Another book recommendation

Beyond Naturalness: Rethinking Park and Wilderness Stewardship in an Era of Rapid Change

David N. Cole, Laurie Yung

Island Press

Here is a book worth a read by managers of wilderness areas

The professed purpose of establishing the protected areas is to keep them in their “natural” state. The authors ask what does naturalness mean, particularly as the effects of stressors such as habitat fragmentation, altered disturbance regimes, pollution, invasive species, and climate change become both more pronounced and more pervasive? Ecosystems are not isolated entities they are dynamic systems with interdependencies, complexities, and uncertainties.

The book brings together leading scientists and policymakers to explore the concept of naturalness, its varied meanings, and the extent to which it provides adequate guidance regarding where, when, and how managers should intervene in ecosystem processes to protect park and wilderness values. Innovative ideas about how the areas should be managed are deliberated.

Donald Kennedy President Emeritus and Bing Professor of Environmental Science described the book like this “"Beyond Naturalness is a commentary on how we can preserve the sense of nature under change. The idea of pristine nature innocent of human presence was, we now know, mythical’ but this thoughtful book shows that sound policies can give us a rewarding nature with people in it."

·  Paperback: 304 pages

·  Publisher: Island Press; 1 edition (March 18, 2010)

·  Language: English

·  ISBN-10: 1597265098

·  ISBN-13: 978-1597265096