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Birds of Burma; The ( Fourth Edition )

System — Wed, 31 Oct 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Mystical Burma is hidden inside the pages of this classic book, now re-issued and updated by the late author, B.E. Smythies. From the time he began his forestry career there in 1934 until his last revision of these pages in 1999, his was one of the key influences in Burmese ornithology. Fewer than a score of important papers has appeared on Burmese birds since 1945, but birdwatchers have continued to add a trickle of new species to the list. These findings have been fully incorporated into the new edition. New taxonomic work on groups such as bushlarks and warblers has helped to push the total of birds recorded in Burma to virtually one thousand – amongst the richest in the world for a country of this size. The plates for this edition have been re-photographed from the original paintings, which survive after one of the most dramatic escape stories in ornithological history. These paintings help to document the changing birdlife described in the text, from the decline of the great waterbird colonies, of pelicans and cormorants, to the new wave of records produced by tourism and birdwatching, today.

Bugs: The World’s Most Terrifying Insects

System — Wed, 31 Oct 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Food Plants of the World

System — Wed, 31 Oct 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Forestry in Sabah; Commemorative Edition

System — Wed, 31 Oct 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Forestry in Sabah has progressed much over the last century. In years long gone, forestry revolved mostly around the regulation of trade in forest products, and the collection of appropriate fees and royalties for the State from the extraction of these State resources. As time progressed and the exploitation of Sabah’s rich forest resources increased, so too did the understanding of the resource in terms of both its incredible richness as well as its productive limitations. It is because of this ever increasing knowledge about the function and natural capacity of Sabah’s forests that Sustainable Forest Management has evolved. Today Forestry in Sabah is moving fast towards the realisation of a vision of Sustainable Forest Management. This means that detailed research and knowledge of the resource, as well as careful long-term planning, underpin all forest based activities. This has had a most dramatic impact on Sabah”s permanent production forests, where long-term licence agreements with private sector organisations have bound these ultimate beneficiaries of resource exploitation into research, conservation, minimal impact harvesting, and long-term restoration of the forest resource. The growing understanding of Sabah’s forests has had additional positive benefits in terms of knowledge of the unique wonders and biodiversity hidden within them, with corresponding spin-offs in biotechnology, recreation & tourism, and creating a healthy environment to live in. In its efforts to raise awareness about the significance of forest resources in Sabah and their management in today’s day and age, the Sabah Forestry Department has commissioned this latest edition of Forestry in Sabah as an insight into the changing world of forestry. This edition aims to give an overview of the diverse aspects of Forestry in Sabah, starting with an introduction to the amazing forests of Sabah, through to the history and evolution of forest management today, closing with some insights into the forests of the future. In reality the information in this book is meant as an easy-read summary only, and a general overview of forestry activities in Sabah. More detailed facts are available in the Department’s annual reports and many other books and publications, of which readers are invited to peruse. This Centennial Edition was also designed to coincide with the laying of the Sabah Forestry Department’s Time-Capsule, which is planned to provide a record for future generations of forestry activities at the turn of the 21st Century, and planned to be reopened at the beginning of the next century. In light of this, sincere thanks and appreciation are accorded to the many dedicated personnel involved in the compilation of this edition and in all the accomplishments throughout Forestry in Sabah today

Fossils; A pocket companion

System — Wed, 31 Oct 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Much more than just simple lumps of stone, fossils provide important clues about the history of the Earth. Fossils provides a comprehensive introduction to the fascinating world of palaeontology. In this book, a fact-packed introduction is followed by a visual directory of the various fossil types. A broad range of individual entries presents brief descriptions of each fossil’s characteristics, such as how they were formed and how to date them successfully. Each one is illustrated in colour and is accompanied by an at-a-glance reference box which summarises the key features of each particular fossil.

Garden Plants of the World; An Illustrated Reference to (over 4250 of the world’s most popular plants)

System — Wed, 31 Oct 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Garden Plants of the world is the most comprehensive book available on trees, shrubs and climbers of the world. Featuring 800 plants, with text accompanied by full colour photographs for each, this book is an extensive identification guide.

Designed as a reference guide for both nurserymen and plant enthusiasts, it details the most widely grown species around the world and is designed to assist with their identification, propagation and cultivation.

Gardener’s World Magazine: 101 Grow to Eat Ideas

System — Wed, 31 Oct 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Guidelines for Maximizing on Golf Courses

System — Wed, 31 Oct 2001 00:00:00 +0000

As human population expands, natural vegetation retreats and biodiversity across the globe is reduced. But as the world becomes more urbanized and crowded, there is a growing demand for access to outdoor leisure opportunities. Outdoors sports such as ecotourism, backpacking, horse riding, and fishing are major growth industries worldwide and golf spearheads the list of these expanding outdoor activities. New golf courses are springing up in China, ASEAN countries, and other parts of the world at a tremendous pace, Golf is sometimes accused of being environmentally unfriendly, taking up valuable space and land, competing with natural vegetation or poor rural communities, using scarce water resources and polluting the land and waterways with dangerous chemicals. But it does not have to be this way. Golf and environment can easily develop side by side and golf courses can serve as miniature nature reserves, harboring local resident populations of otherwise endangered species, stepping stones for species dispersal and migration. Golf courses provide green breathing spaces in a concrete landscape and the well-managed turf has many valuable service values – soil protection, water filtering, pollution fixation, and biodiversity conservation. A well-managed golf course can provide more environmental benefits than a poorly managed nature reserve; and because they are run on an economic basis they are in a stronger position to offer good management and a high level of habitat protection. This book provides the guidelines for achieving this, whether a new golf course is being designed or an existing course is being improved. Moreover, governments have a responsibility to the wider public and should ensure that the development of new courses meet certain environmental requirements. These guidelines can form a basis for such regulations and set the environmental standards that are expected before development approval is granted.

Hiking: The Essential Guide to Equipment & Techniques

System — Wed, 31 Oct 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Expert books with essential knowledge for those keen to enter the exciting world of these adrenaline-rich activities. ‘Hiking’ is your guide to planning and preparing for your first hike, choosing essential gear and equipment, learning how to navigate with a compass and GPS, developing specialist skills needed to tackle longer hikes and discovering hiking opportunities around the world. With full-colour photographs and illustrated step-by-step sequences.

Malaysian Journey; The Progress in Diversity

System — Wed, 31 Oct 2001 00:00:00 +0000

This book by the World Economic Forum is about the journey that Malaysia has taken. Like all journeys, the Malaysian one had its share of milestones and watersheds. The starting point cannot be precisely determined. There were false starts and failures. But certainly, 1957 marked a significant step in the journey when Malaysia came under the control of the peoples of Malaysia. With much trepidation, the first steps were plotted and taken which eventually led Malaysia to become what it is today. The Malaysian Journey captures the progress Malaysia has made thus far and indicates its future directions. It reviews the period of rapid development, when Malaysia was transformed from a tin-mining and rubber-producing undeveloped country to an industrialized nation – the biggest trader in the world. Malaysia is a country without ideology. We are pragmatics. We are ready to use whatever systems so long as they are fair and just and will help satisfy the developmental needs of our people and country. This is the basis of our domestic policy. It is also the basis of our world view. We do not regard any international regimes, systems or institutions as sacrosanct or infallible. While we do not believe that the end justifies the means, neither do we believe so much in the sanctity of the means that we must sacrifice ourselves to uphold it. Thus, while we believe that globalization is inevitable in a shrinking world, we do not think that market-opening, deregulation and free-for-all competition must be the sine qua non of a borderless world. We believe that a globalized world still needs rules and laws to keep world business on the right path. Malaysia did not become a non-conformist, controversial nation by choice. It became so because of the unique character of Malaysia’s people. This is their story, the story of how a multi-racial, multi -religious, multi-lingual and multi-cultural people live, work and play together. The harmony is not perfect, but it is far better than what is found in other multi-ethnic countries. I am much obliged to Professor Klaus Schwab and his colleagues at the World Economic Forum for travelling with me and my fellow Malaysians on this journey. I have participated in the World Economic Forum Annual Meetings in Davos many times and I share the views of Professor Schwab on the need for sustainable solutions generated through dialogues with all the stake holders to improve the world we live in. Malaysia will continue to engage itself in this dialogue while moving forward on its journey.