Science & Nature (251)

Seabirds Beyond The Mountain Crest

ISBN: 9780947522643

Author: Richard Cuthbert    Publisher: Otago University Press

Seabirds Beyond the Mountain Crest tells the fascinating story of New Zealand’s endemic Hutton’s shearwater, a species that breeds only at two remote locati...


Seabirds Beyond the Mountain Crest tells the fascinating story of New Zealand’s endemic Hutton’s shearwater, a species that breeds only at two remote locations, high in the Kaikoura Mountains. Amateur ornithologist Geoff Harrow is the person most closely associated with the story of Hutton’s shearwater, for it was Geoff who discovered the two remaining nesting sites in the 1960s. For five decades he visited the mountains whenever he could to observe and record the birds, and to encourage the Department of Conservation and its predecessors to take steps to conserve this endangered species. As a result, scientist Richard Cuthbert was to spend three years living with 200,000 Hutton’s shearwaters and their neighbours, studying their behaviour, observing their interactions, measuring and recording facts and figures to build a detailed picture of why and how these birds had survived. The discoveries over time of Richard and his co-workers turned received wisdom on its head and revealed a whole new predator story. Richard’s beautifully written, witty account – of the challenge and exasperation, the heartbreak and hardship, and the sheer joy of conservation fieldwork in a remote environment – is beautifully interwoven with other fascinating stories – of the ‘discovery’ of the species by nineteenth-century scientists and collectors, and Geoff Harrow’s discovery of the nesting grounds and subsequent long involvement with this species. Seabirds Beyond the Mountain Crest is a delightful and highly entertaining read.


Bind: paperback


Pages: 220


Dimensions: 170 x 240 mm


Publication Date: 14-08-2017


$45.00
The Face of Nature

ISBN: 9781927322383

Author: Jonathan West    Publisher: Otago University Press

Bounded by the wild waves of the Pacific on the east, and the more sheltered harbour on the west, the Otago Peninsula is a remarkable landscape. Today a habita...


Bounded by the wild waves of the Pacific on the east, and the more sheltered harbour on the west, the Otago Peninsula is a remarkable landscape. Today a habitat for a diverse array of wildlife including albatrosses, penguins and seals, the Peninsula has undergone dramatic changes since it first attracted human settlement. In The Face of Nature: An environmental history of the Otago Peninsula Jonathan West explores what people and place made of one another from the arrival of the first Polynesians until the end of the nineteenth century. The Peninsula has always been one of the places in Otago most important to Māori. In 1844 they reluctantly agreed to split it with the British, but the land Māori retained has remained at the core of their history in the region. The British settlers divided their part of the Peninsula into small farms whose owners transformed it from native forest into cow country that fed a booming Dunedin – at that point New Zealand’s leading commercial city. This rigorously researched, beautifully illustrated local history documents the rapid environmental change that ensued, which went far beyond the transformation from forest to farm, to the loss of birds, the exhaustion of inshore fisheries, eruptions of pests and weeds, enormous sand-blows, and huge and sometimes sudden landslides. The speed and scope of change driven by human occupation of the Peninsula were summed up in 1901 by George Malcolm Thomson, natural scientist and historian. In just 50 years, he said, ‘the whole face of Nature is altered’. Already, alongside pride in what they had made of the Peninsula, settlers felt remorse for the losses they had caused. The Face of Nature incorporates a rich array of maps, paintings and photographs to illustrate the making – and unmaking – of this unique landscape. In doing so it illustrates why the Otago Peninsula is an ideal location through which to understand the larger environmental history of these islands.


Bind: paperback


Pages: 388


Dimensions: 170 x 240 mm


Publication Date: 05-12-2017


$49.95
Archaeology of the Solomon Islands

ISBN: 9780947522537

Author: Richard Walter & Peter Sheppard    Publisher: Otago University Press

This synthesis of Solomon Island archaeology draws together all the research that has taken place in the field over the past 50 years. It takes a multidisciplin...


This synthesis of Solomon Island archaeology draws together all the research that has taken place in the field over the past 50 years. It takes a multidisciplinary theoretical and methodological approach and considers the work of archaeologists, environmental scientists, anthropologists and historians. At the same time this volume highlights the results of the authors’ own considerable field research. This fascinating and very readable book is written for an archaeological audience but is also designed to be accessible to all readers interested in Pacific archaeology, anthropology and history. Featuring more than a hundred maps and figures, Archaeology of the Solomon Islands represents a ground-breaking contribution to Pacific archaeology.


Bind: paperback


Pages: 200


Dimensions: 210 x 280 x 20 mm


Publication Date: 21-08-2017


Tags: Education   History   Reference   Science & Nature   Travel
$50.00
Doggy Desserts

ISBN: 9781621871712

Author: Cheryl Gianfracesco    Publisher: Companion House

The marriage of two of the world’s favorite topics—dogs and desserts—Doggy Desserts offers dog owners over 100 recipes to spoil (and nourish) their pamper...


The marriage of two of the world’s favorite topics—dogs and desserts—Doggy Desserts offers dog owners over 100 recipes to spoil (and nourish) their pampered pooches. This beautifully photographed and designed book presents easy-to-do, fun recipes divided into six categories: cookies, bars, drop cookies, cakes, muffins, and frozen treats. For dog owners who are concerned about controlling what’s in their dogs’ food or who are looking to find low-cal, low-fat options for their slightly plump pups, Doggy Desserts provides many tasty options. From carob peanut butter crunch balls, sweet potato biscuits, and liver oatmeal bones to granola bars, applesauce spice cake, and watermelon dog sherbet, owners will be tempted to try each of these delectable delights before serving to their dogs. The author, Cheryl Gianfrancesco, is an avid cook and dog lover, and cooking for her dogs is her favorite passion! Inside Doggy Desserts: • How to make your own tasty, wholesome doggy snacks and desserts • More than 100 easy-to-make recipes for goodies that are not only enjoyable but also nutritious • Healthful ingredients, many of which you may already have in your kitchen • Strategies to avoid preservatives and ingredients that can irritate sensitive canine tummies and cause allergies and other health problems • Low-calorie, low-fat options for overweight dogs


Bind: paperback


Pages: 112


Dimensions: 205 x 205 mm


Publication Date: 01-09-2017


$22.99
The Self Sufficiency Handbook

ISBN: 9781620082348

Author: Alan & Gill Bridgewater    Publisher: Companion House

Worried about ever-rising fuel bills and longing for the day when you can be off-grid and independent? Anxious about the quality of the food you eat and plannin...


Worried about ever-rising fuel bills and longing for the day when you can be off-grid and independent? Anxious about the quality of the food you eat and planning to go organic? Yearning to get back to the way it was but don't know where to start? This book will show you how to achieve the eco-friendly good life. The authors cover the ecological gamut from geothermal heating to crop rotation to soap making. They answer important questions like how much land is really needed to be self-sufficient, whether or not to depend entirely on natural forms of energy, and which farm animals will best meet your needs. There’s practical information here on building an insulated flue pipe chimney, identifying edible wild plants and composting with worms—as well as recipes for jams, rhubarb wine, cheeses and more. Packed with full-colour photographs, helpful illustrations and diagrams, The Self-Sufficiency Handbook will appeal to urban dwellers who want to adopt certain aspects of greener living and to serious adherents of back-to-basics living.


Bind: paperback


Pages: 240


Dimensions: 178 x 229 mm


Publication Date: 10-11-2017


$39.99
West Coast Walking A Naturalist's Guide (Updated Reprint 2017)

ISBN: 9781927145425

Author: Kerry-Jane Wilson    Publisher: Canterbury University Press

The West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island arguably boasts the greatest range of the country’s natural attractions. From the warm, temperate nikau palm fo...


The West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island arguably boasts the greatest range of the country’s natural attractions. From the warm, temperate nikau palm forests at Karamea to the cool beech forests of Haast, from the alpine heights of Arthur’s Pass to the dramatic Paparoa coast, glaciers that descend into valleys filled with unique podocarp rainforests, plus pristine lakes and lagoons – the West Coast has it all. New Zealand is a centre of endemicity, with over 80% of our native non-marine birds, reptiles, flowering plants, gymnosperms, land-snails and insects restricted to this country, and hundreds of those species are found on the West Coast. The Coast is an essential destination for any overseas naturalist or bird-watcher, and a place New Zealanders interested in nature should return to time and again. This remote part of the country is New Zealand as tourists and many Kiwis imagine it to be. Remote and wild it may seem, yet most of its natural attractions are accessible from sealed roads and well-formed paths, some even wheelchair accessible. This book presents an introduction to the West Coast’s physical environment, plants and animals, and a guide to the walks, lakes and highways of the region. Short easy paths are described in some detail, along with the plants, animals and natural features to look for along the way. Longer, more demanding trails are described in less detail. The lakes and lagoons are best explored by kayak, and guidance is given for the paddling naturalist. An essential guide to the region’s natural attractions since its publication in 2013, West Coast Walking has been reprinted and includes updates and minor corrections.


Bind: paperback


Pages: 368


Dimensions: 152 x 228 mm


Publication Date: 20-01-2018


$39.95
The Suburban Chicken

ISBN: 9781620081976

Author: Kristina Mercedes Urquhart    Publisher: Companion House

With more and more city dwellers and suburbanites embracing the notion of getting back to basics and living simpler, more rustic lives, it’s no surprise that ...


With more and more city dwellers and suburbanites embracing the notion of getting back to basics and living simpler, more rustic lives, it’s no surprise that the popularity of backyard chicken keeping has skyrocketed in recent years. Whether for enjoyment as pets or for the convenience of farm-fresh eggs right outside your door, chicken keeping can be an easy and fun step on the road to more sustainable, ecologically friendly living. Written by Kristina Mercedes Urquhart, The Suburban Chicken shares the author’s knowledge on general chicken husbandry, profiles of 20 suitable breeds for suburban living, how to provide your birds with optimal accommodations, and the healthcare needs of chickens, among other important topics about which prospective chicken owners should be familiar. INSIDE SUBURBAN CHICKEN: •The benefits and enjoyment of keeping chickens as pets. •Considerations for would-be chicken keepers, including local ordinances, space requirements, initial and ongoing expenses, and preparing the home and family. •Favorite standard-size, bantam, and egg-laying breeds for metropolitan and family living. •Hatching eggs and raising chicks. •Coop styles and descriptions of all equipment that a budding chicken keeper needs, as well as a chapter dedicated to keeping chickens safe from predators. •Preventive care and optimal diets for healthy, hardy birds. •Raising chickens for eggs: the science behind egg production, how to properly handle and store fresh eggs, and the differences between store-bought and homegrown eggs, as well as some exciting recipes for your bounty.


Bind: paperback


Pages: 224


Dimensions: 178 x 230 mm


$39.99
Pony Care

ISBN: 9781910016305

Author: Alison Pocklington    Publisher: Quiller Publishing

Pony Care: A complete guide to buying and caring for your first pony will appeal to both owners and their parents. It has been cleverly written by Alison Pockli...


Pony Care: A complete guide to buying and caring for your first pony will appeal to both owners and their parents. It has been cleverly written by Alison Pocklington, who has previously been awarded the Horse and Hound Groom of the Year and published the very successful first book, The Essential Guide to Professional Horse Care and Grooming. Now, as the mum of a horse-mad child and riding instructor to many, Alison is only too aware of the pitfalls of finding the right horse or pony to match the rider. This great little book offers sound practical and in-depth advice, tips and guides to get horse and pony ownership off on the right foot. Most children who learn to ride dream of owning their own pony. Pony Care offers parents an in-depth guide for what is actually involved in successfully buying, owning and caring for a pony. With advice on finding the right pony, buying the necessary equipment, livery options, daily care, feeding, shoeing, health, exercise and, when the time comes, how to go about selling the pony. Common mistakes can be made when there is a lack of knowledge or experience, in seeking the wrong advice or being in too much of a hurry. Alison Pocklington shares a wealth of experience complete with tips and checklists. 'This book is a MUST HAVE for anyone who has had the tireless and repetitive call to buy from their pony-mad child.' - Lucinda Green MBE


Bind: paperback


Pages: 256


Dimensions: 189 x 246 mm


Publication Date: 31-07-2018


$49.99
Walking the County High Points of England

ISBN: 9781849532396

Author: David Bathurst    Publisher: Summersdale Publishers

From Dark Peak on the Pennine Way in Derbyshire to the misty Malverns in Worcestershire and Milk Hill on the Mid-Wilts Way, walking the county high points provi...


From Dark Peak on the Pennine Way in Derbyshire to the misty Malverns in Worcestershire and Milk Hill on the Mid-Wilts Way, walking the county high points provides the perfect opportunity for ramblers to experience the English countryside. An indefatigable walker, David Bathurst has unlaced his boots to produce this unique companion to the country's most rewarding hilltop trails. His appreciation of the beauty and history of the British countryside and his light-hearted style will appeal to experienced and novice walkers alike.


Bind: paperback


Pages: 288


Dimensions: 130 x 197 x 13 mm


$29.99
The Universe

ISBN: 9781909763586

Author: picthall and gunzi    Publisher: Award Publications

Discover our amazing universe with this fact-packed space sticker book filled with need-to-know information. With a giant fold-out solar system poster, this eng...


Discover our amazing universe with this fact-packed space sticker book filled with need-to-know information. With a giant fold-out solar system poster, this engaging book helps to boost knowledge through interactive fun; a brilliant way to learn about all things space and universe.


Bind: paperback


Pages: 12


Dimensions: 216 x 280 mm


Publication Date: 19-04-2019


$11.99
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