Mice in the Freezer, Owls on the Porch is in many ways a love story—about a quiet scientist and his flamboyant wife, but also about their passions for hunting, for wild lands, and for the grouse and raptor species that they were instrumental in saving from destruction. From the papers and letters of Frederick and Frances Hamerstrom, the reminiscences of contemporaries, and her own long friendship with this extraordinary couple who were her neighbors, Helen Corneli draws an intimate picture of Fran and "Hammy" from childhood through the genesis and maturation of a romantic, creative, and scientific relationship. Following the Hamerstroms as they give up a life of sophisticated convention and comfort for the more "civilized" (as Aldo Leopold would have it) pleasures of living and conducting on-the-spot research into diminishing species, Corneli captures the spirit of the Hamerstroms, their profession, and the natural and human environments in which they worked. A nuanced account of the labors, adventures, and achievements that distinguished the Hamerstroms over the years—and that inspired a generation of naturalists—this book also provides a dramatic account of conservation history over the course of the twentieth century, particularly in Wisconsin during the eventful years from the 1920s through the 1970s.

Mice in the Freezer, Owls on the Porch is in many ways a love story—about a quiet scientist and his flamboyant wife, but also about their passions for hunting, for wild lands, and for the grouse and raptor species that they were instrumental in saving from destruction. From the papers and letters of Frederick and Frances Hamerstrom, the reminiscences of contemporaries, and her own long friendship with this extraordinary couple who were her neighbors, Helen Corneli draws an intimate picture of Fran and "Hammy" from childhood through the genesis and maturation of a romantic, creative, and scientific relationship. Following the Hamerstroms as they give up a life of sophisticated convention and comfort for the more "civilized" (as Aldo Leopold would have it) pleasures of living and conducting on-the-spot research into diminishing species, Corneli captures the spirit of the Hamerstroms, their profession, and the natural and human environments in which they worked. A nuanced account of the labors, adventures, and achievements that distinguished the Hamerstroms over the years—and that inspired a generation of naturalists—this book also provides a dramatic account of conservation history over the course of the twentieth century, particularly in Wisconsin during the eventful years from the 1920s through the 1970s.

Ray Hansen grew up in Depression Nebraska. At the age of seventeen during World War II, he enlisted in the Navy and served with the Seabees on Guam. Immediately after returning home, he entered the University of Nebraska, studied journalism while working nights on the Lincoln Star. He graduated in three years, on D-Day 1949. His career took him promptly to Washington, DC, where he worked ten years and saved $10,000. With that money, he went to Wisconsin, bought his first newspaper, and learned to print it with hot metal via Linotype and a flatbed press. He paid off the mortgage in five years and sold the paper for more than twice what he paid for it. Then came the offset revolution, publishing cold type via new expensive web presses. During those years, he married, raised a family, and bought and sold three more newspapers in Kansas and Arkansas. He concluded his career in upstate New York on the cusp of the twenty-first century. He witnessed the growth and skirmishes of community newspapers over seven decades. Now in his ninety-second year, he has many interesting tales to tell and relates them with flair and honesty in 30—My Newspaper Life.

The tallgrass prairie once stretched from Indiana to Kansas to Minnesota. Most of this land is now growing corn and soybeans. In To Find a Pasqueflower, Greg Hoch shows us that the tallgrass prairie is the most endangered ecosystem on the continent, but it’s also an ecosystem that people can play an active role in restoring. Hoch blends history, culture, and science into a unified narrative of the tallgrass prairie, with an emphasis on humans’ participation in its development and destruction. Hoch also demonstrates how variable and dynamic the prairie is, creating both challenges and opportunities for those who manage and restore and appreciate it.

Winner of the Illinois State Historical Society Outstanding Achievement Award Efforts to preserve wild places in the United States began with the allure of scenic grandeur: Yosemite, Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon. But what about the many significant natural sites too small or fragile to qualify as state or federal parks? Force of Nature reveals how George Fell initiated the natural areas movement to save those areas. Fell transformed a loose band of ecologists into The Nature Conservancy, drove the passage of the influential Illinois Nature Preserves Act, and helped spark allied local and national conservation organizations in the United States and beyond.

The first book to address the challenges and opportunities for women, especially from underrepresented communities, in wildlife professions. Women in Wildlife Science is dedicated to the work of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the field of wildlife conservation and management. Editors Carol L. Chambers and Kerry L. Nicholson have collaborated with a diverse group of contributors to review the history, analyze the status, and celebrate the achievements of women in wildlife science. They share proven models and proposals for new methods to increase the inclusion of women in wildlife professions based on an intersectional framework. Centering perspectives from LGBTQ, BIPOC, Indigenous, and other marginalized communities, Women in Wildlife Science is a groundbreaking and vitally important book. Covering academic and professional spheres, the book lays bare the challenges women face entering and excelling in the field of wildlife conservation and management, illustrated by personal stories of struggle and victory, and grounded in peer-reviewed scientific literature unavailable anywhere else. In order to move the discourse around diversity in the wildlife profession forward, the team of contributors Chambers and Nicholson have assembled tackle pivotal issues, from recruitment into academic programs to hiring practices and supporting career advancement in federal, state, local, tribal, and private sectors. Opening with the stories of wildlife's founding women, and a concise presentation of facts and figures clarifying recent trends and the current state of women in the field, the heart of the book is then dedicated to sharing practical advice about how to increase, recognize, and encourage women's contributions. Each chapter includes original exercises constructed to help administrators, educators, managers, allies, and mentors move intentions into action. Focused attention is given to mentoring early career professionals, Indigenous women, and Women of Color. Women in Wildlife Science is a pragmatic guide to ensuring a more diverse, just, and equitable future for a workforce dedicated to preserving not just wildlife but the very fabric of the natural world.

Successful natural resource management is much more than good science; it requires working with landowners, meeting deadlines, securing funding, supervising staff, and cooperating with politicians. The ability to work effectively with people is as important for the conservation professional as it is for the police officer, the school teacher, or the lawyer. Yet skills for managing human interactions are rarely taught in academic science programs, leaving many conservation professionals woefully unprepared for the daily realities of their jobs. Written in an entertaining, easy-to-read style, The Conservation Professional’s Guide to Working with People fills a gap in conservation education by offering a practical, how-to guide for working effectively with colleagues, funders, supervisors, and the public. The book explores how natural resource professionals can develop skills and increase their effectiveness using strategies and techniques grounded in social psychology, negotiation, influence, conflict resolution, time management, and a wide range of other fields. Examples from history and current events, as well as real-life scenarios that resource professionals are likely to face, provide context and demonstrate how to apply the skills described. The Conservation Professional’s Guide to Working with People should be on the bookshelf of any environmental professional who wants to be more effective while at the same time reducing job-related stress and improving overall quality of life. Those who are already good at working with people will learn new tips, while those who are petrified by the thought of conducting public meetings, requesting funding, or working with constituents will find helpful, commonsense advice about how to get started and gain confidence.