America's Natural Places [5 volumes]: 5 volumes

ISBN: 0313350884

Author: Kowtko, Stacy S.

Condition: New

Review"This five-volume reference for students in high school and up gives details on about 200 natural areas across in all 50 states, divided by five major regions: East and Northeast, South and Southeast, Rocky Mountains and Great Plains, Midwest, and the Pacific and the West. The set is illustrated with about 200 B&W photos and 50 state maps. State-by-state entries describe the history and significance of an area, its plants and animals, factors that threaten it, and efforts to protect it. Individual areas were chosen based on biodiversity, rare or endangered species habitat, unique environmental character, exceptional natural beauty, and fragile or disappearing natural environments. Many of the entries are nature preserves, state or national parks, wildlife habitats, or scenic vistas. For sites that are physically accessible, there is information on location, access methods, and visiting tips. Each volume includes a short introduction to the region, with material on specific concerns of restoration and preservation. Each volume also includes a different glossary specific to that volume's contents." -SciTech Book News"this work is useful. It is informative, easy to use, and well written." -ARBA"The set is recommended to academic and large public libraries." -Booklist"achieves its goal by educating the reader on diverse ecosystems, threats to their future, and efforts to protect them that will stimulate further research and discussion. Readers will also be engaged on broader societal issues such as climate change and encroaching development and how they are impacting individual ecosystems and natural sites.any library community would benefit from acquisition of this title." -Reference & User Services QuarterlyProduct DescriptionEach of the United States boasts numerous special places that are significant for their biodiversity, ecology, habitats for rare and endangered species, or other qualities that make them unique and worthy of preservation. These sites range from nature preserves to state and national parks, wildlife areas, ecosystems that provide a home to diverse flora and fauna, and even scenic vistas.The five volumes of America's Natural Places examine over 200 of the most spectacular and important of these places, with each entry describing the importance of the area, the flora and fauna that it supports, threats to the survival of the region, and what is being done to protect it. Organized by state within regional volumes, this encyclopedia both informs the reader about the wide variety of natural areas across the country and identifies places nearby that demonstrate that preserving such treasurers is of immediate importance to every U.S. citizen.From BooklistPulling from the many relatively natural areas (protected and otherwise) across the U.S., this set features a representative sample of habitats, ecosystems, and features in need of care, conservation, and preservation. Selections were made with an emphasis on such characteristics as unique geological or ecological nature, great beauty, and rare species or habitats. Each volume covers a geographic area (East and Northeast, The Midwest, Pacific and West, Rocky Mountains and Great Plains, and South and Southwest) and is arranged by state. The entries describe specific sites and discuss some of the important issues surrounding their histories, landforms, and preservation needs. The entries include the obvious: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, the Everglades, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and many more state and federal lands. However, it is the entries about places like Halliday Fen, in northeastern Washington State, which may one day be home to a permanent wolf pack; the never-plowed Chiwaukee Prairie, along Lake Michigan on the Wisconsin-Illinois border; the Ohoopee Dunes, a unique ancient landform in Georgia; and the fragile Crabtree Cave in Maryland, an important home for bats, that make the work especially useful.