Big Bluestem

Big Bluestem PDF

Author: Annick Smith

Publisher:

Published: 1996

Total Pages: 296

ISBN-13:

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On one of North America's last remaining expanses of grassland the Nature Conservancy has begun what is perhaps the boldest ecological experiment ever attempted. They are not simply conserving the natural beauty of this place, where eight-foot-tall grasses roll for miles under limitless prairie skies; they are studying it and shaping it anew, bringing back the bison once hunted here by native Plains horsemen, and seeding with fire to liberate the natural biodiversity of a land never broken by the plow. On the stage that is the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve many dramas have unfolded. Indians, white settlers, ranchers, oil barons, scientists, and politicians have all taken roles alongside Nature's players - geologic phenomena, weather, the intricately interwoven lives of plants and animals. In Big Bluestem, Annick Smith traces the fascinating story of this land that, like the grasses, endures, and should endure, in its glory forever.

Gardening with Native Grasses in Cold Climates

Gardening with Native Grasses in Cold Climates PDF

Author: Mary Hockenberry Meyer

Publisher: University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing

Published: 2020-10-01

Total Pages: 133

ISBN-13: 1946135658

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Gardening with Native Grasses in Cold Climates, is written for inexperienced as well as seasoned gardeners, landscape designers, garden center employees, and anyone interested in native grasses that grow well in cold climates. New information on the benefits of native grasses including their importance as host plants for native Lepidoptera is included. Combinations of specific grasses used by larvae and perennials that the adult butterflies feed on is new and timely information.

A New Garden Ethic

A New Garden Ethic PDF

Author: Benjamin Vogt

Publisher: New Society Publishers

Published: 2017-09-01

Total Pages: 217

ISBN-13: 1771422459

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In a time of climate change and mass extinction, how we garden matters more than ever: “An outstanding and deeply passionate book.” —Marc Bekoff, author of The Emotional Lives of Animals Plenty of books tell home gardeners and professional landscape designers how to garden sustainably, what plants to use, and what resources to explore. Yet few examine why our urban wildlife gardens matter so much—not just for ourselves, but for the larger human and animal communities. Our landscapes push aside wildlife and in turn diminish our genetically programmed love for wildness. How can we get ourselves back into balance through gardens, to speak life's language and learn from other species? Benjamin Vogt addresses why we need a new garden ethic, and why we urgently need wildness in our daily lives—lives sequestered in buildings surrounded by monocultures of lawn and concrete that significantly harm our physical and mental health. He examines the psychological issues around climate change and mass extinction as a way to understand how we are short-circuiting our response to global crises, especially by not growing native plants in our gardens. Simply put, environmentalism is not political; it's social justice for all species marginalized today and for those facing extinction tomorrow. By thinking deeply and honestly about our built landscapes, we can create a compassionate activism that connects us more profoundly to nature and to one another.

Hidden Prairie

Hidden Prairie PDF

Author: Chris Helzer

Publisher: Bureau Oak Book

Published: 2020

Total Pages: 129

ISBN-13: 1609386930

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"Chris Helzer illustrates the beauty and diversity of prairie through an impressive series of photographs, all taken within the same meter of prairie. During his year-long project, he photographed 113 plant and animal species within that tiny plot, and capture numerous other images that document the splendor of diverse grasslands. His natural history writing tells the story of his personal journey during the project and the stories of the characters he found within his chosen square meter of prairie"--

A Great Plains Reader

A Great Plains Reader PDF

Author: Diane Dufva Quantic

Publisher: U of Nebraska Press

Published: 2003-01-01

Total Pages: 756

ISBN-13: 9780803288539

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The Great Plains are as rich and integral a part of American literature as they are of the North American landscape. In this volume the stories, poems, and essays that have defined the region evoke the world of the American prairie from the days of Native history to the realities of life on a present-day reservation.

Genetic Improvement of Bioenergy Crops

Genetic Improvement of Bioenergy Crops PDF

Author: Wilfred Vermerris

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2008-08-02

Total Pages: 464

ISBN-13: 0387708057

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Ethanol as an alternative fuel is receiving a lot of attention because it addresses concerns related to dwindling oil supplies, energy independence, and climate change. The majority of the ethanol in the US is produced from corn starch. With the US Department of Energy’s target that 30% of the fuel in the US is produced from renewable resources by 2030, the anticipated demand for corn starch will quickly exceed the current production of corn. This, plus the concern that less grain will become available for food and feed purposes, necessitates the use of other feedstocks for the production of ethanol. For the very same reasons, there is increasing research activity and growing interest in many other biomass crops. Genetic Improvement of Bio-Energy Crops focuses on the production of ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass, which includes corn stover, biomass from dedicated annual and perennial energy crops, and trees as well as a number of important biomass crops. The biomass is typically pretreated through thermochemical processing to make it more amenable to hydrolysis with cellulolytic enzymes. The enzymatic hydrolysis yields monomeric sugars that can be fermented to ethanol by micro-organisms. While much emphasis has been placed on the optimization of thermo-chemical pretreatment processes, production of more efficient hydrolytic enzymes, and the development of robust microbial strains, relatively little effort has been dedicated to the improvement of the biomass itself.

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