Forests and woodland Books

Book SynopsisFrom starting a fire to foraging for food, basket making to making a bird feeder, tree hugging and cloud scrying, this beautifully designed forest almanac is a treasure for anyone who loves the outdoors. Forest schools for kids originated in Scandinavia as outdoor play-based learning groups, and in 2016 The Forest School Foundation was established in the USA. But why should kids have all the fun? Connecting with green spaces, trees, and plants can lift our spirits, lower our stress levels, and relax our brains - in short, playing outside is good for adults, too. Forest School for Grown-Ups is here to help. A gorgeous and comprehensive guide to all things outdoors for anyone who loves being in and interacting with nature, readers will learn how to make a rope sing, go forest bathing, read flowers, build a campfire, and make a forest potion. From practical tips and how-tos to forest folklore, there's something for everyone. Exquisite lino cut art and illustrations run throughout, along with step-by-step instructions, diagrams, and more. Forest School for Grown-Ups provides the perfect resource for people of all ages to enjoy spending quality time outdoors. From starting a fire to foraging for food, basket making to making a bird feeder, tree hugging and cloud scrying, this beautifully designed forest almanac is a treasure for anyone who loves the outdoors. HANDY AND INFORMATIVE: Comprehensive collection of all things trees, loaded with practical content with a rich, powerful design, making it the perfect gift for anyone who loves the outdoors BEAUTIFUL AND DISTINCTIVE: Features unique handmade linocut art. FAMILY-FRIENDLY: Family-friendly, for all ages Perfect for: • Anyone who loves the outdoors, camping, trees, and nature • Father's Day, birthday, and holiday gift-givers

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Book SynopsisThis is a history of the trees, woodlands and forests of Scotland and of the people who used them.Trade ReviewBeautifully illustrated with photographs, prints, sketches and maps, and clearly written, this is a fascinating historical introduction to the complex association between people and woods in Scotland. A detailed, richly-illustrated exploration of the varied ways in which people have interacted with woodlands in Scotland...an enjoyable and seamless read, from which both specialists and general readers will profit. The writing is lively and uniform! well illustrated! highly recommended This is a milestone book, with a very readable summary in non-technical language of what we know about the history of woods and their relationship with people since the last ice age, 10,000 years ago ! This is a great book for people who share a fascination with woodlands and how they came to be like they are. Everyone who is interested in Scotland's woodlands should read it. This is an attractive publication with a nice cover design, and inside the eye is drawn immediately to some excellent colour plates. In addition there are also no less than 89 black and white plates and 17 figures .. .naturalists with an interest in environmental history will find it a worthwhile addition to their library Beautifully illustrated with photographs, prints, sketches and maps, and clearly written, this is a fascinating historical introduction to the complex association between people and woods in Scotland. A detailed, richly-illustrated exploration of the varied ways in which people have interacted with woodlands in Scotland...an enjoyable and seamless read, from which both specialists and general readers will profit. The writing is lively and uniform! well illustrated! highly recommended This is a milestone book, with a very readable summary in non-technical language of what we know about the history of woods and their relationship with people since the last ice age, 10,000 years ago ! This is a great book for people who share a fascination with woodlands and how they came to be like they are. Everyone who is interested in Scotland's woodlands should read it. This is an attractive publication with a nice cover design, and inside the eye is drawn immediately to some excellent colour plates. In addition there are also no less than 89 black and white plates and 17 figures .. .naturalists with an interest in environmental history will find it a worthwhile addition to their library

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Book SynopsisThis is a history of the trees, woodlands and forests of Scotland and of the people who used them.Trade ReviewBeautifully illustrated with photographs, prints, sketches and maps, and clearly written, this is a fascinating historical introduction to the complex association between people and woods in Scotland. Scottish Economic and Social History A detailed, richly-illustrated exploration of the varied ways in which people have interacted with woodlands in Scotland...an enjoyable and seamless read, from which both specialists and general readers will profit. Landscape History The writing is lively and uniform! well illustrated! highly recommended Choice This is a milestone book, with a very readable summary in non-technical language of what we know about the history of woods and their relationship with people since the last ice age, 10,000 years ago ! This is a great book for people who share a fascination with woodlands and how they came to be like they are. Everyone who is interested in Scotland's woodlands should read it. Reforesting Scotland This is an attractive publication with a nice cover design, and inside the eye is drawn immediately to some excellent colour plates. In addition there are also no less than 89 black and white plates and 17 figures .. .naturalists with an interest in environmental history will find it a worthwhile addition to their library BSS News Beautifully illustrated with photographs, prints, sketches and maps, and clearly written, this is a fascinating historical introduction to the complex association between people and woods in Scotland. A detailed, richly-illustrated exploration of the varied ways in which people have interacted with woodlands in Scotland...an enjoyable and seamless read, from which both specialists and general readers will profit. The writing is lively and uniform! well illustrated! highly recommended This is a milestone book, with a very readable summary in non-technical language of what we know about the history of woods and their relationship with people since the last ice age, 10,000 years ago ! This is a great book for people who share a fascination with woodlands and how they came to be like they are. Everyone who is interested in Scotland's woodlands should read it. This is an attractive publication with a nice cover design, and inside the eye is drawn immediately to some excellent colour plates. In addition there are also no less than 89 black and white plates and 17 figures .. .naturalists with an interest in environmental history will find it a worthwhile addition to their library

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Book SynopsisThe first modern history of Scottish woodlands from the time of Scotland's first settlement, focusing on the period 1500 to 1920.Trade ReviewThis book is a superb blend of social history, economic history and environmental history. -- Robert A. Lambert Journal of Scottish Historical Studies At last the light of scholarship is shed on the subject in this enthralling book... This past has been brilliantly recreated by TC Smout, Alan Macdonald and Fiona Watson, and perhaps we can now say that the importance of Scotland's native woodlands is beginning to be properly recognised. -- Hugh G Miller, Emeritus Professor of Forestry, University of Aberdeen The Review This book is a superb blend of social history, economic history and environmental history. At last the light of scholarship is shed on the subject in this enthralling book... This past has been brilliantly recreated by TC Smout, Alan Macdonald and Fiona Watson, and perhaps we can now say that the importance of Scotland's native woodlands is beginning to be properly recognised.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements; List of Black and White Maps; List of Black and White Figures; List of Colour Plates; List of Tables; 1 Introduction; 2 The Extent and Character of the Woods Before 1500; 3 The Extent and Character of the Woods, 1500-1920; 4 Woodland Produce; 5 Woodland as Pasture and Shelter; 6 Trading and Taking Wood Before 1800; 7 Managing the Woods Before 1770; 8 Outsiders and the Woods I: The Pinewoods; 9 Outsiders and the Woods II: Charcoal and Tanbark; 10 Woodland Management in an Industrial Economy, 1830-1920; and Beyond; 11 Rothiemurchus, 1650-1900; 12 The Navy, Holyrood and Strathcarron in the Seventeenth Century; 13 The Irish and Glenorchy, 1721-1740; 14 The MacDonald Woods on Skye, 1720-1920; 15 Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisBritain's great cloak of natural forest disappeared mostly in prehistoric times. Over the passage of time and by the industrial revolution, Britain's economy had become almost entirely dependent on timber imports from abroad. Shipping blockades in the First World War meant a frantic search for woodlands that could be cut down to make vital pit props and sawn wood for wartime construction. After the war, Britain's tree cover was near to an all-time low. Only since 1919 have practical measures been taken to reverse the long history of forest decline, and a hundred years of tree planting has seen the forest cover of Britain more than double. Today, tree planting in Britain is motivated more by environmental and social concerns than purely timber production.In Woods and People, David Foot reveals the story of twentieth-century forest creation, and the eureka moment in the 1980s that challenged foresters and conservationists to work together on new ideas.Trade Reviewan enjoyable, well-researched, well-written and thought-provoking bookvery interesting, informative and a pleasure to read . . . hard to put down -- George Holmes

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Book SynopsisWhere mountains meet ocean in Alaska's Alexander Archipelago, white skeletons of dead yellow cedar trees stand prominently amidst a verdant landscape of old-growth forests. Researchers spent nearly three decades deciphering the cause of the majestic species' death and uncovering climate change as the culprit. Lauren E. Oakes, a young scientist at Stanford University, was one of them. But even as she set to record the demise of a species, she soon found herself immersed in an even bigger, and totally unexpected, story: how the people of Alaska were adapting to the tree's disappearance, and how the tree itself, seemingly doomed, was adapting to a changing world. In Search of the Canary Tree is the story of six years that Oakes and her team spent in the Alaskan wilds, studying thousands of trees and saplings along the archipelago of southeast Alaska. Far from losing faith in the survival of our woodlands, she discovered the resiliency of forgotten forests, flourishing again after years of destruction and decomposition. And, through deep encounters with loggers, naturalists, Native weavers, and enthusiasts of the yellow cedar, Oakes discovered how the people of Alaska were determined to develop new relationships with the emerging environment. Where many scientists and commentators have found in climate change an unmitigated disaster, Oakes found beacons of hope even in the disorienting death of a species. Above all else, Oakes shows us that, although we can respond to climate change with either fear or denial, we can also find in it a new world, and one that doesn't necessarily have to be for the worst. Eloquent, insightful, and deeply heartening, In Search of the Canary Tree shows how human and natural resilience can help preserve ourselves, even in our rapidly changing world.

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Book SynopsisDiscover the secrets and beauty of the world’s rarest trees in this fantastic book filled with more than 300 color photographs. Did you know that the resin of the dragon tree was so prized that it was used and traded as medicine by the Roman Empire? Or that the Bornean ironwood is one of the only timbers dense enough to sink in water? Trees have adapted to thrive on steep mountains, high in cloud forests, on dry savannahs, in parched deserts, and in tropical wetlands. Our own human history—and our future—are interwoven with the trees that define the character and environments of our green planet. Rare Trees offers a stunning visual presentation of 60 of the most fascinating, bizarre, and threatened tree species on the planet, from conifers to magnolias to oaks. With color photographs showing trees and their most unusual features, maps of growing regions, callouts of memorable facts, and examples of poignant cultural and historical uses by Indigenous populations, Rare Trees will give everyone who loves trees an armchair tour of unique specimens from around the globe. You will be inspired to help preserve this critical canopy of life.

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Book Synopsis“An inspiring reminder of the incredible resource that is our public lands.” —Brendan Leonard, author of The Camping Life and Surviving the Great Outdoors Across 193 million acres of forests, mountains, deserts, watersheds, and grasslands, national forests provide a multitude of uses as diverse as America itself. They welcome 170 million visitors each year to hike, bike, paddle, ski, fish, and hunt. But “the people’s lands” offer more than just recreation. Lost habitats are recovered, timber is harvested, and endangered wildlife is protected as part of the Forest Service’s enduring mission. In Our National Forests, Greg Peters gives an inside look at America’s most important public lands and the people committed to protecting them and ensuring access for all. From the Forest Service growing millions of seedlings in the West each year, to their efforts to save the hellbender salamander in Appalachia, the story spans the breadth of the country and its diverse ecology. And people are at the center, whether the dedicated Forest Service members or the everyday citizens who support and tend to the protected lands near their homes. This complete look at America’s national forests—their triumphs, challenges, controversies, and vital programs—is a must-read for everyone interested in the history of America's most important public lands.

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Book SynopsisA field guide to the marvellously diverse creatures of the rainforest, this book includes information on 226 species. It identifies characteristics, similar species, vocalization, behaviour and natural history, geographic range, conservation status, local names and literature references.

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Book SynopsisLong-term Forest Dynamics Plots (FDPs) allow ecologists to explain patterns in diversity and dynamics in tropical forests around the world. In this collection, Elizabeth Losos and Egbert Giles Leigh Jr.

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Book SynopsisThis volume presents a comprehensive description and analysis of the animal community of the tropical rain forest at El Verde, Puerto Rico. The contributors weave the strands of information about the energy flow within the forest into a tool for understanding community dynamics known as a food web.

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Book SynopsisExperts from both the natural and social sciences provide vital information for understanding the interactions of forest peoples and forest resources in the lowland tropics of Central and South America. They investigate patterns of traditional resource use, evaluate existing research, and explore new directions for furthering the conservationist agenda.Table of Contents1. Traditional Peoples and the Biosphere: Framing the Issues and Defining the Terms, by Marianne Schmink, Kent H. Redford, and Christine Padoch I. Indigenous Peoples: Introduction, by Kent H. Redford and Christine Padoch 2. Interpreting and Applying the "Reality" of Indigenous Concepts: What is Necessary to Learn from the Natives?, by Darrell Addison Posey 3. People of the Fallow: A Historical Ecology of Foraging in Lowland South America, by William Balee 4. Traditional Productive Systems of the Awa (Cuaiquer) Indians of Southwestern Colombia and Neighboring Ecuador, by Jorge E. Orejuela 5. Resource Use, Traditional Technology, and Change Among Native Peoples of Lowland South America, by Hillard Kaplan and Kate Kopischke 6. Neotropical Indigenous Hunters and Their Neighbors: Siriono, Chimane, and Yuqui Hunting on the Bolivian Fronteir, by Allyn MacLean Stearman II. Folk Societies: Introduction, by Kent H. Redford and Christine Padoch 7. Caboclo and Ribereno Resource Management in Amazonia: A Review, by Mario Hiraoka 8. Diversity, Variation, and Change in Ribereno Agriculture, by Christine Padoch and Wil De Jong 9. The Logic of Extraction: Resource Management and Income Generation by Extractive Producers in the Amazon Estuary, by Anthony B. Anderson and Edviges Marta Ioris III. Case Studies of Resource Management Projects in Protected and Unprotected Areas: Institutional Perspectives: Introduction, by Kent H. Redford and Christine Padoch 10. Xateros, Chicleros, and Pimenteros: Harvesting Renewable Tropical Forest Resources in the Guatemalan Peten, by James D. Nations 11. The Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area of Belize, by F. William Burley 12. The Chimane Conservation Program in Beni, Bolivia: An Effort for Local Participation, by Liliana C. Campos Dudley 13. The Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve: Human Needs and Natural Resource Conservation in the Ecuadorian Amazon, by Flavio Coello Hinojosa 14. The Wildlands and Human Needs Program: Putting Rural Development to Work for Conservation, by Dennis Glick and Michael Wright 15. Building Institutions for Sustainable Development in Acre, Brazil, by Marianne Schmink IV. New Directions in Research and Action: Introduction, by Kent H. Redford and Christine Padoch 16. Amuesha Forest Use and Management: An Integration of Indigenous Use and Natural Forest Management, by Jan Salick 17. Incorporation of Game Animals into Small-Scale Agroforestry Systems in the Neotropics, by Kent H. Redford, Bert Klein, and Carolina Murcia 18. Common Property Resources in the Neotropics: Theory, Management Progress, and an Action Agenda, by Peter H. May 19. Valuing Land Uses in Amazonia: Colonist Agriculture, Cattle, and Petty Extraction in Comparative Perspective, by Susanne B. Hecht 20. Buying in the Forests: A New Program to Market Sustainably Collected Tropical Forest Products Protects Forest and Forest Residents, by Jason Clay 21. Neotropical Moist Forests: Priorities for the Next Two Decades, by Robert J.A. Goodland

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Book SynopsisBringing together leading scientists and professionals in tropical forest ecology and management, this book examines in detail the interplay between timber harvesting and wildlife, from invertebrates to large mammal species. Its contributors suggest modifications to existing practices that can ensure a better future for the tropics' valuable -- and invaluable -- resources.Trade ReviewConservation of biodiversity is not only a scientific issue but also one of economics. This book bridges the gaps and differing objectives very well, and gives a balanced treatment of a complex and volatile global issues. Biodiversity Will do much to encourage a more informed thoughtfulness by those who are in a position to interact with decision makers who guide and manage logging company practices...Well done! Northeastern NaturalistTable of ContentsLogging and Wildlife in the Tropics: Impacts and Options for Conservation, by Robert A. Fimbel, Alejandro Grajal, and John G. Robinson, with input from all co Rain Forest Logging and Wildlife Use in Bolivia: Management and Conservation in Transition, by Damian I. Rumiz and Fernando Aguilar The Economics of Sustainable Forest Management and Wildlife Conservation in Tropical Forests, by Neil Byron Can Forestry Carbon-Offset Projects Play a Significant Role in Conserving Forest Wildlife and Their Habitats?, by Elizabeth Losos Tropical Forest Management Certification and Wildlife Conservation, by Richard Z. Donovan Community-Based Timber Production: A Viable Strategy for Promoting Wildlife Conservation?, by Nick Salafsky, Max Henderson, and Mark Leighton Logging and Wildlife Research in Australasia: Implications for Tropical Forest Management, by William F. Laurance Protecting Habitat Elements and Natural Areas in the Managed Forest Matrix, by Bruce G. Marcot, R. E. Gullison, and James R. Barborak An Evolutionary Perspective on Natural Disturbance and Logging: Implications for Forest Management and Habitat Restoration, by Colin A. Chapman and Robert A. Fimbel Reducing the Impacts of Tropical Forestry on Wildlife, by Douglas J. Mason and Francis E. Putz Where Should Natural Forest Management Be Promoted to Conserve Wildlife?, by Peter C. Frumhoff and Elizabeth C. Losos Programs to Assess the Impacts of Timber Harvesting on Tropical Forest Wildlife and Their Habitat, by Robert A. Fimbel, Elizabeth L. Bennett, and Claire Kremen Natural Forest Management and Biodiversity Conservation: Field Study Design and Integration at the Operational Level, by Andrew Grieser Johns Defaunation Not Deforestation: Commercial Logging and Market Hunting in Northern Congo, by David S. Wilkie, J. G. Sidle, G. C. Boundzanga, P. Auzel, and S. Blake The Interrelationships of Commercial Logging Hunting and Wildlife in Sarawak: Recommendations for Forest Management, by Elizabeth L. Bennett and Melvin T. Gumal Logging and Hunting in Community Forests and Corporate Concessions: Two Contrasting Case Studies in Bolivia, by Damian I. Rumiz, Daniel Guinart S., Luciano Solar R., and Jose C. Herrera F. The Effects of Logging on Tropical River Ecosystems, by Catherine M. Pringle and Jonathan P. Benstead Soil Fauna in Managed Forests: Lessons from the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico, by Gerardo R. Camilo and Xiaoming Zou The Impacts of Selective Logging on Tropical Forest Invertebrates, by Jaboury Ghazoul and Jane Hill The Effects of Logging on Reptiles and Amphibians of Tropical Forests, by Laurie J. Vitt and Janalee P. Caldwell Bird Communities in Logged and Unlogged African Forests: Lessons from Uganda and Beyond, by Andrew Plumptre, Christine Dranzoa, and Isaiah Owiunji The Effects of Logging on Birds in Tropical Forests of Indo-Australia, by Mohamed Zakaria Bin Hussin and Charles M. Francis Tropical Forestry and the Conservation of Neotropical Birds, by Douglas J. Mason and Jean-Marc Thiollay The Consequences of Timber Exploitation for Bat Communities in Tropical America, by Pascual J. Soriano and Jose Ochoa G. The Effects of Logging on Nonvolant Small Mammal Communities in Neotropical Rain Forests, by Jose Ochoa G. and Pascual J. Soriano The Effects of Logging on Tropical Forest Ungulates, by Glyn Davies, Matt Heydon, Nigel Leader-Williams, John MacKinnon, and Helen Newin Changes in Primate Communities Following Logging Disturbance, by Andrew J. Plumptre and Andrew Grieser Johns Logging ,Seed Dispersal by Vertebrates, and Natural Regeneration of Tropical Timber Trees, by Patrick A. Jansen and Pieter A. Zuidema Tropical Forest Management and Wildlife: Silvicultural Effects on Forest Structure, Fruit Production, and Locomotion of Arboreal Mammals, by Francis E. Putz, Laura K. Sirot, and Michelle A. Pinard Logging-Wildlife Issues in the Tropics: An Overview, by Robert A. Fimbel, Alejandro Grajal, and John G. Robinson I. An Introduction to Forestry Wildlife Interactions in Tropical Forests II. Wildlife and Chainsaws: Direct Impact of Logging on Wildlife III. Hunting: A Major Indirect Impact of Logging on Game Species IV. Research to Integrate Natural Forest Management and Wildlife Conservation V. Forest Management Programs to Conserve Wildlife in Production Forest Landscapes VI. Incentives for Integrating Natural Forest Management and Wildlife Conservation VII. Synopsis

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Book SynopsisThomas K. Rudel examines a wide range of conservation and reforestation efforts to shed new light on the social factors that lead to success.Trade ReviewThis book analyzes the various ways forests are being restored, as illustrated by case studies from all over the world. Rudel eloquently argues that the success of interventions to conserve and expand forests depends on committed governments and nongovernmental organizations working together with local landholders. An essential book to help forests deliver global benefits for humanity, including climate change mitigation. -- Eric Lambin, George and Setsuko Ishiyama Provostial Professor, Stanford University and Professor, UCLouvainThomas Rudel is in a class of his own as a wide-ranging thinker and synthesizer of environmental research. Reforesting the Earth is a remarkably timely book that rings a note of optimism for our planet—forwarding the view that severely damaged ecosystems and their imperiled species can be dragged back from the edge of extinction. -- William F. Laurance, Distinguished Research Professor and Australian Laureate, James Cook UniversityReforesting the Earth demonstrates Rudel's ability to weave together a large amount of complex dynamics into a compelling narrative. This narrative makes a convincing case for the crucial role of compacts, or coalitions of actors, as effective agents to address forest conservation and restoration challenges within the broader context of land use, land tenure, inequality, and livelihoods issues. Linking explicitly to the questions of consumption and degrowth, this book provides an optimistic, forward-looking but lucid roadmap for activists' coalitions. -- Patrick Meyfroidt, UCLouvainHighly recommended. * Choice Reviews, the American Library Association (ALA) *Table of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgmentsList of Abbreviations1. Forests: A Natural Climate Solution2. Theory: Societal Transformations, Corporatism, and Forest Gains3. Forest Losses, the Conservation Movement, and Protected Areas4. Rural–Urban Migration, Land Abandonment, and the Spread of Secondary Forests5. Planted Forests: Concessions, Plantations, and the Strength of States6. Agroforests I: The Spread of Silvopastures7. Agroforests II: Restoring Agroforests in the Humid Tropics8. Resurgent Forests: A Qualitative Comparative Analysis9. A Global Forest Transition?GlossaryNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"An illuminating trek into the forests alongside highclimbers and other logging specialists. More importantly, it’s an examination of how politics, corporate boardrooms, and changing social attitudes and technology left many timber workers on the short end of the stick — and where things stand now. For all we who haven’t worked in the woods — and perhaps even for some who have — 'Strong Wind' is a fact-filled guidebook, with something interesting on every page." --Chinook Observer"Steven Beda's Strong Winds and Widow Makers is a wide-ranging and well-researched history of labor and the environment in Northwest timber country. . . . Beda presents a more nuanced account of the relationship timber workers have forged with the Northwest forests through several generations of living among them." --H-Net ReviewsTable of ContentsIntroduction: A Place in the Forest Part I: Place Chapter 1. “The New Empire” Chapter 2. “The Prodigal Yield of the Surrounding Hills” Chapter 3. “A Goodly Degree of Risk” Part II: Power Chapter 4. “Conservation . . . from the Guys Down Below” Chapter 5. “The Many Uses and Values of Forests” Part III: Problems Chapter 6. “Strong Winds and Widow Makers” Chapter 7. “Tie a Yellow Ribbon for the Working Man” Chapter 8. “We Keep Carbon-Eating Machines Healthy” Acknowledgments Notes Index

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Book Synopsis Winner of the 2022 Philip Taft Labor History Book Prize Often cast as villains in the Northwest''s environmental battles, timber workers in fact have a connection to the forest that goes far beyond jobs and economic issues. Steven C. Beda explores the complex true story of how and why timber-working communities have concerned themselves with the health and future of the woods surrounding them. Life experiences like hunting, fishing, foraging, and hiking imbued timber country with meanings and values that nurtured a deep sense of place in workers, their families, and their communities. This sense of place in turn shaped ideas about protection that sometimes clashed with the views of environmentalists--or the desires of employers. Beda''s sympathetic, in-depth look at the human beings whose lives are embedded in the woods helps us understand that timber communities fought not just to protect their livelihood, but because they saw the forest as a vital part of themTrade Review"An illuminating trek into the forests alongside highclimbers and other logging specialists. More importantly, it’s an examination of how politics, corporate boardrooms, and changing social attitudes and technology left many timber workers on the short end of the stick — and where things stand now. For all we who haven’t worked in the woods — and perhaps even for some who have — 'Strong Wind' is a fact-filled guidebook, with something interesting on every page." --Chinook Observer"Steven Beda's Strong Winds and Widow Makers is a wide-ranging and well-researched history of labor and the environment in Northwest timber country. . . . Beda presents a more nuanced account of the relationship timber workers have forged with the Northwest forests through several generations of living among them." --H-Net ReviewsTable of ContentsIntroduction: A Place in the Forest Part I: Place Chapter 1. “The New Empire” Chapter 2. “The Prodigal Yield of the Surrounding Hills” Chapter 3. “A Goodly Degree of Risk” Part II: Power Chapter 4. “Conservation . . . from the Guys Down Below” Chapter 5. “The Many Uses and Values of Forests” Part III: Problems Chapter 6. “Strong Winds and Widow Makers” Chapter 7. “Tie a Yellow Ribbon for the Working Man” Chapter 8. “We Keep Carbon-Eating Machines Healthy” Acknowledgments Notes Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"[O]ne of the most interesting books for understanding the Chinese system of timber trade during the Qing era. Zhang's book can be useful to us today because we are living in a time of deforestation of the Amazon, climate change, and problems with the actual economic system. The explanation provided by Zhang might be part of the solution for shaping humanity's common future." * H-Net *"Zhang's work is superlative... [T]his remarkable book belongs on the shelves and syllabi of any scholar interested in the economical and environmental history of early modern China." * Journal of Asian Studies *"For the reader unfamiliar with the details of imperial Chinese political economy, this is a work that is attentive to what you need to know. For the specialist it is skilled in logical weaving together of the impact of a complex set of institutions and practices. This should encourage wide readerhip among comparative historians as well as China scholars." * Journal of Chinese History *"This carefully constructed study makes a major contribution to Chinese economic and environmental history and to world-historical discourses on resource management, early modern commercialization, and sustainable development." * New Books Network *"At a time when the market has been seen as a main culprit for resource degeneration, Zhang’s study offers an important opportunity for us to reconsider the market–resource relationship. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in Chinese history, economic and environmental history, Chinese geography, resource management, sustainable forestry, market–environment relationships, and related topics." * China Review International *"Advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and scholars of early capitalism, regional political economy, historical resource economics, and the convergence of ecology and economics (a new Oikonomics?) will gain much from a careful, critical, and comparative reading of this remarkable and challenging book." * Environmental History *"Offering vivid insights into labourers, who played a crucial role in different stages of timber production, such as cutting, processing, and transportation, Zhang’s book fills a gap in current knowledge about the history of forest labourers." * International Review of Social History *"[An] original and fascinating new perspective on forest history in China…Scholars and students of global and East Asian environmental, forest, and economic history will find [this] new and insightful analysis very useful." * Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies *"An impressive and careful study of a subject unexplored in English. [Meng Zhang's] insights into the role of market forces in environmental management make a vital contribution to the field of environmental history." * American Historical Review *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"[O]ne of the most interesting books for understanding the Chinese system of timber trade during the Qing era. Zhang's book can be useful to us today because we are living in a time of deforestation of the Amazon, climate change, and problems with the actual economic system. The explanation provided by Zhang might be part of the solution for shaping humanity's common future." * H-Net *"Zhang's work is superlative... [T]his remarkable book belongs on the shelves and syllabi of any scholar interested in the economical and environmental history of early modern China." * Journal of Asian Studies *"For the reader unfamiliar with the details of imperial Chinese political economy, this is a work that is attentive to what you need to know. For the specialist it is skilled in logical weaving together of the impact of a complex set of institutions and practices. This should encourage wide readerhip among comparative historians as well as China scholars." * Journal of Chinese History *"This carefully constructed study makes a major contribution to Chinese economic and environmental history and to world-historical discourses on resource management, early modern commercialization, and sustainable development." * New Books Network *"At a time when the market has been seen as a main culprit for resource degeneration, Zhang’s study offers an important opportunity for us to reconsider the market–resource relationship. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in Chinese history, economic and environmental history, Chinese geography, resource management, sustainable forestry, market–environment relationships, and related topics." * China Review International *"Advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and scholars of early capitalism, regional political economy, historical resource economics, and the convergence of ecology and economics (a new Oikonomics?) will gain much from a careful, critical, and comparative reading of this remarkable and challenging book." * Environmental History *"Offering vivid insights into labourers, who played a crucial role in different stages of timber production, such as cutting, processing, and transportation, Zhang’s book fills a gap in current knowledge about the history of forest labourers." * International Review of Social History *"[An] original and fascinating new perspective on forest history in China…Scholars and students of global and East Asian environmental, forest, and economic history will find [this] new and insightful analysis very useful." * Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies *"An impressive and careful study of a subject unexplored in English. [Meng Zhang's] insights into the role of market forces in environmental management make a vital contribution to the field of environmental history." * American Historical Review *

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