Force of Nature – George Fell, Founder of the Natural Areas Movement
This is a review of Force of Nature – George Fell, Founder of the Natural Areas Movement by Arthur Melville Pearson| birdfreak.com
This is a review of Force of Nature – George Fell, Founder of the Natural Areas Movement by Arthur Melville Pearson| birdfreak.com
The Birds and Trees of North America is the latest edition of high-quality notebooks from Field Notes. These perfectly-sized notebooks fit in pockets, daypacks, backpacks, fanny-packs, gloveboxes, center consoles, drawers, and any other place you wish to have at your ready a place to take notes.| birdfreak.com
Riverwood Forest Preserve is the newest natural area under the care of DeKalb County, Illinois. Born from a “2020 acquisition and land preservation and grant partnership with the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation”, Riverwood is a conservation work in progress. It is already showing spectacular results. The former Oak Club Golf Course is 103 acres Continue reading Riverwood Forest Preserve – Close to Home Conservation The post Riverwood Forest Preserve – Close to Home Conserva...|
The (Big) Year That Flew By is the memoir of Arjan Dwarshuis’s birding big year. A Native of Netherlands, Dwarshuis was already a world traveler and birder when he decided to try and break Noah Strycker’s world record of the most birds seen in a single calendar year. By choosing a leap year, 2016, Arjan Continue reading The (Big) Year That Flew By – Arjan Dwarshuis The post The (Big) Year That Flew By – Arjan Dwarshuis appeared first on .|
Who is more obsessed? The feather thief, Edwin Rist or the author of The Feather Thief, Kirk Wallace Johnson. The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century covers the bizarre museum “heist” by American flutist, Edwin Rist. At the time of his crime, Rist was only 20 years old and Continue reading The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century The post The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist...|
The Complete Birds of the World: Every Species Illustrated is a monster of a book that lives up to its title. Based on the most up-to-date IOC list of birds (at the time of printing), there are 10,711 species included in this book. The birds span 40 orders, 246 families, and 2,313 genera. The format Continue reading The Complete Birds of the World: Every Species Illustrated The post The Complete Birds of the World: Every Species Illustrated appeared first on .|
Save Bell Bowl Prairie is a grassroots effort to protect an ancient, remnant gravel prairie called Bell Bowl Prairie. The prairie is modestly sized at 12-14 acres (reduced from 25 from recent construction). The most important area of this is only 4.88 acres. The prairie is located adjacent to the Chicago Rockford International Airport and Continue reading Save Bell Bowl Prairie, The Hidden Gem by the Chicago Rockford International Airport The post Save Bell Bowl Prairie, The Hidden Gem by the...|
The Insect Crisis: The Fall of the Tiny Empires That Run the World is a downer of a book that catalogs the massive decline amongst insects. Over the last several decades, nearly every single group of insects from butterflies to beetles, fireflies to bees has been in a downward spiral. Author Oliver Milman is a Continue reading The Insect Crisis: The Fall of the Tiny Empires That Run the World The post The Insect Crisis: The Fall of the Tiny Empires That Run the World appeared first on .|
Nature’s Temples: A Natural History of Old-Growth Forests by Joan Maloof was originally published in 2016 but has since been revised and expanded in 2023 by Princeton University Press. Joan Maloof, PhD, is the founder and director of the Old Growth Forest Network. This quick read starts out with the basics: “What is an Old Continue reading Nature’s Temples: A Natural History of Old-Growth Forests The post Nature’s Temples: A Natural History of Old-Growth Forests appeared first on .|
Princeton University Press’s Field Guide to North American Flycatchers: Empidonax and Pewees is definitely geared towards more serious birders. It includes the highly similar Empidonax flycatcher family as well as four pewees and Olive-Sided Flycatcher. The guide is split into two parts: How to Use the Guide and the Field Guide proper. How to Use Continue reading Field Guide to North American Flycatchers: Empidonax and Pewees The post Field Guide to North American Flycatchers: Empidonax and...|
Here in the Midwest we get a fair bit of snow. When the snow fills the rural fields, it pushes many birds out to the edge of the country roads. If you are newer to birding, you may be wondering, What are those birds by the road in winter? The three most common “shoulder” birds Continue reading What Are Those Birds By the Road in Winter? The post What Are Those Birds By the Road in Winter? appeared first on .|
How Birds Evolve: What Science Reveals About Their Origin, Lives & DiversityDouglas J. FutuymaPrinceton University Press (2021) Birds are one of the most fascinating group of animals. They have a great deal of diversity and live in nearly every habitat on the globe. Many have beautiful coloration, fascinating behavior, and beautiful voices. And of course, Continue reading How Birds Evolve: What Science Reveals about Their Origin, Lives, and Diversity The post How Birds Evolve: What Science Re...|
The River of the Mother of God: and Other Essays is a collection of Aldo Leopold’s least known writings. Many of these were previously published in periodicals or were presented as lectures. There are even a few book reviews included. However, a great deal of the essays were found after Leopold’s death in 1948 and Continue reading The River of the Mother of God: and Other Essays The post The River of the Mother of God: and Other Essays appeared first on .|
Habitats of the World: A Field Guide for Birders, Naturalists and Ecologists is a massive undertaking to showcase, in great detail, every single habitat type across the globe. It was produced by Iain Campbell, Ken Behrens, Charley Hesse, and Phil Chaon, all of whom are professional nature guides for Tropical Birding Tours. The book covers Continue reading Habitats of the World: A Field Guide for Birders, Naturalists and Ecologists The post Habitats of the World: A Field Guide for Birders, Nat...|
Borderlands Restoration Network is a conservation non-profit with a sound mission: “We partner to grow a restorative economy by rebuilding healthy ecosystems, restoring habitat for plants and wildlife, and reconnecting our border communities to the land through shared learning.” When the “borderlands” are referred to, we are always talking about the national boundary between the Continue reading Borderlands Restoration Network (Arizona) The post Borderlands Restoration Network (Ariz...|
The Forest: A Fable of America in the 1830s is a “historical imagining of life in the early United States”. Written artfully by Alexander Nemerov, this books consists of 57 beautiful vignettes about famous, infamous and obscure characters from the 1830s. Each episode is relatively short, but Nemerov’s writing is succinct and precise. Note that Continue reading The Forest – A Fable of America in the 1830s The post The Forest – A Fable of America in the 1830s appeared first on .|
The Hidden Company That Trees Keep: Life from Treetops to Root Tips by James B Nardi is an illustrated adventure that dives deep into the creatures that call a tree home. With over 350 illustrations, you can be sure to discover incredible insights into the complexity of a tree’s life force. Common animals like birds Continue reading The Hidden Company That Trees Keep: Life from Treetops to Root Tips The post The Hidden Company That Trees Keep: Life from Treetops to Root Tips appeared first ...|
Lost Animals – Extinction and the Photographic Record is the disheartening yet absolutely amazing work of Errol Fuller. This masterfully written book captures 28 extinct (or most-likely extinct) birds and mammals with highly researched text. But this is not merely another book bemoaning the loss of species. Included in the text are the photographic records Continue reading Lost Animals – Extinction and the Photographic Record The post Lost Animals – Extinction and the Photographic Recor...|
Mountain & Prairie Podcast is an exciting, well-crafted, long-form interview-based podcast from conservationist and western transplant, Ed Roberson. A current Colorado resident, Roberson interviews interesting artists, hunters, writers, historians, novelists, conservationists, activists, and more that live or focus their work on the west. Many of his guests reside in Big Sky country, the great state Continue reading Mountain & Prairie Podcast by Ed Roberson The post Mountain & Prairie Podcast...|
Chris Dombrowski’s The River You Touch – Making a Life On Moving Water is a memoir set in Montana and Michigan. As a poet and purveyor of literature, Dombrowski is a transplanted Midwesterner that discovers his love of Montana rivers. His memoir centers around raising a family while balancing careers as a writer and river Continue reading The River You Touch – Making a Life On Moving Water The post The River You Touch – Making a Life On Moving Water appeared first on .|
Wild New World: The Epic Story of Animals and People in America is Dan Flores’s latest natural history book about the wild animals of the past, present and future. With some overlapping of his wonderful book American Serengeti, Wild New World starts at the beginning of our current understanding of human history. In many ways, Continue reading Wild New World by Dan Flores The post Wild New World by Dan Flores appeared first on .|
Eager – The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter by Ben Goldfarb is, as the title declares, full of surprises. Beavers, those large, dam building mammals in the rodent family are not what you’d ever expect to be glamorous or captivating. But in many ways they are both. Through all my years Continue reading Eager – The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter The post Eager – The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter appeared first on .|
The Man Who Loved Birds is the extensively researched biography of Dr. Frank M. Chapman, a pioneering ornithologist from the late 19th century into the mid-20th century. Written by James T. Huffstodt, The Man Who Loved Birds is a fun read about a fascinating ornithologist that many birders may only know of him from starting Continue reading The Man Who Loved Birds – Frank M. Chapman The post The Man Who Loved Birds – Frank M. Chapman appeared first on .|
Conversations With Birds by Priyanka Kumar is a fun collection of essays about the author’s birding adventures. Born in India, Kumar moved to the United States and then lived in several states before landing in Santa Fe, New Mexico. A lover of outdoors, it took her longer to form a deep connection to birds, to Continue reading Conversations With Birds – Priyanka Kumar The post Conversations With Birds – Priyanka Kumar appeared first on .|
I discovered Richard Louv because of his wildly important book, Last Child in the Woods. Then I read The Nature Principle and Vitamin N. His 2019 book, Our Wild Calling: How Connecting with Animals Can Transform Our Lives—and Save Theirs continues to promote and persuade a love for nature and a love for nature education. Continue reading Our Wild Calling: How Connecting with Animals Can Transform Our Lives—and Save Theirs The post Our Wild Calling: How Connecting with Animals Can Transfor...|
