Common Sense Forestry (Books for Wiser Living from Mother Earth News)

Book Description

Trees are the ultimate sunlight-harvesting machines. The care and nurturing of trees has been a recurring theme in Chelsea Green's publishing program, from The Man Who Planted Trees to Julia Alvarez's A Cafecito Story. Here is a book that foregoes romance in favor of straightforward, practical knowledge. Twenty-five years ago, when Hans Morsbach became interested in cultivating trees and managing small woodlands, he searched for a good how-to manual. He never found one, so he decided to write his own someday. Based on his subsequent experience, combining deep research into the academic literature on forestry with his successes and failures as a small-scale commercial tree farmer, the result is Common Sense Forestry, an indispensable reference for anyone who owns or wants to own wooded property. Morsbach is an unabashed nature lover as well as a businessman, and well understands the essential importance of a long-term approach to sustainable forest management. In this highly readable and entertaining text, the author offers a comprehensive look at managing existing woodlands by creating, and later maintaining, forests that promote biodiversity while providing an income stream. This comprehensive examination of sustainable forestry includes everything from choosing land to beginning a forest through seeding and transplanting, from pruning and thinning to harvesting trees, from debates over herbicides and clearcutting to working with professional foresters, from business strategies to tax planning. While Morsbach's personal experience is in the Midwest, the information in this book is applicable to a wide range of trees and is relevant to all regions of North America.

Customer Reviews:

The Tree That Made My Copy.......2007-05-06

. . . gave its life for a good cause.

This is the most important book on my shelves as I "manage" my 75 Virginia woodland acres.

I like Morsbach's maverick approach to forestry, in particular the emphasis he places on aesthetic and environmental considerations. Once again, the committed, thoughtful individual trumps a whole barrel full of clipboard-carrying "experts."

The book contains multiple grammatical errors that are slightly distracting to me, a former editor, but otherwise entirely trivial.

Common Sense Forestry.......2007-03-09

Anyone with a desire to manage a small timber parcel would do well to buy this book. I manage a small woodlot and took a 30 hour forestry management class from my state's forestry department. The knowledge gained from reading this book complements that course as well as anything I've come across so far. Both add practical insight into effective silviculture practices. This book gives the reader a practical approach to managing a woodlot or timber parcel profitably. Recommended.

Highly readable - a pleasure to read.......2006-03-27

This is a highly readable book. The author generously shares his considerable knowledge in language that makes the text easy to understand. Everything about it is well done: the book is well-organized and well written, with beautiful illustrations.
It's a pleasure to read, even for someone who will never grow a forest.

Handbook for the new forester and a delight for anyone else.......2004-10-26

This is a book for anyone who likes to read about someone's interesting life or observations, for anyone who likes to get a glimpse of a good man's mind and heart, for anyone who enjoys seeing things in a new way, and--of course--for anyone who owns or may buy wooded property. For the latter, it is an indispensable guide. For the rest of us, it is both delightful reading and consciousness-raising.
Hans Morsbach, a Chicago businessman and (for the past 30 years) also a Wisconsin forester, provides all the practical advice to amateur foresters he would have liked to have had 30 years ago. The book is full of practical suggestions and insights; however, it is anything but a dry how-to book. Morsbach is often funny, particularly when he shares his early naivete and many false starts, or, say, when he notes under a picture of a hawk perch that the hawks express their admiration by never perching on it.

He is also deadly serious, offering many insights and suggestions based upon his own intensive research, such as the use of hedgerows to enhance the success of any crop. A new insight for me (with no intention of ever starting a forest or growing any crops) was that lone individuals can do something worthwhile for the environment by buying and cultivating even small wooded properties.

But what is so remarkable is that Morsbach writes with such humility, honesty, and love--of humanity, of nature, and of his own learning experiences. He writes in clear simple candid language with an uncanny ability to let the reader see into the heart and mind of a savvy businessman who loves nature and cares about our environment. He has clearly raised the bar for practical guide books.

Awesome.......2004-08-20

If you are interested in the subject, this book is an easy read and will be as hard to put down as your favorite novel.

I'm about half way through and I'm not looking forward to being done. I will definitely use it for future reference.

Searching for Dragons: The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, Book Two

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I like it!
Patricia C. Wrede
what's his face
Incredible series!
What's next?

Searching for Dragons: The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, Book Two
Patricia C. Wrede
Manufacturer: Magic Carpet Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0152045651

Book Description

Cimorene, the princess who refuses to be proper, meets her match in the not-quite-kingly Mendanbar. With the aid of a broken-down magic carpet and a leaky magical sword, the two tackle a series of dragon-nappings.

Customer Reviews:

I like it!.......2007-04-22

There are two main characters: Cimorene and Mendanbar. Cimorene is a princess. She volunteered to be a dragon's princess. She knows a little bit of fencing, cooking, Latin, embroiderey and dancing. Mendanbar is the king of the Enchanted Forest. He is very busy. He is good at magic.

The main problem of the story is rescuing the king of the dragons. She's a girl: king is the name of the job. Her name is Kazul. Some wizards captured her.

I loved this book. I'd recommend this book because it's very interesting. I'd recommend the first three books to girls, and the last one to boys. The first three are about girls and the last one is about a boy.

Patricia C. Wrede.......2007-04-19

In Searching for Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede there was a king who hated being king of the enchanted forest and one day when he was playing hooky he saw that a whole section of the enchanted forest was burnt to the ground.

He found about four scales in the ashes and a squirrel told him to go to the good witch Morwen and she told him that there dragons scales and to go to the land of dragons to confront the king Kazul who is a girl dragon but instead finds her missing. And so he has to team up with Kazuls reluctant princess Cimorene and there only tools are a magic carpet, a leaky magic sword, and a few buckets of soapy lemon water to get Kazul back and defeat the evil wizard Zemenar.

what's his face.......2007-02-07

I really enjoyed the book, Searching for Dragons. My favorite character, King Mendenbar, can really relate to many people. He is the average person who does ordinary things. There is just one thing: he is the king of the Enchanted Forest.
You can really see Particia c. Wrede's book as an adventure you can never forget. She leaves you wondering what would happen next after you had just finished a chapter, which is very important for the average reader. That is what so good about her books, because she gives you a little "extra" info before you get onto the next chapter. I would recommend this book to those who love a good laugh, some adventure, and some romance in between. Those who do have the above, hurry up and read this book!
By the way, this is book two of four of the series.
A.K.

Incredible series!.......2006-09-25

All the Enchanted Forest Chronicles are so much fun! Definitely at my top of Harry Potter fan recommendations. They're just such an amusing read; I even teach with them. Don't forget to read "The Frying Pan of Doom."

What's next?.......2006-09-19

In the second installment of Cimorene's tale, we find Cimorene still housekeeping for Kazul and dissuading errant princes of their determination to `rescue' her. But when the King of the Enchanted Forest, Mendanbar, knocks on her door, he catches her as she is leaving to find Kazul, who has gone missing. As Kazul is now the King of the Dragons, Cimorene must not let this news leak as panic might ensue. Mendanbar decides that he too must find Kazul to stave off war with the wizards, so they join forces and set off on a journey through the land to rescue Kazul and thwart the wizards once again.

Living Forest Series Set Volumes 1-12 (Living Forest, Boxed Set of Volumes 1-12)

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Living Forest Series Set Volumes 1-12 (Living Forest, Boxed Set of Volumes 1-12)

Manufacturer: AB Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0012105406

Product Description

Antics of a frolicking raccoon! Raccoons are notorious for their mischief and 'streetwise' animal antics, but seldom has there been a raccoon that could match the career of Loony Coon. Life for the otters, geese, deer, skunks, and porcupines of the Campbells' wilderness home was always unpredictable when this bundle of energy was in town. So join in the fun, spills, and porcupine quills-the misadventures of Loony Coon -- told in the wonderful Sam Campbell style Even skunks can teach lessons. Sam Campbell's Forest Life Books are known and loved by both children and adults. Now the "Philosopher of the Forest" has written Sweet Sue's Adventures for the younger children who love animals and the outdoors. In clear and concise language for the beginning reader, the author tells why a skunk behaves as he does, where he lives, what he eats, and how he reacts to other forest animals. Come with Sam once again as he hikes and finds more wildlife adventure! Paperback, 119 pages. AB Publishing.

Average customer rating:

Another wonderful Bear book!!!
Love that Bear!
Another adorable bear book
love the bear books!!!!
Bear Feels sick

Bear Feels Sick
Karma Wilson
Manufacturer: Margaret K. McElderry
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0689859856

Product Description

Bear is not feeling well at all; he is achy, sneezy, wheezy and sick and in no shape to go outside to play. Mole, Hare, Mouse and the rest of the gang try to make Bear feel as comfortable as possible in his cave. Under the care of his friends, Bear starts to get better but as soon as Bear is well, guess what happens? All of his friends get sick!

Customer Reviews:

Another wonderful Bear book!!!.......2007-10-01

I love the Bear books and I have every one in the series. I started getting them for my older son when the series first started with Bear Snores On and now I'm reading them all to my younger son as well. Sometimes we have a Bear Book Marathon and read all of them right in a row, it's so much fun! I definitely recommend not only this book but the entire Bear Book series - Bear Snores On, Bear Wants More, Bear Stays up for Christmas, Bear's New Friend and Bear Feels Sick.

Love that Bear!.......2007-09-28

My 22 month old son and I love this book. We started with Bear Snores On and we really enjoy Karma Wilson's beautiful verse, which can be read in so many different ways. My son (being sick right now) can really empathize with Bear and his friends. Our favorite part about this book is that when the tables inevitably turn, Bear is enthusiastic about taking care of his friends too. Beautifully illustrated by Jane Chapman again!

Another adorable bear book.......2007-09-15

All of Karma Wilson's bear books are sweet and endearing and teach about friendship. Her books are about the only ones I trust to read to my son without previewing ahead of time for inappropriate content. In this one, bear's friends take care of him when he feels ill and he returns the favor when they become sick. It's wonderful that "Bear's New Friend" owl is here. The illustrations by Jane Chapman are lovely. These books are classics and should be a part of every young child's library.

love the bear books!!!!.......2007-09-08

can't get enough of the bear books! loved seeing the owl in this one... my kids pointed him out straight away. thanks karma! now get to writing some more adventures for bear and his clan!

Bear Feels sick.......2007-02-24

A lovely story and beautiful illustrations. Bear always finds one of his dearest friends to help him see things through. I love Karma Wilson books.

Living in a Rain Forest (Rookie Read-About Geography)

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Living in a Rain Forest

Living in a Rain Forest (Rookie Read-About Geography)
Allan Fowler
Manufacturer: Children's Press (CT)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0516215558

Customer Reviews:

Living in a Rain Forest.......2005-04-25

This book is for emergent readers and ESOL students specifically but I also use them to reinforce and introduce topics to better readers. They are quick easy reads which can help clear up the cobwebs of confusion at times.

Living on the Edge: Amazing Relationships in the Natural World

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On the wild side...
The Best Nature Book Out There
Poetic imagery for the Natural world
Web of Life
Take a Walk on the Wild Side

Living on the Edge: Amazing Relationships in the Natural World
Jeff Corwin
Manufacturer: Rodale Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

Rain Forests | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

Ecology | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1594860556
Release Date: 2004-10-14

Book Description

Now Available in Paperback!No one engages the natural world the way Jeff Corwin does. One of America's favorite nature-show hosts, Corwin demonstrates awe and respect for nature in a way that is both wildly funny and educational. In this beautiful book, illustrated with his own photographs, he reminisces about his at-times-perilous and often hilarious journeys as he explores the fantastic relationships among the diverse flora and fauna in four exotic ecosystems: the Sonoran Desert of Arizona; the Savannah of southeastern Africa; the Costa Rican rainforest; and the Llanos grassland in Venezuela. From a lizard that ejects a blood-like squirt from its eyes when in danger to perhaps the most bizarre turtle on the planet-we meet some wonderfully unique creatures and learn about their interdependence and competition in their natural habitats.

Customer Reviews:

On the wild side..........2007-07-09

Join Jeff Corwin as he shows us the dry, hot desert of Arizona, the life and death struggle in southeastern Africa, the rain forests of Costa Rica, and the grasslands of the Venezuela. Along the way we learn about life, death, love, and the web of nature. He also pops in facts and short stories, many of which are as funny as you can get without a Nun's outfit, a donkey and a jar of peanut butter.
The book itself is a lovely hardcover, with full color photos and something I would be proud to have on my coffee table if I had a coffee table. And it is so enjoyable to read you could easily finish it in a day if you wanted to.

The Best Nature Book Out There.......2005-10-28

Jeff Corwin is not only a great tv personality but is also a very good author. I have read his book like three times already and each time I read it I like it even more.The pictures, all of which he took himself, are great and I like how he goes into his life experiences with animals. Also, I like how he sprinkles humor throughout the book. I have learned so much from Jeff Corwin and he is the reason I am majoring in Environmental Science. He has made me realize how important it is to protect the environment and all of the animals in it.

Poetic imagery for the Natural world.......2005-10-17

This book is great! Altho I am a big fan of Jeff's and the Jeff Corwin Experience, I am still blown away by this book. Jeff describes everything vividly, yet in a beautifully poetic way (i've never heard of so many diff ways to describe the sunset). I was really surprised b/c he isn't like that on the show. I loved that many lesser-known animals are introduced, as well as the more common ones. Also, I loved that Jeff gave us the pecularities/specialties of each animal so I'm not just reading the same old boring stuff that I've read in too many nature books or seen on tv. I've learned a lot of things that I never knew about (ie: the symbiosis btwn strangler fig & wasp) and Jeff describes them all so vividly that it was even better than watching the show. The only complaint I have is that there's not enough pictures. But as I read along, I realized that Jeff already painted the whole scene for me that photos would just be icing on the cake. I totally and whole-heartedly recommend this book to any nature lover!

Web of Life.......2005-09-21

Gives good complex look at the animals in different environments and shows the environmental issues challenging each place. Filled with stories from Jeff Corwin's life and his own encounters with both exotic and extraordinary animals.

Take a Walk on the Wild Side .......2004-12-06

This is a very entertaining and educational book. I'm a fan of The Jeff Corwin Experience, and this book did not disappoint me. It is very well organized and well written, and I was amazed at the way it managed to drop me right down into the middle of the Costa Rican rainforest or the African savannah. What I particularly liked was the variety of bizarre and fascinating details that Jeff adds. I found myself sharing these bizarre facts (like giant anaconda orgies that can last for weeks and weeks...woohoo!)with all sorts of people who, no doubt, thought I was some sort of animal expert now. But best of all is Jeff's obvious enthusiasm for the subject matter, particularly the topic of conservation. It's hard not to enjoy his stories when he presents them with such passion and humor. I definitely recommend this book to Jeff Corwin fans and any readers who want to take a walk on the wild side.

The Living Rain Forest: An Animal Alphabet

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The Living Rain Forest: An Animal Alphabet
Paul Kratter
Manufacturer: Charlesbridge Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1570916039

What Is a Plant? (The Science of Living Things)

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What Is a Plant? (The Science of Living Things)
Bobbie Kalman
Manufacturer: Crabtree Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Biology | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Botany | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 077877645X

Book Description

Slithering snakes, jumping kangaroos, flying albatrosses, and swimming salmon-every animal, including humans, has its own unique way of getting around. This beautiful new book explains the how, why, and "are we there yet?" of animals large and small across the globe. Topics include: ¥how an animal's environment affects its movement ¥how an animal's skeleton affects its movement ¥unusual animal movers such as the water-walking basilisk ¥how a parent helps its young move around

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The Living Forest: A World of Animals
Rien Poortvliet
Manufacturer: H. N. Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ASIN: 0810909111

Living in the Appalachian Forest: True Tales of Sustainable Forestry

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One of The Top Three
Living in the Appalachian Forest: True Tales of Sustainable
Sustainable Forestry from the Roots Up

Living in the Appalachian Forest: True Tales of Sustainable Forestry
Chris Bolgiano
Manufacturer: Stackpole Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0811728455

Book Description

A thought-provoking look at how man and nature coexist, somewhat uneasily, within the Appalachian Forest, the world's most diverse temperate woodlands, 80 percent of which is privately owned-by the ancestors of homesteaders, outsiders who've bought large and small tracts, absentee landlords and landowners, private groups and institutions, and giant corporations. Interviews with a diverse group of landowners-a horse logger, a selective cutter, a ginseng grower, a clear cutter, a forest steward, a summer-camp owner, and others-and the author's own experiences as a landowner illustrate the private forest's past, present, and future.

Customer Reviews:

One of The Top Three.......2003-08-24

...Ms Bolgiano is both a skilled researcher and a talented writer.

The newest of Ms Bolgiano's books, Living in the Appalachian Forest, zeros in on relationships between man and the wooded lands of our eastern mountains. In its pages, the reader meets people who care enough about the trees to dedicate their lives and often to risk their livelihoods to develop sustainable ways for humans to live with the forests, to use them wisely and in ways that keep the woods growing more and more healthy instead of descending into destruction. Of course, the folks who care about nothing but a quick profit appear here and there. The emphasis of Living in the Appalachian Forest, however, is on the conscientious, caring people who love the forest and the hope their activities inspire.

There's some interesting history in this book. Though I grew up in West Virginia, I had never before heard the real stories of the 1920 Matewan Massacre or the famous feud between the Hatfields and McCoys. Ms Bolgiano shares well written accounts of both these incidents, and many more.

In the pages of Living in the Appalachians, I learned quite a bit about forestry. I also became aware of several government and private organizations that involve themselves in the forest industries. Some are harmful, while many others are working diligently for sustainability.

There is a fine account with a lot of excellent description of the odious practice of mountaintop removal. This mining technique, a giant step beyond the destructiveness of even poorly managed strip mining, is used widely in the Appalachians by supposedly legitimate mining companies under the watch of supposedly honest government agencies.

Living in the Appalachian Forest is truly a fine book. It is a work of considerable insight and love and of hard research and fine writing. It holds the reader's interest like a really good novel...

Living in the Appalachian Forest: True Tales of Sustainable.......2003-03-20

Fun, serious, and thoroughly readable. Chris Bolgiano weaves grounded environmentalism and ecological awareness with history and stories/case studies to bring our awareness to a complex subject. This book presents solid Appalachian forest information to the reader in a manner that keeps one reading. Forests are complex, there are many approaches and techniques to sustainability, and Ms. Bolgiano seems to get to most. Simply, I found this book a delight to read and I learned so much from it.

Sustainable Forestry from the Roots Up.......2002-08-21

Those of us who own and/or treasure portions of Appalachia's forest will find in Chris Bolgiano's concise 200 pages a wealth of useful information. She interviews a wide spectrum of foresters, loggers, strip-miners, nature lovers, and other "shareholders"---bringing us up-to-date about the use (and too often the abuse) of what might be the most diverse temperate forest in the world. When Bolgiano visited mountaintop- removal stripmine sites, she found that over 99 percent of the natural diversity had been destroyed---but that western elk had been imported to the stripmined land as a sort of fig leaf to cover the devastation. She describes ways that land can be put in trust and legally protected against such abuse--including against abuse by future owners. One of the book's main themes is sustainable logging---which can best be done with horses rather than machines, and which increasingly now rejects the "high-grading" system of timber selection in favor of "low-grading"---thereby leaving the best trees in place to reproduce. These practices are spreading fast in Appalachia with the help of Smartwood certification and also thanks to professional forestry consultants such as Appalachian Sustainable Development, based in southwestern Virginia. In first-person prose that often sparkles, Bolgiano relates her adventures while visiting all sorts of people whose lives and livelihoods revolve around the forest. She embeds a major delivery of crucial history and current facts in a light-hearted telling of her personal adventures. Her book is not only a pleasure to read but highly informative. It's a major resource for anyone who wants to pitch in and try to save some special part of the Appalachian region from becoming a national sacrifice area. -Paul Salstrom

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