning plates to help you quickly identify the bird you just saw.

So as a field guide this book probably merits only 3 stars. But to be fair it's not labeled as a field guide, but rather a "Guide to the Birds of Panama." Given the high quality of the text, it fills that role nicely.

A Guide to the Birds of Panama.......2006-03-01

Book great. Helped me identify some of the birds I saw when in Panama/CR recently. Illustrations made it easy to recognize the birds.

The only guide out there.......2005-02-16

I visit Panama at least once a year, and this book is the first thing I pack for every trip. There's simply no other field guide out there. Although the book is over due for a thorough update (of both taxonomy and range reports), it's still the best source for identifying birds in Panama. All the guides and researchers that I've met over the years use this book. One of the most useful parts is the section that describes the best birding spots in Panama, as most of these places have remained largely unchanged. The plates are very good, more than adequate.
The book's a bit on the heavy side though. I usually go out birding for an entire day (6 am to 6 pm) carrying water, food, a camera and heavy telephoto lens, a tripod and binoculars. Even so, I've always resisted cutting out the plates, and end up taking the whole thing with me into the jungle. If the publisher were to make available a separate smaller booklet with only the plates, I'd definitely buy it. My back would be very grateful indeed!
Conclusion: If you're planning a birdwatching trip to Panama, you NEED this book!

Best available field guide to the birds of Panama.......2003-06-10

Ridgely's guide is the best - and really the only - available field guide covering all the species of birds in the nation of Panama. While it is useful and serves most purposes, it has been over a decade since the second edition was released, and it is more than due for an overhaul and expansion. The most necessary would be the addition of range maps, that would make the book infinitely more useful in planning a trip. At the very least, there should be a single, detailed map of Panama, indicating the locations mentioned in the range descriptions! Also, it would be better to limit the scope of the book entirely to Panama, as Costa Rica and other areas to the north are covered by other guides, and the pertinent information for those areas in this book are scant, at best. Then, the isolated plates in the back need to be intergrated, as do the plates of Darien specialties, etc. Many species have been recently added to the Panama list, or split, etc, and those species need to be added. But, all this aside, this book should enable the identification of most Panama birds, and remains an indispensible resource for any birder traveling to that country.

Average customer rating:

A textbook, with pluses and minuses

Wildlife Issues In A Changing World
Michael P. Moulton
Manufacturer: Lewis Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1566703514

Book Description

Students of conservation encounter some of the most complex issues on our planet. The resolution of existing problems become more complex when humans create further stresses on the natural balance. Moulton and Sanderson brought the challenging issues in wildlife conservation into greater clarity in Wildlife Issues in a Changing World. The Second Edition of this definitive reference focuses more closely on the causes of wildlife issues. The examination of Jared Diamond's "Evil Quartet" (the four principal causes of extinction) provides a framework for categorizing and resolving these issues. The authors encourage the use of the scientific method basis for resolution - especially where environmental laws have failed. The three new chapters provide further counterpoints to preconceived notions. A two-part history of wildlife in the U.S. shows how wildlife had already been decimated by the year 1900. "Can Humans Manage Wildlife?" questions efforts to revive endangered species, acts which may inadvertently jeopardize the survival of other life. Viewing the natural order from prehistoric times to the present, Wildlife Issues in a Changing World, Second Edition gives students and instructors an all-encompassing introduction to past relations between humans and nature; explorations of current threats to species and their habitats; and recent "novel solutions," where humanity and industry have made adjustments to protect the natural order. Professionals will also find invaluable reminders of the importance of their work - the continuation and endurance of wildlife everywhere on Earth.

Customer Reviews:

A textbook, with pluses and minuses.......2006-09-30

Wildlife Issues in a Changing World is a textbook on... wildlife issues! There is an emphasis on the United States, but there are a good number of international examples as well. I really like the chapters on the Evil Quartet, what is wildlife, and what are wildlife issues. As I use this book in my courses, I depend on it as a source of wildlife issue examples, supplemented with DVDs and videos (to "bring" wildlife into the classroom).

It is, in general, a hard book for students. I don't mean hard in terms of the materials. It is well-written, and rather easy to read. It is hard to use to study for tests. I tell students that it compliments the lectures, and doesn't repeat them. Students tend to complain that it has too many examples, so the "themes" that they are tested on are difficult to find.

I still find it the best text for my purposes for a general course with primarily non-natural resource students. I like it for its price as well.

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