| Arboretum America: A Philosophy of the Forest Contributor(s): Beresford-Kroeger, Diana (Author) |
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ISBN: 0472068512 ISBN-13: 9780472068517 Publisher: University of Michigan Regional OUR PRICE: $31.50 Product Type: Paperback Published: October 2003 Annotation: Arboretum America is, at the very least, the Bible of Trees. But its ambitions are grander than that. Author Diana Beresford-Kroeger, a self-described "renegade scientist," aims for no less than the salvation of the planet -- through the miracle of trees. There are many books on both subjects. Some warm, some inform, while others meditate on the disappearance of the forests or the meaning of trees. Few books, though, touch on all of these subjects as Arboretum America does. Bereford's remedy, what she calls the Bioplan, commences with a simple directive: know thy trees. Most important, this revolution must start, not with governments and sweeping legislation, but with "ordinary people with an acorn and a shovel." As E.O. Wilson writes in his foreword to Arboretum America, Beresford-Kroeger is a poet and naturalist by calling, "both druidical and scientific in literary expression." So, too, is her Bioplan, which in spirit and letter covers all aspects of trees, from their history and use by Native Americans, to their organic care, their medicinal and therapeutic properties, design and horticultural considerations, and the magic spell they cast over us. Arboretum America is, essentially, a holistic approach to trees, and it suggests that trees, if properly understood and planted, will someday restore the forest primeval. Diana Beresford-Kroeger is a botanist, medical and agricultural researcher, lecturer, and self-defined "renegade scientist" in the fields of classical botany, medical biochemistry, organic chemistry, and nuclear chemistry. She lives in Ontario, Canada. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Nature | Plants - Trees - Nature | Environmental Conservation & Protection - General |
| Dewey: 582.160 |
| LCCN: 2003010310 |
| Physical Information: 0.8" H x 11" W x 8.5" (1.70 lbs) 196 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Combining both hands-on practicality and garden philosophy, Diana Beresford-Kroeger, a self-described renegade scientist, appeals to the hearts and minds of gardeners everywhere. Arboretum America's goal is both lofty and down to earth: the salvation of the planet---through the planting of trees. There are many books on both of these subjects. Some warn, some inform, while others meditate on the disappearance of the forests or the meaning of trees. Few books, though, touch on so many aspects of trees, including ways to use them in garden design, as Arboretum America does. Beresford-Kroeger's remedy is what she calls the Bioplan. The plan consists of how each of twenty different tree groups relates to its natural environment and how these specific trees can be used to promote health or to counteract the effects of pollution and global warming. The plan also reveals the fascinating history of these trees in Native American culture, including their medicinal uses. Finally, the Bioplan offers practical design ideas and tips---where to plant these trees, what season they look best in, what native plants complement them---as well as organic care and how to grow them. Beresford-Kroeger captures the magic spell that trees cast over us. Yet her holistic approach urges us to think big while acting locally, so that we may someday restore the forest primeval. Diana Beresford-Kroeger is a botanist, medical and agricultural researcher, lecturer, and self-defined renegade scientist in the fields of classical botany, medical biochemistry, organic chemistry, and nuclear chemistry. She lives in Ontario, Canada. |