Download or read book Paradise for Sale written by Carl N. McDaniel and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2000-01-28 with total page 243 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The grim history of Nauru Island, a small speck in the Pacific Ocean halfway between Hawaii and Australia, represents a larger story of environmental degradation and economic dysfunction. For more than 2,000 years traditional Nauruans, isolated from the rest of the world, lived in social and ecological stability. But in 1900 the discovery of phosphate, an absolute requirement for agriculture, catapulted Nauru into the world market. Colonial imperialists who occupied Nauru and mined it for its lucrative phosphate resources devastated the island, which forever changed its native people. In 1968 Nauruans regained rule of their island and immediately faced a conundrum: to pursue a sustainable future that would protect their truly valuable natural resources—the biological and physical integrity of their island—or to mine and sell the remaining forty-year supply of phosphate and in the process make most of their home useless. They did the latter. In a captivating and moving style, the authors describe how the island became one of the richest nations in the world and how its citizens acquired all the ills of modern life: obesity, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension. At the same time, Nauru became 80 percent mined-out ruins that contain severely impoverished biological communities of little value in supporting human habitation. This sad tale highlights the dire consequences of a free-market economy, a system in direct conflict with sustaining the environment. In presenting evidence for the current mass extinction, the authors argue that we cannot expect to preserve biodiversity or support sustainable habitation, because our economic operating principles are incompatible with these activities.
Download or read book Paradise Found written by Steve Nicholls and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2009-08-01 with total page 535 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first Europeans to set foot on North America stood in awe of the natural abundance before them. The skies were filled with birds, seas and rivers teemed with fish, and the forests and grasslands were a hunter’s dream, with populations of game too abundant and diverse to even fathom. It’s no wonder these first settlers thought they had discovered a paradise of sorts. Fortunately for us, they left a legacy of copious records documenting what they saw, and these observations make it possible to craft a far more detailed evocation of North America before its settlement than any other place on the planet. Here Steve Nicholls brings this spectacular environment back to vivid life, demonstrating with both historical narrative and scientific inquiry just what an amazing place North America was and how it looked when the explorers first found it. The story of the continent’s colonization forms a backdrop to its natural history, which Nicholls explores in chapters on the North Atlantic, the East Coast, the Subtropical Caribbean, the West Coast, Baja California, and the Great Plains. Seamlessly blending firsthand accounts from centuries past with the findings of scientists today, Nicholls also introduces us to a myriad cast of characters who have chronicled the changing landscape, from pre–Revolutionary era settlers to researchers whom he has met in the field. A director and writer of Emmy Award–winning wildlife documentaries for the Smithsonian Channel, Animal Planet, National Geographic, and PBS, Nicholls deploys a cinematic flair for capturing nature at its most mesmerizing throughout. But Paradise Found is much more than a celebration of what once was: it is also a reminder of how much we have lost along the way and an urgent call to action so future generations are more responsible stewards of the world around them. The result is popular science of the highest order: a book as remarkable as the landscape it recreates and as inspired as the men and women who discovered it.
Download or read book Restoring Paradise written by Robert J. Cabin and published by University of Hawaii Press. This book was released on 2013-05-31 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Three quarters of the U.S.’s bird and plant extinctions have occurred in Hawai‘i, and one third of the country’s threatened and endangered birds and plants reside within the state. Yet despite these alarming statistics, all is not lost: There are still 12,000 extant species unique to the archipelago and new species are discovered every year. In Restoring Paradise: Rethinking and Rebuilding Nature in Hawai‘i, Robert Cabin shows why current attempts to preserve Hawai‘i’s native fauna and flora require embracing the emerging paradigm of ecological restoration—the science and art of assisting the recovery of degraded species and ecosystems and creating more meaningful and sustainable relationships between people and nature. Cabin’s extensive experience as a research ecologist and applied practitioner enables him to provide a rare, behind-the-scenes look at successful and inspiring restoration programs. In Part 1 he recounts Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge’s efforts to restore thousands of acres of degraded pasture on the island of Hawai‘i back to the native rain forests that once dominated the area and sheltered native birds now on the brink of extinction. Along the way, he presents an overview of Hawaiian natural and cultural history, biogeography, and evolutionary biology. Following chapters look at restoration work underway by the U.S. Park Service to reestablish native species within the vast Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park; by a charismatic scientist and dedicated volunteers to restore the native forests of Auwahi on the southern slopes of Haleakalā; and by the Limahuli branch of Kauai’s National Tropical Botanical Garden to revive a thousand-year-old taro plantation. To investigate the compelling and often conflicting philosophies and strategies of those involved in restoration, Cabin opens Part 3 with interview excerpts from a cross-section of Hawai‘i’s environmental community. He concludes with a provocative and insightful discussion of the contentious, evolving relationship between humans and nature and the power and limitations of science within and beyond Hawai‘i.
Download or read book A Magic Web written by and published by Smithsonian Institution. This book was released on 2016-03-08 with total page 377 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The tropical forest of Panama's Barro Colorado Island is a luxuriant community of plants and animals, pulsating with life and offering an astonishing view of nature's myriad processes. What does the forest look like? How do the activities of the forest's plants and animals create a community? In A Magic Web, photographer Christian Ziegler and evolutionary biologist Egbert Giles Leigh, Jr., invite readers to enter the marvelous world of Barro Colorado Island. This book is a unique combination of spectacular photography and clear, authoritative text written by an active scientist who has spent half a lifetime trying to understand the tropical forest. Luscious photographs of the forest reveal the wonderful diversity of its inhabitants and show many of the activities that give it its character and lend structure to its community. Drawing on decades of work on Barro Colorado Island, Egbert Leigh explains how the forest works: how plants and animals compete with but also depend on each other; how the solitary lives of cats contrast with the intricately organized lives of armies of ants; the variety of ways plants struggle for a place in the sun; and how these plants attract animals to pollenate their flowers. Finally, the book shows the importance of tropical forests to the people living near them, why they matter to the world at large, what we can learn from them, and how they differ from temperate-zone forests. Full of stunning full-color photographs accompanied by clear and accessible text, A Magic Web is a must for anyone planning to visit a tropical forest and for all those who wish they could.
Download or read book Birds of Paradise written by Tim Laman and published by National Geographic Books. This book was released on 2012 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this dazzling photo essay, Laman and Scholes present gorgeous full-color photographs of all 39 species of the Birds of Paradise that highlight their unique and extraordinary plumage and mating behavior.
Download or read book Footprints in Paradise written by Andrea E. Murray and published by Berghahn Books. This book was released on 2017-06 with total page 185 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Introduction: "We Want Them to Know Nature -- Chapter 1. Okinawa's Tourism Imperative -- Chapter 2. Slow Vulnerability in Okinawa -- Chapter 3. Knowing and Noticing -- Chapter 4. Ecologies of Nearness -- Chapter 5. Healing and Nature -- Conclusion: Yambaru Funbaru! -- References -- Index
Download or read book Nature s Paradise written by Douglas Goodell and published by . This book was released on 2013-04 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Nature's Paradise celebrates the boundless natural wonders of Costa Rica, spanning many different parts of the country in different seasons. This photo essay showcases the photographers favorite examples of flora, fauna, and special locations, and strives to highlight the variety of scenic viewing opportunities available to travelers. The majority of the photographs were taken in wild, natural settings; only select, rare subjects, such as the big cats, were photographed in captivity. Included are a few tips on photography, as well as information on where the subjects are located."--Publisher's description.
Download or read book Drawn From Paradise The Discovery Art and Natural History of the Birds of Paradise written by Sir David Attenborough and published by HarperCollins UK. This book was released on 2012-08-30 with total page 443 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drawn from Paradise is David Attenborough’s journey through the cultural history of the birds of paradise, one of the most exquisite and extravagant, colourful and intriguing families of birds.
Download or read book Trouble in Paradise written by Tucson Museum of Art and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A book accompanying a Tucson Museum of Art exhibition features examples from the work of over sixty artists depicting the world environmental crisis and the spiritual discord between human society and nature.
Download or read book Paddock Paradise written by Jaime Jackson and published by STAR RIDGE PUB. This book was released on 2016-08-18 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Paddock Paradise is a revolutionary model for safe, natural horse keeping, hoof care, and the healing and rehabilitation of lame horses. The premise of Paddock Paradise is to stimulate horses to behave and move naturally according to their instincts.
Download or read book Paradise on Earth written by Ashraf Sheikh and published by Apex Ventures USA (Dba: Gem Books). This book was released on 2021-10-14 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The fear of the unknown at war with the burning need to see distant shores... In the late 1800s, one man set out across an ocean in an ancient sailing vessel, determined to seek his family's fortune in a new land. What grew from his bravery and triumph is a family saga that spans several generations and countless homelands. Paradise on Earth is the intricately woven story of a family that left its native province of Punjab in the then British India (presently in Pakistan) for the breathtaking shores of Kenya and the beauty of its hinterlands. A tale of faith, family, and the entrepreneurial spirit is recorded here, along with awe-inspiring descriptions of the geography, its people, its history, and what it means to survive, adapt and thrive in a new land. Written first as a memoir for the generations that came after, this story is equal parts genealogy, history, and travelogue, sure to delight anyone who craves adventure.
Download or read book Paradise on Fire written by Jewell Parker Rhodes and published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. This book was released on 2021-09-14 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From award-winning and bestselling author Jewell Parker Rhodes comes a powerful coming-of-age survival tale exploring issues of race, class, and climate change. Addy is haunted by the tragic fire that killed her parents, leaving her to be raised by her grandmother. Years later, Addy’s grandmother has enrolled her in a summer wilderness program. There, Addy joins five other Black city kids—each with their own troubles—to spend a summer out west. Deep in the forest the kids learn new (and to them) strange skills: camping, hiking, rock climbing, and how to start and safely put out campfires. Most important, they learn to depend upon each other for companionship and survival. But then comes a devastating forest fire… Addy is face-to-face with her destiny and haunting past. Developing her courage and resiliency against the raging fire, it’s up to Addy to lead her friends to safety. Not all are saved. But remembering her origins and grandmother’s teachings, she’s able to use street smarts, wilderness skills, and her spiritual intuition to survive. BCALA 2021 Best of the Best Book A Cadmus Children’s Fiction Award for the Green Earth Book Award winner
Download or read book Natural Landscaping written by Sally Roth and published by Rodale Books. This book was released on 2002-04-20 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Now Create a Landscape that's Naturally Beautiful, Naturally Inviting, Naturally Easy to Care for! Natural Landscaping shows you how to create your own woodland gardens, shade gardens, wildflower meadows, prairie gardens, water gardens, songbird gardens, hummingbird gardens, and butterfly gardens! It includes: - 9 detailed, full-color plans to provide plenty of inspiration. - 234 easy-care plant ideas to take the guesswork out of plant-work! - Plenty of projects and techniques that let you build in structure at your own pace! - Plus scores of finishing touches to help you achieve just the look you want! It's packed with real-life examples, garden plans, colorful combinations, at-a-glance plant charts, expert tips, related projects, and custom options, with lavish color photos and illustrations.
Download or read book Peril in Paradise written by Mark S. Whorton and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2005-10-25 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A charge to people who believe that you must believe in a young earth to be a Christian.
Download or read book Disasters in Paradise written by Amanda D. Concha-Holmes and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2019-10-11 with total page 269 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Long considered ground zero for global climate change in the United States, Florida presents the perfect case study for disaster risk and prevention. Building on the idea that disasters are produced by historical and contemporary social processes as well as natural phenomena, Amanda D. Concha-Holmes and Anthony Oliver-Smith present a collection of ethnographic case studies that examine the social and environmental effects of Florida’s public and private sector development policies. Contributors to Disasters in Paradise explore how these practices have increased the vulnerability of Floridians to hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, droughts, frosts, and forest fires.
Download or read book Walking Through Paradise written by Dan Colegate and published by . This book was released on 2020-01-03 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A light-hearted, uplifting and inspiring account of one couple's fifteen day odyssey through the French and Italian Alps, exploring the Vanoise and Gran Paradiso National Parks. The third book in the Alpine Thru-Hiking collection. Just five days after their demanding four-week adventure around the Matterhorn, Esther and Dan set out into the wilderness once again. Their goal is simple, to enjoy a peaceful walking holiday in the Alps. However, as usual, the moment their shoes hit the trail their plans go straight out of the window and the adventure takes on a life of its own. Driven by an inexplicable thirst to always look beyond the next summit, their initially sedate hike from refuge-to-refuge soon becomes an expedition across blizzard-ridden 3000-metre passes, tumultuous boulder fields and snow-packed glaciers, turning each day into a unique pilgrimage through some of the most remote and stunning Alpine scenery they've ever seen. Sleeping in everything from luxury hotels to snow-covered storm-shelters and abandoned tree houses, their quest to lose themselves in the heart of the Alps becomes far more than a search for nice views and exciting stories. It's about rediscovering the solitude of the hills and the calm of the night sky, miles from civilisation and the chaos of the modern world. A perfect book for anyone who wants to experience the awe-inspiring magic of Europe's most beautiful wilderness.
Download or read book Metropolitan Paradise written by David R. Contosta and published by St. Joseph's University Press. This book was released on 2010 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
