Download or read book The Delaware Naturalist Handbook written by McKay Jenkins and published by University of Virginia Press. This book was released on 2020-11-27 with total page 439 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Delaware Naturalist Handbook is the primary public face of a major university-led public educational outreach and community engagement initiative. This statewide master naturalist certification program is designed to train hundreds of citizen scientists, K–12 environmental educators, ecological restoration volunteers, and habitat managers each year. The initiative is conducted in collaboration with multiple disciplines at the University of Delaware, the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension, the Delaware Environmental Institute (DENIN), the state Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation (DNREC), the state Division of Parks, the state Forest Service, the state Division of Fish and Wildlife, and local nonprofit educational institutions, including the Mount Cuba Center, the Delaware Nature Society and Ashland Nature Center, Delaware Wildlands, Northeast Climate Hub, Center for Inland Bays, and White Clay Creek State Park.
Download or read book Field Notes on Science and Nature written by Michael R. Canfield and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2012-07-09 with total page 315 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Once in a great while, as the New York Times noted recently, a naturalist writes a book that changes the way people look at the living world. John James Audubon’s Birds of America, published in 1838, was one. Roger Tory Peterson’s 1934 Field Guide to the Birds was another. How does such insight into nature develop? Pioneering a new niche in the study of plants and animals in their native habitat, Field Notes on Science and Nature allows readers to peer over the shoulders and into the notebooks of a dozen eminent field workers, to study firsthand their observational methods, materials, and fleeting impressions. What did George Schaller note when studying the lions of the Serengeti? What lists did Kenn Kaufman keep during his 1973 “big year”? How does Piotr Naskrecki use relational databases and electronic field notes? In what way is Bernd Heinrich’s approach “truly Thoreauvian,” in E. O. Wilson’s view? Recording observations in the field is an indispensable scientific skill, but researchers are not generally willing to share their personal records with others. Here, for the first time, are reproductions of actual pages from notebooks. And in essays abounding with fascinating anecdotes, the authors reflect on the contexts in which the notes were taken. Covering disciplines as diverse as ornithology, entomology, ecology, paleontology, anthropology, botany, and animal behavior, Field Notes offers specific examples that professional naturalists can emulate to fine-tune their own field methods, along with practical advice that amateur naturalists and students can use to document their adventures.
Download or read book Delaware Diary written by Frank Dale and published by Rutgers University Press. This book was released on 1996 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tracing the history of the Delaware, this book delves into archives and newspaper files to explore the men who tried to tame this wild river. Many attempted to venture down it in a variety of vehicles due to the needs of commerce, but in recent times it has been converted to leisure activities.
Download or read book New Jersey s Environments written by Neil M. Maher and published by Rutgers University Press. This book was released on 2006-01-19 with total page 221 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Americans often think of New Jersey as an environmental nightmare. As seen from its infamous turnpike, which is how many travelers experience the Garden State, it is difficult not to be troubled by the wealth of industrial plants, belching smokestacks, and hills upon hills of landfills. Yet those living and working in New Jersey often experience a very different environment. Despite its dense population and urban growth, two-thirds of the state remains covered in farmland and forest, and New Jersey has a larger percentage of land dedicated to state parks and forestland than the average for all states. It is this ecological paradox that makes New Jersey important for understanding the relationship between Americans and their natural world. In New Jersey’s Environments, historians, policy-makers, and earth scientists use a case study approach to uncover the causes and consequences of decisions regarding land use, resources, and conservation. Nine essays consider topics ranging from solid waste and wildlife management to the effects of sprawl on natural disaster preparedness. The state is astonishingly diverse and faces more than the usual competing interests from environmentalists, citizens, and businesses. This book documents the innovations and compromises created on behalf of and in response to growing environmental concerns in New Jersey, all of which set examples on the local level for nationwide and worldwide efforts that share the goal of protecting the natural world.
Download or read book Plant Communities of New Jersey written by Beryl Robichaud and published by Rutgers University Press. This book was released on 1994 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book portrays New Jersey as an ecosystem--its geology, topography and soil, climate, plant-plant and plant-animal relationships, and the human impact on the environment. The authors describe in detail the twelve types of plant habitats distinguished in New Jersey and suggest places to observe good examples of them.
Download or read book Vanishing Bees written by Sainath Suryanarayanan and published by Rutgers University Press. This book was released on 2016-11-29 with total page 175 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 2005, beekeepers in the United States began observing a mysterious and disturbing phenomenon: once-healthy colonies of bees were suddenly collapsing, leaving behind empty hives full of honey and pollen. Over the following decade, widespread honeybee deaths—some of which have come to be called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD)—have continued to bedevil beekeepers and threaten the agricultural industries that rely on bees for pollination. Scientists continue to debate the causes of CCD, yet there is no clear consensus on how to best solve the problem. Vanishing Bees takes us inside the debates over widespread honeybee deaths, introducing the various groups with a stake in solving the mystery of CCD, including beekeepers, entomologists, growers, agrichemical companies, and government regulators. Drawing from extensive interviews and first-hand observations, Sainath Suryanarayanan and Daniel Lee Kleinman examine how members of each group have acquired, disseminated, and evaluated knowledge about CCD. In addition, they explore the often-contentious interactions among different groups, detailing how they assert authority, gain trust, and build alliances. As it explores the contours of the CCD crisis, Vanishing Bees considers an equally urgent question: what happens when farmers, scientists, beekeepers, corporations, and federal agencies approach the problem from different vantage points and cannot see eye-to-eye? The answer may have profound consequences for every person who wants to keep fresh food on the table.
Download or read book A Guide to Native Plants of the New York City Region written by Margaret B. Gargiullo and published by Rutgers University Press. This book was released on 2007 with total page 339 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is no secret that with each new office park, strip mall, and housing development that slices through the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut landscape, more and more indigenous plant habitats are being destroyed. Concrete, after all, is not a friendly neighbor to vegetative life. Less common wisdom, however, holds that plants native to this region have been disappearing rapidly for a variety of reasons, and some of the causes can be avoided, even as construction projects continue to move in. One of the most serious threats to indigenous plants is the introduction of invasive non-native species by landscapers after new developments are built. In this unique guide, ecologist Margaret B. Gargiullo presents a detailed look at the full scope of flora that is native to this region and available for propagation. She offers practical advice on how to increase the amount of indigenous flora growing in the metropolitan area, and in some cases, to reintroduce plants that have completely disappeared. More than one hundred line drawings of plants and their specific habitats, ranging from forests to beaches, help readers visualize the full potential for landscaping in the area. A separate entry for each plant also provides detailed information on size, flower color, blooming time, and its possible uses in wetland mitigation, erosion control, and natural area restoration. Some plants are also highlighted for their ability to thrive in areas that are typically considered inhospitable to greenery. Geared specifically for landscape architects, designers, land managers, and restorationists, and easily searchable by plant type or habitat, this guide is an essential reference for everyone concerned with the regionas native plant life. Since most of the plants can also be grown well beyond the New York City metropolitan area, this book will also be useful for project managers doing restoration work in most of southern New England and the mid-Atlantic region, including Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland."
Download or read book The Price of Nuclear Power written by Stephanie A. Malin and published by Rutgers University Press. This book was released on 2015-05-21 with total page 239 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rising fossil fuel prices and concerns about greenhouse gas emissions are fostering a nuclear power renaissance and a revitalized uranium mining industry across the American West. In The Price of Nuclear Power, environmental sociologist Stephanie Malin offers an on-the-ground portrait of several uranium communities caught between the harmful legacy of previous mining booms and the potential promise of new economic development. Using this context, she examines how shifting notions of environmental justice inspire divergent views about nuclear power’s sustainability and equally divisive forms of social activism. Drawing on extensive fieldwork conducted in rural isolated towns such as Monticello, Utah, and Nucla and Naturita, Colorado, as well as in upscale communities like Telluride, Colorado, and incorporating interviews with community leaders, environmental activists, radiation regulators, and mining executives, Malin uncovers a fundamental paradox of the nuclear renaissance: the communities most hurt by uranium’s legacy—such as high rates of cancers, respiratory ailments, and reproductive disorders—were actually quick to support industry renewal. She shows that many impoverished communities support mining not only because of the employment opportunities, but also out of a personal identification with uranium, a sense of patriotism, and new notions of environmentalism. But other communities, such as Telluride, have become sites of resistance, skeptical of industry and government promises of safe mining, fearing that regulatory enforcement won’t be strong enough. Indeed, Malin shows that the nuclear renaissance has exacerbated social divisions across the Colorado Plateau, threatening social cohesion. Malin further illustrates ways in which renewed uranium production is not a socially sustainable form of energy development for rural communities, as it is utterly dependent on unstable global markets. The Price of Nuclear Power is an insightful portrait of the local impact of the nuclear renaissance and the social and environmental tensions inherent in the rebirth of uranium mining.
Download or read book A Year Across Maryland written by Bryan MacKay and published by JHU Press. This book was released on 2013-09-15 with total page 313 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Whether you want to see snow geese and trumpeter swans pausing in their northward migration each March, or the mating "jubileeof polychaete worms during the new moon in May, A Year across Maryland offers valuable advice for the spontaneous adventurer and the serious planner alike.
Download or read book Birds of Maryland Delaware and the District of Columbia written by Bruce M. Beehler and published by Johns Hopkins University Press. This book was released on 2019-03-26 with total page 481 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: More than 600 lush, stunning photos grace this comprehensive handbook to the birdlife of the Mid-Atlantic region. A Great Blue Heron wades in the shallows of the Potomac River, scanning for unsuspecting prey. Sunlight turns the water translucent as a small school of fish rises to the water's surface. The heron strikes and moments later is swallowing its quarry—predation in action! This handsome Great Blue Heron is but one of the more than 400 bird species found in Delaware, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. It shares the mid-Atlantic with kingfishers, eagles, mergansers, wood warblers, and many more. Exploring backyard birds, birds of prey, and birds of the open ocean, Smithsonian ornithologist Bruce Beehler and premier nature photographer Middleton Evans have crafted a comprehensive volume unparalleled in its beauty and captivating storytelling. Birds of Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia invites readers to experience the birds' lives as they live them: where they nest, how they forage, their various behaviors, and the natural environments they need to survive. Beehler offers practical advice on bird-watching, including how to find, attract, and even garden for birds, as well as the best places to see them in season. He also discusses the best birding apps, websites, and gear; provides advice on planning a birding field trip; and recommends ornithological institutions that will help you cultivate a lifelong birding hobby. Finally, Beehler challenges the reader to think about conservation efforts to preserve local bird populations. With striking color photographs of more than 400 species, this book is a bonanza for nature lovers. A wealth of images immerse the reader in the world of these wonderful creatures. Marvel at the majesty of Ospreys, navigate the ocean with storm-petrels, and nest with Mourning Doves, all while learning about the richness of the birds' lives, the complexities of their habits, and how we can help keep their populations vibrant and aloft for generations to come.
Download or read book Sparing Nature written by Jeffrey Kevin McKee and published by Rutgers University Press. This book was released on 2003 with total page 236 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This text asserts that a stroke should be thought of as a syndrome, or collection of disease processes, rather than a single disease. Strokes are characterized by restriction of blood flow to the brain and are responsible for imposing a very significant burden on healthcare systems, accounting for more than four million deaths per year. They can be directly linked to the majority of adult neurological disability and they contribute to vascular dementia, the second most common cause of dementia after Alzheimer's Disease. Despite its importance on a population basis, research into the genetics of strokes has lagged behind many other disorders; however, the situation is changing and there is now growing evidence that genetic factors are important in the stroke risk, often acting via interactions with conventional risk factors.
Download or read book Water Wisdom written by Alon Tal and published by Rutgers University Press. This book was released on 2010 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This comprehensive, informed, and balanced volume provides invaluable insights into the roots of the water management challenges in the Middle East and charts a course for resolving this pressing issue."--James D. Wolfensohn, former Quartet Special Envoy for Gaza.
Download or read book Trees Truffles and Beasts written by Chris Maser and published by Rutgers University Press. This book was released on 2008 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This publication makes a compelling case that in order to develop sustainable ecosystem policies, we must first understand the complexity and interdependency of species and habitats. Comparing forests in the Pacific Northwestern United States and Southeastern mainland of Australia, the authors show how easily observable species - trees and mammals - are part of an infrastructure that includes fungi, lichens and organisms invisible to the naked eye, such as microbes. This important book shows that forests are far more complicated than most of us might think, which means simplistic policies will not save them. Understanding the biophysical intricacies of our life support systems just might.
Download or read book Bringing Nature Home written by Douglas W. Tallamy and published by Timber Press. This book was released on 2009-09-01 with total page 361 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “With the twinned calamities of climate change and mass extinction weighing heavier and heavier on my nature-besotted soul, here were concrete, affordable actions that I could take, that anyone could take, to help our wild neighbors thrive in the built human environment. And it all starts with nothing more than a seed. Bringing Nature Home is a miracle: a book that summons butterflies." —Margaret Renkl, The Washington Post As development and habitat destruction accelerate, there are increasing pressures on wildlife populations. In his groundbreaking book Bringing Nature Home, Douglas W. Tallamy reveals the unbreakable link between native plant species and native wildlife—native insects cannot, or will not, eat alien plants. When native plants disappear, the insects disappear, impoverishing the food source for birds and other animals. Luckily, there is an important and simple step we can all take to help reverse this alarming trend: everyone with access to a patch of earth can make a significant contribution toward sustaining biodiversity by simply choosing native plants. By acting on Douglas Tallamy's practical and achievable recommendations, we can all make a difference.
Download or read book Chesapeake Bay written by Christopher P. White and published by Cornell Maritime Press/Tidewater Publishers. This book was released on 1989 with total page 236 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book has become the definitive field guide to the Chesapeake. Flora and fauna descriptions are arranged according to the bay's nine major habitats--from freshwater wetlands to saltwater marshes. The most important field marks of more than 500 species are shown in 350 superb pen-and-ink drawings, which make this benchmark work as beautiful as it is useful. The book is designed as a user-friendly introduction to the natural history of the Chesapeake Bay. Scientific jargon is kept to a minimum. Illustrations and text are paired to present an easy-to-use primer on the estuarine system. The book takes an ecological approach to life above and below the Chesapeake's surface. Wetland and aquatic communities are emphasized.
Download or read book Trees of Pennsylvania written by Ann Fowler Rhoads and published by University of Pennsylvania Press. This book was released on 2005 with total page 424 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Authoritative, encyclopedic, lavishly illustrated guide to the trees of the state and region—from the Morris Arboretum, the official arboretum of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Download or read book The Lehigh Valley written by Robert Halma and published by Penn State University Press. This book was released on 2001 with total page 408 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Comprising approximately 730 square miles and over half a million residents, the Lehigh Valley is the third largest metropolitan area in Pennsylvania, encompassing the cities of Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton. Much is known about the industrial history of the valley (home to Bethlehem Steel, Mack Trucks, and Crayola crayons). But few have discovered the valley's natural history: the "endless" Blue Mountain, the spectacular raptor migrations, the wetlands and watercourses. The Lehigh Valley explores the land and the natural forces and human history that have altered it. From boulder fields to water gaps, from sinkholes to limestone caves, the valley has long had a powerful influence on the lives of its residents--and the people have had a similarly powerful effect on the valley; the text features brief profiles of some of the people who have shaped the environmental history of the area. The authors also include directions to historical and natural sites, and the book's illustrations aid visitors and naturalists in identifying the region's abundance of flora and fauna. The Lehigh Valley is a unique combination of narrative natural history, identification handbook, and travel and hiking guide. Mountain laurel, red-tailed hawks, dusky salamanders: The Lehigh Valley not only shows us what resides in this beautiful and bountiful valley, but also explains why. This illustrated guide surveys the valley's ecology, geology, history, and agriculture--and is complemented by maps and drawings of the area's plant and animal life. The Lehigh Valley will appeal to area residents, amateur naturalists, and Pennsylvania visitors with an interest in natural history.
