Island Press | Photo Courtesy of Abbie Gascho Landis

Nine Surprising Words that Describe Freshwater Mussels

By Katharine Sucher / On May 11th, 2017
Immersion is a breathtaking journey into the world of freshwater mussels. In it, veterinarian and award-winning writer Abbie Gascho Landis explores the hidden lives of mussels in our rivers and streams—and asks whether our capacity to love these alien creatures can power us to protect freshwater for humans and nature alike. Check out nine surprising words that describe freshwater mussels below, and ask any questions you may have about freshwater mussels in the comments.

#ForewordFriday: Big Cat Week Edition

By Katharine Sucher / On February 24th, 2017
Island Press agrees with National Geographic: big cats are cool. In honor of the last day of Nat Geo's #BigCatWeek, we'd like to help celebrate by highlighting one of the most mysterious big cats in the world: the jaguar.

#ForewordFriday: Inspiring Conservationists Edition

By Katharine Sucher / On February 10th, 2017
In today’s divisive political climate, where meaningful change is often stalled by partisanship and bureaucracy, it’s easy to feel powerless in the face of environmental challenges like climate change, habitat loss, and disappearing species. But environmentalists are no strangers to opposition, and a look back at their stories may provide the inspiration needed to move forward. In Nature’s Allies, Larry A.

Ten Fun Facts about the Conservationists of Nature's Allies

By Larry Nielsen / On February 2nd, 2017
Given election results that have further empowered political leaders who deny climate change, it’s easy to feel powerless in the face of environmental challenges like massive deforestation, biodiversity loss, and dying oceans. At a time when it seems like we are moving backwards and progress is stalled by partisanship and bureaucracy, conservation success stories provide the inspiration and courage needed to move forward.

Adjusting to Forests that Won't Stand Still

By Richard Waring, Joe Landsberg / On January 30th, 2017
For a long time we ecologists thought that we could predict not only how forests would grow but also how their composition was likely to change over time.  And we could predict the effects of management actions: for example, If we chose to thin stands of trees in certain ways, we would expect predictable increases in the growth of the remaining trees, with more shrubs, grasses, and seedlings colonizing the gaps below the trees.
Photo Credit: Steve Winter/Panthera

Violence in Conservation: A Blatant Travesty

By Alan Rabinowitz / On September 19th, 2016
Recently I was informed by my publisher, Island Press, of a report stating that 2015 was deadliest year on record for environmental activists. Given that over the last three decades I have worked on protected areas and corridors for jaguars and tigers in 11 of the top 15 countries listed in the report, I was asked if I would like to comment on the issue. My first thought was that there was no proper response to such an egregious fact.&n

Aid, Poverty, and Global Biodiversity

By Bruce Rich / On May 16th, 2016
International efforts to conserve biodiversity in developing coun­tries are recognizing the need to provide alternative livelihoods.

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