Nature Needs Us

About the Book

Man has drastically altered so much of the natural scheme of the world that it is unrealistic to think that we can leave the future outcome to the ways of nature. Our help is needed to better manage future developments and to repair as much of the damage to the environment as possible. This scholarly book is unique. “it is masterpiece –well written – excellent coverage of a broad range of subjects – great stuff – worthy of being a textbook. Its 32 pages of definitions of ecological and biological terms is invaluable.” William S. Leet. This book is required reading for anyone interested in an in-depth analysis of why nature needs our help inhuman-altered environments. It presents a broad perspective of nature and is designed to be provocative in some highly controversial areas. This will stimulate readers to think more deeply about their own personal views and convictions on what is ethically right or wrong concerning nature’s life-death ethics. However, since people’s ethics differ, decisions on such matters are left to the reader. Although it is based on scientific principles, the book is non-technical and written for anyone interested in nature. It is ideally suited for undergraduate college courses either as a stand-alone text or as a supplemental resource. All concepts are clearly explained. A list of relevant questions for most chapters serves as a review. In addition to the glossary of terms, it has an index and extensive bibliography. Chapters are: Nature’s Death Ethic, An Ecology Primer, Managing Wildlife and Pests, Hunting and Trapping, Agriculture and Domestic Animals, Human Population Explosion and Its Impact and Wildlife Habitat, Animal Welfare versus Animal Rights, and Conclusion. Since 1947, Dr. Howard’s research and teaching at the University of California at Davis have stressed, “how people and wild animals can best live together in today’s world.”

About the Author

Dr. Walter E. (Howdy) Howard is professor emeritus of wildlife biology and vertebrate ecology at the University of California, Davis, where he has been since 1947. He received his M.S. (1942) and Ph.D. (1947) in animal ecology from the University of Michigan. In World War II, he started in the Ski Troops, including invasion of Kiska Island in the Aleutians, and finished in the U.S.A. Typhus Commission in Upper Myanmar (Burma) researching scrub typhus, a new deadly disease. He has about 500 publications, including 23 books and booklets. His extensive experience with nature is synthesized in Nature Needs Us.