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The genius of trees : how they mastered the elements and shaped the world / by Rix, Harriet,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."A mind-expanding exploration of how trees learned to shape our world by manipulating the elements, other species, and even humankind, possessing agency beyond anything we might have imagined. For a supposedly stationary life form, trees have demonstrated an astonishing mastery over the environment around them. They've been using fire since prehistoric times. Some tree species have gone to extraordinary lengths to make sure their fruits reach large primates, who can spread their seeds over vast distances, while poisoning smaller and less useful mammals. Others can split solid rock and create fertile ground in barren landscapes, effectively building entire ecosystems from scratch. In The Genius of Trees, tree scientist Harriet Rix reveals the inventive ways trees sculpt their environment and explains the science of how they achieve these incredible feats. Taking us on an awe-inspiring journey through deep history and across the globe, Rix restores trees to their rightful position not as victims of our negligence, but as ingenious, stunningly inventive agents in a grand ecological narrative. Trees manipulate fundamental elements, other species, and even humankind to achieve their ends, as seen with oaks in Devon, UK, shaping ecosystems through root networks and fungi, those in Amedi, Iraq that can change sex as they get to a certain age, the laurel rainforests of the Canary Islands regulating water cycles, and metasequoias in California influencing microclimates. A recent big surprise has shown that trees have an even greater role in preventing global warming than we thought: trees, which were thought to produce methane, actually consume it. We share one world with trees and one need for survival. This eye-opening journey into the inner lives of nature's most powerful plant is a profoundly new and original way of understanding both the miracles trees perform and the glories of our natural world"--
Subjects: Trees; Trees; Trees;

Ridgerunner / by Adamson, Gil,author.;
"November 1917. William Moreland is in mid-flight. After nearly twenty years, the notorious thief, known as the Ridgerunner, has returned. Moving through the Rocky Mountains and across the border to Montana, the solitary drifter, impoverished in means and aged beyond his years, is also a widower and a father. And he is determined to steal enough money to secure his son's future. Twelve-year-old Jack Boulton, born in the woods to two outlaws, now finds himself semi-orphaned and left in the care of Sister Beatrice, a formidable nun of the Anglican Order of Saint Mara. In the town of Banff, Alberta, where tourists, new immigrants, and POWs dwell among the locals, she lays claim to the boy and keeps him in cloistered seclusion in her grand old home. The boy longs to return to his family's cabin, deep in the Sawback Range. His father is coming for him. The nun won't let him go. Set against the backdrop of a distant war raging in Europe and a rapidly changing landscape in the West, Gil Adamson's follow-up to her award-winning debut The Outlander is a vivid historical novel that draws from the epic tradition and a literary Western brimming with a cast of unforgettable characters touched with humour and loss, and steeped in the wild of the natural world."-- Provided by publisher.
Subjects: Historical fiction.; Thieves; Fathers and sons; Nuns;

Nature's mutiny : how the little Ice Age of the long seventeenth century transformed the West and shaped the present / by Blom, Philipp,1970-author,translator.; translation of:Blom, Philipp,1970-Welt aus den Angeln.English.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."An illuminating work of environmental history that chronicles the great climate crisis of the 1600s, which transformed the social and political fabric of Europe. Although hints of a crisis appeared as early as the 1570s, the temperature by the end of the sixteenth century plummeted so drastically that Mediterranean harbors were covered with ice, birds literally dropped out of the sky, and "frost fairs" were erected on a frozen Thames--with kiosks, taverns, and even brothels that become a semi-permanent part of the city. Recounting the deep legacy and far-ranging consequences of this "Little Ice Age," acclaimed historian Philipp Blom reveals how the European landscape had suddenly, but ineradicably, changed by the mid-seventeenth century. While apocalyptic weather patterns destroyed entire harvests and incited mass migrations, they gave rise to the growth of European cities, the emergence of early capitalism, and the vigorous stirrings of the Enlightenment. A timely examination of how a society responds to profound and unexpected change, Nature's Mutiny will transform the way we think about climate change in the twenty-first century and beyond."--
Subjects: Climatic changes; Climatic changes; Glacial climates.; Climatic changes;

Turtle Island : foods and traditions of the Indigenous peoples of North America / by Sherman, Sean,1974-author.; Nelson, Kate(Journalist),author.; Donnelly, Kristin,author.; Alvarado, David,photographer.; Grey Eagle, Jaida,photographer.;
"Uncover the stories behind the foods that have linked the natural environments, traditions, and histories of Indigenous peoples across North America for millennia through more than 150 ancestral and modern recipes from three-time James Beard Award-winning Oglala Lakota chef Sean Sherman. Growing up on South Dakota's Pine Ridge Reservation, Oglala Lakota chef Sean Sherman understood that his people's food was rich in flavour, heritage, and connection to the land. It was in the midst of a successful restaurant career mainly cooking European cuisines that he realized the lack of understanding about Native American foodways -- a revelation that sent him on a journey to learn more about how Indigenous communities have preserved and evolved their cuisines through the centuries. Now a leading figure in the Indigenous food movement, he guides readers through the unique and diverse Native foodways of North America, sharing both traditional and modern recipes made with ingredients that have nourished Indigenous peoples physically, spiritually, and culturally for generations. Organized by region, this book delves into the rich culinary landscapes of Turtle Island -- as many Indigenous cultures call this continent. Learn to eat with the land that surrounds you, focus on plant-forward dishes, and discover how to better feed yourself. Alongside delicious recipes like Smoked Bison Ribeye, Wild-Rice Crusted Walleye Cakes, Charred Rainbow Trout with Grilled Ramps, Sweet Potato Soup with Dried Venison and Chile Oil, Sunflower Seed "Risotto," and Sweet Corn Pudding with Woodland Berry Sauce (and so much more), you'll see the inspiring Indigenous food scene through Sean's eyes. Exemplifying how Native foodways can teach us all to connect with the natural world around us, Turtle Island features rich narrative histories and spotlights the communities producing, gathering, and cooking these foods, including remarkable stories of ingenuity and adaptation that capture the resilience of Indigenous communities"--
Subjects: Cookbooks.; Recipes.; Cooking; Indigenous peoples; First Nations; First Nations cooking.;

Helm / by Hall, Sarah,1974-author.;
Helm is a ferocious, mischievous wind -- a subject of folklore and awe, part-elemental god, part-aerial demon blasting through the sublime landscape of Northern England since the dawn of time. Through the stories of those who've obsessed over Helm, an extraordinary history is formed: the Neolithic tribe who tried to placate Helm, the Dark Age wizard priest who wanted to banish Helm, the Victorian steam engineer who attempted to capture Helm -- and the farmer's daughter who fiercely loved Helm. But now Dr. Selima Sutar, surrounded by infinite clouds and measuring instruments in her observation hut, fears human pollution is killing Helm. Rich, wild, and vital, Helm is the story of a singular life force, and of the relationship between nature and people, neither of whom can weather life without the other.
Subjects: Ecofiction.; Novels.; Air; Environmental degradation; Nature; Pollution; Weather; Winds;

Walking the Americas : 1,800 miles, eight countries, and one incredible journey from Mexico to Colombia / by Wood, Levison,1982-author.;
"Levison Wood's famous walking expeditions have taken him from the length of the Nile River to the peaks of the Himalayas, and in Walking the Americas, Wood chronicles his latest exhilarating adventure: an 1,800-mile trek across the spine of the Americas, through eight countries, from Mexico to Colombia. Beginning in the Yucatán--and moving south through Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama--Wood's journey takes him from sleepy barrios to glamorous cities to Mayan ruins lying unexcavated in the wilderness. Wood encounters indigenous tribes in Mexico, revolutionaries in a Nicaraguan refugee camp, fellow explorers, and migrants heading toward the United States. The relationships he forges along the way are at the heart of his travels--and the personal histories, cultures, and popular legends he discovers paint a riveting history of Mexico and Central America. While contending with the region's natural obstacles like quicksand, flashfloods, and dangerous wildlife, he also partakes in family meals with local hosts, learns to build an emergency shelter, negotiates awkward run-ins with policemen, and witnesses the surreal beauty of Central America's landscapes, from cascading waterfalls and sunny beaches to the spectacular ridgelines of the Honduran highlands. Finally, Wood attempts to cross one of the world's most impenetrable borders: the Darién Gap route from Panama into South America, a notorious smuggling passage and the wildest jungle he has ever navigated. One of the rawest and most exciting journeys of his life, this expedition required every ounce of Wood's strength and guile to survive"--
Subjects: Wood, Levison, 1982-; Wood, Levison, 1982-; Hiking; Hiking;

The chair and the valley : a memoir of trauma, healing, and the outdoors / by Lyon, Banning,author.;
"An incredible memoir about one man's journey to heal from his trauma through chosen family, friendship, and nature. Banning Lyon was your average 15-year-old, living in Dallas, TX. He enjoyed listening to punk rock music, skateboarding, and even had a part-time job. But in January 1987 his life quickly changed after a school guidance counselor falsely believed he was suicidal after giving away a skateboard. A few days later, he was admitted into a hospital and what he was told would be a two-week stay turned into 353 days that would change his life forever. Banning takes readers through his fraught relationship with his family, the abuse he suffered at the hospital, the lawsuit against the owners of the hospital that would make him a millionaire, and his desire to try and make sense of what happened to him. We witness Banning navigate the difficult landscape of trauma and his daily battle to live a normal life. After years of highs and lows that include being adopted by his lawyer and mentor, falling in love and grieving the death of his fiancé, and being sued by the same doctors who abused him, Banning decides to take control of his life and finds hope in the terrains of Yosemite National Park, where he discovers his purpose for being a backpacking guide. Through therapy, friendship, and nature, Banning finds the strength to keep moving forward. The Chair and The Valley is a raw, gut-wrenching, and incredible story about healing from your trauma and starting over. It is a testament to the power of chosen family, the restorative power of nature, and the strength it takes to show up for yourself every day"--
Subjects: Biographies.; Autobiographies.; Personal narratives.; Lyon, Banning.; Involuntary treatment; Nature, Healing power of.; Psychic trauma.; Psychotherapy patients; Psychotherapy patients;

The CBD bible : cannabis and the wellness revolution that will change your life / by Gordon, Dani,author.;
"In this much-needed book, medical doctor and internationally recognized expert in CBD, cannabis and natural medicine, Dr. Dani Gordon shows readers how this intriguing plant can work for them. We are in the middle of a medical revolution regarding the cannabis plant and its uses. Medical cannabis has gained notice for treating serious illnesses when drugs fail, CBD oil has become incredibly popular as a wellness product, with hundreds of brands flying off the high street shelves. However, there is still mistrust and confusion around the plant, what it can do and how to make use of it for both wellness, self care and treating medical conditions. What is the difference between CBD and THC? What is the difference between over the counter CBD oils and medical cannabis oils? What is the science? Does it actually work, and what for? What are the potential social and cultural impacts of the plant at a time when alcohol consumption is declining? Many of us are completely confused, even most doctors never mind non-scientists. Dr. Dani Gordon is here to make sense of the landscape, and help every reader figure out what they need to know to start feeling better"--
Subjects: Cannabinoids; Cannabinoids; Cannabis; Cannabis;

Watermark [videorecording] / by Baichwal, Jennifer.; Burtynsky, Edward,1955-; Mongrel Media.; Métropole Films Distribution.;
Watermark is a feature documentary from multiple-award winning filmmakers Jennifer Baichwal and Nick de Pencier, and renowned photographer Edward Burtynsky, marking their second collaboration after Manufactured Landscapes in 2006. The film brings together diverse stories from around the globe about our relationship with water: how we are drawn to it, what we learn from it, how we use it and the consequences of that use. Shot in stunning 5K ultra high-definition video and full of soaring aerial perspectives, this film shows water as a terraforming element, as well as the magnitude of our need and use. In Watermark, the viewer is immersed in a magnificent force of nature that we all too often take for granted-until it's gone.Canadian Home Video Rating: G.DVD.
Subjects: Documentary films.; Human beings.; Water.;
© c2014., Mongrel Media,

The CBC : how Canada's public broadcaster lost its voice (and how to get it back) / by Cayley, David,author.;
Conceived as an institution that would embody Canada as a whole, the CBC now struggles in a fractured media landscape. Its narrow programming choices, dogmatic politics, and politically correct hosts cater to ever shrinking audiences. The once proud broadcaster has alienated so many viewers and listeners that Canada's Conservative Party now sees a winning strategy in promising to defund it. Author and producer David Cayley, who for three decades made radio documentaries for CBC Radio's Ideas, goes back to the CBC's roots to examine how it lost its way and to ask searching questions about the nature of media and the "public" in the twenty-first century. He calls for a bold new vision-a CBC that transcends its recent past and rebuilds as a unifying force, championing curiosity, dialogue, and a pluralistic Canadian identity.
Subjects: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation; Public broadcasting;

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