Reviews (1)

A fine tree book for a wide swath of the West
Wild Trees of Idaho is, in completeness and competence, one of the best state tree books available in the U.S. But because Idaho's flora has affinities to the boreal forests to its north, the Pacific Northwest rainforest, the Great Basin, Rocky Mountains, and Great Plains, this book is a must for tree enthusiasts from all of Idaho's neighbor states and Canadian provinces as well. More than an identification guide (though a good example of that genre), Wild Trees opens with a broad account of how Idaho's forests evolved over the last hundred million years; and an ecological essay on its present-day vegetation communities. Idaho's sylvan richness, including its many introduced naturalized species, make for a varied array of broadleaved and coniferous species. Each receives a page of text and one of black/white illustrations. There is an 8-page color insert containing brilliant photos of 78 species. Key identification characters are stressed, as are locations in Idaho where noteworthy specimens of each species can be seen, data on the largest Idaho specimens, and generally very reliable natural history information. The writing style is folksy and accessible, yet technically of a high level. This book has a lot to teach. ... Read more

Book Description

Successful remote sensing methods and applications are rootedin the science, art, and technology of earth observation, part of thelarger emerging world of geographical information science. Sensors areincreasingly sensitive to the phenomena we wish to observe and imageanalysis systems are increasingly able to transform the data anddeliver the required information. At the same time, advances in forestscience and management continue to develop momentum. A renewedcommitment to understanding forests at different scales and with aprocess-based perspective has helped generate demand for informationabout forests that is feasibly acquired only by remote sensing. Remote Sensing of Forest Environments: Concepts and Case Studiesis an edited volume intended to provide readers with astate-of-the-art synopsis of the current methods and appliedapplications employed in remote sensing the world's forests. Thecontributing authors have sought to illustrate and deepen ourunderstanding of remote sensing of forests, providing new insights andindicating opportunities that are created when forests and forestpractices are considered in concert with the evolving paradigm ofremote sensing science. Following background and methods sections,this book introduces a series of case studies that exemplify the waysin which remotely sensed data are operationally used, as an element ofthe decision-making process, and in the scientific study of forests.Remote Sensing of Forest Environments: Concepts and Case Studiesis designed to meet the needs of a professional audience composed ofboth practitioners and researchers. This book is also suitable as asecondary text for graduate-level students in Forestry, EnvironmentalScience, Geography, Engineering, and Computer Science. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Shadow in the Forest: Idaho's black bear
An excellent book full of great scientific data from an extended study. For those of us that want detailed data for a greater understanding of these magnificent creatures, this book is a must!!!

Review of a Shadow In The Forest
I was deeply disappointed in this book. It reads like a graduate student's thesis; full of statistics and graphs. I guess this is o.k., if one is interested in raw data. But, as for the average reader, it might take some effort to complete it and not just "skip through" to the end, which is what I did.

At the begining of each chapter, one of the authors tells an aluring story which captures the reader's imagination and interest, but the book immediately reverts to the same old boring statistics.

This is a graduate study paper made into a book.

Outstanding book by two Idaho bear biologists
Most books about bears are filled with nonsense and drivel; A Shadow In The Forest provides facts you can trust from two Idaho bear biologists. Outstanding. I'm the author of Backcountry Bear Basics, and this is one of the few books about bears I can recommend with no reservations. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Very informative , good overview of all ecological processes
This book is a must for anyone who is considering naural resource management as a career, as I am. It deals with the basic ecological terms and poses some very difficult problems that forest management will occure in the recent future. If you are interested in conservation, and not preservation, this book will be a wise investment. ... Read more

Book Description

What is a natural forest disturbance? How well do we understand natural forest disturbances and how might we emulate them in forest management? What role does emulation play in forest management? Representing a range of geographic perspectives from across Canada and the United States, this book looks at the escalating public debate on the viability of natural disturbance emulation for sustaining forest landscapes from the perspective of policymakers, forestry professionals, academics, and conservationists.
The first section examines foundational concepts, addressing questions of what emulation involves and what ecological reasoning substantiates it. The second section uses case studies from a wide geographical range to address the characterization of natural disturbances and the development of applied templates for their emulation through forest management. The final section moves deeper into the issues of practical applications by exploring the expectations for and feasibility of emulating natural disturbance through forest management. ... Read more

Book Description

The dictionary will contain terms used today in forest science, management and conservation, comprising forest ecology, forest entomology and pathology, forest fire management, forest geomatics, forest meteorology and hydrology, forest soils and geomorphology, forest surveys and mensuration, genetics and tree improvement, harvesting and forest operations, integrated forest management, photogrammetry and remote sensing, physico-mechanical properties of wood, processing (panels, pulp and paper, sawing, etc.), silviculture, tree physiology, agroforestry, urban forestry, wildlife and wilderness management and arboriculture, wood anatomy and structure. ... Read more

Book Description

With their tremendous resources and complex ecosystems, tropical forests are equally important to the environmental movement and the logging, mining, and oil industries. Although preserving biodiversity is a vital concern, development in the tropics is extremely important economically, both for developing and industrialized nations. This volume looks at new approaches to resource development that attempt to minimize its social and environmental impact. It collects numerous case studies from major international companies, development agencies, universities, and non-governmental organizations and looks closely at the long- and short-term effects of resource development. It will be an invaluable reference in this important and highly politicized debate. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Engaging Private Sector in Environmental Protection
Business which is based on profit maximization is usually considered to be in conflict with the goals of environmental protection. This contradiction can be even more severe when the business owned by private sectors in developed countries extend their activities in far-away underdeveloped areas. The book looks at the environmental protection from business perspectives, especially extractive industries' involvement in biodiversity conservation. It explores numerous cases ("best practices") showing how business interests reconcile with environmental protection goals. The dynamics of various stakeholders was investigated to illustrate how the business strategic calculation of benefit and cost has been shaped by other stakeholders. According to the authors, there are two major reasons of why business starts to voluntarily involve in environmental protection: corporate reputation (intangible value) and eco-efficiency (tangible value). The book is a big contribution to the empirical studies of how business operation has been shaped by environmental protection and vice versa. I recommend the book to environmental experts, project managers and corporate environmentalists. ... Read more

Book Description

Bioengineering offers many opportunities for forestry. Bioengineered trees can produce more valuable wood, help reclaim contaminated land, improve the health of urban trees, and facilitate pest management.But the ecological risks are complex, and public views about the ethical acceptability of genetic engineering vary widely.

Unprecedented in its breath and diversity, The Bioengineered Forest begins with a survey of the range of forestry practices for which the use of biotechnologies might be appropriate. Scholars representing diverse academic perspectives and viewpoints examine in depth the economic and environmental rationale for forest biotechnologies, and the current state of technology with respect to gene performance and safety. They consider the contemporary political and economic environment in which bioengineering is being introduced, and where the "genomic revolution" might take forestry and genetic engineering in the future.

The Bioengineered Forest presents compelling arguments in favor of genetic engineering. Just as powerfully, it examines the significant technical and legal hurdles involved in genetic engineering, undesirable environmental and social consequences that might result from its misapplication, and the risks for businesses that are looking for near-term benefits. ... Read more

Book Description

This volume comprises fifteen papers exploring the consequencesof applying modern time-series methods, particularly co-integratedtime-series methods, for the analysis of forest economics problems.The methods represent the forefront of econometrics in this area, andthe volume is the first of its kind. An introductory paper explains the econometrics of unit-rootprocesses. Much of what follows in the other papers depends upon onlya few of the ideas presented in the introduction. The volume includestests of, e.g., the Law of One Price, land valuation models, demandand supply models, Granger-causality, and forecast models. The reader will learn a great deal about forest economies,particularly in Northern Europe, and about the practical use of moderntime-series methods. The methods presented are applicable to otherfields of economics. The volume is aimed at researchers in applied economics and as asupplement to (advanced) theoretical textbooks, mainly in NaturalResource Economics. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A must read
A must read for anyone who is interested in the issues facing low-income countries. This book offers a global perspective on the agricultural development and envormental change. It has the academic rigor, yet provides insightful discussions for policy makers worldwide. ... Read more

Book Description

Fast-growing eucalypts have long been recognized as useful in helping to meet the demand for wood throughout the warmer parts of the world. Eucalypts are exceptionally versatile and are grown in numerous small woods and windbreaks to produce poles as well as in extensive plantations managed by the pulp and paper industries.This timely book shows how to breed improved eucalypts that will provide more and better wood on appropriate sites selected through sound planning. The author emphasizes making greater use of the immense richness of the genetic resources of the eucalypts, especially in the first or second generation of domesticated "wild" eucalypts harvested for wood production.The book details aspects of variation, selection, and reproduction that are unique to eucalypts.The author cogently asserts the case that large gains in production and quality can be obtained for relatively little cost by choosing the best geographic seed sources.Once suitable base populations have been assembled, the author argues, well-planned recurrent selection and mating will assure continued long-term genetic gain.This book is essential reading for practicing foresters managing eucalypt plantations and will be of significant interest to planners and administrators in aid agencies. ... Read more

Book Description

Rainforests of the World presents a rare and intimate view of the rainforests and its inhabitants--the plants, animals, and indigenous peoples that make their homes in the most beautiful and endangered places on earth.
Home to 50 percent of all living species in the world, the tropical rainforest is a precious resource found in only three areas of the world: Central and South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. World-renowned photographer Art Wolfe has captured the very essence of these precious places and the animals and plants that inhabit them. From breathtaking landscapes, to a minute poison dart frog hiding in a tropical flower, to portraits of the forests' indigenous peoples, to a jaguar contemplating its next move, the tremendous beauty and power of nature are magnificently showcased.
The strength of Wolfe's images lies not only in his true understanding and love for the natural world, but also in his artistic ability to capture his subject so intimately and emotionally on film. No one can photograph an animal in its true habitat as Art Wolfe can, and this time he's outdone himself. Each page is a testament to the resplendence, timelessness, and unfortunate fragility of the rainforest as it struggles to survive into the twenty-first century.
Divided into four sections--"Water," "Fire," "Earth," and "Air"--Rainforests of the World explores the different ecological workings of the rainforests. Sir Ghillean Prance, a highly acclaimed naturalist, writes compellingly of them--their biodiversity and biology and the need to place a spiritual value on caring for the natural world.
Rainforests of the World is a rare book--one in whichphotographs and text work together to evoke the very essence of a place as bountiful and precious as our rainforests. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Photographing Innovation Art
Photographing Innovation Art is considered one the wonderful natural world books. In this book, Art Wolf mirrors the virgin reforents area in elegant manner. Art Wolf knows quite well when and where to boast these rare places, animals, and plants that live in. His representation style is unequal to any other works, particularly in clear views, which express the theme he wants to convey in detailed natural views. It looks like hand made artistic works. Art Wolf has high skills and capabilities in views production. His views are wonderful and have natural beauty, which makes you feel, taste, and sees natural elegance and expressive views as we have seen in his previous works. The text and photo are complementary to each other. Both seek to achieve one goal- to save the area from surrounding danger as depicted in Wolfs work. Generally it is a wonderful book indeed by art Wolf. It makes us astonished by its expressive and moving pictures. He allows us see the photos from any angles to get different impression. This book is recommended for those who love unique natural world and high standards photos

Beautiful Book and wonderful photography
A book that is spectacular to look through and educational in content. A Christmas gift that was truly special. ... Read more

Book Description

In recent years, the forests of British Columbia have become a battleground for sustainable resource development. The conflicts are ever present, usually pitting environmentalists against the forest industry and forestry workers and communities. In an effort to broker peace in the woods, British Columbia’s NDP government launched a number of promising new forest policy initiatives in the 1990s.

In Search of Sustainability brings together a group of political scientists to examine this extraordinary burst of policy activism. Focusing on how much change has occurred and why, the authors examine seven components of BC forest policy: land use, forest practices, tenure, Aboriginal issues, timber supply, pricing, and jobs. Results of initiatives in these policy areas have been mixed. While environmental values have acquired a more central place in BC forest policy, they have not displaced timber production as the dominant force in policy making. Moreover, the authors conclude that despite the astonishing level of activism, the government’s search for sustainability -- whether measured by environmental, social, economic, or political indicators -- has ultimately failed.

In Search of Sustainability is a lucid, provocative, and often sobering examination of a crucial period in the forest industry in a province where forestry remains a central plank of the provincial economy and where environmental pressures, both domestic and foreign, continue to escalate. Essential reading for scholars, teachers, and students of forestry and environmental policy, it will also appeal to anyone interested in the future of forestry both in British Columbia and beyond. ... Read more

Book Description

The book from this speaker and consultant traces a path to mill optimization in a conversational style, helping professionals manage any mill or plant as an integrated system through enterprise optimization-the key to maximizing profitability. The Best Possible Sawmill touches on forest product economics, high-tech tools, integrated management systems, raw material procurement, sales, production scheduling, inventory control, maintenance, and change management.

This indispensable guide to optimization includes easy-to-use checklists to help managers measure progress. It is both an authoritative reference and a working handbook for mill professionals who are beginning or continuing their journey. As wood product mills continue to look for ways to increase productivity, lumber recovery and product quality, Gene Bryan's book guides wood professionals on the path toward treating the mill as one integrated system. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Best Possible For Profit Enterprise
"The Best Possible Sawmill" was published in 1996. I regret that it took me until 2001 to discover this book, which could have been titled "The Best Possible For Profit Enterprise" as the book is a gold mine for any businessperson with P&L responsibility. Using the sawmill as a metaphor, the book explains The Profit Gap (the difference between a company's current and potential earnings) and how to narrow this gap and increase profit by using Linear Programming technology to guide a manager's decision making about what markets to compete in, what products to make and sell, and what vendors and business partners to use. I recommend this book to any person with P&L responsibility. ... Read more

Book Description

This book presents the final evaluation of a multidisciplinary study on air pollution at a Norway spruce stand in North Germany and on the interactions of atmospheric constituents with the forest ecosystem. Some of the special features of this research work are the application of advanced trace analysis techniques, the use of improved methods for quantifying extensively the dry deposition, the determination of element and gas fluxes including their balances as well as the assessment of the responses of the forest ecosystem. Comprehensive data are presented on the nutrient and carbon dioxide budget. Other subjects refer to the seasonal variations and the long-term trends of air pollution. ... Read more