Nature's Strongholds

Winner of the 2004-2005 Lowell Thomas Bronze Award, Category 20: Travel Book, Society of American Travel Writers Foundation Honorable Mention for the 2005 National Outdoor Book Awards, Nature Guidebook Category "The book's comprehensive geographical coverage, as well as the quality of information it provides, will ensure that it will find a broad audience around the world."--Gerhard M. Van Den Top, Times Literary Supplement "Nature's Strongholds ... offers conservationists, wildlife enthusiasts, travel professionals, ecotourists and armchair travelers detailed information about the world's best reserves and parks... [N]o other book compares with this one in scope. It serves as a reminder of what humanity stands to lose in the battle to preserve the world's last natural 'strongholds."--Roger Harris, American Scientist "Wife and husband team the Rileys spent 10 years researching this guide to 600 nature reserves in more than 80 countries visited by 40 million people each year. The weighty result of their endeavors is a lavishly illustrated ... book that will tempt any armchair traveler to get up and go... If we're lucky, what's recorded here will save some amazing creatures and plants from extinction. But the Rileys note the threats, from human settlement growth, logging, mineral and oil exploitation, to war, that make these reserves so necessary."--Paul Nettleton, The Guardian "Outstanding in layout, design, and photography ... this book provides concise, well-written descriptions that capture the essence of each reserve and park... The book makes delightful reading for the armchair traveler and serves as an excellent overview and reference source for hard-to-find information on wildlife and wildlife habitats in more remote areas of the world."--Choice "This exhaustive guide is a veritable encyclopedia... Covering 600 of the world's best reserves, the book summarizes the history and ecology of each and includes the best time to visit, types of animals, nearby lodging and transportation and temperature and rainfall charts... [T]he brilliant photography will have you packing your bags."--San Francisco Chronicle "The Rileys' book has the potential to close ... gaps in protection. It will inspire more people to visit reserves... From aardwolf to zubr (European bison), this volume fills an information gap for scientists, environmental organizations, and anyone interested in the best wild places."--Karlene Schwartz,Bioscience