Science & Nature (251)

Farewell Silent Spring - The New Zealand Apple Story

ISBN: 9780473487300

Author: Howard Wearing    Publisher: NZ Plant Protection Society

Farewell Silent Spring tells the story of how, in the course of 50+ years of dedicated R&D, highly toxic broad-spectrum pesticides were removed from the pipfrui...


Farewell Silent Spring tells the story of how, in the course of 50+ years of dedicated R&D, highly toxic broad-spectrum pesticides were removed from the pipfruit orchards of New Zealand. It shows how spraying by the calendar, regardless of need, has been replaced by pest monitoring, biological control, and sophisticated techniques like mating disruption and selective chemicals that are toxic to pests and safe to beneficial species. Integrated fruit production, and then Apple Futures, as the new programme became known, is shown to be on par with organic production in terms of biodiversity and safety to the environment and human health, while maintaining the premium fruit quality required by export markets. New Zealand apple growers can say farewell to the "Silent Spring" predicted by Rachel Carson in her landmark book of 1962. Written by distinguished fruit entomologist and scientist Howard Wearing, this book is a must-read for all involved in the fruit industry and anyone with an interest in safe sustainable food production. Professionals and students of horticulture, entomology, and pest management will find this book an essential gold-mine of information that they will turn to again and again. Link to book review by George Follas …. https://nzpps.org/a-compelling-read/


Bind: paperback


Pages: 278


Dimensions: 170 x 242 mm


Publication Date: 24-08-2019


$92.00
An Illustrated Guide to Weed Seeds of New Zealand

ISBN: 9780473224103

Author: Trevor James    Publisher: NZ Plant Protection Society

Now for something completely different! How many of you have ever looked closely at the details of the seeds of weeds? Some, we admit, are rather boring but the...


Now for something completely different! How many of you have ever looked closely at the details of the seeds of weeds? Some, we admit, are rather boring but then again, some of them are absolutely stunning. A glance at the front cover of this book reveals some of huge variation in the size and shape of seeds. Most of the seeds described and pictured are of weedy species, and the pictures show clearly the adaptations that have evolved to ensure they thrive as weeds: hooks and spines to attach the seed to wool, fleece or socks to help spread; awns that twist with wetting and drying to help bury the seed and anchor it in the soil during germination; seeds so tiny they blow like dust in the wind, or larger ones with wings or parachutes so they float on air; corky seed coats that act as life jackets in streams and lakes. This book will be useful for all workers in ecological research, pest plant management or, indeed, for everybody involved in agriculture or horticultural production. It is also of importance to anyone with a general interest in plants and the incredibly different forms that evolution has wrought. The book covers native and introduced species, and also includes seeds of species that have not, as yet, established in New Zealand but which have been intercepted in imported seed or other agricultural products (like cocopeat). The pictures and their descriptions are often not of the seeds as such, but of the form in which they are usually seen, surrounded by remains of flower structures that help in their survival or dispersal. The Introduction, Identification aid and Glossary are followed by 116 pages with 696 superb photographs of 623 different species, all with a brief description and distribution information. The book is spiral bound, 144 pp, with full colour photographs. The authors are Trevor James of AgResearch, Ian Popay from Landcare Research and Paul Champion from NIWA, all weed wizards; Nik Grbavac, seed specialist from Agriquality, Lincoln; and Birgit Rhode of Landcare Research. To find out how Birgit took those amazing photographs you have to buy this book!


Bind: paperback


Pages: 126


Dimensions: 182 x 245 mm


$49.99 $30.00
An Illustrated Guide to Common Grasses Sedges and Rushes of New Zealand

ISBN: 9780473216603

Author: Paul Champion    Publisher: NZ Plant Protection Society

For many years those of us who have to identify grasses as part of our jobs or who just want to find out what plants are called have had to make do with tattere...


For many years those of us who have to identify grasses as part of our jobs or who just want to find out what plants are called have had to make do with tattered old copies of Lambrechsten's What grass is that? or imported works on British or Australian grasses, like Hubbard's Grasses of the British Isles. None of these books fully described the grasses now common in New Zealand, whose numbers have been boosted by the dramatic southward spread of sub-tropical grasses like Kikuyu, paspalum and the bristle grasses. This is the book that bridges the gap. Here at last is a full colour identification guide to grasses, sedges and rushes, groups of plants that are often confused and commonly put in the 'too hard' basket . 'Too hard' is no longer a valid excuse! This guide to grasses and grass-like plants is written for a wide audience, and features outstanding pictures of flowering plants as well as of the critical details needed for accurate identification. Features include an easy-to-follow format, with keys for each category (grass, sedge, rush) to aid identification, excellent colour photographs throughout, and a fully illustrated colour glossary. The authors are Paul Champion from NIWA, expert on plants of wet places; Trevor James of AgResearch, weed wizard and photographer; Ian Popay, formerly of both AgResearch and DOC and now of Landcare Research; and Kerry Ford of Landcare Research, professional agrostologist (look it up). An Illustrated Guide to Common Grasses, Sedges and Rushes of New Zealand covers both native and introduced species and therefore appeals to a wide audience from field professionals to keen amateurs.


$59.99
Scott Base Antarctica The Early Years

ISBN: 9780473458522

Author: Don Webster   

For two periods in the early 1960s young science technician Don Webster wintered over in Antarctica, helping build extensions to the New Zealand station at Scot...


For two periods in the early 1960s young science technician Don Webster wintered over in Antarctica, helping build extensions to the New Zealand station at Scott Base. It was barely two years after Sir Edmond Hillary’s support of the 1957-58 Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition. Don describes in detail the design and construction of the buildings of the base, providing an invaluable historical record of both the physical base itself and also of daily life there in the summers and winters of those early years. Storms, severe cold and aircraft accidents are described in vivid detail. The book has 370 photographs many never before published.


Bind: paperback


Pages: 268


Dimensions: 210 x 250 mm


Publication Date: 31-12-2019


$59.99
How It Works : Animals

ISBN: 9781782700012

Author: Gerald Legg    Publisher: Award Publications

Packed with must-know information and written in an accessible style, learn all about the amazing world of animals with expert author, Gerald Legg. In this rema...


Packed with must-know information and written in an accessible style, learn all about the amazing world of animals with expert author, Gerald Legg. In this remarkable book, superb large-format illustrations and high quality photographs enhance the in-depth explanations and descriptions, and provide an enriching learning experience for young readers.


Bind: hardback


Pages: 48


Dimensions: 210 x 255 mm


Publication Date: 21-03-2020


$19.99
Africa's Wild Dogs

ISBN: 9781913159191

Author: Jocelin Kagan    Publisher: Merlin Unwin Books

There are roughly 6,600 wild dogs left in Africa yet they have cast such a spell on top wildlife photographer and naturalist Jocelin Kagan that she is determine...


There are roughly 6,600 wild dogs left in Africa yet they have cast such a spell on top wildlife photographer and naturalist Jocelin Kagan that she is determined to help save them. If left to their own devices, they are more than capable of thriving, as this sumptuous photographic natural history shows. Jocelin has called in world experts to add their latest findings about these resourceful, graceful and highly skilled family groups. Nomadic predators whose territories range thousands of kilometres, they hunt co-operatively, preying on small herbivores. Non-confrontational, they form complex bonds as this book reveals. Now restricted to small populations and threatened by some shoot-to-kill policies, habitat fragmentation, diseases from domestic dogs, climate change and snares, as well as natural predation from hyenas and lions, Africa's wild dogs will be supported by all the royalties from this book.


Bind: hardback


Pages: 224


Dimensions: 287 x 267 mm


Publication Date: 03-09-2020


$69.99
Maria Sibylla Merian: The New Book of Flowers (Pull Out Posters)

ISBN: 9783791386003

Author: Stella Christiansen    Publisher: Prestel Publishing

22 Colour Illustrations; A must-have for botanical art enthusiasts and Maria Sibylla Merian fans, this gorgeous collection of frameable reproductions is bloomin...


22 Colour Illustrations; A must-have for botanical art enthusiasts and Maria Sibylla Merian fans, this gorgeous collection of frameable reproductions is blooming with color and meticulous detail. More than three centuries after Maria Sibylla Merian established herself as a scientific trailblazer—and after more than two centuries of obscurity—the work of this pioneering naturalist and artist is being rediscovered. Merian’s work, The New Book of Flowers, raised the artistic standards of natural history illustration. Published in 1675, the book employed impeccable botanic accuracy with artistic expression. In it, Merian moved away from traditional methods that favored single illustrations and instead composed her studies to explore the relationships between flowers and insects. This poster book draws its nearly two dozen illustrations from The New Book of Flowers. Exquisitely reproduced, each illustration reveals the exacting detail and luminous colors that are the hallmark of Merian’s work. Perfect for close study as well as decoration, this treasury of botanical delight will help brighten any room—and inspire anyone drawn to the beautiful world of flowers.


Pages: 48


Dimensions: 28 x 35 mm


Publication Date: 20-04-2020


$59.99
Into The Arctic Ice

ISBN: 9783791386706

Author: Esther Horvath    Publisher: Prestel Publishing

Follow the expedition of the Polarstern, an Arctic icebreaker that is making exploration history and taking climate research to the next level, through this pho...


Follow the expedition of the Polarstern, an Arctic icebreaker that is making exploration history and taking climate research to the next level, through this photographic journey. Since September 2019, a team of 600 researchers from 19 countries have united in a common mission known as MOSAiC— the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate—whose mission is to chart conditions in the Arctic for one continuous year. This illustrated account of that incredible voyage features amazing images from acclaimed photographer Esther Horvath, who documents every step of the expedition. Learn how researchers prepare for the journey with survival training. Watch as they plow through the ice and set up a network of research stations that drift along on a floe across the North Pole. See them take ice samples, measure wind and temperature, and study every element of the atmosphere, terrain, and ocean to obtain data that will help shape the course of climate science for generations to come. Horvath’s camera captures life on board the vessel, visits by curious polar bears, the wonders of the Arctic sky, the endless waves of wind-blown snow and ice, and the beauty and ferocity of some of the most brutal conditions on earth. Accompanying these pictures are texts and commentary by researchers taking part in the expedition. This stunning book offers a front-row seat to the most important climate research project in recent history and helps readers grasp why studying the Arctic is essential to our survival on this planet.


Bind: hardback


Pages: 240


Dimensions: 245 x 305 mm


Publication Date: 02-10-2020


$135.00
Hooked For Life : A Celebration of Fly Fishing

ISBN: 9780995105355

Author: Les Hill    Publisher: Quentin Wilson Publishing

Based on Les Hill’s 63 years of fly fishing in New Zealand, HOOKED FOR LIFE is packed with interesting, amusing and informative anecdotes. The book resonates ...


Based on Les Hill’s 63 years of fly fishing in New Zealand, HOOKED FOR LIFE is packed with interesting, amusing and informative anecdotes. The book resonates with the sheer joy of hunting and catching trout, while imparting a lifetime’s worth of invaluable lessons on how to go about it. The reader will not only benefit from the author’s years of experience with nymph and dry fly, but will enjoy soaking up the special atmosphere he evokes and relive vicariously the primal contest between angler and fish. Along the way they’ll learn to think like a trout and understand the nature of the world it lives in; get some tips on streamside photography; and come to appreciate the author’s view that it is often more satisfying to catch one special fish than a large number on a particular day, or that the trout that gets away can provide as much fun as several brought to a net. In the second part of the book, Dr Graham Macdonald’s thoughtful chapters on fishing and wellness give an insight into the therapeutic benefits of fly fishing, an unusual angle not often explored in fly fishing literature. From page one, HOOKED FOR LIFE is lavishly illustrated with over 120 superb large-format colour photographs that not only invite one into the book, but also reveal the beauty of our rivers, streams, lakes and countryside, and encourage the reader to head out to experience the wonderful world of fly fishing. The perfect gift for any angler. "A marvel of a book, illustrated with superb photography and written with quiet wisdom, story-telling art, information and love. A treasure trove gathered from more than 60 years of perfect pleasure." - Kevin Ireland, author of How To Catch A Fish ABOUT THE AUTHOR Les Hill is a retired school teacher. He lives on a two-acre block close to Hokitika with panoramic views of the Southern Alps and the Tasman Sea. He enjoys life in the outdoors – trout fishing, whitebaiting, sea fishing and hunting. He always carries a camera. He is the author or co-author of seven previous, highly acclaimed books on trout fishing. Les was a regular contributor to Fish and Game magazine and has had numerous articles and photographs published in books and magazines both in NZ and abroad.


Bind: hardback


Pages: 208


Dimensions: 210 x 256 mm


Publication Date: 01-11-2020


$45.00
Nature and Wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand

ISBN: 9780473538637

Author: Catherine Knight    Publisher: Totara Press

We have never been more aware of the benefit of being out in nature, but how much quality time does the 'average' New Zealander spend enjoying the outdoors? Whi...


We have never been more aware of the benefit of being out in nature, but how much quality time does the 'average' New Zealander spend enjoying the outdoors? While our national parks are places of spectacular wilderness, for many of us, these places are out of reach. This ground-breaking book argues the restoration of 'neighbourhood nature' - places that all New Zealanders can freely access, irrespective of socioeconomic or other factors. New Zealand's experience of the coronavirus pandemic underscores how important these local oases of nature are - and how vital they are to our wellbeing. Richly illustrated throughout, this book tells the stories of a wide range of New Zealanders, who - either individually or through organised initiatives - have experienced the wellbeing benefits gained through connection with nature. Their stories are varied but each one is authentic, personal and moving. Drawing on the latest scientific research and through these personal stories, Knight challenges us to contemplate a more nature-rich future.


Bind: paperback


Pages: 190


Dimensions: 205 x 210 mm


Publication Date: 20-10-2020


$39.99
© 2024 Nationwide Book Distributors