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The disappearance of China’s naturally occurring forests is one of the most significant environmental shifts in the country’s history, one often blamed on imperial demand for lumber. China’s early modern forest history is typically viewed as a centuries-long process of environmental decline, culminating in a nineteenth-century social and ecological crisis. Pushing back against this narrative of deforestation, Ian Miller charts the rise of timber plantations between about 1000 and 1700, when natural forests were replaced with anthropogenic ones. Miller demonstrates that this form of forest management generally rested on private ownership under relatively distant state oversight and taxation. He further draws on in-depth case studies of shipbuilding and imperial logging to argue that this novel landscape was not created through simple extractive pressures, but by attempts to incorporate institutional and ecological complexity into a unified imperial state.Miller uses the emergence of anthropogenic forests in south China to rethink both temporal and spatial frameworks for Chinese history and the nature of Chinese empire. Because dominant European forestry models do not neatly overlap with the non-Western world, China’s history is often left out of global conversations about them; Miller’s work rectifies this omission and suggests that in some ways, China’s forest system may have worked better than the more familiar European institutions.
The Great Quake Debate
In the first half of the twentieth century, when seismology was still in in its infancy, renowned geologist Bailey Willis faced off with fellow high-profile scientist Robert T. Hill in a debate with life-or-death consequences for the millions of people migrating west. Their conflict centered on a consequential question: Is southern California earthquake country?These entwined biographies of Hill and Willis offer a lively, accessible account of the ways that politics and financial interests influenced the development of earthquake science. During this period of debate, severe quakes in Santa Barbara (1925) and Long Beach (1933) caused scores of deaths and a significant amount of damage, offering turning points for scientific knowledge and mainstreaming the idea of earthquake safety. The Great Quake Debate sheds light on enduring questions surrounding the environmental hazards of our dynamic planet. What challenges face scientists bearing bad news in the public arena? How do we balance risk and the need to sustain communities and cities? And how well has California come to grips with its many faults?
The Generosity
“Rejoice, readers, as you receive the generosity of Luci Shaw's 76 new grace-infused parable poems. Autobiography once more merges with theology as these poems illuminate in splendored natural detail how the seasons of creation parallel and explain the seasons of her life as a poet. Again and again, these poems shower us with glorious epiphanies from the natural world as it reflects God's generosity at work such as “spring's impossible news of green.” These poems confirm that in poetry as in faith “ripeness is all.” Like Wordsworth, Luci is celebrated for being a highly gifted landscape poet whose works are rich in imagery from the physical world—meadows filled with seeds, flowers, and also poems which are like «shoots» in Luci's writing life. Animals, too, great and small (beetles, cricket, and voles to bears and whales) play a major role in Luci's poetics of creation; God is likened to a great bear who leaves paw tracks for us to follow. In their deep faith and vibrant colors and designs, the poems in Generosity might be considered Luci's Book of Kells. We need to be like Luci's father who carried her poems in his briefcase to show his friends.” —Philip C. Kolin, Author, Reaching Forever: Poems; Distinguished Professor of English (Emeritus), University of Southern Mississippi
The Economics of Farm Animal Welfare
This landmark new text charts the latest developments in economic research relevant to farm animal welfare. A range of global experts and key opinion leaders outline the challenges in achieving sustainable livestock production while improving farm profit, climate change and animal welfare, and make policy-relevant recommendations for the future.
This is a theoretical yet practical book that examines:
– the origins of farm animal welfare, cross-disciplinary interactions and the future of the field; – consumer demand and changing preferences as animal welfare rises up the social agenda; – the impact political organisations such as the EU and WTO have on animal welfare.
An important resource for policy makers and animal welfare scientists, economists and clinicians, this book provides a thought-provoking yet evidence-based review for all those interested in quantifying and improving farm animal welfare.
Sasol Birds of Southern Africa
Now in its fifth edition, Sasol Birds of Southern Africa has been brought fully up to date by its expert author panel, with additional contributions from two new birding experts. Greatly enhanced, this comprehensive, best-selling guide is sure to maintain its place as one of Africa’s most trusted field guides. Sales points: More than 800 new illustrations. Scan and play bird calls using free downloadable app. Fully revised text (with latest species records), maps and plate annotations. Fresh input from new contributing authors. Comprehensive coverage of the region’s birds.
Taka Wants To Fly
Ma and Pa Ostrich have a clutch of eggs that are almost ready to hatch. But while Ma Ostrich is out for her morning stroll, another egg rolls in front of her so she kindly takes it home to be with her own. Soon her own chicks hatch, as does the stranger chick, who they call Taka. He is welcomed into the family and treated exactly as one of their own. But no matter how much he tries to do the same things as his playmates, he struggles to do what they do and looks odd too. What’s more he has a constant longing to stretch his wings and fly up into the sky. But the ostrich family fear that he will come to terrible harm and stop him from flying. After all, ostriches simply don’t fly. It isn’t long before a terrible drought begins and the ostrich family are desperate for water. Taka wants to help and says if they’ll alow him, he could fly until he can find a place where there is water. And sure enough, that is what Taka does. It’s then that the ostriches realise that Taka isn’t really an ostrich at all but a magnificent eagle. The rhyming verse is accompanied by charming and often humourous illustration, that are bound to capture the imagination of young readers.
Hoop, heling & harmonie
Siekte is ’n natuurlike verskynsel sonder betekenis – potensieel ernstig, ja, maar bloot deel van menswees. Teen hierdie agtergrond ondersoek Hoop, heling & harmonie hoe siekte en behandeling ons liggame, gees en menswees aantas. Die doel van geneeskunde is om ons lewens positief te beïnvloed – in die woorde van Hippokrates, om soms te genees, dikwels te behandel, altyd te troos – maar die positiewe is nie noodwendig onvoorwaardelik nie: ons kan té wetenskaplik wees, die persoon agter die siekte miskyk. ’n Terugblik na die verlede plaas die huidige in perspektief; die boek analiseer onder andere die taal van siekte en geneeskunde, die rol van emosies, ideologie en politiek in siekte, hoe ons teen die risiko’s van behandeling en navorsing beskerm word, einde-van-die-lewe-besluite … en bereik dan die hoogtepunt: Hoop, Heling en Harmonie. Sonder hoop is die toekoms duister, sonder heling is daar geen genesing nie, en sonder harmonie in die uiteenlopende aandrange van siekte kan daar geen vrede in die gemoed wees nie. Hierdie onderwerpe word dikwels in die media bespreek. Covid-19 is vir almal ’n skrikwekkende nuwe ervaring wat beklemtoon hoe broos die mensdom is. Hoop, heling & harmonie is ’n tydige publikasie wat die besondere eise van die tyd vernuwend aanspreek. Die boek is uniek en siste¬maties, die teks en styl is toeganklik met heelwat toeligting; nogtans word die leser uitgedaag om opnuut oor siekte-ervaring na te dink.
Field Guide to Renosterveld of the Overberg
Part of the Fynbos biome, Renosterveld is one of the world’s most threatened vegetation types, with just 5% of its original extent remaining. Focusing specifically on the Renosterveld of the Overberg region in the Western Cape, this field guide is the first of its kind to cover this highly endangered ecosystem, characterised by nutrient-rich soil which has been exploited for agriculture. An in-depth introduction sets the scene, defining what Renosterveld is and giving some historical background to the ecology of the area. The plants section follows, featuring over 980 plant species from the common and ‘showy’ to the weird, obscure and often-overlooked. A shorter section of 140 animal species showcases the diversity of creatures found here despite severe habitat loss and fragmentation. Additional features include a glossary with supporting illustrations, guidelines for landowners and farmers, and a comprehensive index. Field Guide to Renosterveld of the Overberg promises to be an enduring record of this unique and severely threatened ecosystem. It will be a vital addition to any nature lover’s bookshelf. Sales points: Comprehensive coverage of Renosterveld species, identification at a glance, full-colour photographs of all species described, expert author team.
The Big Bird Battle
The Big Bird Battle tells the story of a turf war between two rival gangs: the Hard Hadedas and the Foul Guinea Fowl, each of which believes they have sole rights to the local park. As the other users of the park go about their daily activities, the rival birds harass and challenge each other. Their noisy scuffles cause a disruption until, finally, a pair of Egyptian geese intervene. Being larger than hadedas or guinea fowl, the geese soon take over, forcing the warring birds out of the park. As night falls and peace descends, the reader is left wondering whether this is truly the end of the conflict, or if the big bird battle will begin again as soon as the sun comes up.
The Land Wars
Perhaps the most explosive issue in South Africa today is the question of land ownership. The central theme in this country’s colonial history is the dispossession of indigenous African societies by white settlers, and current calls for land restitution are based on this loss. Yet popular knowledge of the actual process by which Africans were deprived of their land is remarkably sketchy. This book recounts an important part of this history, describing how the Khoisan and Xhosa people were dispossessed and subjugated from the time that Europeans first arrived until the end of the Cape Frontier Wars (1779–1878). The Land Wars traces the unfolding hostilities involving Dutch and British colonial authorities, trekboers and settlers, and the San, Khoikhoin, Xhosa, Mfengu and Thembu people – as well as conflicts within these groups. In the process it describes the loss of land by Africans to successive waves of white settlers as the colonial frontier inexorably advanced. The book does not shy away from controversial issues such as war atrocities committed by both sides, or the expedient decision of some of the indigenous peoples to fight alongside the colonisers rather than against them. The Land Wars is an epic story, featuring well-known figures such as Ngqika, Lord Charles Somerset and his son, Henry, Andries Stockenström, Hintsa, Harry Smith, Sandile, Maqoma, Bartle Frere and Sarhili, and events such as the arrival of the 1820 Settlers and the Xhosa cattle-killing. It is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand South Africa’s past and present.