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Birds and Us: A 12,000-Year History from Cave Art to Conservation
by Tim BirkheadFrom award-winning author and ornithologist Tim Birkhead, a sweeping history of the long and close relationship between birds and humansSince the dawn of human history, birds have stirred our imagination, inspiring and challenging our ideas about science, faith, art, and philosophy. We have worshipped birds as gods, hunted them for sustenance, adorned ourselves with their feathers, studied their wings to engineer flight, and, more recently, attempted to protect them. In Birds and Us, award-winning writer and ornithologist Tim Birkhead takes us on a dazzling epic journey through our mutual history with birds, from the ibises mummified and deified by Ancient Egyptians to the Renaissance fascination with woodpecker anatomy—and from the Victorian obsession with egg collecting to today’s fight to save endangered species and restore their habitats.Spanning continents and millennia, Birds and Us chronicles the beginnings of a written history of birds in ancient Greece and Rome, the obsession with falconry in the Middle Ages, and the development of ornithological science. Moving to the twentieth century, the book tells the story of the emergence of birdwatching and the field study of birds, and how they triggered an extraordinary flowering of knowledge and empathy for birds, eventually leading to today’s massive worldwide interest in birds—and the realization of the urgent need to save them.Weaving in stories from Birkhead’s life as scientist, including far-flung expeditions to wondrous Neolithic caves in Spain and the bustling guillemot colonies of the Faroe Islands, this rich and fascinating book is an unforgettable account of how birds have shaped us, and how we have shaped them.
Birds as Useful Indicators of High Nature Value Farmlands: Using Species Distribution Models as a Tool for Monitoring the Health of Agro-ecosystems
by Federico Morelli Piotr TryjanowskiThis book helps to establish a simple framework to identify and use bird species as a bioindicator for high nature value (HNV) farmlands. This book focuses on suitable methods for monitoring the HNV areas, and presents the results of several case studies. The chapters put forward ways to integrate ecosystems assessment, geographical information systems (GIS) and strategies for conservation of local biodiversity. An innovative framework focuses on the use of species distribution models (SDMs) in order to explore the importance of each characteristic of HNV farmlands. Furthermore, the book examines the relationships among bird species richness, land use diversity and landscape metrics at a local scale in the farmlands.
Birds for Kids: A Junior Scientist's Guide to Owls, Eagles, Penguins, and Other Bird Species (Junior Scientists)
by Melissa MayntzExplore the wild and wonderful world of birds with the Junior Scientists series for kids ages 6 to 9From tiny hummingbirds to powerful eagles and everything in between—our planet is home to so many beautifully feathered friends! This big book of birds is packed with tons of cool facts and colorful photos that offer a fascinating peek into their lives. It's written especially for curious new readers, with engaging trivia and age-appropriate language that lets kids read and explore independently as they learn all about birds!35 birds to meet— Kids will discover a variety of bird species like flamingos, penguins, and barn swallows, and find out what they look like, where they live, what they eat, and more.Fun facts—Keep young readers fascinated with cool facts about how baby birds are born, if birds can get lost when they fly, and which water bird eats baby alligators!Learning in action— You'll even find some activities to try, like helping your child measure their own wingspan, build a nest, and spotting your backyard birds.Get ready for an exciting journey through the lives of our beaked buddies in this ultimate bird book for kids.
Birds in Winter: Surviving the Most Challenging Season
by Roger F. PasquierHow birds have evolved and adapted to survive winterBirds in Winter is the first book devoted to the ecology and behavior of birds during this most challenging season. Birds remaining in regions with cold weather must cope with much shorter days to find food and shelter even as they need to avoid predators and stay warm through the long nights, while migrants to the tropics must fit into very different ecosystems and communities of resident birds. Roger Pasquier explores how winter affects birds’ lives all through the year, starting in late summer, when some begin caching food to retrieve months later and others form social groups lasting into the next spring. During winter some birds are already pairing up for the following breeding season, so health through the winter contributes to nesting success.Today, rapidly advancing technologies are enabling scientists to track individual birds through their daily and annual movements at home and across oceans and hemispheres, revealing new and unexpected information about their lives and interactions. But, as Birds in Winter shows, much is visible to any interested observer. Pasquier describes the season’s distinct conservation challenges for birds that winter where they have bred and for migrants to distant regions. Finally, global warming is altering the nature of winter itself. Whether birds that have evolved over millennia to survive this season can now adjust to a rapidly changing climate is a problem all people who enjoy watching them must consider.Filled with elegant line drawings by artist and illustrator Margaret La Farge, Birds in Winter describes how winter influences the lives of birds from the poles to the equator.
Birds of Arizona and New Mexico (A Timber Press Field Guide)
by Melissa Fratello Steven PragerIdentify and discover the inner lives of birds with this easy to use full-color guidebook.Birds of Arizona and New Mexico is a comprehensive field guide to commonly found birds in the American Southwest. Authors Melissa Fratello and Steven Prager speak to a new generation of birders, offering a unique perspective and approach to birding that prioritizes accessibility and inclusion. They also cover the region&’s unique issues, such as birding on tribal land, and birding along the Southern Border. Birds of Arizona and New Mexico will delight both experienced and aspiring birders with: ·Coverage of Arizona, New Mexico, and their border regions ·Illustrated descriptions of nearly 400 bird species ·800+ spectacular photographs of relevant plumages and birds in flight ·Individual range maps showing seasonal and migratory patterns ·And much more!
Birds of Passage: Hunting and Conservation in Malta (Environmental Anthropology and Ethnobiology #25)
by Mark-Anthony FalzonBird migration between Europe and Africa is a fraught journey, particularly in the Mediterranean, where migratory birds are shot and trapped in large numbers. In Malta, thousands of hunters share a shrinking countryside. They also rub shoulders with a strong bird-protection and conservation lobby. Drawing on years of ethnographic fieldwork, this book traces the complex interactions between hunters, birds and the landscapes they inhabit, as well as the dynamics and politics of bird conservation. Birds of Passage looks at the practice and meaning of hunting in a specific context, and raises broader questions about human-wildlife interactions and the uncertain outcomes of conservation.
Birds of Passage: Hunting and Conservation in Malta (Environmental Anthropology and Ethnobiology #25)
by Mark-Anthony FalzonBird migration between Europe and Africa is a fraught journey, particularly in the Mediterranean, where migratory birds are shot and trapped in large numbers. In Malta, thousands of hunters share a shrinking countryside. They also rub shoulders with a strong bird-protection and conservation lobby. Drawing on years of ethnographic fieldwork, this book traces the complex interactions between hunters, birds and the landscapes they inhabit, as well as the dynamics and politics of bird conservation. Birds of Passage looks at the practice and meaning of hunting in a specific context, and raises broader questions about human-wildlife interactions and the uncertain outcomes of conservation.
Birds of Prey Rescue: Changing the Future for Endangered Wildlife
by Pamela HickmanBirds of prey, otherwise known as raptors, have been respected and admired yet also feared and loathed throughout their existence. They are meat-eating birds and extremely well-equipped for the hunt, with powerful eyesight, ultra-sensitive hearing, and sharp talons. Despite these apparent advantages, many birds of prey species are seriously endangered or threatened.This latest addition to the Firefly Animal Rescue series profiles the dedicated people and projects around the world helping raptors to survive, including: The Philippine Eagle Foundation that is bringing the Philippine eagle back from the brink of extinction; Lindsay Oaks, an American microbiologist, who helped discover what is killing vultures in Asia; Sophie Osborn, who monitors released California condors; The biologists using Peregrine falcons as "foster parents" for the young of the endangered South American aplomado falcon. Illustrated with 50 spectacular color photographs, Birds of Prey Rescue also addresses the general biological issues and challenges in preserving a future for endangered wildlife.
Birds of Prey: Biology and conservation in the XXI century
by José Hernán Sarasola Juan Manuel Grande Juan José NegroThis book will provide the state-of-the-art on most of the topics involved in the ecology and conservation of birds of prey. With chapters authored by the most recognized and prestigious researchers on each of the fields, this book will become an authorized reference volume for raptor biologists and researchers around the world.
Birds of a Feather
by Paul FournierIn this new collection, Maine guide, bush pilot, journalist, and professional photographer Paul Fournier spins more stories of the wild outdoors in the inimitable style that earned him the Best Book of 2011 Award from the New England Outdoor Writers Association for Tales from Misery Ridge. In the title essay, Fournier tells the fascinating story of how devoted scientists, citizens, and outdoor professionals brought back the bald eagle in Maine one nesting pair at a time. Other tales strike a similar vein: a group of volunteers and biologists strive to save the rare Arctic char in a remote Maine lake, the author attempts to spy a cougar in Maine, and he and a friend find a daring way to film a world famous clowning skier's downhill run in one "take." Among his adventures and misadventures over the decades, Fournier covers the Sonny Liston/Mohammed Ali fight in Lewiston, gets perilously close to a rutting moose, and witnesses how a pair of deer poachers are literally caught in their own trap. Experienced outdoorsmen in particular will nod with appreciation and pleasure at the author's experiences, and armchair explorers will enjoy his entertaining essays about the strange habits of forest fauna. This diverse collection of stories finds its unity in the author's humor, authority, and love of his subjects: Maine and its wild and civilized inhabitants, whether they climb, slink, swim, fly--or walk on two feet.
Birds, Beasts and Bedlam: Turning My Farm into an Ark for Lost Species
by Derek Gow"Gow has a fire in his belly. We need more like him."—BBC Wildlife magazine "[Gow is] a wonderful storyteller, wisely allowing his animals (and considerable bedlam) to take center stage. His stories can be bawdy, laugh-out-loud funny, poignant, or even depressing, but they're never dull."—Booklist Birds, Beasts and Bedlam recounts the adventures of farmer-turned-rewilder Derek Gow, who is saving Britain’s much-loved but dangerously threatened species, from the water vole to beaver, wildcat to white stork, and tree frog to glow worm. Derek tells us all about the realities of rewilding; how he reared delicate roe deer and a sofa-loving wild boar piglet, moved a raging bison bull across the country, got bitten by a Scottish wildcat, returned honking skeins of graylag geese to the land and water that was once theirs, and restored the white stork to the Knepp Estate with Charlie Burrell and Isabella Tree. Derek’s first book, Bringing Back the Beaver, was a riotously funny and subversive account of his single-handed reintroduction of the beaver in Britain. Birds, Beasts and Bedlam, a natural successor to Gerald Durrell’s A Zoo in My Luggage, tells the story of Derek’s rewilding journey and his work to save many more species by transforming his Devon farm into a wildlife breeding center. He now houses beavers, white storks, water voles, lynx, wildcats, and harvest mice, with the aim of releasing them into the wild one day. Tearing down fences literally and metaphorically, Derek Gow is the one person with the character and strength of will to defy authority, bend the rules—and save our wildlife. "Gow reinvents what it means to be a guardian of the countryside."—The Guardian "The radical rewilder."—The Times "Derek Gow wants his farm to be a breeding colony, a seedbed for a denuded island."—The New Yorker
Birds, Beasts and Bedlam: Turning My Farm into an Ark for Lost Species
by Derek Gow&“Courageous, visionary, funny.&”—Isabella Tree&“One of the most remarkable figures in British conservation.&”—Observer&“Gow reinvents what it means to be a guardian of the countryside.&”—GuardianBirds, Beasts and Bedlam recounts the adventures of Britain&’s favorite maverick rewilder, Derek Gow, and his single-minded mission to save our rarest wildlife—one species at a time.Author of Bringing Back the Beaver and Hunt for the Shadow Wolf, Derek shares his personal, courageous, and highly entertaining tales in Birds, Beasts and Bedlam, including how he raised a sofa-loving wild boar piglet, transported a raging bison bull across the UK, got bitten by a Scottish wildcat, and, together with Isabella Tree and Charlie Burrell, restored the ancient white stork to the pioneering Knepp Estate.After a Shetland ewe captured his heart as a boy, Derek grew up to become a farmer with a passion for ancient breeds. When he realized how many of our species were close to extinction—even on his own land—Derek tore down fences literally and metaphorically, transforming his traditional Devon farm into a 300-acre rewilding haven for beavers, water voles, lynx, wildcats, harvest mice, wild boar, and more. A project that is still ongoing today.Birds, Beasts and Bedlam continues the rich tradition of great British nature writing. Passionate, subversive, and unforgettable, it will leave you inspired to support rewilding efforts around the world, in your community, and even in your backyard.&“A do-er, not a dreamer, Gow has become one of our most outspoken rewilders.&”—Countryfile Magazine&“In this warm and funny autobiography, [Gow] writes with a whimsical fluency about the moments of humour and pathos in an unusual life.&”—Country Life&“Gow has a fire in his belly. We need more like him.&”―BBC Wildlife magazine&“[Gow&’s] stories can be bawdy, laugh-out-loud funny, poignant, or even depressing, but they&’re never dull.&”―Booklist
Birdsong For The Curious Naturalist: Your Guide to Listening
by Donald KroodsmaBirdsong made easy to understand, lavishly illustrated with color photos, and accompanied by more than 700 online recordings From a leading expert, Birdsong for the Curious Naturalist is a basic, how-to guide that teaches anyone—from beginner to advanced birder—how to listen. In understandable and appealing language, Kroodsma explains why and how birds sing, what various calls mean, and what to listen for from the birds around us. The descriptions are accompanied by color photos of the birds, as well as QR codes that link to an online collection of more than 700 recordings. With these resources, readers are prepared to recognize bird sounds and the birds that make them. Kroodsma encourages readers to find the joy of birdsong and curiosity—to observe, listen intently, be curious, ask questions, and realize that many unanswered questions about birdsong don&’t have to rely on scientists for answers but can be answered by any curious naturalist.
Birth of Scientific Ecology: Eugenius Warming (1841 - 1924)
by Patrick MatagneThis book presents a biography of the Danish botanist Eugen Warming. As the author of a treatise on ecology that brought him international recognition, he was able to inspire the first generation of 20th-century European and American ecologists. His innovative approach to nature and his Arctic and tropical missions heralded the birth of a new science and an ecological awareness. As a professor at several Scandinavian universities during a period of intense debate and controversy over evolutionary theories, Eugen Warming vigorously asserted his convictions. Birth of Scientific Ecology presents the image of a man of knowledge and power, recognized by his contemporaries as a founder of ecology and a player in the ecological project of the Kingdom of Denmark at a time when the empires were clashing.
Birth of the Shinkansen: The Origin Story of the World-First Bullet Train
by Tetsuo ShimomaeThis book discusses the Shinkansen, the world's first high-speed railway, which was born in Japan in 1964 and how it has developed up to the present day. In the 1950s, some European railways were trying to increase the commercial operating speed up to 160 km/h, and it was considered difficult to raise it to 200 km/h. Japanese engineers with excellent engineering ability post World War ll moved from the military to the railways to overcome the technological challenges realizing the high-speed railways using new approaches. The book discusses the technological barriers in speeding up the railway at that time and how these engineers overcame them in non-computer days. In the five decades since the Shinkansen began operating, there have been significant developments enabling high-speed, safe, and frequent train operation with high punctuality while conserving the environment. The book also describes today’s highly evolved Shinkansen. The Shinkansen, which runs 440,000 km a day, has carried 13.3 billion people without a single fatality in 56 years. The book overviews factors that contributed to the Shinkansen’s high safety record. This book is an excellent guide for those interested in the history of the world’s first high-speed railway.
Birthright
by Stephen R. KellertHuman health and well-being are inextricably linked to nature; our connection to the natural world is part of our biological inheritance. In this engaging book, a pioneer in the field of biophilia--the study of human beings' inherent affinity for nature--sets forth the first full account of nature's powerful influence on the quality of our lives. Stephen Kellert asserts that our capacities to think, feel, communicate, create, and find meaning in life all depend upon our relationship to nature. And yet our increasing disconnection and alienation from the natural world reflect how seriously we have undervalued its important role in our lives.Weaving scientific findings together with personal experiences and perspectives, Kellert explores specific human tendencies--including affection, aversion, intellect, control, aesthetics, exploitation, spirituality, and communication--to discover how they are influenced by our relationship with nature. He observes that a beneficial relationship with the natural world is an instinctual inclination, but must be earned. He discusses how we can restore the balance in our relationship by means of changes in childhood development, education, conservation, building design, ethics, and everyday life. Kellert's moving book provides exactly what is needed now: a fresh understanding of how much our essential humanity relies on being a part of the natural world.
Biscayne National Park (Images of Modern America)
by James A. Kushlan Kirsten HinesBiscayne National Park protects the larger portion of south Florida�s Biscayne Bay, a uniquely tropical lagoon harboring crocodiles, manatees, dolphins, and Caribbean fish. Tropical trees cover its islands, while the world�s fourth-longest coral reef sits offshore. Native Americans lived here thousands of years ago; the Spanish held it for 200 years. Hundreds of ships foundered on the reef, fueling a lucrative wrecking industry. In the late 1800s, hardy homesteaders created an agricultural and fishing community. In the 1920s and 1930s, it became a playground for the newly rich and famous. Bracketed by Miami and Key Biscayne to the north and Key Largo to the south, the nearby population eventually grew to over 2.5 million residents and over 14 million annual visitors. To protect these unique natural and historical resources and to assure its enjoyment by future generations, a half century ago, the federal government created Biscayne National Monument, which later became Biscayne National Park.
Bison: Community Builders and Grassland Caretakers (Orca Wild)
by Frances BackhouseBison are North America’s largest land animals. Some 170,000 wood bison once roamed northern regions, while at least 30 million plains bison trekked across the rest of the continent. Almost driven to extinction in the 1800s by decades of slaughter and hunting, this ecological and cultural keystone species supports biodiversity and strengthens the ecosystems around it. Bison: Community Builders and Grassland Caretakers celebrates the traditions and teachings of Indigenous Peoples and looks at how bison lovers of all backgrounds came together to save these iconic animals. Learn about the places where bison are regaining a hoof-hold and meet some of the young people who are welcoming bison back home. The epub edition of this title is fully accessible. Praise for Frances Backhouse: ★"An important book for helping kids see past the sterotypes of terrifying grizzly bears and join the call for conservation."—School Library Journal, starred review for Grizzly Bears "The impressively comprehensive text is chatty and entertaining...This illuminating avian introduction is sure to make an owl out of anyone."—Booklist, review for Owls "An engaging book that will leave readers spouting facts about beavers. Students will have a new appreciation for these innovative builders and their significant impact on the landscape and ecosystems of North America."—School Library Journal, review for Beavers
Bizarre Weather
by Joanne O'SullivanThis is weather beyond your wildest imagination--yet it's all true: showers of worms from the sky, watermelon snow, gory storms, and other freakish and fun phenomena! These stories are anything but ordinary, and they will leave you stunned, horrified, amazed, and sometimes even amused at the incredible things nature can do. Gathered from historic records, present-day news reports and research studies, and spanning the globe from the Sahara to the tundra to the USA, they reveal just how volatile and bizarre weather can be.Find out about supersized hailstones as big as bowling balls; fish raining from the sky; the never-ending lightning that has become a UNESCO National Heritage Site; and fog so thick it killed hundreds of people in a single day. And if that isn't strange enough for you, there are terrible typhoons and tsunamis, tornadoes that have carried people into the air, temperatures that soared over 49 degrees in two minutes, and even cyclones that have raised ships buried for over a century. Scientists can explain how and why some of these things happen--but other events remain a mystery.
Black Africa 1945-1980: Economic Decolonization and Arrested Development (Routledge Library Editions: Development)
by D K FieldhouseIn what ways did economic considerations affect the decision by Britain and France to make their Black African colonies independent? Why were early expectations that independence would lead to rapid and sustained economic development in Africa for the most part disappointed? This title, originally published in 1986, seeks to tackle these two important and strongly debated issues. The main aim and value of the book is to take a broad view of this huge subject, pulling together material on most parts of Black Africa south of the Sahara and north of the Limpopo so that the problem can be seen as a whole. It takes account of a wide range of possible and actual factors which have influenced African economic development, weaving them into a single analysis, including the colonial inheritance, the impact of the fluctuating international economy, policies adopted by African governments and indigenous factors such as climate, drought and human resources. The book is written to be understood without difficulty by non-specialists and is intended to act as an introduction to its subject for university students.
Black Bear: North America's Bear
by Stephen R. SwinburneThree species of bear inhabit North America: the grizzly, the polar bear, and the black bear. But the American black bear is truly North America's bear, found only in North America. Black bears range from Canada to Mexico, from New England to California. There may be as many as 750,000 black bears roaming the forests and mountains of the continent. With its large population, and with more people moving into black bear territory, it's important that we understand this magnificent animal. <P><P> Stephen R. Swinburne takes us to where black bears live. He joins biologists in search of bears in the Pennsylvania woods, where a mother bear is examined and her cubs tagged. He visits a "school teacher" for orphaned cubs who teaches them how to survive in the wild. Along the way, he offers his personal observations together with fascinating facts about black bears and their world. (Did you know that in the autumn, black bears consume as much as twenty thousand calories a day? That's equivalent to forty-two hamburgers!) <P><P> With stunning full-color and archival photographs, this lively book shows how North America's bear behaves and survives.
Black Earth Wisdom: Soulful Conversations with Black Environmentalists
by Leah PennimanA soulful collection of illuminating essays and interviews that explore Black people’s spiritual and scientific connection to the land, waters, and climate, curated by the acclaimed author of Farming While BlackAuthor of Farming While Black and co-founder of Soul Fire Farm, Leah Penniman reminds us that ecological humility is an intrinsic part of Black cultural heritage. While racial capitalism has attempted to sever our connection to the sacred earth for 400 years, Black people have long seen the land and water as family and understood the intrinsic value of nature.This thought-provoking anthology brings together today’s most respected and influential Black environmentalist voices —leaders who have cultivated the skill of listening to the Earth —to share the lessons they have learned. These varied and distinguished experts include Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning author Alice Walker; the first Queen Mother and official spokesperson for the Gullah/Geechee Nation, Queen Quet; marine biologist, policy expert, and founder and president of Ocean Collectiv, Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson; and the Executive Director of the North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers, Land Loss Prevention Project, Savi Horne. In Black Earth Wisdom, they address the essential connection between nature and our survival and how runaway consumption and corporate insatiability are harming the earth and every facet of American society, engendering racial violence, food apartheid, and climate injustice.Those whose skin is the color of soil are reviving their ancestral and ancient practice of listening to the earth for guidance. Penniman makes clear that the fight for racial and environmental justice demands that people put our planet first and defer to nature as our ultimate teacher.Contributors include:Alice Walker • adrienne maree brown • Dr. Ross Gay • Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson • Rue Mapp • Dr. Carolyn Finney • Audrey Peterman • Awise Agbaye Wande Abimbola • Ibrahim Abdul-Matin • Kendra Pierre-Louis • Latria Graham • Dr. Lauret Savoy •Ira Wallace • Savi Horne • Dr. Claudia Ford • Dr. J. Drew Lanham • Dr. Leni Sorensen • Queen Quet • Toshi Reagon • Yeye Luisah Teish • Yonnette Fleming • Naima Penniman • Angelou Ezeilo • James Edward Mills • Teresa Baker • Pandora Thomas • Toi Scott • Aleya Fraser • Chris Bolden-Newsome • Dr. Joshua Bennett • B. Anderson • Chris Hill • Greg Watson • T. Morgan Dixon • Dr. Dorceta Taylor • Colette Pichon Battle • Dillon Bernard • Sharon Lavigne • Steve Curwood • and Babalawo Enroue Halfkenny
Black Faces, White Spaces
by Carolyn FinneyWhy are African Americans so underrepresented when it comes to interest in nature, outdoor recreation, and environmentalism? In this thought-provoking study, Carolyn Finney looks beyond the discourse of the environmental justice movement to examine how the natural environment has been understood, commodified, and represented by both white and black Americans. Bridging the fields of environmental history, cultural studies, critical race studies, and geography, Finney argues that the legacies of slavery, Jim Crow, and racial violence have shaped cultural understandings of the "great outdoors" and determined who should and can have access to natural spaces. Drawing on a variety of sources from film, literature, and popular culture, and analyzing different historical moments, including the establishment of the Wilderness Act in 1964 and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Finney reveals the perceived and real ways in which nature and the environment are racialized in America. Looking toward the future, she also highlights the work of African Americans who are opening doors to greater participation in environmental and conservation concerns.
Black Gold: The Story of Oil in Our Lives
by Albert MarrinOil is not pretty, but it is a resource that drives the modern world. It has made fortunes for the lucky few and provided jobs for millions of ordinary folks. <P><P>Thick and slippery, crude oil has an evil smell. Yet without it, life as we live it today would be impossible. Oil fuels our engines, heats our homes, and powers the machines that make the everyday things we take for granted, from shopping bags to computers to medical equipment. Nations throughout the last century have gone to war over it. Indeed, oil influences every aspect of modern life. It helps shape the history, society, politics, and economy of every nation on earth. <P><P>This riveting new book explores what oil is and the role this precious resource has played in America and the world.
Black Hills National Forest: Harney Peak and the Historic Fire Lookout Towers
by Jan Cerney Roberta SagoOnce vital to fire prevention and detection, most of the Black Hills National Forest historic lookout towers now serve primarily as hiking destinations. The first crude lookout structures were built at Custer Peak and Harney Peak in 1911. Since that time, more than 20 towers have been constructed in the area. The first lookout towers were built of wood, most replaced by steel or stone. The Civilian Conservation Corps was instrumental in constructing fire towers during the 1930s and 1940s. One of the most famous and architecturally and aesthetically valued towers is the Harney Peak Fire Lookout--situated on the highest point east of the Rocky Mountains. Harney Peak is among a number of Black Hills towers listed on the National Historic Lookout Register. Over 200 vintage images tell the story of not only the historic fire towers but those who manned them. Perched atop high peaks in remote locations, fire lookout personnel spent countless hours scanning the forest, pinpointing dangers, often experiencing the powerful wrath of lightning strong enough to jolt them off their lightning stools.