Reviews (1)

Positively Brilliant.
Professor Wangari Maathai is truly one of the most important voices of our time. This dynamic and indefatigable Kikuyu woman of Kenya has illuminated rays of light through the dark clouds of Kenya, and so Africa. Standing in the face of oppression and unbearable adversity she faced when Kenya was not a land of freedom, but a state of oppression and discord, it was Wangari's resilient voice, her never-ending effort to stand strong in the winds of injustice, and her ceaseless love of mankind that has in many ways begun the great changes toward democracy and freedom for all individuals not just in Kenya, but in Africa. As the Cold War has, as Professor Maathai clearly and carefully points out, changed the dynamics of government in Africa, the reader becomes aware, in a different way than what is typically presented in the press, of the many issues involved with the challenges that the world faces through the daily experiences of those who seek `Freedom'. Clearly, as the world becomes closer and more connected, the issues that continue in Africa are critical issues that we, as a progressive society, must not simply acknowledge, but do something about. Acting on what is right . . . standing up for your beliefs . . . standing down oppression and hatred . . . and nurturing Mother Earth as she continues to nurture and provide for all, are themes this visionary African woman - who is the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize - shares with the world in her brilliantly written life story. Readers across the world - men and women of all colors and creeds and beliefs will tap into the determination of this extraordinary activist who has taught so many about how love of each other can grow through respecting and nurturing the land we live on. But there is so much more to `Unbowed': Uhuru Park - Freedom Park - is more than a rolling green field in the middle of busy Nairobi, it is more than a starting point for this wonderful woman's love affair with the world, and it is so much more than a gathering point where the notion of planting trees . . . the seeds of The Green Belt Movement occurred. As Professor Maathai has shown through her own life, `Uhuru' is not Free! `Unbowed' is the story of a magnificent and courageous leader who stood up for the oppressed, including the woman of Kenya, and provided hope for better tomorrows by demonstrating that if a person possesses a will to make change, change can and will occur. `Unbowed' is a most remarkable memoir . . . and Professor Wangari Maathai is an ingenious woman of dignity the world continues to learn from. Listen: no matter where you are from, this book will positively change your life.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Conservation Of Natural Resources (General)    6. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    7. Forest Conservation    8. Kenya    9. People of Color    10. Personal Memoirs    11. Tree planters (Persons)    12. Trees & Forests - General    13. Women    14. Women conservationists    15. Women politicians    16. Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs   

Subjects:  1. Earth Sciences - Meteorology & Climatology    2. Ecology    3. Forest Ecology    4. Forest dynamics    5. Forests & Forestry    6. Lake States Region    7. Life Sciences - Biology - General    8. Life Sciences - Ecology - Forest Ecology    9. Meteorology (Specific Aspects)    10. Nature    11. Nature/Ecology    12. Science    13. Ecological science, the Biosphere    14. Forest ecology--Lake States Region    15. Nature-Ecology    16. Plant ecology    17. Science / Biology    18. Science-Life Sciences - Biology - General   

Subjects:  1. Agriculture - Forestry    2. Forests and forestry    3. Mensuration    4. Nature    5. Nature/Ecology    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Technology    8. Trees & Forests - General    9. NATURAL HISTORY, COUNTRY LIFE & PETS    10. Technology / Agriculture / Forestry   

Editorial Review

A young woman named Julia Butterfly Hill climbed a 200-foot redwood in December 1997. She didn't come down for 738 days. The tree, dubbed Luna, grows in the coastal hills of Northern California, on land owned by the Maxxam Corporation. In 1985 Maxxam acquired the previous landlord, Pacific Lumber, then proceeded to "liquidate its assets" to pay off the debt--in other words, clear-cut the old-growth redwood forest. Environmentalists charged the company with harvesting timber at a nonsustainable level.Earth First! in particular devised tree sit-ins to protest the logging.When Hill arrived on the scene after traveling cross-country on a whim, loggers were preparing to clear-cut the hillside where Luna had been growing for 1,000 years. Read more

Reviews (78)

Interesting Read
I read this in one day, it's almost as if reading a letter from a friend. I had heard about the woman who sat in a Redwood Tree in California, and after seeing the documentary about it, I had to read the book. The writing isn't outstanding, but I got everything I'd hoped for: A detailed description of life in Luna, which is amazing to say the least, and a much better insight on the activism to preserve old growth forests. I couldn't put it down. Read it for another perspective on life, and to learn more about Julia Butterfly Hill: A truly amazing activist.

Saving our environment
I had seen the documentary and was interested to read the book.It was enjoyable, well written and an interesting report of a woman's total belief in what she was doing, along with her lessons in dealing with the very personal issues and fears that arose in her.An easy read and worthwhile.
Julia Butterfly Hill:A Woman Literally Up a Tree
Julia Butterfly Hill's father taught her a good lesson early in her life.The lesson was to stand up for what you believe in and not to give up.Julia obviously took this to heart.In her mid twenties she was looking for a meaning in her life.So she sold many of her valuables, "hit the road", and came into contact with an organization that was involved in the fight to save the redwoods.One of their main actions against the chopping of these trees is to put people up in a tree on a small platform for about a week.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. California    4. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    5. Environmental Protection    6. Forest Conservation    7. Humboldt County    8. Luna (Calif. : Tree)    9. Nature    10. Nature/Ecology    11. Old growth forest conservation    12. Regional Subjects - West    13. Specific Groups - General    14. Women    15. Women conservationists    16. Biography & Autobiography / General    17. Conservation of the environment   

Reviews (2)

Pretty good
A very good, highly scientific review of the redwood forest ecosystem.I found this to be a genuine effort on the behalf of the Save the Redwoods League to provide a comprehensive view of the forest, the issues it faces, and how it might be better managed.
The Redwood Forest - An Ecological Synthesis
This is the first widely available publication that attempts to describe the ecology of the redwood forest ecosystem. It is aimed at a wide-ranging audience from environmental professionals to the general public with adeeper-than-average interest in redwoods.Thirty-two contributing authorswere involved writing separate sections of the book with Dr. Reed Nossdoing the editing. The nine chapters cover paleocology, human history,flora, fauna, forest ecology, stream ecology, conservation planning, andforest management.As a first attempt at compilation of redwood forestinformation it is welcome and long overdue since there is scant elseavailable.The book includes many new research findings includinginteresting discoveries by biologists working in the forest canopy ofold-growth trees.Unfortunately there are some significant gaps in thecoverage provided (the soil ecosystem is a major one, the importance oflarge down logs is another) and some minor, but annoying, areas ofmisinformation.A more complete review of this book appeared in theJanuary 2000 issue of "Fremontia", the journal of the CaliforniaNative Plant Society.It may be viewed online at the CNPS web site. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Coast redwood    2. Ecology    3. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    4. Forest conservation    5. Forest ecology    6. Forests & Forestry    7. Life Sciences - Ecology - Forest Ecology    8. Nature    9. Nature/Ecology    10. Science    11. Trees & Forests - General    12. Conservation of the environment    13. Deforestation    14. Technology / Agriculture / Forestry   

Subjects:  1. Agriculture - Forestry    2. Canada    3. Forest ecology    4. Forestry (General)    5. Forests & Forestry    6. Forests and forestry    7. Life Sciences - Botany    8. Life Sciences - Ecology - Forest Ecology    9. Nature    10. Nature/Ecology    11. Science    12. United States    13. Forestry & silviculture: practice & techniques    14. North America    15. Science / Botany   

Reviews (9)

Highly readable - a pleasure to read
This is a highly readable book. The author generously shares his considerable knowledge in language that makes the texteasy to understand. Everything about it is well done: the book is well-organized and well written, with beautiful illustrations.
Handbook for the new forester and a delight for anyoneelse
This is a book for anyone who likes to read about someone's interesting life or observations,for anyone who likes to get a glimpse of a good man'smind and heart, for anyone who enjoys seeing things in a new way, and--of course--for anyone who owns or may buy wooded property.For the latter, it is an indispensable guide.For the rest of us, it is both delightful reading and consciousness-raising.
Awesome
If you are interested in the subject, this book is an easy read and will be as hard to put down as your favorite novel.
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Subjects:  1. Agriculture - Forestry    2. Environmental Science    3. Environmental Studies    4. Forest management    5. Forests & Forestry    6. Forests and forestry    7. Nature    8. Nature/Ecology    9. Woodlots    10. Sustainable forestry   

Subjects:  1. Agriculture - General    2. Crops    3. Ecology    4. Effect of stress on    5. Flowers    6. Forests & Forestry    7. Life Sciences - Botany    8. Physiology    9. Science    10. Science/Mathematics    11. Technology & Industrial Arts    12. Nature-Ecology    13. Nature-Flowers    14. Plant physiology    15. Science / Botany    16. Technology / Agriculture & Animal Husbandry    17. abiotic stress    18. drought    19. genotoxic stress    20. salt stress    21. temperature stress   

Subjects:  1. Arthropoda    2. Ecology    3. Forest Ecology    4. Forest canopy ecology    5. Forests & Forestry    6. Life Sciences - Biology - General    7. Life Sciences - Ecology    8. Life Sciences - Zoology - General    9. Nature/Ecology    10. Science    11. Tropics    12. Ecological science, the Biosphere    13. Environmental science    14. Invertebrates    15. Science / Biology   

Reviews (1)

Interesting as well as Practical Ecology
This is an interesting and articulate book for both the specialist and the general reader who cares about a healthy world.It is of significant practical value while at the same time it presents a coherent background of information on which to base action. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. City planning    3. Conservation Of Natural Resources (General)    4. Effect of human beings on    5. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    6. Environmental Planning And Management    7. Environmental aspects    8. Land use    9. Landscape    10. Nature    11. Planning    12. Public Policy - City Planning & Urban Dev.    13. Architecture / Planning    14. Human ecology    15. Nature / Forests & Forestry    16. Regional & Area Planning   

Reviews (3)

not great
Great fron cover an internal cover, but that is where all the fun stops with this book, unfortunately. The rest of the book consists of strangely chosen and bad quality photographs with lots of huge text. I do not recommend this book for anyone who is looking for a great photograhic book on forests - it is very deceiving!

Slightly disappointing.
I bought this book with the expectation there would be many more detailed photographs in it.Though the photos that were there were stunning to be sure, there were too few of them!More photos, maps to said forests, etc. would have caused me to give this a full five stars.

Green splendour revealed
Approximately one third of the earth's land area is covered by forest habitats. Some are well-known, but there are magnificent forest areas that have not gained major attention. Mythic Woods explores the individual character of both familiar and unknown forests on all continents, revealing new worlds of majestic beauty. The forests include:
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Subjects:  1. Nature    2. Nature/Ecology    3. Trees & Forests - General    4. BG-REF/SCI/TECH - BG-REF/GEOGRAPHY    5. Forests, rainforests    6. NATURAL HISTORY, COUNTRY LIFE & PETS    7. Nature / Forests & Forestry   

Reviews (2)

ignorant and angry but useful
Chase's angry critique of "environmentalists" and their myths of nature has its points, but he ignores most of the substantial efforts to manage our ecosystem holistically -- e.g. including land, people, and money. He criticizes "biocentrism" but many of us recognize that human life, for example, is totally dependent on other organisms, E. coli to start. The question is not hierarchy, but interdependence.
eye-opening clear analysis that changed my views
Until reading "In a Dark Wood" I espoused "politically correct" environmentalist views -- such as "all old growth forests must be saved at any cost from evil logging" -- in a knee-jerk, emotionally charged, self-righteous way, without ever taking the trouble to study or think through what was really at stake, and what premises about reality underlay my views.Alston Chase's thinking on conservation is so clearly presented, so well backed by evidence, so carefully analysed, and so full of good will and integrity, that I find it impossible to read his book without respecting his intentions -- and his conclusions, which challenge everything I had unthinkingly assumed in the past.This is the kind of book that not only addresses concrete problems, such as the political struggle between, say Earth First and Maxxam Corporation, but also inspires the reader to think more deeply, and question his/her assumptions.This is the kind of book I think most self-labeled "environmentalists" -- especially those who come from white, middle class, college-educated backgrounds -- will dismiss prior to investigation, and will never read.If so, it is a sad loss.It's a book that can change your views and help you learn to think better -- and I believe most people would rather not do so, since thinking better might well spoil the dramatic excitement of waging a war of good against evil, nature against humanity.Still, I hope people will read this book.It's one that changed my life. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ecology    2. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    3. Environmental Studies    4. Forest Ecology    5. Forest Industry Management    6. Literature: Folklore/Mythology    7. Logging    8. Nature    9. Northwest, Pacific    10. Old growth forest conservation    11. Old growth forest ecology    12. Old growth forests    13. Trees & Forests - General    14. Applied ecology    15. Business & Economics / Environmental Economics    16. Ecological science, the Biosphere    17. Forestry & silviculture: practice & techniques    18. Forests, rainforests   

Reviews (2)

Introducing the Eastern Forest
The purpose of this guide is not to assist one in identifying species of flora and fauna found in the Eastern Forest--such a tome would be monumental in size--but rather to instill in the reader an understanding of the forest's general dynamics.The book is divided into eight sections; they are: A Great Buy, Very Interesting
This is a great field guide that covers many aspects of forests East of the Great Plains. Although it covers many common species of both animal and plant, it is not overly helpful for positively identifying individualspecies; and if one wants that, you are better off with a more specificfield guide (i.e., Eastern Birds). It does, however, detail the workings ofa forest and accompanies this fascinating text with 53 color plates, 80color photos and many black and white drawings. In the first few chapters,it demonstrates the different forest types through indicator species; andit details the process of Old Field succesion, and the animals and plantsthat come and go as the process progresses. In the last chaptersadaptation, and seasonal patterns are covered. I would highly reccommendthis field guide for any one who would like to know how a forest works. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ecology    2. Forest animals    3. Forest ecology    4. Forest plants    5. Forestry (Specific Aspects)    6. Forests & Forestry    7. Identification    8. Nature    9. Nature/Ecology    10. North America    11. Plant Ecology    12. Trees & Forests - General    13. Forestry & silviculture: practice & techniques    14. Nature / Trees    15. Trees & wildflowers   

Reviews (3)

Dated, but still a classic
I have got the 1959 edition, but have the feeling the book has not changed much since then. In 1959 this was an above-average book aimed at the general public. It illustrates the woods treated by distribution maps, botanical line drawings and black-and-white photographs. Content was pretty good, with the names, both scientific and trade names, very much in order.
Know your Woods? Not after reading this book
I don't understand why anyone would publish a book anymore with black and white illustrations. I know this is supposed to be a classic and all that so it's my own fault for not checking when I read the description. I don't even know why I'm keeping it; I'll never read it. You have to wade through tons of technical jargon and lengthy chapters that would be much better served by some large color photographs. Maybe that makes me shallow, I don't know, but there are much more 'complete guides' out there on this topic these days.

Know Your Woods: A Complete Guide
This book seems to be complete and informative for basic information about the subject matter.It is a good reference for basic information.The reader must look elsewhere for detailed information (such as would be of interest to engineers, scientists, and luthiers). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Encyclopedias    2. General    3. Nature    4. Nature / Field Guide Books    5. Nature/Ecology    6. Timber    7. Trees    8. Trees & Forests - General    9. Veneers and veneering    10. Wood    11. Forestry & related industries    12. Nature / General   

Reviews (4)

A great book for the serious, passionate woodlot owner.
Having bought a woodlot in the past year, I praise this book based on real-life experience. This book is an excellent introduction to the forestry terms and practice. I learned all the background I needed to understand a forest management plan and discuss it intelligently with a professional forester. This book discusses forestry issues in detail, but without getting bogged down in arcane minutiae. The practical issues of woodlot management
This book is a basic introduction to woodlot management with a focus on the forest ecosystem, basic valuation metrics for trees, and tax and other financial concerns associated with selling your trees. A great introduction to forestry for the private landowner
If you own even a few acres of New England forest, you should read this book."Working With Your Woodland" gives a thorough introduction to forestry for thelandowner. Even if you do not own any woodlands, andare just curious aboutthe forestry profession, this book will acquaintyou well with the issues.From the history presented of the New Englandforest through Forest Managementto their postscript on stewardship, thethree authors present their informationclearly and sensitively. Highlyrecommended. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Agriculture - Forestry    2. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    3. Environmental Science    4. Environmental Studies    5. Forest management    6. Individual Control Of Land    7. Nature    8. Nature/Ecology    9. New England    10. Forestry & silviculture: practice & techniques    11. Property & real estate    12. Science / Ecology   

Reviews (25)

"A seed like no other"
Dropped by its parent over three centuries ago, the seed produced something special in the way of a tree.Rising from the soil alongside a river in an island off the West Coast of North America, it produced a Sitka spruce of unusual character.It was a Golden Spruce.When migrating Asian peoples settled on the island it became the source of mythologies, venerated it as part of their heritage.One dark night, however, it was hewn nearly down by a man with a sense of mission.John Vaillant, in a brilliant, comprehensive account of the tree, its worshippers and its changing surroundings, relates how the tree's story is important to us all.
good picture of primitive place
Having travelled in the areaI found the description of setting and characters very reminiscent of what I know to be there.Good story but the fifth star is withheld because of pools of distraction here and there in the book.I suspected that the story needed to be "plumped up" to make it book length rather than a short story.
No more paper towels for me.
After finishing this book I felt like booking a trip to British Columbia to see some of what remains of the precious forests Vaillant describes.Warning:This book will make you question your consumption habits andyour personal culpability in the destruction of North American forests. If you read it, be prepared for a shock.Few of us outside the logging industry know just how much has been lost.I would recommend this book to anyone.It is entertaining, informative and motivational without being preachy or condescending. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Agriculture - Forestry    2. British Columbia    3. Forest Management    4. Hadwin, Grant    5. Haida Indians    6. Logging    7. Nature    8. Nature / Field Guide Books    9. Nature/Ecology    10. Queen Charlotte Islands    11. Sitka spruce    12. Trees    13. Trees & Forests - General    14. Biography: general    15. Forestry & silviculture: practice & techniques   

Reviews (12)

A dishonest, misleading book
Other reviewers have noted Alston Chase's biases, though it took my wife the zoologist to point out just how dishonestly he supports them. He claims that nature is subject to drastic change without human intervention and that simple ecosystems are no more unstable than complex ones. He gives as examples (on page 108): Disappointing
While the author does an admirable job of thoroughly outlining one particular version of the history of the ecological/conservancy movement and of the fallacious assumptions in the popular spiritually-overtoned meanings of "ecology" and "ecosystem" within the USA, obvious flaws in this book include the lack: of evidence for his own assertions, of positive elements in the history, of any alternative suggestions to the efforts he critiques, and of any acknowledged culpability for man due to man's science-enhanced unnatural fecundity and destructiveness or man's innate avarice.

Chase This One Away
I found this book to be fraught with factual errors, and was most notable for the omissions of inconvenient facts.This book is intended to give us the picture of a gentleman who is a moderate, and a voice of reason against eco-terror, but instead what I found was a thinly disguised argument in favor of clear cutting - but the author cannot even remain consistent with that argument, as most of his examples of sustainable systems are drawn from areas where selective cutting has been practiced.Many of the misrepresentations that are evident here are easy to spot if you are willing to research the vast array of literature available onthis subject, but the majority of his audience is not going to be able to take the sort of time to thoroughly research both sides of the question.Don't waste your time. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ecology    2. Environmental Science    3. Environmental Studies    4. Forest Ecology    5. Forest Industry Management    6. Natural Resources    7. Nature/Ecology    8. Northwest Pacific    9. Northwest, Pacific    10. Old growth forest conservation    11. Old growth forest ecology    12. Old growth forests    13. Agriculture & related industries    14. Applied ecology    15. Forestry & silviculture: practice & techniques    16. Plant ecology   

Subjects:  1. Conifers    2. Ecophysiology    3. Environmental Science    4. Environmental Studies    5. Forest Ecology    6. Life Sciences - Ecology    7. Nature    8. Nature/Ecology    9. Plants - General    10. Trees    11. Trees & Forests - General    12. Forestry & silviculture: practice & techniques    13. Plant ecology    14. Plant physiology    15. Science / Ecology   

Reviews (5)

Fascinating
This is a book that I would have liked to have written myself! It is a wonderful tale about the place of oaks throughout civilization. I found the linking of so many European family names to oaks and other trees very fascinating. The descriptions of the wooden structures, coppicing, early inks, acorns as food, oaks as foundation for many early technologies, and many other details brought a richness to the history of our ancestors and the beginnings of civilization. I live in an oak-hickory region of the eastern U.S., and this book has given me a greater appreciation of our national treasure.

Oaks Compose the Frame of Civilization.
No tree has been more useful to human beings than the oak.In most of the temperate world, oak is the primary, the 'titular tree of the forest.'What is most impressive about the oaks is that you can go from Massachusetts to Mexico City and find them readily available.When all the other trees were cut down to make room for farm fields, some of the oaks were left to make the boundaries.
recommended
i found this book well written, easy to read and full of interesting aspects. i must admit that the section on using oak to build with that got into the details of cuts and joints was a bit hard to follow but all in all i now understand and appreciate the value and importance of the oak to civilization. so i encourage and recommend this very enjoyable book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Agriculture - Forestry    2. General    3. History    4. Nature    5. Nature/Ecology    6. Oak    7. Social aspects    8. Technology & Industrial Arts    9. Trees & Forests - General    10. World - General    11. Trees & wildflowers   

Subjects:  1. Agriculture - Forestry    2. Forests and forestry    3. Nature    4. Nature/Ecology    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Silviculture    7. Trees & Forests - General    8. Forestry & silviculture: practice & techniques    9. Nature / Trees