From our own backyards to the rim of the Arctic ice, countless birds have adapted to meet the challenges of the winter season. This is their remarkable story, told by award-winning birder and acclaimed writer Pete Dunne, accompanied by illustrations from renowned artist and birder David Sibley.

Despite the seasonal life-sapping cold, birds have evolved strategies that meet winter’s vicissitudes head on, driven by the imperative to make it to spring and pass down their genes to the next generation. The drama of winter and the resilience and adaptability of birds witnessed in the harsher months of the calendar is both fascinating and astonishing.

In The Courage of Birds, Pete Dunne—winner of the American Birding Association’s Roger Tory Peterson Award for lifetime achievement in promoting the cause of birding—chronicles the behavior of the birds of North America. He expertly explores widespread adaptations, such as feathers that protect against the cold, and unpacks the unique migration patterns and survival strategies of individual species. Dunne also addresses the impact of changing climatic conditions on avian longevity and recounts personal anecdotes that soar with a naturalist’s gimlet eye.

Filled with unforgettable facts, wit, and moving observations on the natural world, Dunne’s book is for everyone; from the serious birder who tracks migration patterns, to the casual birder who logs daily reports on eBird, to the backyard observer who throws a handful of seed out for the Northern Cardinals and wonders how the birds magically appear in the garden when temperatures begin to fall.

Praise for Pete Dunne

“Dunne’s prose is lyrical, sensitive, and full of feeling.”

—Ted Floyd, editor, Birding 

“Pete is arguably North America’s best and best-known birder—and he’s also a terrific writer.”

—Scott Shalaway, author and former syndicated nature columnist

Praise for David Sibley

“There are 47 million birdwatchers. But there is only one David Sibley. . . . He is a boon to both the birding world and the art world.”

—The National Audubon Society

“[His] exacting artwork and wide-ranging expertise bring observed behaviors vividly to life.”

—Birdwatching

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In an age of climate catastrophes and extinction, we need to turn back to nature and learn, once again, how to live sustainably on planet Earth—beginning with our relationship to food.

Four billion years ago, Earth was a hot, lifeless planet. Through the process of evolution, the Earth and its diversity of living organisms gradually reduced the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. About 200,000 years ago, the conditions aligned for our own species—Homo sapiens—to emerge and thrive.

But what will it take to continue to survive?

In The Nature of Nature, world-renowned environmental thinker and activist Vandana Shiva argues that food is the currency of life, a thread woven throughout the web of all life, indivisible from Earth and its natural systems. When this interdependence is ruptured—as it is now—the conditions for the “metabolic disorder” of climate change and countless other ecological imbalances come into being.

Proposals put forward by Big Ag and Big Tech to solve the intertwined climate and food crises will only exacerbate both. With clarity and a detailed analysis, Shiva unpacks the false promises made by technology-oriented, lab-intensive digital agriculture, revealing the dangers posed by fake and ultra-processed foods—dangers to the environment, to increasing greenhouse gas emissions, to the health of animals, and to our health and food security.

In The Nature of Nature, Shiva takes a powerful stand, arguing with urgency and passion for a food and climate future based not on techno-optimism, hallucination, and corporate delusions, but on the natural regeneration of biodiversity in partnership with the biosphere.

Praise for Vandana Shiva:

“She’s been called the ‘Gandhi of grain,’ the ‘rock star’ of the anti-GMO movement and an ‘eco-warrior goddess.’ . . . Above all, [she] is a staunch believer that the food we eat matters. It makes us who we are, physically, culturally and spiritually.”—BBC 

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The story of one woman’s remarkable work with a trio of charismatic, endangered bird species—and her discoveries about the devastating threats that imperil them.

In Feather Trails, wildlife biologist and birder Sophie A. H. Osborn reveals how the harmful environmental choices we’ve made—including pesticide use, the introduction of invasive species, lead poisoning, and habitat destruction—have decimated Peregrine Falcons, Hawaiian Crows, and California Condors.

In the Rocky Mountains, the cloud forests of Hawai’i, and the Grand Canyon, Sophie and her colleagues work day-to-day to try to reintroduce these birds to the wild, even when it seems that the odds are steeply stacked against their survival.

With humor and suspense, Feather Trails introduces us to the fascinating behaviors and unique personalities of Sophie’s avian charges and shows that what endangers them ultimately threatens all life on our planet.

More than a deeply researched environmental investigation, Feather Trails is also a personal journey and human story, in which Sophie overcomes her own obstacles—among them heat exhaustion, poachers, rattlesnakes, and chauvinism.

Ultimately, Feather Trails is an inspiring, poignant narrative about endangered birds and how our choices can help to ensure a future not only for the rarest species, but for us too.

“An intimate look at the wonder and effort needed for working with endangered species in the wild. [Osborn’s] matter-of-fact writing style and wry humor make the reader part of the action.”—Booklist (starred review)

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“Three cheers for this splendid, surprising, inspiring book!”—Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of an Octopus

Alone in a vast wildlife refuge with little direction and no experience, a Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology student found herself responsible for a project of historical importance—to bring the Bald Eagle back from near extinction.

In Return to the Sky, Tina Morris, one of the first women to engage in a raptor reintroduction program, shares her remarkable story that is as much about the human spirit as it is about birds of prey.

In the spring of 1975, on the eve of the US Bicentennial, Tina was selected to reintroduce Bald Eagles into New York State in the hope that the species could eventually repopulate eastern North America. Young and female in a male-dominated field, Tina was handed an assignment to rehabilitate a population that had been devastated by the effects of DDT. The challenges were prodigious—there was no model to emulate for a bird of the eagle’s size, for one—but Tina soon found that her own path to self-discovery and confidence-building was deeply connected with the survival of the species she was chosen to protect.

Ultimately, Tina spent two years playing “mother” to seven eaglets at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, east of Seneca Falls in New York. Driven by her passion, she discovered unknown reserves of patience, determination, and grit.

At a time when the mass extinction of bird species is a critical global topic, Return to the Sky reminds us how, with a mix of common sense, resilience, and resolve, humans can be effective stewards of the natural world.

“This is more than an account of environmental triumph; it is a call to action. At a time of urgent climate and biodiversity crises, this book challenges each of us to examine our surroundings and consider how we can contribute to the sustainability of our planet.”—Dr. Elizabeth Gray, CEO, National Audubon Society, from the foreword

“Emotional and inspiring proof that one person can make a difference.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Inspiring . . . the writing is clear and eloquent . . . Morris expertly blends moving memoir and scientific research in this remarkable and affecting story.”—Booklist

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“An important book, brimming with insight.”—Nicholas Evans, author of The Horse Whisperer 

A master craftsperson explores the ways in which working with our hands reveals the essence of both our humanity and our relationship with the natural, material world

In our present age of computer-assisted design, mass production and machine precision, the traditional skills of the maker or craftsperson are hard to find. Yet the desire for well-made and beautiful objects from the hands (and mind) of a skilled artisan is just as present today as it ever has been. Whether the medium they work with is wood, metal, clay or something else, traditional makers are living links to the rich vein of knowledge and skills that defines our common human heritage. More than this, though, many of us harbor a deep and secret yearning to produce something – to build or shape, to imagine and create our own objects that are imbued not only with beauty and functionality, but with a story and, in essence, a spirit drawn from us.

Nick Kary understands this yearning. For nearly four decades he has worked on commission to make fine, distinctive furniture and cabinets from wood, most of it sourced near his home, in the counties of South West England. During this time, he has been both a teacher and a student; one who is fascinated with the philosophy and practice of craft work of all kinds.

In Material, Kary takes readers along with him to visit some of the places where modern artisans are preserving, and in some cases passing on, the old craft skills. His vivid descriptions and eye for detail make this book a rich and delightful read, and the natural and cultural history he imparts along the way provides an important context for understanding our own past and the roots of our industrial society.

Personal, engaging, and filled with memorable people, landscapes and scenes, Material is a rich celebration of what it means to imagine and create, which in the end is the essence of being human, and native to a place. As Kary puts it, “Wood and words, trees and people, material and ethereal – it is here I love increasingly to dwell.”

Perfect for fans of The Hidden Life of Trees or Norwegian Wood, Material is a rich, inspiring read for woodworkers, potters, craftspeople, bibliophiles and anyone who enjoys working with their hands. 

The post Material first appeared on Chelsea Green Publishing.

*A Wall Street Journal “Best Read”

*2024 Nautilus Book Award Gold Medal Winner: Nature & Animals

Join author, activist, and garden expert Maria Rodale as she reflects on her surprising conversations with the spirits of the familiar plants and animals around us—and the knowledge they share with us.

In Love, Nature, Magic, organic advocate and former CEO of a global health and wellness company Maria Rodale combines her love of nature and gardening with her experience in shamanic journeying, embarking on an epic adventure to learn from plants, animals, and insects—including some of the most misunderstood beings in nature. Maria asks them their purpose and listens as they show and declare what they want us humans to know. From Thistles to Snakes, Poison Ivy to Mosquitoes, these nature beings convey messages that are relevant to every human, showing us how to live in balance and harmony on this Earth.

Through journeys filled with surprises, humor, and foibles, follow Maria’s evolution from resenting to accepting—and even falling in love with—our most difficult neighbors (including human ones).

Maria’s journeys include conversations with: Mugwort • Vulture • Bat • Rabbit • Lanternfly • Lightning Bug • Osage Orange • Deer • Paper Wasp • Dandelion • Tick • Groundhog • Milkweed • And more!

Throughout, Maria shares an essential truth that resonates across her shamanic explorations: We first must heal our own hearts, for only then can we truly love others and begin to heal planet Earth.

“Love, Nature, Magic will blow your mind and open your heart.”—John Grogan, author of Marley & Me

“Anyone interested in plant intelligence, and in journeying WITHOUT plant medicines, will want to read this new book.”—Michael Pollan, author of This is Your Mind on Plants (via X)

“Maria Rodale has written a book for anyone and everyone who loves nature, the garden, and the planet. The book we didn’t know we needed, at the time we needed it most. For comfort, for solace, for the heart and the mind.”—Bette Midler (via X)

“Let’s hear it for women intent on conquering new worlds—especially on the astral plane . . . [This] is a fascinating book . . . Rodale bares her soul. . . This is a journey into her heart.”—Dominique Browning, Wall Street Journal

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“Hine’s brilliant book demands we stare into [the] abyss and rethink our securest certainties about what is actually going on in the climate crisis.”—Brian Eno, musician

“Maybe it’s time to stop talking about climate change?”

For two decades, the writer and social thinker Dougald Hine has been among the most influential voices in the environmental debate. Then one day, he heard these words come out of his mouth—and realized that he would have to explain himself. 

At Work in the Ruins tells the story of how our ways of talking about the world’s troubles end up making everything worse. In eloquent, deeply researched prose, Hine traces the consequences of our over-reliance on the single lens of science and opens a window onto other ways of seeing the crises around and ahead of us. This is an invitation to find the paths that lead beyond panic and polarization, to take up the work that is worth doing in the ruins.

“One of the most perceptive and thought-provoking books yet written about the multiple intersecting crises that are now upending our once-familiar world. . . . Essential reading for these turbulent times.”—Amitav Ghosh, author of The Great Derangement

“[A] rich book, which like a poetic or religious text deserves multiple readings.”—British Medical Journal

“A deep reflection on the foundations of the destructive path humanity has been pushed on.”—Dr. Vandana Shiva, author of Terra Viva

“Let [Hine’s] song of loss and longing, his call to fugitivity, dispossess you of your steady gait and poise. Perhaps then we, collectively infected, might together witness the incomprehensible.”—Bayo Akomolafe, author of These Wilds Beyond Our Fences

The post At Work in the Ruins first appeared on Chelsea Green Publishing.

“This is literary environmental writing at its best.”—Amy Brady, author of Ice: From Mixed Drinks to Skating Rinks—a Cool History of a Hot Commodity

Earth, Volume 1 of the 5-Volume Elementals series, is a stunning collection of essays, poetry, and stories that illuminate the dynamic relationships between people and place, human and nonhuman life, mind and the material world, and the living energies that make all life possible.

Earth is at once planet, place, and material. Both tiny and huge, earth can manifest as a single grain of sand and a blinding storm in the desert. Earth nurtures a budding stem and the expansive rhizomic roots of an ancient forest. What if we understand ourselves as creatures who exist because of generational, collaborative, creative, earthen exuberance? The stories and poems in this volume offer elemental paths toward an ethic of interdependence, connection, and care for planet, place, and other earthlings. Welcome to Earth.

The Elementals series explores how people from various cultures across the planet have worked with these powerful forces of change and regeneration to shape landscapes and deepen personal and place-based relationships. Contributors for Earth, Volume 1 include: Gavin Van Horn • Bruce Jennings • Hannah Eisler Burnett • Kristi Leora Gansworth • Oyah Beverly A. Scott • Alexis Pauline Gumbs • Marcia Bjornerud • Laticia McNaughton • Rita Dove • Jane Slade • Emma Gilheany • Melissa Tuckey • Imani Jacqueline Brown • Franny Choi • Danielle B. Joyner • Liam Heneghan • Nickole Brown • Tia M. Pocknett • Andreas Weber • Jessica Jacobs • Robin Wall Kimmerer

With compelling stories and insightful reflections, Earth, Volume 1 reveals how people are working with, adapting to, and cocreating relational depth and ecological diversity by respectfully attending to the earthly forces that shape our everyday worlds.

Proceeds from sales of Elementals benefit the nonprofit organization Center for Humans & Nature, home to a press and farm that explore in-depth and diverse perspectives about what it means to be human in an interconnected world. Humans & Nature Press shares ideas that build community and inspire action. Humans & Nature Farm is a place where ideas take root. The Center is a place to experience human connection with nature and consider our responsibilities to the whole community of life.

The post Elementals: Earth, Vol. 1 first appeared on Chelsea Green Publishing.

Air, Volume 2 of the 5-Volume Elementals series, is a stunning collection of essays, poetry, and stories that illuminate the dynamic relationships between people and place, human and nonhuman life, mind and the material world, and the living energies that make all life possible.

Infinite and always in motion, constituent of everything, air is unutterably old, and its spirit carries with it the story of everything. What to make of a thing as ineffable as air? The stories and poems in this volume weave a web of words that gives us room to breathe more openly, providing spaces where the imagination can thrive. Welcome to Air.

The Elementals series explores how people from various cultures across the planet have worked with these powerful forces of change and regeneration to shape landscapes and deepen personal and place-based relationships. Contributors for Air, Volume 2 include: Gavin Van Horn • Bruce Jennings • Daegan Miller • Aimee Nezhukumatahil • Sohini Basak • Andrew S. Yang • Ellen Bass • Darran Anderson • Nicholas Triolo • Felicia Zamora • Sara Beck • Michele Wick • Ross Gay • Roy Scranton • Antonia Malchik • Benjamin Kunkel • Rita Dove • Báyò Akómoláfé • Craig Santos Perez • Gabrielle Bellot

With compelling stories and insightful reflections, Air, Volume 2 reveals how people are working with, adapting to, and cocreating relational depth and ecological diversity by respectfully attending to the atmospheric forces that shape our everyday worlds.

Proceeds from sales of Elementals benefit the nonprofit organization Center for Humans & Nature, home to a press and farm that explore in-depth and diverse perspectives about what it means to be human in an interconnected world. Humans & Nature Press shares ideas that build community and inspire action. Humans & Nature Farm is a place where ideas take root. The Center is a place to experience human connection with nature and consider our responsibilities to the whole community of life.

The post Elementals: Air, Vol. 2 first appeared on Chelsea Green Publishing.

Water, Volume 3 of the 5-Volume Elementals series, is a stunning collection of essays, poetry, and stories that illuminate the dynamic relationships between people and place, human and nonhuman life, mind and the material world, and the living energies that make all life possible.

We are deeply dependent on water. In conjunction with the other elementals, water makes us and the living Earth possible and defines our very existence. More than simply a commodity to be bought and sold, water is a lived essence to be honored. The stories and poems in this volume invite us to ponder the traditions, perspectives, and aspirations linked to this vibrant and vital element. Welcome to Water.

The Elementals series explores how people from various cultures across the planet have worked with these powerful forces of change and regeneration to shape landscapes and deepen personal and place-based relationships. Contributors for Water, Volume 3 include: Gavin Van Horn • Bruce Jennings • Ingrid Leman Stefanovic • Nickole Brown • Kathleen Dean Moore • Clifford Gordon Atleo • Joy Harjo • Martin Lee Mueller • Mark Riegner • Robert Wrigley • CD Wright • Hannah Close • Forrest Gander • Marzieh Miri • Elizabeth Bradfield • Margo Farnsworth • Geffrey Davis • Lyanda Fern Lynn Haupt • Anna Selby • Lisa María Madera • Özge Yaka • J. Drew Lanham

With compelling stories and insightful reflections, Water, Volume 3 reveals how people are working with, adapting to, and cocreating relational depth and ecological diversity by respectfully attending to the aquatic forces that shape our everyday worlds.

Proceeds from sales of Elementals benefit the nonprofit organization Center for Humans & Nature, home to a press and farm that explore in-depth and diverse perspectives about what it means to be human in an interconnected world. Humans & Nature Press shares ideas that build community and inspire action. Humans & Nature Farm is a place where ideas take root. The Center is a place to experience human connection with nature and consider our responsibilities to the whole community of life.

The post Elementals: Water, Vol. 3 first appeared on Chelsea Green Publishing.