Force of Nature
Te Aumangea o te Ao Tūroa
A conservation history of Forest & Bird 1923-2023
by David Young, Naomi Arnold
with Caroline Wood, Michael Pringle
How do you review a book like this, given that its 364 pages of text plus additional material contain more knowledge than one can hope to absorb in weeks of reading?
To begin with, it’s an admirable tour de force by the Forest & Bird Society, and no doubt also a labour of love by the authors credited and many others who have contributed to put together this history of conservation in Aotearoa-New Zealand.
As is appropriate, the volume is physically beautiful – large format hardback, on quality paper, lavishly illustrated by photos. It would be a glib assessment for anyone to term it a coffee-table book though it would certainly grace any such table, because it is so much more than that.
Thousands of New Zealanders will find within its pages satisfaction not only at learning more of the work of Forest & Bird, but finding acknowledgement of how much has been given in terms of time, resources and expertise by so many citizens over the past hundred years.
Growing up the daughter of one of its avid members and volunteer workers dedicated to the principles the Society stands for, I thought I was reasonably familiar with at least part of its work during those years, but this book puts that mere slice of background into much wider perspective with a full account of the aims and achievements since its beginnings.
In fact, the account starts prior to 100 years ago for the first society of that name was formed in 1914. The opening chapter deals with the early history of the Society, paying tribute to those foresighted people who recognized more than a century ago the desirability and need to protect this country’s natural resources.
Personally for me, it was a joy to read particularly in Chapter 2, Protection’s Voice in a Post-War Economy, of people I knew in my childhood, many of them met at family camps held between 1953 and 1983 – professional and amateur experts in our unique environment, active members and supporters of the Society in their time, now all gone.
Chapter 3, Breakthrough: Islands as Sanctuaries will be where even more readers find much to spark their memories or create interest as it records the wonderful work done by countless New Zealanders to establish sanctuaries for birds and other native species on islands around our coasts. This book then, also serves to pay tribute to their contributions.
Likewise, Chapter 4, Our Reflective Past: Rivers, Wetlands and Lakes, records the prodigious efforts of workers and volunteers to overcome threats to such treasures as Manapouri, Whanganui River and other natural taonga.
Chapter 5, Defining the Bush: Claiming Our Wilderness continues the account of the work done by the Society from 1973 to 2002; followed by Coming of Age: Legislation as Revolution 1980-2023.
And that’s just the first half of the volume. Further sections deal with the marine environment, the ongoing work to make this country predator-free, the effects of human-caused pressures, then looking forward to the future.
Full endnotes, acknowledgements and an index complete the work.
Complementing this impressive and beautiful book are plenty of illustrations, some honouring people who contributed so much to the Society and to whom much is owed for their work, plus stunning photos of places, flora and fauna.
Altogether, Force of Nature is a magnificent record, and a fitting tribute to all involved, past and present. It is also a work of art.
Te Aumangea o te Ao Tūroa
A conservation history of Forest & Bird 1923-2023
by David Young, Naomi Arnold
with Caroline Wood, Michael Pringle
How do you review a book like this, given that its 364 pages of text plus additional material contain more knowledge than one can hope to absorb in weeks of reading?
To begin with, it’s an admirable tour de force by the Forest & Bird Society, and no doubt also a labour of love by the authors credited and many others who have contributed to put together this history of conservation in Aotearoa-New Zealand.
As is appropriate, the volume is physically beautiful – large format hardback, on quality paper, lavishly illustrated by photos. It would be a glib assessment for anyone to term it a coffee-table book though it would certainly grace any such table, because it is so much more than that.
Thousands of New Zealanders will find within its pages satisfaction not only at learning more of the work of Forest & Bird, but finding acknowledgement of how much has been given in terms of time, resources and expertise by so many citizens over the past hundred years.
Growing up the daughter of one of its avid members and volunteer workers dedicated to the principles the Society stands for, I thought I was reasonably familiar with at least part of its work during those years, but this book puts that mere slice of background into much wider perspective with a full account of the aims and achievements since its beginnings.
In fact, the account starts prior to 100 years ago for the first society of that name was formed in 1914. The opening chapter deals with the early history of the Society, paying tribute to those foresighted people who recognized more than a century ago the desirability and need to protect this country’s natural resources.
Personally for me, it was a joy to read particularly in Chapter 2, Protection’s Voice in a Post-War Economy, of people I knew in my childhood, many of them met at family camps held between 1953 and 1983 – professional and amateur experts in our unique environment, active members and supporters of the Society in their time, now all gone.
Chapter 3, Breakthrough: Islands as Sanctuaries will be where even more readers find much to spark their memories or create interest as it records the wonderful work done by countless New Zealanders to establish sanctuaries for birds and other native species on islands around our coasts. This book then, also serves to pay tribute to their contributions.
Likewise, Chapter 4, Our Reflective Past: Rivers, Wetlands and Lakes, records the prodigious efforts of workers and volunteers to overcome threats to such treasures as Manapouri, Whanganui River and other natural taonga.
Chapter 5, Defining the Bush: Claiming Our Wilderness continues the account of the work done by the Society from 1973 to 2002; followed by Coming of Age: Legislation as Revolution 1980-2023.
And that’s just the first half of the volume. Further sections deal with the marine environment, the ongoing work to make this country predator-free, the effects of human-caused pressures, then looking forward to the future.
Full endnotes, acknowledgements and an index complete the work.
Complementing this impressive and beautiful book are plenty of illustrations, some honouring people who contributed so much to the Society and to whom much is owed for their work, plus stunning photos of places, flora and fauna.
Altogether, Force of Nature is a magnificent record, and a fitting tribute to all involved, past and present. It is also a work of art.
Review by Bronwyn Elsmore
Title: Force of Nature, Te Aumangea o te Ao Tūroa
A conservation history of Forest & Bird
Authors: David Young, Naomi Arnold with Caroline Wood, Michael Pringle
Publisher: Potton & Burton
ISBN: 9781988550701
RRP: $90
Available: https://shop.forestandbird.org.nz; NZ bookshops
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