Saul Barnard is a man with a self-imposed mission - to halt the wanton destruction of the Knysna Forest, home of wild elephants and the fiercely independent families of woodcutters. For years he has protected the forest from intruders, and has developed a mystical kinship with the spirit of Old Foot, the majestic and indomitable bull elephant. When word goes round that Old Foot is on the rampage, Saul is propelled towards a terrible confrontation that will change his future for ever.

Set in nineteenth-century rural Africa, Fiela's Child tells the gripping story of Fiela Komoetie and a white, three-year old child, Benjamin, whom she finds crying on her doorstep. For nine years Fiela raises Benjamin as one of her own children. But when census takers discover Benjamin, they send him to an illiterate white family of woodcutters who claim him as their son. What follows is Benjamin's search for his identity and the fundamental changes affecting the white and black families who claim him. "Everything a novel can be: convincing, thought-provoking, upsetting, unforgettable, and timeless."—Grace Ingoldby, New Statesman "Fiela's Child is a parade that broadens and humanizes our understanding of the conflicts still affecting South Africa today."—Francis Levy, New York Times Book Review "A powerful creation of time and place with dark threads of destiny and oppression and its roots in the almost Biblical soil of a storyteller's art."—Christopher Wordsworth, The Guardian "The characters in the novel live and breathe; and the landscape is so brightly painted that the trees, birds, elephants, and rivers of old South Africa are characters themselves. A book not to miss."—Kirkus Reviews

Exploring the rich diversity of London through a series of urban forest trails, this new, expanded edition of London is a Forest uncovers the fascinating stories and secrets the city holds. Through seven carefully devised paths, author Paul Wood explores the urban forest's geography, its past and future, and looks at the remarkable variety of life supported in this unique metropolitan ecosystem. For curious Londoners and anyone who’s fascinated by nature, a wealth of arboreal details, history, myth and anecdotes are revealed along the way. Complementing the trails, Wood looks in more detail at the fascinating stories of some of the iconic, and some of the less obvious species that define the urban forest. In London, 9 million people are crammed into just 600 square miles alongside 8.5 million trees. According to one UN definition, this makes the city a forest. The Forestry Commission agree, describing London as the world’s largest urban forest. And a particularly diverse and historic urban forest at that.

Trees are our allies in maintaining a healthy planet. Partnering with trees allows us to build soil, enhance biodiversity, increase wildlife populations, grow food and medicine, and pull carbon out of the atmosphere. Trees of Power by Akiva Silver shares a step-by-step path toward working with these arboreal allies, from planting to propagation to understanding the multiple benefits that ten of our most essential tree species - the chestnut, apple, hickory, and more - provide for humans, animals, and nature alike. In this book you'll learn how to work successfully with perennial woody plants. It includes in-depth information on individual species and different ways to propagate trees - whether by seed, grafting, layering, or with cuttings. These time-honored techniques make it easy for anyone to increase their stock of trees simply and inexpensively. Silver's combination of hands-on experience and sincere exuberance for the natural world will inspire a new generation of tree stewards while appealing to anyone who feels a deep appreciation for these magnificent plants.--COVER.

A splendid appreciation and natural/human history of the southeast portion of Mexico's Sondra Province. Jack Dykinga has contributed 46 evocative color plates--expertly printed. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

A History of Chinese Science and Technology (Volumes 1, 2 & 3) presents 44 individual lectures, beginning with Ancient Chinese Science and Technology in the Process of Human Civilizations and an Overview of Chinese Science and Technology, and continuing with in-depth discussions of several issues in the History of Science and the Needham Puzzle, interspersed with topics on Astronomy, Arithmetic, Agriculture and Medicine, The Four Great Inventions, and various technological areas closely related to clothing, food, shelter and transportation. This book is the most authoritative work on the history of Chinese Science and Technology. It is the Winner of the China Book Award, the Shanghai Book Award (1st prize), and the Classical China International Publishing Project (GAPP, General Administration of Press and Publication of China) and offers an essential resource for academic researchers and non-experts alike. It originated with a series of 44 lectures presented to top Chinese leaders, which received very positive feedback. Written by top Chinese scholars in their respective fields from the Institute for the History of Natural Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences and many other respected Chinese organizations, the book is intended for scientists, researchers and postgraduate students working in the history of science, philosophy of science and technology, and related disciplines. Yongxiang Lu is a professor, former president and member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), and Vice Chairman of the National Congress of China.