Biodiversity and Landscapes: A Paradox of Humanity

Global environmental problems are much worse and more difficult to solve than the public believes. This book is concerned with the paradox that humanity depends on biodiversity and landscape systems for its very survival, yet, at the same time, the current burden of humanity’s use of living resources places the existence of these natural systems at risk. Leading contributors to the fields of biodiversity conservation, ecology, economics, entomology, forestry, history, landscape management, philosophy and sociology draw from their unique disciplinary perspectives to consider the origins, bases and possible solutions to this pressing problem. The volume shows that the need for a solution is one of the most urgent facing humanity, yet the challenge of solving it is one that will require a major shift in the composite of human values.