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The Nature of Nature book relaunch is a call to action on Earth Day
In honor of Earth Day, National Geographic Books is relaunching its award-winning publication, The Nature of Nature: Why We Need the Wild. Written by marine ecologist, Enric Sala, the book explores the interconnectedness of our planet's ecosystems, the effects of their unraveling, and practical solutions for rehabilitating the natural world.
The relaunch is a prescient reminder of the urgent need for action during a month that is projected to be the hottest April the Earth has ever seen.
In this love letter to nature, Sala brings both the head and the heart into his arguments for conservation—illuminating the ways in which microorganisms from the ocean produce most of the oxygen in the atmosphere and evoking a sense of wonder at the giant kelp forests that create stained glass-like canopies underwater. MORE
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By Enric Sala
Foreword by HRH The Prince of Wales
Introduction by Edward O. Wilson
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 square kilometers 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.