Ossining Review of Books

Five Great Books about Nature Conservation

by Fred W. Koontz teatown

Fred Koontz is Teatown Lake Reservation’s Executive Director. Fred has worked as a conservationist for 25 years, including serving as Curator of Mammalogy at the Bronx Zoo, Director of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Science Resource Center and Executive Vice President and International Program Director for Wildlife Trust. (For details about Teatown, one of the great natural wonders of Ossining, see www.teatown.org)

  1. The Diversity of Life by Edward O. Wilson (Harvard University Press 1992)
    a Dr. Wilson is broadly recognized as a leading champion of biodiversity conservation. In this classic book, he explains the evolutionary origins of species diversity and why we are in the midst of an unprecedented, human-caused species extinction crisis.
  2. Song for the Blue Ocean by Carl Safina (Henry Holt and Company 1997) Song for the Blue Ocean This book takes the reader along on Dr. Safina’s quest to understand how human influences are threatening the survival of life in the world’s oceans. The book is sobering in its analysis, but offers hope through examples of successful species recovery programs and other enlightened management actions.
  3. Nature’s Services edited by Gretchen C. Daily (Island Press, 1997) In this edited volume, 32 scientists present 20 papers that illustrate how society is dependent on natural ecosystems. Collectively, the papers make the point that saving nature is not only nice to do --- but is essential for humankind’s health and ultimate survival.
  4. Win-Win Ecology by Michael L. Rosenzweig (Oxford University Press 2003) Conservation biologists understand that for long-term ecological health, including the health of people, lands between our parks and nature reserves must be made more nature friendly. Dr. Rosenzweig advocates for a new paradigm of citizen involvement on private lands, which he calls “reconciliation ecology.”
  5. The Future of the Wild by Jonathan S. Adams (Beacon Press 2006) Jonathan Adams passionately and eloquently encourages why the reader ought to “think big” in terms of nature conservation. Why we need to merge our human communities and protected natural areas into integrated, living landscapes (ecosystems) that are good for people and nature.