Nature Wars

The aim of this book is to sound the alarm against dangerous tactics for controlling the pests that are an annoying but integral part of our world. Over 30 years after the devastation wrought by DDT, chemical pesticides are as pervasive as ever. The author argues that this ongoing commitment to pesticides reflects our sense of place in nature: embattled, beleaguered and driven to aggression. Here he seeks to show how a more measured and discriminating approach to pests, one based on management rather than obliteration, might serve us and the natural world much better. Case studies are used and take the reader from lawns and kitchens to farms and orchards, from insects and weeds to rats and coyotes. These show the complex political, biological, economic, social and personal interactions that lie behind each pest management decision. The diverse instances of pest management are considered, and reveal a consistent pattern of mistakes and problems. The author uses these to lead to a realistic, workable proposal for reducing pesticide use.