Nature Wars: The Incredible Story of How Wildlife Comebacks Turned Backyards into Battlegrounds

The funny story there is that when the state employee got to the site I choose to walk out the door. He looked at me and then asked for permission to walk on our property. I did not care. I wanted the flood gone. Eminent domain does not mean much when the neighbor children are showing off. Beavers could create a swamp on my property because it was protected wetlands. The other side of the road did not drain. Sterba hints that we may need to reintroduce trapping to control the numbers.

It would not brother me. I think animals are cute and all, but too many can become problematic. Take deer as another example. White-tailed deer are so plentiful that more are killed by motor vehicles than by hunters. This is when the population reaches too much. Deer have been managed to thin males out of herds because one male can service a lot of does.

As a result hunters have been trained to look for trophy deer with large racks of antlers. In order to control the deer population mat require the hunting of more females. This is anathema to most people because they watched the Disney film Bambi has small children. Bambi loses his mother to a hunter and man becomes the enemy.

So instead we live in a world where the number one predator of white-tailed deer is the family car. Car collisions cost billions of dollars each year. Yes, I have personally hit one. Bears are another story.

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For a while they had been eradicated in New Jersey. The first recollection I have of a bear in the state was in when one was found near the Willowbrook Mall and transported to High Point State Park. Then in the 's bears were everywhere and some mothers were having triplets. Yes, I have seen mother bears with three cubs.

I have even followed a bear while driving walking down the street. Sterba does address the issue of paved roads and animals. Apparently they like smooth roads as much as humans do. Unfortunately, this leads to many animal deaths collectively called roadkill. Many people are not aware of how many animals die because of cars. I know when I was learning to try we joked that you could hit anything smaller than a raccoon without worrying about too much damage. This may be unfair to wildlife and I know many anti-hunting people who argue that car deaths take the place of guns, but the question asked is do they really.

Sterba does not set out to answer any of these questions with definitive means of solving a recent phenomenon. See historically, these animals did not live where people lived. As people moved into a region they destroyed the habitat that animals need to survive. So the animals were either hunted as pests or starved. Some just left apparently to come back. There are now more people and animals living near each other in the Northeastern United States that at any time in history.

Large Canada Geese were thought extinct, but were brought back from the brink through breeding programs and sales. Now we have too many and feces everywhere. Ponds which children swam in years ago have been rendered unsafe and the ground is disgusting. Sterba explains in the book that the geese we complain about do not migrate. They were bread here and hence this is there home. It seems much like the deer we do not kill and eat enough to keep the population in balance. They are a good source of food and as such many hungry people would not have to go hungry. Because of anti-firearms laws animals that are found where they can create a nuisance are left to be a nuisance.

When more people lived an agrarian lifestyle the wild animals were killed and eaten. This was a significant form of protein during migrating season. The reason some geese stayed is that there was a time when live decoys were used. Our geese are the offspring of the decoys. The number one way in which most Americans interact with wildlife these days is by feeding birds. Bird seed sales have increased. Sterba lays out reasons to not feed wild birds. Mainly it is so that diseases are not spread through the bird world.

KIRKUS REVIEW

The number one killer of birds though are cats. There does not seem to be a clear consensus on what to do about the cats. More keep be added as not every house cat stays a pet. This is a really good book that makes the reader stop and look at the world around him. Sterba does not claim that this regrowth of forest is everywhere on our planet.

It is just the Northeastern United States where most of us live. In this case it may be conservation worked too well or we became too lazy. Sterba does not out both sides of each argument he presents. I personally see nothing wrong with an increase in hunting season, but not everyone agrees. Reading this book may open more people's eyes to the dangers the animals put themselves and ourselves into by living so close to us. Sep 11, Jeff Ransel rated it it was amazing. This book did 2 of my favorite things in books, making you see something entirely different than you did before as well as showing you how something has changed in your lifetime without you having a clue it was happening.

While Sterba comes from a specific viewpoint about the need to better manage our relationship to wildlife, he makes what seem to be very fair arguments that often require tough decisions which have kind of gotten away from us in the last years as farms have been replaced This book did 2 of my favorite things in books, making you see something entirely different than you did before as well as showing you how something has changed in your lifetime without you having a clue it was happening.

While Sterba comes from a specific viewpoint about the need to better manage our relationship to wildlife, he makes what seem to be very fair arguments that often require tough decisions which have kind of gotten away from us in the last years as farms have been replaced with forests. He admits that some remedies he probably would have thought would have worked haven't, though, as mentioned he comes from a specific argument and doesn't get a lot of input from those on the other side of the argument. I will say the other side is often more vociferous and we have heard more of that side of the argument in the news.

I can appreciate a well researched and thought out thesis even if it wais not my perspective before reading the book. Nov 26, Mary rated it did not like it. You can get away with just reading the epilogue as it is a semi-concise summary of the rambling, repetitive, and divergent main text even so, the author manages to repeat himself and go on tangents in the epilogue. However, as someone who views himself as enlightened and connected to n You can get away with just reading the epilogue as it is a semi-concise summary of the rambling, repetitive, and divergent main text even so, the author manages to repeat himself and go on tangents in the epilogue.

However, as someone who views himself as enlightened and connected to nature beginning from his farm-grown early years , the author offers no meaningful solutions himself. The few times he comes close to offering a solution to any individual problem, he immediately shoots it down as being too expensive or impractical. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't what I was hoping it would be.

I was hoping it would cover modern examples of the collision between humans and wildlife and examine solutions that have been successful, or at least discuss possible solutions. What I got was mostly history of natural resource use in the United States, with an occasional modern example of humans and wildlife conflicting and one chapter at the end that passingly mentions some possible solutions. I just didn't really want to know that muc It wasn't bad, but it wasn't what I was hoping it would be. I just didn't really want to know that much about the history of the beaver trade, or the deer trade, or timber use through the ages, or any of the other topics he spent way more time talking about the history of than the modern problems with.

Jun 17, Cyndie rated it it was amazing Recommends it for: This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. They hunt many species to near extinction and turn the largest forest on the continent into fields, eliminating native habitat. They also stop hunting food for fiber, food, and financial gain. In the suburbs animals often have better lives than in the woods the on 1 Europeans come into North America. He details the story of turkeys, deer, beavers, bears, and canada geese.

Many animals die due as roadkill in excruciating pain. Some species are occasionally aggressive bears, turkeys. Large amounts of feces many species create are unhygienic geese, deer. Almost all are dangerous on our roads. Once it becomes clear that these animals are a problem the following tends to happen: We should NOT feed wildlife or set domestic animals like cats loose into the environment. We should manage forests and our wildlife populations, including playing our role as predator.

Otherwise top level predators are next. We can decrease roadkill by investing in wildlife over or underpasses. We need to find solutions to continue to live with animals in balance. Oct 16, A B rated it really liked it Shelves: This is an interesting perspective on wildlife conservation.

The first few sections of the book discuss deforestation and how forests on the east coast of the US rebounded, almost out of control, once farmers started moving to the Great Plains. Conservation was not even considered until years ago, and it took another to depending on the animal in question before people took it seriously. Misguided attempts to simply reintroduce wildlife and leave them alone have failed because they This is an interesting perspective on wildlife conservation. Misguided attempts to simply reintroduce wildlife and leave them alone have failed because they were not done properly, according to the author.

Species that had long been scarce, such as deer and beavers, quickly repopulated to unsustainable levels. The nail in the conservation coffin was sprawl - suburbs and the open but human inhabited land that formerly belonged to wildlife. Sprawl wasn't urban enough to wipe out wildlife, and animals quickly learned to stop fearing humans. Through no fault of their own, animals became pests. Beaver dams began flooding residential areas. Deer and automobiles don't get along. Geese produce feces at such a rate that they are a health hazard.

Feral cat colonies have hunted rare birds to extinction. Even formerly brilliant wild turkeys have been dumbed down to dimwitted pests. The sections on the importance of hunting to control populations, and use of instant-kill traps was very sad to read, but enlightening. I've always supported relocation programs, but was unaware that these programs rarely relocate an animal.

Instead of killing it instantly in a humane trap, the poor animal is captured alive, caged until the trapper finds it, and then transported to be killed. In the rare event that an animal is relocated, it has an extremely low survival chance because new animals are not welcomed into other established animal territories.

The author also discusses how people no longer fear animals - i. Overall, it's an excellent read. I can't give it a full 5 stars though because despite the painstaking research and vast resources the author utilized, he misses a point: It's more of a critique of current conversation techniques that offers no solution other than possibly extending hunting season. I first heard about this book from a giveaway I entered but didn't win. That's what I like about giveaways - finding interesting titles like this one that I surely would have missed otherwise.

Jan 31, Becky rated it did not like it. Unfortunately, this book just angered me the more I read. He repeatedly puts down people that differ from his opinion. While I respect his opposing opinion, I find him to be misguided. Next time he should do better research before writing another book. His book however made me even happier that I live on the "left coast".

Don't waste your time reading this boring, repetitive, misguided book. Oct 22, Nancy rated it really liked it Shelves: As a recipient of a First Reads copy of this book, I was interested to discover information relating to our own backyard battles with wildlife which have increased over the years.

Covering the ecological history of this country from the first settlements to the present, using forests and five or six types of wild animals, it was surprising to me to learn that a number of issues championed by "green" groups are apparently not as dire as they would have the general population believe. The populati As a recipient of a First Reads copy of this book, I was interested to discover information relating to our own backyard battles with wildlife which have increased over the years.

The populations of deer, beaver, wild turkey and Canada goose, to name a few, far exceed that of anytime in the history of this country, and, because of that, cause quite a few problems with the human population trying to coexist along side them.

Being a vegetarian, the thought of hunting has always been rather abhorent to me, but the scenarios presented in this book have changed my thinking on the matter, as the need to cull the too large numbers of certain wild animals appears to be the only truly effective way to manage their populations, both for their sakes, as well as ours. I also appreciated the author's point that many Americans may be pro-nature and pro-ecology, but actually have very little real connection with the land, which is a large part of the problems occurring between man and wild beasts.

Mar 29, Lachinchon rated it liked it. A very interesting and informative book, if not the final word on the subject. I am not convinced that Sterba has all the answers, but he certainly has some. Not living in New England, I am having a hard time accepting that we are now a nation of forest, more arboreal than pre-Columbian times; not in Iowa, where just keeping an uncultivated fence row is a political ch A very interesting and informative book, if not the final word on the subject. Not living in New England, I am having a hard time accepting that we are now a nation of forest, more arboreal than pre-Columbian times; not in Iowa, where just keeping an uncultivated fence row is a political challenge.

Yet I see wild turkeys strutting nonchalantly along roadways and grazing on lawns, and deer come into my yard in the city and eat our hostas. I walk my dog around "Goose Poop Lake". I would not yet call them "problem species", at least until Bambi hits my windshield, but I can see that there may be significant issues elsewhere. Of course, ultimately the problem is not too much nature but too much man, but I don't see culling the human population as a likely solution. Hence we need, in some sense, to "manage" nature [which, as Sterba points out, we already do in many ways, both intentional and not].

Oct 21, Claire Grasse rated it liked it. I'll be honest, this book is slow going. The subject matter is to my mind very important. The dilemma of wildlife and humans in competition for the same turf, and the misconceptions people hold about the fauna in their backyards are big issues. The problems are not going to go away any time soon, and as the author points out, there aren't going to be many solutions that make everyone happy.

It's a problem that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later, and Sterba does an excellent job of I'll be honest, this book is slow going. It's a problem that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later, and Sterba does an excellent job of covering the ranges of possible solutions. The problem is, it's not very This is obviously one of those books that you read to be informed, not entertained.

Jan 03, Lisa Higgins rated it liked it. Nature Wars is a good read if you are not concerned about the issue of scale. Jim Sterba highlights a handful of species in a very small biogeographical region of the world that happens to also be in the wealthiest and most privileged nation. One who is not well informed about the challenges and threats to biodiversity on the whole of planet Earth could possibly read this work and erroneously conclude that things are not so bad concerning imperiled species.

The book needs additional chapters on Nature Wars is a good read if you are not concerned about the issue of scale. The book needs additional chapters on the effects of the consumption habits of U. The book is not an academic resource or an all-encompassing work concerning the challenges of wildlife management and of co-existing with wildlife.

Author Sterba has managed to make me feel guilty about a number of things. For example, I love to watch the birds who come to my bird feeders and I have shared my home with cats and dogs over the years. The theme of Nature Wars is how human beings have upset the balance of nature, and caused first the eradication of populations of species, and then caused the overpopulation of species by enacting legislation to protect these endangered species.

Too many Author Sterba has managed to make me feel guilty about a number of things. Too many deer eating our gardens, too many Canada geese fouling our lawns and golf courses, too many beavers flooding our roads. I had not realized the extent of the feral cat problem. Sterba describes many solutions to these problems, but comes up with no solution. Apr 29, Ruth rated it really liked it. Explores the compelling fact of the regrowth of the Eastern forest and the resurgence of many animal species in surprising proximity to humans in numbers not seen since Europeans first arrived in the Continental U.

The book does not try to be a comprehensive overview of species and their situations, but looks at several exemplars, such as beaver, deer, wild turkeys and Canada geese, as well as at specific problems related to human interaction -- roadkill, bird feeding, and feral cats -- to see Explores the compelling fact of the regrowth of the Eastern forest and the resurgence of many animal species in surprising proximity to humans in numbers not seen since Europeans first arrived in the Continental U.

The book does not try to be a comprehensive overview of species and their situations, but looks at several exemplars, such as beaver, deer, wild turkeys and Canada geese, as well as at specific problems related to human interaction -- roadkill, bird feeding, and feral cats -- to see the complexity of how these different interactions are creating a new, complex ecosystem.

Humans can no longer afford, he says, to think of nature as something of which they are not a part, but recognize that they are immersed in it and part of it and need to realign their thinking as a result in order to cohabit with it successfully. Jun 23, Rob rated it did not like it. I was excited to start, but the tone is too condescending. I get the impression that the author feels if only everyone in the country were as smart as he is, everything would be cool.

I was hoping for a more neutral viewpoint. He seems to believe everyone is a misguided fool, particularly people interested in protecting habitat or wildlife. I really wanted to hear about the ways in which nature collides with man in developed areas, not about how foolish people are for being horrified about shelters that kill unwanted animals. He longs for the days when an unwanted litter of kittens was simply drowned. Back then, there was no feral cat problem.

Jun 19, Jamie Maltman rated it really liked it. This was a very well researched and thought provoking book about the resurgence of trees and wildlife in the central and eastern USA in recent years, that most people aren't particularly aware of, nor know how to deal with except badly because we're so out of touch with the natural world.

The first third was fantastic, detailing what happened, when, and why. The middle was good, about the particular situations with various animals at issue. The latter part was a bit uneven, and the feral cat wa This was a very well researched and thought provoking book about the resurgence of trees and wildlife in the central and eastern USA in recent years, that most people aren't particularly aware of, nor know how to deal with except badly because we're so out of touch with the natural world. The latter part was a bit uneven, and the feral cat war dragged a bit Lots of food for thought, depressing situation, but more ideas about what doesn't work than solutions.

Aug 23, Danny rated it really liked it Shelves: Since moving to my new place in the burbs I've turned into my driveway to surprise a deer, seen a fox with a squirrel in its mouth cross my path during a morning walk, helped a turtle avoid a busy roadway, and seen more roadkill than you can shake a spatula at. That's why this book caught my eye. It's all about how we in the Eastern third of the United States live in a great big forest populated by a great many animals. And while I'm an animal love myself, when it comes to our insistence on a l Since moving to my new place in the burbs I've turned into my driveway to surprise a deer, seen a fox with a squirrel in its mouth cross my path during a morning walk, helped a turtle avoid a busy roadway, and seen more roadkill than you can shake a spatula at.

And while I'm an animal love myself, when it comes to our insistence on a live and let live policy with wild and formerly-domesticated animal populations, we are sometimes doing nature more harm than good. It's an interesting book and readable book about how we live now with the wilderness in our back yards. Sep 20, Elizabeth rated it it was amazing. I read Nature Wars for my bird club book club. Although the first chapter was a bit slow because already knew that the eastern U. I especially enjoyed his well researched chapters on deer, geese, bear, beaver, and turkeys, and wished he had included a chapter on coyotes.

His take on bird-feeding was new to me, and as a cat lover his chapter on feral cats was particularly interesting. Throughout the book Sterba knew his facts and prese I read Nature Wars for my bird club book club. Throughout the book Sterba knew his facts and presented all sides of an issue. Nature, as seen by most of us through a double glazed picture window revealing a manicured lawn…. Read Nature Wars and weep. Or at least, stop and think. Every word rings true. All I can say is, he better not take a walk in his backyard without a shotgun.

Jim Sterba confronts the shibboleths that make man-versus-beast conflicts so vexing, divisive, and fascinatingly complex. At any event, a terrific read on a subject that is all around us yet largely unobserved. This informative and beautifully written book gives us the effect of civilization often well-meaning on the natural habitat, both flora and fauna. I loved the book and learned a great deal from it. In graceful, clear-eyed prose, he explains why we need to relearn how to cut, cull and kill, to restore a more healthy balance to our environment.

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Science 20th Century U. About Nature Wars This may be hard to believe but it is very likely that more people live in closer proximity to more wild animals, birds and trees in the eastern United States today than anywhere on the planet at any time in history. Inspired by Your Browsing History. Related Links Contact us about speaking engagements with Jim Sterba. Looking for More Great Reads? Download our Spring Fiction Sampler Now. LitFlash The eBooks you want at the lowest prices. Read it Forward Read it first. Stay in Touch Sign up. We are experiencing technical difficulties.

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