You Are Here - A Brief Guide to the World by Nicholas Crane

$35.00 AUD

Category: Nature

One word binds us all: geography. We are all geographers, human beings who care about the places we think of as 'home' - our habitat. And yet we have lost touch with the connection between our actions and the state of the planet that we all share. We need a new narrative that restores the connections be tween humanity and the Earth. We are being confronted by a daily barrage of geographical stories on climate change, geopolitics, population growth, migration, dwindling resources, polluted oceans and natural hazards. These are planetary concerns affecting all people and all places. They are challenges which can be addressed through geography. In this distillation of a lifetime's work, Nicholas Crane makes the compelling case that never has geography been so important. On this finite orb, with its battered habitat, sustained in dark space by a thin, life-giving atmosphere, we have reached a point in our collective geographical journey where knowledge is the best guarantor of the future. ...Show more

Written in Stone : Reading the Rocks of the Great Ocean Road by Philomena Manifold

$54.95 AUD

Category: Nature

The Eastern Curlew by Harry Sadler

$29.99 AUD

Category: Nature

Every year around August, large flocks of Eastern Curlews leave their breeding grounds in the Arctic and embark on a perilous 10,000km journey to the coast of Australia. The birds cannot swim; if they become exhausted and fall into the ocean, they die. But it’s a journey they have taken for tens of thousands of years, tracing invisible flyways in the sky in what is one of the most spectacular mass migrations in the animal kingdom. Following the Eastern Curlew along its migratory path, award-winning nature writer Harry Saddler explores how these incredible birds have impressed themselves on the cultures of the countries they fly through, the threat to their survival posed by development, and the remarkable ways these birds and humankind may be entwined. The Eastern Curlew is a delightful and vivid portrait of a fascinating natural phenomenon. ...Show more

Trees by Art Wolfe (Photographer); Gregory McNamee; Daniel J. Hinkley (Foreword by); Wade Davis (Introduction by)

$85.00 AUD

Category: Nature

Art Wolfe's immersive photos capture the wonder humans have felt about trees for millennia. From the biblical Tree of Life to the Native American Tree of Peace, trees have played an archetypal role in human culture and spirituality since time immemorial. An integral part of a variety of faiths--from Bud dhism and Hinduism to Native American and aboriginal religions--trees were venerated long before any written historical records existed. Through the vivid images of legendary photographer Art Wolfe, Trees focuses on both individual specimens and entire forests, and offers a sweeping yet intimate look at an arboreal world that spans six continents. Author Gregory McNamee weaves a diverse and global account of the myths, cultures, and traditions that convey the long-standing symbiosis between trees and humans, and renowned ethnobotanist Wade Davis anchors the text with a penetrating introduction. Humans have always shared this planet with trees, and Trees by Art Wolfe is a breathtaking journey through and homage to that relationship and its past, present, and future. ...Show more

The Tangled Tree - A Radical New History of Life by David Quammen

$45.00 AUD

Category: Nature

Longlisted for the National Book Award for Nonfiction Nonpareil science writer David Quammen explains how recent discoveries in molecular biology can change our understanding of evolution and life's history, with powerful implications for human health and even our own human nature. In the mid-1970s, s cientists began using DNA sequences to reexamine the history of all life. Perhaps the most startling discovery to come out of this new field--the study of life's diversity and relatedness at the molecular level--is horizontal gene transfer (HGT), or the movement of genes across species lines. It turns out that HGT has been widespread and important. For instance, we now know that roughly eight percent of the human genome arrived not through traditional inheritance from directly ancestral forms, but sideways by viral infection--a type of HGT. In The Tangled Tree David Quammen, "one of that rare breed of science journalists who blends exploration with a talent for synthesis and storytelling" (Nature), chronicles these discoveries through the lives of the researchers who made them--such as Carl Woese, the most important little-known biologist of the twentieth century; Lynn Margulis, the notorious maverick whose wild ideas about "mosaic" creatures proved to be true; and Tsutomu Wantanabe, who discovered that the scourge of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a direct result of horizontal gene transfer, bringing the deep study of genome histories to bear on a global crisis in public health. "Quammen is no ordinary writer. He is simply astonishing, one of that rare class of writer gifted with verve, ingenuity, humor, guts, and great heart" (Elle). Now, in The Tangled Tree, he explains how molecular studies of evolution have brought startling recognitions about the tangled tree of life--including where we humans fit upon it. Thanks to new technologies such as CRISPR, we now have the ability to alter even our genetic composition--through sideways insertions, as nature has long been doing. The Tangled Tree is a brilliant guide to our transformed understanding of evolution, of life's history, and of our own human nature. ...Show more

Owls: Journeys Around the World by David Hollands

$35.00 AUD

Category: Nature

David Hollands first became aware of owls as a young boy upon hearing the quavering hoot of the Tawny Owl which lived, out of sight, in the woods near his home. Their secrets remained undiscovered but then he came across some spectral Barn Owls in an ancient English barn. These were the first owls that he had watched at close quarters and photographed in the night. It was a magical experience and, by then, that first awareness had progressed and become a lifelong passion. David Hollands came to Australia in 1961and for a while, the demands of running a medical practice put a brake on other activities. Nevertheless, his fascination for birds, owls and photography could never remain submerged for long and, in 1999, he completed 'Birds of the Night' - a comprehensive study in words and photographs of Australia's owls, frogmouths and nightjars. However, David's owl studies continued. There were owls to be pursued around the world and he set out to find and photograph as many as possible. By his own admission, he has succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. The author's love of birds extends beyond owls and he has also written books on Australia's Birds of Prey and on Kingfishers and Kookaburras. All three books won the Whitley Award for the Best Illustrated Australian Natural History book of that year. ...Show more

Around the World in 80 Trees by Jonathan Drori; Lucille Clerc (Illustrator)

$35.00 AUD

Category: Nature

Trees are one of humanity's most constant and most varied companions. From India's sacred banyan tree to the fragrant cedar of Lebanon, they offer us sanctuary and inspiration - not to mention the raw materials for everything from aspirin to maple syrup.   In Around the World in 80 Trees, expert Jonathan Drori uses plant science to illuminate how trees play a role in every part of human life, from the romantic to the regrettable. Stops on the trip include the lime trees of Berlin's Unter den Linden boulevard, which intoxicate amorous Germans and hungry bees alike, the swankiest streets in nineteenth-century London, which were paved with Australian eucalyptus wood, and the redwood forests of California, where the secret to the trees' soaring heights can be found in the properties of the tiniest drops of water.   Each of these strange and true tales - populated by self-mummifying monks, tree-climbing goats and ever-so-slightly radioactive nuts - is illustrated by Lucille Clerc, taking the reader on a journey that is as informative as it is beautiful. ...Show more

The Wolf by Nate Blakeslee

$22.99 AUD

Category: Nature

A New Statesman Book of the Year All stories are about wolves. All worth repeating, that is. Anything else is sentimental drivel. ' Margaret Atwood The wolf stands at the forefront of the debate about our impact on the natural world. In one of the most celebrated successes of modern conservation, it has been reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park. What unfurls here is a riveting multi-generational saga, at the centre of which is O-Six, a charismatic alpha female beloved by park rangers and amateur spotters alike. As elk numbers decline and the wolf population rises, those committed to restoring an iconic landscape clash with those fighting for a vanishing way of life, hunters stalk the park fringes and O-Six 's rivals seek to bring an end to her dominance of the stunningly beautiful Lamar Valley. ...Show more

Complete Guide to Australian Birds by George Adams

$45.00 AUD

Category: Nature

This book is the most up-to-date guide to Australian birds available. Written in everyday language, with crisp, brilliant digital images taken in the wild, this authoritative guide includes- - The first entry and photograph of the previously believed extinct Night Parrot - The recently recognised as a f ull specie Lesser Sooty Owl - The Thick-billed Grasswren - All seven species of Quail-thrush - The Paperbark Flycatcher - Rare photographs of the male Superb Lyrebird in courtship display - The Bustard in courtship plumage - The male Magnificent Riflebird in its courtship dance - The first photograph of a nesting colony of Australian Swiftlets taken in a deep, dark cave in tropical Queensland . . . and much more. Beyond a field guide, this book is divided into 27 chapters, with each chapter opening with fascinating background information. The easily accessible information on each bird includes- common and scientific names, size, description, behaviour, preferred habitat, feeding habits, voice, status and breeding. Distribution maps are arranged next to the photographic illustrations of the bird. A binocular icon indicates 'hot spots' to find particular birds. All wild birds that have been regularly recorded on the Australian mainland, Tasmania and offshore continental islands and oceans, including sub-species where the differences are recognisable in the field, have been included and photographed. Features over 1400 photographs by some of Australia's best wildlife photographers, including Colin Cock, Michael Schmid, Eric Sohn Joo Tan, Duade Patton, John Anderson, Alwyn Simple, Peter Jacobs, Andrew Bell, Tony Ashton, Nolan Caldwell, Chris Wiley, Maureen Goninan, Marlene Lyelle and George Adams to name but a few. This book will be enjoyed by beginners and seasoned 'birdos' alike. ...Show more

Mindful Thoughts for Birdwatchers - Finding Awareness in Nature by Adam Ford

$12.99 AUD

Category: Nature | Series: Mindful Thoughts Ser.

Noticing and appreciating the awesome nature of birdlife is a spiritually affirming activity-reconnecting us to the natural world each and every day. Mindful Thoughts for Birdwatchers presents a meaningful flock of enriching thoughts on the interconnectedness of nature in this delightfully illustr ated little book.   From learning to deeply listen to nature's songsters to discovering hidden birdlife in the city, author Adam Ford is an enlightening guide to why birdwatching is vital for a flourishing ecosystem and conscious wellbeing. ...Show more

Landfill by Tim DEE

$32.95 AUD

Category: Nature

In Landfill, Tim Dee argues that rubbish tips sustain life and offer an alternative view of how we should treat any species who dares to live so closely among humans. About the book, Tim Dee says: 'I have been a lifelong birdwatcher but more recently I have found myself spending time watching people wat ching birds. Gulls in Britain are no longer seagulls and I've been fascinated in the last decade by the various ways that these birds have come ashore and come closer to us. In some ways they seem to have become more like us than any other bird.  We might now evolve together.' ...Show more

Bees of Australia - A Photographic Guide by James Dorey

$49.99 AUD

Category: Nature

Bees are the darlings of the insect world. It is a great joy to see these tenacious insects hard at work, peacefully buzzing from flower to flower on warm and sunny days. Many people recognise the worth of bees, as well as that they face many threats. But very few know about the diversity and importance of our native bee species. There are an estimated 2000 to 3000 bee species in Australia, yet we know very little about the vast majority of these and there are many that are yet to be described. Bees of Australia introduces some of our incredible native bees, many of which, if you look closely, can be found in your own garden. Open this book wherever you like or read it from cover to cover. The combination of photography and contributions from many of Australia's leading bee researchers allows anyone to become enthralled by our native bees. ...Show more