Warm summer reading

Title:  Forests in Our Changing World by Joseph J Landsberg, Richard H Waring
(New Principles for Conservation and Management)
Publisher: Island Press (2014)
304 pp
Genre: climate change, global warming, forests, trees, ecology, forest ecology, biodiversity
4 stars****
Authors: Landsberg and Waring are eminently respected forest scientists who have worked in the field for decades. Between them, they have a vast understanding and experience in of global forests.
Richard Waring is a Distinguished Prof of Forest Science (Emeritus) at OSU (Corvallis)[studied at UMinn, Phd UC Berkley] forest monitoring, modeling with NASA
Joe Landsberg (PhD U Bristol, UK) past Chief of Div Forest Research of Australia (CSIRO) and Terrestrial Ecology Program NASA
Story Line:
Climate change is upon us with serious implications for global biodiversity. This book provides a clear overview of forests around the world, describing basic concepts of forest ecology and tree physiology. This is not a textbook  but a highly readable text. Seven chapters outline 1) Forests in human history 2) World forests, 3) Weather and climate 4) Causes and consequences 5) Value and use of forests 6) Economics, management and money and 7) future possibilities. The last is perhaps the most important chapter.  They combine history, science, management and constructive thought to illustrate the importance of forests and their management. Clear diagrams illustrate general principles. The protection and management of our forest resources, global habitats, has never been more important.
There is an excellent glossary of terms, with accurate definitions.
Read On:
Limited bibliography, surprisingly (perhaps to save paper).
This will be useful primer for undergraduates, managers, governmental policy makers and environmental organizations. This publication should reach a wider audience which should improve public knowledge and gain support for policy makers and managers. I remain a fan of Island Press publications for their commitment to accessible information.
Also
Peter Spathelf (Ed.) Sustainable Forest Management in a Changing World: A European Perspective (2009, Springer Verlag)
Mark Ashton, M.L. Tyrell, D Spaulding, B Gentry. 2012. Managing Forest Carbon in a Changing Environment.
Quotes:
Closing line: Humans can no longer afford to treat the world's forests as expendable.
A footnote was most informative: People everywhere expect that their standard of living will increase continuously.
Read as an ARC from Netgalley