Choice 评论

The result of a 1988 conference at the University of California, Berkeley, convened by the Restoring the Earth organization. The 57 papers describe protection and reclamation efforts in diverse situations--barrens, agricultural lands, coastal ecosystems, temperate forests and watersheds, mined land, and urban parks; many of the papers have extensive bibliographic references. Most of the contributions could be described as "micro-level"; they deal with local, site-specific efforts in isolation. This is a restorationist's guide rather than an analysis of the social and economic forces that influence political choices. Not unexpected at a conference for an emerging discipline attracting intense general interest, there is a broad spectrum of authors--public agency biologists and administrators, university scholars, small consulting firms, engineering/development companies, and an ecological miner. Some nontraditional material may provoke ridicule; these contributions are sincere, but romantic and uncritical. The book will appeal to naturalists, conservationists, and ecologists. Strongly recommended for community college and public libraries. D. W. Larson University of Regina