National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees: Western Region (Audubon Society Field Guide)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Great Book !!!
  • North American trees, West.
  • Dissappointing: Very hard to identify unknown trees
  • Quite reliable for outdoor travellers.
  • Nice guide for at home or the field.
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees: Western Region (Audubon Society Field Guide)
Elbert L. Little
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Turtleback

Astronomy & SpaceAstronomy & Space | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books | Aeronautics & Space | Astronomy | Fiction
GeneralGeneral | Nature | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Plants | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Trees | Plants | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
Seed-Bearing PlantsSeed-Bearing Plants | Trees | Plants | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0394507614
Release Date: 1980-06-12

Amazon.com

More than 300 species of trees are found in the United States and Canada west of the Rocky Mountains, some introduced from other continents but many native to the region. This handsome guidebook covers them all, with photographs that enable identification by easily discernible characteristics: by, for example, the shape of the leaf or needle, by the fruit, or by the flower or cone. The photographs are linked to texts that describe a tree's physical characteristics, habitat, and range. Some of the trees covered in this volume are exceedingly rare, such as the Monterey pine; others are locally abundant but limited in range, such as the Joshua tree; still others, such as the quaking aspen, are widespread. This guidebook is an essential addition to any western outdoor enthusiast's collection. --Gregory McNamee

Book Description

All 933 identification pictures are full-color photos of significant details of virtually all native trees and many cultivated species as you see them in their natural habitat.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great Book !!!.......2006-11-03

These Audubon books are the best ones for learning about the subject matter, ie: trees. Colored pictures are a MUST and these books have pictures that allow you to identify your tree easily. I have purchased a number of them over the years and will do so in the future.

5 out of 5 stars North American trees, West........2004-12-14

If your going to be stuffing your field guide into your pocket, glove box, daypack or backpack, the "turtleback" binding used by Audubon is perfect. Personally, I don't use it that way. When I encounter a species I cannot identify, I take notes (usually of the mental variety) -- leaf characteristics, bark characteristics, size, form, habitat, seeds, flowers, etc. -- and identify it when I return home. The photos and drawings in this volume are generally excellent. So far as I can recall, the Audubon guide has yet to fail me. It doesn't include very many introduced (non-native) trees, that's not it's purpose, of course, so it may not help you identify the trees that have been planted in your yard. The Sunset Western Garden Book, or perhaps your local nurseryman, will fit that niche.
Could the book be better? Well, the obvious answer is always yes, I suppose, but I don't know how. Would some kind of a 'flow-chart' for identifying specimens improve this edition? Well, there is one, created quiet simply in the way the book is organized; refer to the "How to Use this Guide" section in the front. I won't claim to be a connoisseur of guidebooks, but this one has worked very nicely for me for several years and I recommend it without hesitation.

1 out of 5 stars Dissappointing: Very hard to identify unknown trees.......2004-11-29

I spent $20 on this at a local bookstore (that was a mistake: it is only $14 here on Amazon) and got it home and went into my backyard. An hour later, I was only able to identify one of the three trees in the yard.

I got the book because it had the Audobon name, and it included some sharp color photos. I should have got the Peterson guide instead.

What the Audobon book is missing is an algorithm or process to identify an unknown tree (they call this "differential diagnosis" in medicine). I was expecting something like: "If it has 5 needles per cluster turn to page 45, if it has grey bark turn to page 64, etc" until you pinpoint your tree.

I would even be happy if it had some illustrations like Silbeys bird book ... with arrows pointing to the discriminating features that distinguish the tree from similar trees.

But in the Audobon book, the reader is expected to browse thru dozens of photos and try to match your tree to the photo. But SURPRISE, the photos of similar trees all look alike and what then? You are expected to browse the the dense textual (!) descriptions and flip back and forth reading minutae like "two white strips on the undersides of the needles"

How about some color illustrations? How about a list of similar trees a given tree is often confused with? How about a handful of distinguishing characteristics of each tree?

Try Petersons book instead!

4 out of 5 stars Quite reliable for outdoor travellers........2004-07-11

The Audubon Guide to Western Trees will prove a long lasting reference for outdoor lovers and tree finders. This easily equals the excellent Eastern Region guide in quality, detail, number of species listed, and beautiful photographs. However, if you want a heavy duty instant identification tool, hold off on this and purchase the Peterson Guides to Trees. However, if you love to marvel at trees and identify them in any amount of time at all, buy this along with the Eastern Guide. The quality binding of this newly updated edition is nice quality, and easy to carry. The earlier, out of print, hardback Economy Press edition was bulky, but contained more species listings. Still that difference is hardly noticeable, and buy this edition at good costs. This guide, (compared to the Petersons) will please a patient outdoor searcher attempting to identify any tree they find. Though the Peterson Guide to Trees should be bought prior to this, it is still an excellent and reliable addition to your collection.

5 out of 5 stars Nice guide for at home or the field........2002-03-26

This book offers excellent photographs and very extensive information on trees. I use it often and have had great success identifying trees that otherwise I wouldn't know what they were. nicely organized and easy to use. The compact size is awesome for travelling and taking it hiking. Another great Audobon guide.
A Field Guide to Western Trees (Peterson Field Guides: 44)
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Explore a New World
  • learning at the max
A Field Guide to Western Trees (Peterson Field Guides: 44)
George A. Petrides
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GeneralGeneral | Plants | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0395904544

Book Description

This newly designed field guide features detailed descriptions of 387 species, arranged in six major groups by visual similarity. The 47 color plates and 5 text drawings show distinctive details needed for identification. Color photographs and 295 color range maps accompany the species descriptions.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Explore a New World.......2006-11-06

I am a birder but always wanted to ID the trees that the birds were perched in. I first took this book out in the field to the Arboretums in San Francisco and Berkeley. I found the book easy to use for IDing native trees. I also took this book with me on a trip to the eastern Sierras and trees that I have previously looked at as "pines" turned into Lodgepole, Mountain Hemlock, Whitebark, Red and White Fir, and Jerrery Pine. It really opened up a new world for me. And naming nature is one way to understanding the wonderfully diverse tree species of the west.

5 out of 5 stars learning at the max.......2000-09-13

this tree book is amazing.while i hate science, this book got me into it. its still not my favorite subject, but now i like it.
Environmental Effects of Afforestation in North-Western Europe: From Field Observations to Decision Support (Plant and Vegetation)
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Environmental Effects of Afforestation in North-Western Europe: From Field Observations to Decision Support (Plant and Vegetation)

    Manufacturer: Springer
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

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    1. Harvesting Operations in the Tropics (Tropical Forestry) Harvesting Operations in the Tropics (Tropical Forestry)
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    ASIN: 1402045670

    Book Description

    Afforestation of former arable land is currently a common change in land use in many European countries. In addition to wood production, the new forests will provide a variety of environmental services, such as carbon sequestration or improved water quality. At the same time there may be negative impacts, such as reduced groundwater recharge. The contents of the book aims at developed techniques to estimate the environmental impacts, and guidelines and decision support systems (DSS) to enable national and international policy makers, but also forest managers, to maximize the benefits and minimize the adverse effects of afforestation. This book will describe afforestation research and shows the application of the developed decision support system. The results should be applicable throughout northwest Europe and could be extended elsewhere. This book considers three of the most important environmental issues - carbon sequestration in soils and biomass, water surplus and nitrate leaching. The book describes the research to quantify these effects in the field and model them into the future. It will explain how the more detailed models were reduced to "metamodels" suitable for implementation within a real-time management system.

    The Man Of The Forest
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      The Man Of The Forest
      Zane Grey
      Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

      GeneralGeneral | Westerns | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
      ASIN: 1417926236

      Book Description

      1920. From the master of the western comes a novel full of adventure. The story begins: At sunset hour the forest was still, lonely, sweet with tang of fir and spruce, blazing in gold and red and green; and the man who glided on under the great trees seemed to blend with the colors and, disappearing, to have become a part of the wild woodland. Old Baldy, highest of the White Mountains, stood up round and bare, rimmed bright gold in the last glow of the setting sun. Then, as the fire dropped behind the domed peak, a change, a cold and darkening blight, passed down the black spear-pointed slopes over all that mountain world. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.
      The Great Bear Rainforest: Canada's Forgotten Coast
      Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
      • Unique book and the Great Bear continues to be threatened
      • Wow. An amazing book about an amazing place.
      • A Unique Journey AND A Desperate Plea
      • A must of bear lovers, intersting facts, great photos
      • Keep sacred places secret while we can
      The Great Bear Rainforest: Canada's Forgotten Coast
      Ian McAllister , Karen McAllister , and Cameron Young
      Manufacturer: Sierra Club Books
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover

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      ASIN: 1578050111

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Unique book and the Great Bear continues to be threatened.......2006-12-12

      This is fantastic book. The threats to the Great Bear Rainforest are increasing in 2007 and support is vitally needed. To see what is happening, go to the Raincoast Conservation Society web page and see what major threats to the Great Bear are coming in 2007.

      5 out of 5 stars Wow. An amazing book about an amazing place........2005-07-18

      For years, I had always heard snippets here and there about the Great Bear Rainforest of Northwestern British Columbia, supposedly even more beautiful, wild, untamed, and much larger than other gorgeous temperate rainforest locales like Olympic National Park in Washington. But I didn't really know much about it. Where exactly was it? What does it look like? Is any of it protected in province or federal park land? And many more questions.

      Then, years later, I stumbled upon this book. WOW. That about sums it up. This is an amazing book about a place of transcendent, almost ethereal beauty. This book is an enchanting mix of imminently readable and interesting text and absolutely stunning photographs. It almost makes you feel like you are there, immersed in this incredible rain drenched emerald cathedral of trees.

      The Great Bear Rainforest is located on the British Columbia coast. It starts a few miles north of Lund and extends all the way north in Canada to the BC's northernmost limit, around Port Rupert, and extends only a few miles inland. It is home to the largest remaining contiguous temperate rain forest anywhere in the world. You probably already know this, but a temperate rain forest is much different than a tropical rain forest because of climate. Temperate rain forests are cool and moist, whereas tropical ones are hot and moist. Anyway, enough of the obvious.

      What I really like about this book is that it isn't a condescending piece of fluff, and it gave me *exactly* what I wanted from it. Even though it's no easily readable, it is no fluff piece that waxes prettily poetic but doesn't really tell you anything. It takes you on an incredibly detailed tour of nearly every major rain forest valley in the Great Bear Rainforest. And it doesn't just name-drop valleys that have no meaning to you, it provides you with maps that show exactly where it is that they are talking about. I think this is the greatest feature of the book, I've read too many books about geographical places that tell you the names of certain interesting areas, but you don't quite know where they are. Not so with this book.

      Not only that, the book covers a wide range of topics concerning The Great Bear Rainforest. Ecology, economic pressures, animal and plant life, geography, even a lot of interesting history and contemporary issues concerning the First Nation (who we in the U.S. refer to as Native American) tribes who traditionally lived (and still live) in and around the Great Bear Rainforest. I found the parts about the Haida tribe to be particularly edifying. All of these facts and themes are woven into the narrative of the authors' journey through the Great Bear Rainforest (which spans many years) incredibly seamlessly - you might think it's difficult to talk about the flora and fauna of the area while giving a history lesson on the Tlinglit people, but like I said, this point interweaves all points flawlessly. It also does social justice by presenting an unflinching look at the environmental horrors that await the Great Bear Rainforest through resource extraction and recreation at the hands of an apathetic public if current trends remain unchecked.

      And then there are the photos. Gorgeous. Vast stands of huge, majestic trees, so much green it's almost blinding; a spirit bear chowing down on salmon in an unbelievable action shot; stunning shots of a coastline where fjord and mountain come together; and of course, the grand British Columbia ocean itself.

      This book is a real gem. It's crime more people haven't had a chance to go through it. Read it. Take your time, don't just skim through it and goggle over the pictures. Trust me, the time will be worth it, you'll be glad you did. A must-have for anyone who considers themselves an environmentalist, a nature lover, and especially for people who have stood in awe in a temperate rain forest and said "I need to know more."

      5 out of 5 stars A Unique Journey AND A Desperate Plea.......2000-12-27

      This book is written as a journal of a sailing voyage. Although the authors had previously visited the remarkable areas they photograph and describe six times before, the seventh visit is chronicled in these pages. Thus there is a great depth of knowledge and experience inherent to this work which transforms a simple if elegant journal into a powerful, somewhat doleful, environmental monograph.

      This is a beautifully done book with many fascinating photographs of rainforest topography and the diverse life forms which abide therein. The accompanying text is well-written and consistently informative and interesting. But the overarching theme here is that pristine environments which are critical to the survival of untold species of flora and fauna are in jeopardy. Grave jeopardy. Moreover, the McAllisters take great pains to point out that the small islands of preserved and protected ecosystem created in compromise between commercial interests and environmentalists are insufficent to protect wildlife (bears, for example) that depend upon an interlinked vastness of unspoiled terrain in which to flourish.

      So this book is as much an alarm and a plea for action as it is a wondrous presentation of its picturesque subject matter. As such, it is urgent reading for those of us concerned about the ravages unleashed when a society values short-term economic advantage (as when untouched river valleys are clear-cut by logging companies) over the work nature takes eons to complete.

      5 out of 5 stars A must of bear lovers, intersting facts, great photos.......2000-05-02

      This is a wonderful book for both nature and bear lovers alike. It is packed with beautiful color photos. Many interesting facts about the wildlife & plants of the area are detailed in the captions.

      The landscape photos feature vibrant wildflowers, ancient forests, & mountains. There are also many remarkable pictures of several bear types. I loved the close-up shot of a bear eating a fish & another of a sprit bear on a log.

      Stunning photos of some other animals include a puffin close-up, a bald eagle mother with baby, & an elephant seal gathering. If you can tear yourself away from the pictures, the text is equally impressive.

      The authors tell of their experiences while exploring the rainforest. They also discusses the environmental concerns of the area. Journal entries from the trip are scatted throughout the book.

      5 out of 5 stars Keep sacred places secret while we can.......2000-02-01

      A powerful book on this special place. But, now she's discovered
      Silviculture and Ecology of Western U.S. Forests
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Silviculture and Ecology of Western U.S. Forests
        John C. Tappeiner , Douglas A. Maguire , and Timothy B. Harrington
        Manufacturer: Oregon State University Press
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

        GeneralGeneral | Science | Subjects | Books
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        ASIN: 0870711873

        Book Description

        Once regarded solely as the cultivation of forest trees, silviculture is today shifting to a broader focus, one that reflec ts societiesÂ' changing forest values. In addition to timber management, the prac tice and science of silviculture are now concerned with tending forests—to reduce fire potential, benefit wildlife, and maintain aesthetics—and with ensuring options for future uses of the forest. In Silviculture and Ecology of Western U.S. Forests, John Tappeiner, Douglas Maguire, and Timothy Harrington follow the progression of silviculture as a science and look closely at the value of forests. The only silviculture text to focus on the forests of the western U.S., primarily those in Oregon, Washington, and California, it is based on over 900 references as well as the authorsÂ' extensive research and management experience. This timely work includes detailed chapters on fire, shrub ecology, density measurements, thinning, reforestation, and ecosystem variables such as insec ts, fungi, soils, and water stress. It explores topics such as natural vegetation dynamics that help predic t and explain silviculture treatments, and how slight modifications in thinning prac tices can benefit wildlife and reduce the potential for insec t damage. Readers will come to understand the significance of carefully managing forests by conscious design, providing for a range of forest ecosystems and resources. An essential reference for forest managers, policy makers, forest scientists, and students (the book includes a set of study questions), this authoritative volume provides a basis for silviculture prac tices and contemporary management of western forests.
        High-Latitude Rainforests and Associated Ecosystems of the West Coast of the Americas: Climate, Hydrology, Ecology and Conservation (Ecological Studies)
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          High-Latitude Rainforests and Associated Ecosystems of the West Coast of the Americas: Climate, Hydrology, Ecology and Conservation (Ecological Studies)

          Manufacturer: Springer
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover

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          ASIN: 0387944877

          Book Description

          Regional intercomparisons between ecosystems on different continents can be a powerful tool to better understand the ways in which ecosystems respond to global change. Large areas are often needed to characterize the causal mechanisms governing interactions between ecozones and their environments. Factors such as weather and climate patterns, land-ocean and land-atmosphere interactions all play important roles. As a result of the strong physical north-south symmetry between the western coasts of North and South America, the similarities in climate, coastal oceanography and physiography between these two regions have been extensively documented. High Latitude Rain Forests and Associated Ecosystems of the West Coast of the Americas presents current research on West Coast forest and river ecology, and compares ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest with those of South America.
          Black Sun: A Novel
          Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
          • clunky, but enjoyable read
          • Wilderness and Loneliness
          • black sun
          • You can almost smell the great outdoors...
          • An Edward Abbey Romance
          Black Sun: A Novel
          Edward Abbey
          Manufacturer: Johnson Books
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback

          Abbey, EdwardAbbey, Edward | ( A ) | Authors, A-Z | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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          5. One Life at a Time, Please One Life at a Time, Please

          ASIN: 1555662862

          Book Description

          BLACK SUN, a bittersweet love story, is about a forest ranger -- loner, iconclast, lover of the rugged life -- who falls for an utterly beguiling freckle-faced "American princess" half his age.

          Like Lady Chatterley's lover, he initiates her into the rite of sex and the stark, hidden harmonies of his wild wooded kingdom and canyons. She, in turn, awakens in him the pleasures of loving and being loved. Then she disappears, plunging him into a gloom he can barely support.

          "If the ending is sad and haunting, the book is not. It's a lyrical romance with the kind of passion and scenery that Abbey alone can conjure up." (B-O-T Editorial Review Board)

          Customer Reviews:

          4 out of 5 stars clunky, but enjoyable read.......2006-01-27

          I tore through "Black Sun" in a couple days. I find Abbey's dialogue, both here and in his more famous "Monkey Wrench Gang," to be a bit clunky, but his nature descriptions are spot on.

          The main character, Gatlin, is a ranger who works alone on a fire lookout tower in some unnamed western locale (though by the clues given it seems to be somewhere near the Grand Canyon). Gatlin's crisis: Can he leave nature for the love of a woman? For anyone enthralled by wild places, adventure, travel, or any other pursuit that supersedes relationships, this dilemma is remarkably prescient.

          Readers looking for the curmudgeonly environmental polemicist Abbey in "Black Sun" will be disappointed. Readers can expect an easy read, beautiful nature descriptions, and a simple, tragic, poetically elegaic love story. Abbey never was very good at portraying the human condition. He regarded our species as a scourge on the landscape. But "Black Sun" is the most human book he ever wrote.

          5 out of 5 stars Wilderness and Loneliness.......2005-07-22

          This is probably Edward Abbey's least political work, and the cranky old desert conservationist came up with a surprisingly emotional and bittersweet love story. The main character has escaped his painful past by taking up a very lonely job at a fire tower near the Grand Canyon, getting closer to nature and further from other people, as a way to battle his demons. He then unexpectedly falls in love with a younger woman who is working at the park, but can't figure out how to make her part of his lonely existence, which may or may not be bringing him true happiness. But in the end, he has loneliness forced upon him again anyway, as the girl disappears back into nature herself. One problem with this novel is the stilted interpersonal dialogue, which was never Abbey's strength, while he was even less adept at building a believable romance. But on the good side, this novel, based to an unclear degree on Abbey's true experiences, is a remarkably emotional exploration of the true loneliness that can be found when one communes with nature for the long haul, and how this loneliness can both lift and crush one's spirits. [~doomsdayer520~]

          5 out of 5 stars black sun.......2002-04-16

          Beautiful, lyrical, magical - the best book Abbey ever wrote, in my opinion. I suppose many would argue the point, as Abbey doesn't address environmental issues at all, and the story is strictly a love story. But it is a wonderful story written in remarkable metaphorical prose - fantastic.

          5 out of 5 stars You can almost smell the great outdoors..........2001-10-31

          An early Abbey work, Black Sun is a very good novel written in a style similar to John D. MacDonald only more alive, more real. Will Gatlin is much like Travis McGee, an imperfect fellow who has learned to live life on his own terms and makes no apologies for it. An entertaining read, this is one you won't want to put down until you've finished it.

          5 out of 5 stars An Edward Abbey Romance.......2001-09-30

          I could not put this book down. All Edward Abbey lovers will be enchanted with this book. Those of you that skip it are missing out on an all time treasure. This book is an excellent way to distract yourself from the World Trade Center disaster.
          A Land of Ghosts: The Braided Lives of People and the Forest in Far Western Amazonia
          Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
          • One month later Still waiting for the book
          • AMAZING TRAVEL AND SCIENCE WRITING ON THE AMAZON
          • Richly textured
          • Excellent!
          • some good, some bad
          A Land of Ghosts: The Braided Lives of People and the Forest in Far Western Amazonia
          David G. Campbell
          Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover

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          Similar Items:
          1. White Waters and Black White Waters and Black
          2. Exploration of the Valley of the Amazon Exploration of the Valley of the Amazon
          3. The Crystal Desert: Summers in Antarctica The Crystal Desert: Summers in Antarctica
          4. Smithsonian Atlas of the Amazon Smithsonian Atlas of the Amazon
          5. Tropical Nature: Life & Death in the Rain Forests of Central & South America Tropical Nature: Life & Death in the Rain Forests of Central & South America

          ASIN: 039571284X

          Book Description

          The western Amazon is the last frontier, as wild a west as Earth has ever known. For thirty years David G. Campbell has been exploring this lush wilderness, which contains more species than ever existed anywhere at any time in the four-billion-year history of life on our planet. With great artistic flair, Campbell takes us with him as he travels to the town of Cruzeiro do Sul, 2,800 miles from the mouth of the Amazon. Here he collects three old friends: Arito, a caiman hunter turned paleontologist; Tarzan, a street urchin brought up in a bordello; and Pimentel, a master canoe pilot. They travel together even farther into the rainforest, set up camp, and survey every living woody plant in a land so rich that an area of less than fifty acres contains three times as many tree species as all of North America. Campbell knows the trees individually, has watched them grow from seedling to death. He also knows the people of the Amazon: the recently arrived colonists with their failing farms; the mixed-blood Caboclos, masters of hunting, fishing, and survival; and the refugee Native Americans. Campbell introduces us to two remarkable women, Dona Cabocla, a widow who raised six children on that lonely frontier, and Dona Ausira, A Nokini Native American who is the last speaker of her tribe's ages-old language. These people live in a land whose original inhabitants were wiped out by centuries of disease, slavery, and genocide, taking their traditions and languages with them -- a land of ghosts.

          Customer Reviews:

          1 out of 5 stars One month later Still waiting for the book.......2007-10-09

          I wouldn't mind reviewing this book but I still haven't recieved it yet. It's now a month since you posted it, perhaps you could please chase it up. Thankyou

          Paul Lightfoot

          5 out of 5 stars AMAZING TRAVEL AND SCIENCE WRITING ON THE AMAZON.......2006-09-08

          Though there are many books that describe nature in the Amazon, David Campbell definitely is among the top writers on it. In this book he offers, from start to finish, a very interesting mix between storytelling with lyrical qualities and scientific analysis with social commentary.

          He is a scientist, focused on botany, and his knowledge of all aspects of science related to the forest are outstanding. We learn about the strategies employed by frogs to reproduce, or by snakes to identify prey, or by trees to attach polen to beetles. While learning about the science behind such activities and how they evolved, the author leads the reader through his travel log, meeting people and species and learning much about the history of the region he is visiting.

          Besides all the interesting science, the author also provides a very deep character description of the people who live in this remote frontier. The stories range from rubber tappers left over from a period of abundance, to old indians who became westernized, to occupants moving there from the south due to government incentives. Each has a story and a way to deal with the challenges of the forest; some have a way to prosper in the exact same circumstances in which others fail. Some characters are presented as integrated in the forest, some as aliens beaten by the forest, some as leaders beating the forest.

          Most amazing than all the history, social aspects and science however are the narrative abilities of the author. The book is a work of art, as it becomes clear that every word has been hand picked and every metaphor was chosen to provide the reader with the correct image, texture, taste, sound and smell of the forest. Reading is an experience of immersion and is to be savoured as very few books provide such a deep experience. It becomes quite clear to anyone reading the book that the author has a deep connection with his subject, much beyond science.

          This book is the very best description of the Amazon I have encountered, written with gusto. It is the kind of book you will wish you had written. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the region, in nature writing or in popular science.

          5 out of 5 stars Richly textured.......2005-07-14

          This book delivered much more than I expected. The author is a scientist, not just a traveler. Each observation went several steps deeper into the biology and history than typical with this kind of book. The story was made much richer by these details.

          It is true that the vocabulary was a bit advanced. However, I never bothered to check the dictionary, and it didn't hurt the narrative.

          Highly recommended.

          5 out of 5 stars Excellent!.......2005-07-06

          A Land of Ghosts is a splendid journey through Amazonian Brazil. Infused with enlightened historical, ecological, and anthropological perspective, Campbell stands alone in his ability to fuse eloquent science writing with a tale of adventure. At times haunting, this book reveals the deep causes of rainforest destruction in the region. However, this book presents these causes in a unique way, and, at least for me, marks a new style of conservation advocation. Indeed, a refreshing one. If you have any interest in tropical ecology, and like works by such authors as David Quammen or Tim Flannery you will love this brilliant work.

          2 out of 5 stars some good, some bad.......2005-06-03

          The "good" is that there are some very interesting stories in the book. The "bad" is that, in my opinion, it rambles in some places, especially in the last half of the book. Another "bad" is that the author uses a lot of uncommon words that only someone with an incredible vocabulary would understant. Example: page 127 (picked at random)uses the words: Flummoxed, estivation, tropeiro, mealy, prehensile, transect, naunce, anthocyanins, cotyledoms, transect, bromeliads. Trying to get through that for over 200 pages was a workout for me. The author also uses meters and hectars, not feet and acres, so distances and area are hard to understand. In addition he uses a lot of Portuguese words. There is a Portuguese glossary in the back if you don't mind flipping back and forth while you read, which I don't take the time to do. The author is an excellent writer, too bad it is so difficult to read.
          Drawing Lines in the Forest: Creating Wilderness Areas in the Pacific Northwest (Weyerhaeuser Environmental Book.)
          Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
          • Saving wilderness, one valley at a time
          Drawing Lines in the Forest: Creating Wilderness Areas in the Pacific Northwest (Weyerhaeuser Environmental Book.)
          Kevin R. Marsh
          Manufacturer: University of Washington Press
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover

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          1. An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It

          ASIN: 0295987022

          Book Description

          Drawing boundaries around wilderness areas often serves a double purpose: protection of the land within the boundary and release of the land outside the boundary to resource extraction and other development. In Drawing Lines in the Forest, Kevin R. Marsh discusses the roles played by various groups—the Forest Service, the timber industry, recreationists, and environmentalists—in arriving at these boundaries. He shows that pragmatic, rather than ideological, goals were often paramount, with all sides benefiting. After World War II, representatives of both logging and recreation use sought to draw boundaries that would serve to guarantee access to specific areas of public lands. The logging industry wanted to secure a guaranteed supply of timber, as an era of stewardship of the nation's public forests gave way to an emphasis on rapid extraction of timber resources. This spawned a grassroots preservationist movement that ultimately challenged the managerial power of the Forest Service. The Wilderness Act of 1964 provided an opportunity for groups on all sides to participate openly and effectively in the political process of defining wilderness boundaries. The often contentious debates over the creation of wilderness areas in the Cascade Mountains in Oregon and Washington represent the most significant stages in the national history of wilderness conservation since World War II: Three Sisters, North Cascades and Glacier Peak, Mount Jefferson, Alpine Lakes, French Pete, and the state-wide wilderness acts of 1984.

          Customer Reviews:

          5 out of 5 stars Saving wilderness, one valley at a time.......2007-04-19

          Like no other book, "Drawing Lines in the Forest" gets down to detail on how wilderness areas came to be protected, focusing on five case histories in Oregon and Washington. I saw some of these events myself, first as a student in Oregon in the 1950s, later as a federal land management official in Washington DC. Professor Marsh digs deep into archival sources to tell us how dedicated citizens managed to save wild forested valleys that had been slated for logging. They had to overcome bureaucratic opposition from the US Forest Service, reach compromises with the timber industry, and persuade the US Congress to act. You will read about their frustrations, their wit, and their perseverance. Right now, people all over the country are following in their footsteps with a new round of wilderness proposals. I highly recommend this book to the next generation of wilderness defenders and everyone who loves wild land.

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          1. National Audubon Society Pocket Guide to Familiar Trees of North America : East (The Audubon S ociety Pocket Guides)
          2. Native and Cultivated Conifers of Northeastern North America: A Guide (Comstock Book)
          3. Nature's Economy: A History of Ecological Ideas (Studies in Environment and History)
          4. Numerical Ecology (Developments in Environmental Modelling)
          5. Olympic: A Visitor's Companion (National Park Visitor's Companion Series , No 5)
          6. One River
          7. Photographing the Southwest: Volume 3--Colorado/New Mexico (Photographing the Soutwest)
          8. Physics Matters: An Introduction to Conceptual Physics, Laboratory Manual
          9. Planet Earth: As You've Never Seen It Before
          10. Pokemon Diamond & Pearl: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides)

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