Nature by Design

Nature by Design

Author: Eric Higgs

Publisher: MIT Press

Published: 2003-04-25

Total Pages: 368

ISBN-13: 9780262582261

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Ecological restoration is the process of repairing human damage to ecosystems. It involves reintroducing missing plants and animals, rebuilding soils, eliminating hazardous substances, ripping up roads, and returning natural processes such as fire and flooding to places that thrive on their regular occurrence. Thousands of restoration projects take place in North America every year. In Nature by Design, Eric Higgs argues that profound philosophical and cultural shifts accompany these projects. He explores the ethical and philosophical bases of restoration and the question of what constitutes good ecological restoration. Higgs explains how and why the restoration movement came about, where it fits into the array of approaches to human relationships with the land, and how it might be used to secure a sustainable future. Some environmental philosophers and activists worry that restoration will dilute preservation and conservation efforts and lead to an even deeper technological attitude toward nature. They ask whether even well-conceived restoration projects are in fact just expressions of human will. Higgs prefaces his responses to such concerns by distinguishing among several types of ecological restoration. He also describes a growing gulf between professionals and amateurs. Higgs finds much merit in criticism about technological restoration projects, which can cause more damage than they undo. These projects often ignore the fact that changing one thing in a complex system can change the whole system. For restoration projects to be successful, Higgs argues, people at the community level must be engaged. These focal restorations bring communities together, helping volunteers develop a dedication to place and encouraging democracy.


Book Synopsis Nature by Design by : Eric Higgs

Download or read book Nature by Design written by Eric Higgs and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2003-04-25 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ecological restoration is the process of repairing human damage to ecosystems. It involves reintroducing missing plants and animals, rebuilding soils, eliminating hazardous substances, ripping up roads, and returning natural processes such as fire and flooding to places that thrive on their regular occurrence. Thousands of restoration projects take place in North America every year. In Nature by Design, Eric Higgs argues that profound philosophical and cultural shifts accompany these projects. He explores the ethical and philosophical bases of restoration and the question of what constitutes good ecological restoration. Higgs explains how and why the restoration movement came about, where it fits into the array of approaches to human relationships with the land, and how it might be used to secure a sustainable future. Some environmental philosophers and activists worry that restoration will dilute preservation and conservation efforts and lead to an even deeper technological attitude toward nature. They ask whether even well-conceived restoration projects are in fact just expressions of human will. Higgs prefaces his responses to such concerns by distinguishing among several types of ecological restoration. He also describes a growing gulf between professionals and amateurs. Higgs finds much merit in criticism about technological restoration projects, which can cause more damage than they undo. These projects often ignore the fact that changing one thing in a complex system can change the whole system. For restoration projects to be successful, Higgs argues, people at the community level must be engaged. These focal restorations bring communities together, helping volunteers develop a dedication to place and encouraging democracy.

Natural Designs

Natural Designs

Author: Elizabeth Gansen

Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press

Published: 2023-12-12

Total Pages: 249

ISBN-13: 1512824550

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Natural Designs chronicles the life and work of the earliest and most influential Spanish historian of the New World, Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo (1478–1557). Through a combination of biography and visual and textual analysis, Elizabeth Gansen explores how Oviedo, in his writings, brought the European Renaissance to bear on his understanding of New World nature. Oviedo learned much from the humanists with whom he came into contact in the courtly circles of Spain and Italy, including Giovanni Battista Ramusio and Pietro Bembo, and witnessed Christopher Columbus regaling Queen Isabel and King Ferdinand with news from his inaugural voyage to the Indies. Fascinated by the Caribbean flora and fauna Oviedo encountered on his arrival to the Caribbean in 1514, he made them the protagonists of his writings on the Indies. From his consumption of the prickly pear cactus, which led him to believe his death was imminent, to the behavior of the iguana, which defied his efforts to determine if the lizard was fish or flesh, his works reveal the challenges at the heart of Spain’s encounter with the biological wonders of the Americas. Natural Designs foregrounds Oviedo’s role as a writer, illustrator, and editor of New World nature. As much as Oviedo is credited as a pioneer in the literary genre of American natural history, his contributions to early modern conceptions of the flora and fauna of the Indies are still not widely understood and appreciated. Gansen situates us in the early sixteenth century to reappraise the works of the Spanish historian who first shaped these realities.


Book Synopsis Natural Designs by : Elizabeth Gansen

Download or read book Natural Designs written by Elizabeth Gansen and published by University of Pennsylvania Press. This book was released on 2023-12-12 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Natural Designs chronicles the life and work of the earliest and most influential Spanish historian of the New World, Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo (1478–1557). Through a combination of biography and visual and textual analysis, Elizabeth Gansen explores how Oviedo, in his writings, brought the European Renaissance to bear on his understanding of New World nature. Oviedo learned much from the humanists with whom he came into contact in the courtly circles of Spain and Italy, including Giovanni Battista Ramusio and Pietro Bembo, and witnessed Christopher Columbus regaling Queen Isabel and King Ferdinand with news from his inaugural voyage to the Indies. Fascinated by the Caribbean flora and fauna Oviedo encountered on his arrival to the Caribbean in 1514, he made them the protagonists of his writings on the Indies. From his consumption of the prickly pear cactus, which led him to believe his death was imminent, to the behavior of the iguana, which defied his efforts to determine if the lizard was fish or flesh, his works reveal the challenges at the heart of Spain’s encounter with the biological wonders of the Americas. Natural Designs foregrounds Oviedo’s role as a writer, illustrator, and editor of New World nature. As much as Oviedo is credited as a pioneer in the literary genre of American natural history, his contributions to early modern conceptions of the flora and fauna of the Indies are still not widely understood and appreciated. Gansen situates us in the early sixteenth century to reappraise the works of the Spanish historian who first shaped these realities.

Natural Surface Trails by Design

Natural Surface Trails by Design

Author: Troy Scott Parker

Publisher:

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 78

ISBN-13: 9780975587201

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Book Synopsis Natural Surface Trails by Design by : Troy Scott Parker

Download or read book Natural Surface Trails by Design written by Troy Scott Parker and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 78 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

A New Garden Ethic

A New Garden Ethic

Author: Benjamin Vogt

Publisher: New Society Publishers

Published: 2017-09-01

Total Pages: 217

ISBN-13: 1771422459

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In a time of climate change and mass extinction, how we garden matters more than ever: “An outstanding and deeply passionate book.” —Marc Bekoff, author of The Emotional Lives of Animals Plenty of books tell home gardeners and professional landscape designers how to garden sustainably, what plants to use, and what resources to explore. Yet few examine why our urban wildlife gardens matter so much—not just for ourselves, but for the larger human and animal communities. Our landscapes push aside wildlife and in turn diminish our genetically programmed love for wildness. How can we get ourselves back into balance through gardens, to speak life's language and learn from other species? Benjamin Vogt addresses why we need a new garden ethic, and why we urgently need wildness in our daily lives—lives sequestered in buildings surrounded by monocultures of lawn and concrete that significantly harm our physical and mental health. He examines the psychological issues around climate change and mass extinction as a way to understand how we are short-circuiting our response to global crises, especially by not growing native plants in our gardens. Simply put, environmentalism is not political; it's social justice for all species marginalized today and for those facing extinction tomorrow. By thinking deeply and honestly about our built landscapes, we can create a compassionate activism that connects us more profoundly to nature and to one another.


Book Synopsis A New Garden Ethic by : Benjamin Vogt

Download or read book A New Garden Ethic written by Benjamin Vogt and published by New Society Publishers. This book was released on 2017-09-01 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a time of climate change and mass extinction, how we garden matters more than ever: “An outstanding and deeply passionate book.” —Marc Bekoff, author of The Emotional Lives of Animals Plenty of books tell home gardeners and professional landscape designers how to garden sustainably, what plants to use, and what resources to explore. Yet few examine why our urban wildlife gardens matter so much—not just for ourselves, but for the larger human and animal communities. Our landscapes push aside wildlife and in turn diminish our genetically programmed love for wildness. How can we get ourselves back into balance through gardens, to speak life's language and learn from other species? Benjamin Vogt addresses why we need a new garden ethic, and why we urgently need wildness in our daily lives—lives sequestered in buildings surrounded by monocultures of lawn and concrete that significantly harm our physical and mental health. He examines the psychological issues around climate change and mass extinction as a way to understand how we are short-circuiting our response to global crises, especially by not growing native plants in our gardens. Simply put, environmentalism is not political; it's social justice for all species marginalized today and for those facing extinction tomorrow. By thinking deeply and honestly about our built landscapes, we can create a compassionate activism that connects us more profoundly to nature and to one another.

Design with Nature Now

Design with Nature Now

Author: Frederick R. Steiner

Publisher:

Published: 2019-10-15

Total Pages: 368

ISBN-13: 9781558443938

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In 1969, Ian McHarg's seminal book, Design with Nature, set forth a new vision for regional planning using natural systems. To celebrate its 50th anniversary, a team of landscape architects and planners from PennDesign have showcased some of the most advanced ecological design projects in the world today. Written in clear language and featuring vivid color images, Design with Nature Now demonstrates McHarg's enduring influence on contemporary practitioners as they contend with climate change and other 21st-century challenges.


Book Synopsis Design with Nature Now by : Frederick R. Steiner

Download or read book Design with Nature Now written by Frederick R. Steiner and published by . This book was released on 2019-10-15 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1969, Ian McHarg's seminal book, Design with Nature, set forth a new vision for regional planning using natural systems. To celebrate its 50th anniversary, a team of landscape architects and planners from PennDesign have showcased some of the most advanced ecological design projects in the world today. Written in clear language and featuring vivid color images, Design with Nature Now demonstrates McHarg's enduring influence on contemporary practitioners as they contend with climate change and other 21st-century challenges.

The Naturally Beautiful Garden

The Naturally Beautiful Garden

Author: Kathryn Bradley-Hole

Publisher: Rizzoli Publications

Published: 2024-03-12

Total Pages: 242

ISBN-13: 0789345056

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More popular than ever, gardening is going green with increased interest in environmentally friendly methods. It seems that almost everyone who has access to outside space, however small or large, wants to make the most of it. Interest in growing plants in ecologically sensitive ways that support pollinators, butterflies, birds, and other wildlife is a very strong strand in the new consciousness of garden making. It goes hand in hand with organic principles that shun the use of short-term, quick-fix chemical solutions that have an overall damaging effect on soil and the environment. As the gardens in this book demonstrate, there need be no loss of visual impact or creativity when taking environmental concerns into account. With examples from all over the world, the gardens showcased here serve diverse needs--from twenty-first-century public green spaces to modern cottage gardens and from large country gardens to intimate city courtyards--across a wide range of climates and soils. They have been created with elegance and style, alongside their makers' efforts to work with, rather than against, nature and support the complex web of life that so frequently struggles to coexist with human habitation or agriculture. Interspersed throughout are illustrated essays outlining relevant topics, including: supporting wildlife; the challenges of seaside gardening; incorporating seeds and fruit; grasses, meadows, and prairie plantings; coping with heat and drought; and the important role of trees. Featuring more than thirty gardens from across the globe with photographs by leading garden photographers, including Richard Bloom, Andrea Jones, Marianne Majerus, Alessio Mei, Clive Nichols, and Ngoc Minh Ngo, the book showcases the beauty and visual impact produced by ecologically friendly garden design principles. As the world wakes up to the effects of climate change and the consequent strains on natural resources, today's garden makers are responding in creative way.


Book Synopsis The Naturally Beautiful Garden by : Kathryn Bradley-Hole

Download or read book The Naturally Beautiful Garden written by Kathryn Bradley-Hole and published by Rizzoli Publications. This book was released on 2024-03-12 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: More popular than ever, gardening is going green with increased interest in environmentally friendly methods. It seems that almost everyone who has access to outside space, however small or large, wants to make the most of it. Interest in growing plants in ecologically sensitive ways that support pollinators, butterflies, birds, and other wildlife is a very strong strand in the new consciousness of garden making. It goes hand in hand with organic principles that shun the use of short-term, quick-fix chemical solutions that have an overall damaging effect on soil and the environment. As the gardens in this book demonstrate, there need be no loss of visual impact or creativity when taking environmental concerns into account. With examples from all over the world, the gardens showcased here serve diverse needs--from twenty-first-century public green spaces to modern cottage gardens and from large country gardens to intimate city courtyards--across a wide range of climates and soils. They have been created with elegance and style, alongside their makers' efforts to work with, rather than against, nature and support the complex web of life that so frequently struggles to coexist with human habitation or agriculture. Interspersed throughout are illustrated essays outlining relevant topics, including: supporting wildlife; the challenges of seaside gardening; incorporating seeds and fruit; grasses, meadows, and prairie plantings; coping with heat and drought; and the important role of trees. Featuring more than thirty gardens from across the globe with photographs by leading garden photographers, including Richard Bloom, Andrea Jones, Marianne Majerus, Alessio Mei, Clive Nichols, and Ngoc Minh Ngo, the book showcases the beauty and visual impact produced by ecologically friendly garden design principles. As the world wakes up to the effects of climate change and the consequent strains on natural resources, today's garden makers are responding in creative way.

Designs on Nature

Designs on Nature

Author: Sheila Jasanoff

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2011-06-27

Total Pages: 391

ISBN-13: 1400837316

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Biology and politics have converged today across much of the industrialized world. Debates about genetically modified organisms, cloning, stem cells, animal patenting, and new reproductive technologies crowd media headlines and policy agendas. Less noticed, but no less important, are the rifts that have appeared among leading Western nations about the right way to govern innovation in genetics and biotechnology. These significant differences in law and policy, and in ethical analysis, may in a globalizing world act as obstacles to free trade, scientific inquiry, and shared understandings of human dignity. In this magisterial look at some twenty-five years of scientific and social development, Sheila Jasanoff compares the politics and policy of the life sciences in Britain, Germany, the United States, and in the European Union as a whole. She shows how public and private actors in each setting evaluated new manifestations of biotechnology and tried to reassure themselves about their safety. Three main themes emerge. First, core concepts of democratic theory, such as citizenship, deliberation, and accountability, cannot be understood satisfactorily without taking on board the politics of science and technology. Second, in all three countries, policies for the life sciences have been incorporated into "nation-building" projects that seek to reimagine what the nation stands for. Third, political culture influences democratic politics, and it works through the institutionalized ways in which citizens understand and evaluate public knowledge. These three aspects of contemporary politics, Jasanoff argues, help account not only for policy divergences but also for the perceived legitimacy of state actions.


Book Synopsis Designs on Nature by : Sheila Jasanoff

Download or read book Designs on Nature written by Sheila Jasanoff and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2011-06-27 with total page 391 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Biology and politics have converged today across much of the industrialized world. Debates about genetically modified organisms, cloning, stem cells, animal patenting, and new reproductive technologies crowd media headlines and policy agendas. Less noticed, but no less important, are the rifts that have appeared among leading Western nations about the right way to govern innovation in genetics and biotechnology. These significant differences in law and policy, and in ethical analysis, may in a globalizing world act as obstacles to free trade, scientific inquiry, and shared understandings of human dignity. In this magisterial look at some twenty-five years of scientific and social development, Sheila Jasanoff compares the politics and policy of the life sciences in Britain, Germany, the United States, and in the European Union as a whole. She shows how public and private actors in each setting evaluated new manifestations of biotechnology and tried to reassure themselves about their safety. Three main themes emerge. First, core concepts of democratic theory, such as citizenship, deliberation, and accountability, cannot be understood satisfactorily without taking on board the politics of science and technology. Second, in all three countries, policies for the life sciences have been incorporated into "nation-building" projects that seek to reimagine what the nation stands for. Third, political culture influences democratic politics, and it works through the institutionalized ways in which citizens understand and evaluate public knowledge. These three aspects of contemporary politics, Jasanoff argues, help account not only for policy divergences but also for the perceived legitimacy of state actions.

Aquarium Designs Inspired by Nature

Aquarium Designs Inspired by Nature

Author: Peter Hiscock

Publisher: B.E.S. Publishing

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780764155499

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This lavishly photo-filled volume demonstrates that having an aquarium to be proud of means much more than keeping fish in a glass tank. The aquarium enthusiast who takes his hobby seriously reproduces a part of the aquatic natural environment in miniature inside his home. Author Peter Hiscock offers practical instructions on setting up a freshwater tropical aquarium. He describes substrate, aquarium plants, and appropriate combinations of fish. Much of this book focuses on fish and plant life in nature, and then offers details on replicating natural settings in the aquarium. Both plants and fish varieties are shown in vivid color photos and described in detail. More than 450 color photos and illustrations.


Book Synopsis Aquarium Designs Inspired by Nature by : Peter Hiscock

Download or read book Aquarium Designs Inspired by Nature written by Peter Hiscock and published by B.E.S. Publishing. This book was released on 2003 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This lavishly photo-filled volume demonstrates that having an aquarium to be proud of means much more than keeping fish in a glass tank. The aquarium enthusiast who takes his hobby seriously reproduces a part of the aquatic natural environment in miniature inside his home. Author Peter Hiscock offers practical instructions on setting up a freshwater tropical aquarium. He describes substrate, aquarium plants, and appropriate combinations of fish. Much of this book focuses on fish and plant life in nature, and then offers details on replicating natural settings in the aquarium. Both plants and fish varieties are shown in vivid color photos and described in detail. More than 450 color photos and illustrations.

The Humane Gardener

The Humane Gardener

Author: Nancy Lawson

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Published: 2017-04-18

Total Pages: 226

ISBN-13: 1616896175

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In this eloquent plea for compassion and respect for all species, journalist and gardener Nancy Lawson describes why and how to welcome wildlife to our backyards. Through engaging anecdotes and inspired advice, profiles of home gardeners throughout the country, and interviews with scientists and horticulturalists, Lawson applies the broader lessons of ecology to our own outdoor spaces. Detailed chapters address planting for wildlife by choosing native species; providing habitats that shelter baby animals, as well as birds, bees, and butterflies; creating safe zones in the garden; cohabiting with creatures often regarded as pests; letting nature be your garden designer; and encouraging natural processes and evolution in the garden. The Humane Gardener fills a unique niche in describing simple principles for both attracting wildlife and peacefully resolving conflicts with all the creatures that share our world.


Book Synopsis The Humane Gardener by : Nancy Lawson

Download or read book The Humane Gardener written by Nancy Lawson and published by Chronicle Books. This book was released on 2017-04-18 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this eloquent plea for compassion and respect for all species, journalist and gardener Nancy Lawson describes why and how to welcome wildlife to our backyards. Through engaging anecdotes and inspired advice, profiles of home gardeners throughout the country, and interviews with scientists and horticulturalists, Lawson applies the broader lessons of ecology to our own outdoor spaces. Detailed chapters address planting for wildlife by choosing native species; providing habitats that shelter baby animals, as well as birds, bees, and butterflies; creating safe zones in the garden; cohabiting with creatures often regarded as pests; letting nature be your garden designer; and encouraging natural processes and evolution in the garden. The Humane Gardener fills a unique niche in describing simple principles for both attracting wildlife and peacefully resolving conflicts with all the creatures that share our world.

Small Strawbale

Small Strawbale

Author: Bill Steen

Publisher: Gibbs Smith

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 216

ISBN-13: 9781586855154

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A thorough guide to building with strawbale and other natural materials, thisuide includes an eclectic sampling of houses, studios, meditation spaces,utbuildings, and landscape walls.


Book Synopsis Small Strawbale by : Bill Steen

Download or read book Small Strawbale written by Bill Steen and published by Gibbs Smith. This book was released on 2005 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A thorough guide to building with strawbale and other natural materials, thisuide includes an eclectic sampling of houses, studios, meditation spaces,utbuildings, and landscape walls.