Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 5-8. In 1989 Congress passed a law setting aside thousands of acres of Iowa cornfields as a National Wildlife Refuge, despite the fact that there was little wildlife there. Determined to re-create the tallgrass prairie that once covered large portions of the Midwest, naturalists and volunteers began the long process of bringing back the plants and animals that were native to the area. This wide-format book documents the restoration of the prairie ecosystem at the new refuge. Collard follows the project over a number of years, discussing everything from the reintroduction of bison to the annual Sow Your Wild Oats Day. He spotlights two particular aspects of the project: the ongoing challenge of finding and encouraging the growth of appropriate plants and the reintroduction of the regal fritillary butterfly. Through the book's clearly written text and many excellent color photos, children will learn not only about this particular prairie project but also about the history of America's tallgrass prairies and the complex web of plants and animals in a particular ecosystem. The well-researched, beautifully designed volume concludes with a glossary and lists of recommended books and Internet sites. --Carolyn Phelan Copyright 2005 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-8-Collard chronicles the prairie restoration project at the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge in Iowa. His explanation of the complexities of returning farmland to tallgrass prairie incorporates information about the prairie ecosystem and accounts of the work of scientists and volunteers. Among the projects he describes are the locating and collecting of seeds of surviving native plants, managing controlled burns, reintroducing bison, and building a population of Regal Fritillary butterflies. The author celebrates the successes without minimizing the hard work and patience required. He encourages and challenges readers to become ecologically involved in projects such as the butterfly garden developed at an Illinois school and featured in the book's final pages. The engaging text is accompanied by large, inviting color photographs. The suggested readings and Web sites supply additional information about prairies in general and this project in particular. An essential purchase for libraries in prairie regions and a worthwhile choice for others.-Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
The latest entries in the first-rate Scientists in the Field series put conservation front and center, focusing on the efforts of scientists to reverse the damage done by humans to, respectively, American prairies and African mountain gorillas. In both cases, it is the expansion of farming that has reduced native habitats and introduced nonnative species and diseases. In Prairie Builders, Collard traces the decades-long development and monitoring of the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge in Iowa, an ambitious attempt to reclaim farmland and return it to the tallgrass prairie it once was. The account features biologists Pauline Drobney and Diane Debinski as they work year after year to redevelop the prairie, even without fully knowing the complexities of the original ecosystem. In Gorilla Doctors, management of the mountain gorilla population involves the practice of conservation medicine. Working in the post-Dian Fossey era, the veterinarians of the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project work to bolster the health of the gorilla population in Rwanda and Uganda and mitigate the consequences of close human contact. In both books excellent photographs prominently feature the scientists at work (predominantly women and people of color in scientific roles) as well as the photogenic gorillas and the sweeping vistas of the prairie in midsummer. The portrayal of a range of occupations with varying training requirements provides appealing choices for children thinking of future careers in science and conservation. Prairie Builders has a glossary; both books have indexes and lists of recommended reading. [Review covers these titles: The Prairie Builders: Reconstructing America's Lost Grasslands and Gorilla Doctors: Saving Endangered Great Apes] (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Butterflies, buffalo, coneflowers, grasses and more once flourished on the Iowa tallgrass prairie, but soon gave way to farms and towns until little of the prairie remained. In 1960, Iowa Congressman Neal Smith, working with conservationists, determined to save the unique ecosystem by purchasing 2,500 acres of farmland and reconstructing a tallgrass prairie to serve as a nature preserve and teaching center. This title documents the efforts of volunteers, community activists and dozens of field scientists working together to resurrect just such a prairie in Iowa, and reintroduce native plants and animals like prairie violet, upland sandpipers and Regal Fritillary butterfly. The author uses interviews with working scientists to give a human face to agronomists, biologists, botanists and more. Striking photographs on every page capture the drama, excitement and beauty of the prairie. A welcome addition to the Scientists in the Field series. (further readings, glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 10-12) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
