I don’t read a lot of non-fiction – although wait ’til November! – but every now and then a title sounds interesting. I thank TLC Book Tours for sending me a copy of The Nature of Nature: Why We Need the Wild by Enric Sala at no charge for my honest review.
About The Nature of Nature:
In this inspiring manifesto, an internationally renowned ecologist makes a clear case for why protecting nature is our best health insurance, and why it makes economic sense.
Enric Sala wants to change the world–and in this compelling book, he shows us how. Once we appreciate how nature works, he asserts, we will understand why conservation is economically wise and essential to our survival.
Here Sala, director of National Geographic’s Pristine Seas project (which has succeeded in protecting more than 5 million sq km of ocean), tells the story of his scientific awakening and his transition from academia to activism–as he puts it, he was tired of writing the obituary of the ocean. His revelations are surprising, sometimes counterintuitive: More sharks signal a healthier ocean; crop diversity, not intensive monoculture farming, is the key to feeding the planet.
Using fascinating examples from his expeditions and those of other scientists, Sala shows the economic wisdom of making room for nature, even as the population becomes more urbanized. In a sober epilogue, he shows how saving nature can save us all, by reversing conditions that led to the coronavirus pandemic and preventing other global catastrophes. With a foreword from Prince Charles and an introduction from E. O. Wilson, this powerful book will change the way you think about our world–and our future.
About the Author:
ENRIC SALA is a marine ecologist and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence dedicated to restoring the health and productivity of the ocean. He is widely recognized for his worldwide conservation efforts, based on solid observational and experimental research, combined with strategic communications and policy discussions. Previously a professor at the prestigious Scripps Institution of Oceanography in California, he founded National Geographic Pristine Seas, a global project that combines exploration, research, and storytelling to inspire leaders and communities to protect the last wild places in the ocean. To date, Pristine Seas has helped to create 22 marine reserves encompassing almost 6 million square kilometers of ocean, more than half the area of all 50 United States.
Find out more about Enric at his website, and connect with him on Instagram and Twitter.
My Opinion:
It is said that everything is connected and if you read this book you will see that on a whole new level. If you remove on piece of an ecosystem it will impact the whole of it or consider what happened when wolves were returned to Yellowstone. Everything is connected. The books starts with various examples of of these interconnected relationships and how they work by showing the results of studies done by the author and by others. It is very interesting but can get a little dry at times. I will note that I read this book a bit at a time while reading other books. That did not diminish its impact.
Mr. Sala shows how keeping Nature in balance is not only vital it is the best thing we could do for our health and the economy. Without an Earth in balance we start to suffer from the loss of that interconnectivity. The book was even updated to include information on COVID. How wild to read about present realities while living them.
It is at the same time a book both hopeful and sad because Man is the is the one harming Nature the most but he is also the one capable of investing in Nature and restoring it. And Mr. Sala makes the case that this is the best course for our general health and for the health of the economy. It’s a powerful book and an important read.
Rating:
5
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