Nature & Field

Last Place on Earth

5 stars (This book is a timeless keepsake) - I highly recommend this book. The pictures are beautiful and some are disturbing. It truely tells the amazing story of Africa. 5 stars (An Extraordinary Treasure) - This "boxed set", consisting of a large case containing two extraordinary books, is one of the most satisfying purchases I have ever made. In case you don't know, here is the background on the " Last Place on Earth ": Mike Fay is a scientist with the Wildlife Conservation Society who, outraged at destruction Congo Basin forests, decided to walk across the heart of Africa in order to document the undisturbed wild before it was lost. Over a year later, after innumerable hardships, wonders and adventures, Fay finally emerged from the forest to the waters of the Atlantic, ready to report back to the world what he had learned. Fay's stories and Nichols' photographs of this "megatransect" were so affecting that Gabon's president, in an unprecedented boon to world conservation, decided that his country's forests had value beyond their timber and designated vast tracts of Gabon as new national parks. The first and much larger of the two books in this set, contains at least 100 full-color, full-page photographs of the landscapes, animals and peoples of the African forests. The photographs are amazing: gritty and beautiful. They are the closest thing to being there. The second book contains black and white photos of Fay and his troop as they make their way across the Congo, and text by Fay himself. We learn how Fay came to be infatuated with saving the wilds as a teenager at a Maine summer camp, and how he came up with the idea of the megatransect, how he endured it, and how he was able to use such a "stunt" to create enormous changes in Gabon. In the end, Fay seems to be the environmental version of Gandhi: gaunt, with a line in his eyes, an unbreakable will, and a singular focus on protecting what is most precious to him: wild nature. If the nearly, $1...
National Geographic :: Photography & General :: Wildlife :: Subjects & Themes - Plants & Animals :: Photography :: Photo Techniques :: Photo Essays :: Nature Photography :: Nature & Field :: Last Place on Earth

Weeds of the Northeast

5 stars (EXCELLENT REFERANCE BOOK) - EXCELLENT REFERENCE BOOK FOR WEED IDENTIFICATION. QUITE SPECIFIC FOR FARMERS AND GARDENERS. 4 stars (A handy guide--good identification photos) - I'm very pleased with this guide. After spending time with field research botanists, I've come to appreciate how difficult it can be to catalog invasive plants--they're EVERYWHERE! And of varying sizes, shapes, colors. Some so innocuous that it wouldn't even occur to you to notice and others so prolific in their families that it takes forever to track the different varieties. Luckily, Uva, Neal, and DiTomaso did and put together an excellent little book. As a professional gardener, this has been a handy reference. I would give it five stars, but I do have issue with some of the items. In the Introduction, weeds are discussed, but it is not clearly established what makes a "weed" a weed. For example, mallow is listed as a weed, but it appears to be a weed in the context of agricultural plantings. To my understanding, there are several native varieties of mallow in the U.S. Is this particular variety non-native? Is it a nuisance plant? Is it unsightly? My definition of weed has always been non-native escapists or volunteers. I'd like to see this clearly defined. I would also like more information on where the plant originates and what makes it a weed in the Northeast. As well as any beneficial qualities--are parts of the plant edible? Can any of it be used? Difficulties eradicating? Basically, as a gardener I'd like to know if there are any positive attributes. If I have a field full of amiranth is it the same type of amiranth sold in the stores? How does it vary? Could my client potentially harvest any of this before tilling or pulling out? The scientific information, such as plant identification: size of seeds, defining leaf shapes, etc., is all very clear and well done. As I said the photos are great. All in all this is indespensible, I just wish they would c...
Cornell University Press :: Weeds :: Regional - General :: Plants - General :: Northeastern States :: Nature & Field Guide Books :: Life Sciences - Botany :: Identification :: Gardening&Plants :: Weeds of the Northeast