Nature’s Allies: Eight Conservationists Who Changed Our World

Eight stars are highlighted in this riveting and inspiring biography of conservationists who have protected and defended our lands and wildlife from the ongoing ravagement and plunder caused by greed, ignorance, technology, and overpopulation. Some of the names are familiar, such as the iconic John Muir, Aldo Leopold, and of course Rachel Carson. But others such as Ding Darling (the Duck man), Chico Mendez (Amazon forests), Billy Frank Jr. (Indian fisheries), Wangari Maathai (Kenyan tree planter), and finally Gro Harlem Brundtland (Norwegian godmother of sustainable development) need their backgrounds and objectives further familiarized. Larry Nielsen, Professor of Natural Resources at North Carolina State University, does a superb job of outlining the lives of these heroic environmentalists. Starting with childhood, each subject’s life path is traced to illuminate the defining factors that influenced their appreciation of life and land and inspired their battle for preservation of nature. Strengthened by inner integrity, each of these crusaders possessed the attributes of passion, persistence, and the ability to bring together supporters and mold partnerships. Beyond these characteristics, these conservation promoters reinforced their influence with skilled persuasive written and oral communication. This inspiring book should be required reading for all students and further to exemplify to the general public those figures in our world that represent goodness, morality, honesty, and integrity.