Environmental Science Reference Resources

This research guide selectively lists general environmental science reference resources found in print in the HSU Library and on the Internet. For additonal assistance contact Robert Sathrum, Natural Resources Librarian. Current Awareness/News Dictionaries & Encyclopedias Directories Images and Sounds Statistical and Environmental Data Environmental Reviews Bibliographies Internet Subject Directories/Portals/Gateways

Current Awareness/News

In addition to the following sources the general News/Current Events databases also include environmental sciences news and Environmental/Natural Resources Law: Current Legislation and Policy lists sources that track current legistation and environmental policy.

Highly recommended is the Environmental Studies search form in the LexisNexis Academic fulltext database that specifically searches for environmental information. Included are environmental news stories, law review articles, legal newsletters, federal and state environmental site records and the Environmental Law Reporter. For additional information see see Help: Environmental Studies.

• General
• Congressional Research Service Reports (National Library of the Environment) Includes over 2200 reports on environmental topics that have been prepared for the U.S. Congress by the Congressional Research Service. CRS reports undergo review for accuracy and objectivity and contain nontechnical information that can be very useful to people interested in environmental policy. Browse by broad topic or search by keyword to find relevant documents. For additional CRS reports see Congressional Research Service Reports (University of North Texas Library) and Open CRS (Center for Democracy & Technology).
• EcoEarth.Info Environment News and Archives Includes environmental news headlines from over 75 environmental news sources. Search current and archival news stories by geographic region or subject keyword.
• Environment and Energy Daily (E & E Publishing) (HSU Users only) Daily publication that tracks environmental and energy issues in Congress
• Environmental News Network (Environmental News Network) Includes original articles and articles contributed by other environmental news sites. Includes searchable archive.
• Environment News Service
• Forest Protection News (Forests.org) Links to news from other sources
• New Scientist: Environment
• Western United States and Canada
• High Country News (High Country Foundation) (print copy available in Periodical S 900 H5) Independent bi-weekly newspaper that reports on the West's natural resources, public lands, and changing communities. Includes an archival database of articles dating from 1993 to the present that is keyword searchable or browseable by category.
• Sightline Daily: Northwest News that Matters Daily digest of top environmental, social, and economic headlines affecting Cascadia gleaned from more than 40 media outlets.

Dictionaries & Encyclopedias

• ABC-CLIO Companion to the Environmental Movement (Grossman) 1994 (ref GE 197 G76 1994) Guide to the conservation movement and enviromentalism in the United States from early naturalists to the present. Entries also include major environmental legislation and court decisions.
• Conservation and Environmentalism: An Encyclopedia (Paehlke) 1995 (ref GE 10 C68 1995)
• Encyclopedia of American Forest and Conservation History (Davis) 1983 (ref SD 143 E53 1983) 2 vols.
• Encyclopedia of Applied Ethics (Chadwick) 1998 (ref BJ 63 E44 1998) 4 vols.
• Encyclopedia of Earth (Environmental Information Coalition and the National Council for Science and the Environment) Encyclopedia that contains articles about the Earth, its natural environments, and their interaction with society. Articles are written by scholars, professionals, educators, and experts who collaborate and review each other's work. They are written in non-technical language and are useful to students, educators, scholars, professionals, as well as to the general public.
• Encyclopedia of Ecology and Environmental Management (Calow) 1998 (ref GE 197 G76 1994)
• Encyclopedia of the Biosphere (Folch) 2000 (ref GF75 B5613 2000)
• Encyclopedia of World Environmental History (Krech, McNeill, and Merchant) 2004 (Ref GF 10 E63 2004) Articles in this three volume set trace the interaction of humankind and nature over the course of human history, across cultures, and in the modern world.
• Environmental Encyclopedia (Bortman) 2003 (HSU users only)
• Environmental Ethics (Palmer) 1997 (ref GE 42 P35 1997) This introduction to environmental ethics includes sections covering a chronology of developments in the field, biographical sketches of key individuals, background information on 20 key environmental issues, environmental law, important organizations, and key print and multimedia resources.

Directories

• Organizations--United States
  • Environmental Conservation Organizations (About.com)
  • USA.gov Portal to federal, state and local government information and services. Also includes an agency directory.
• Organizations--California--See California Environment Information Sources--Directories
• Organizations--Northwestern California--See Northwestern California/Klamath Bioregion Environment Information Sources--Directories
• People
  • American Environmental Leaders: From Colonial Times to the Present (Becher) 2000 (ref GE 55 B43 2000)
  • Environmental Activists (Mongillo and Booth) 2001 (ref GE 55 E57 2001) Includes profiles of American men and women whose work for environmental causes spans the period from the early 1800s to the present.
  • The Environmentalists: a Biographical Dictionary from the 17th Century to the Present (Axelrod and Phillips) 1993 (ref S 926 A2 A94 1993)
  • National Leaders of American Conservation (Stroud and the Natural Resources Council of America) 1985 (ref S 926 A2 N37 1985)
• Places
  • United Nations List of Protected Areas (UNEP, WCMC in partnership with the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas)
  • World Database on Protected Areas (UNEP, WCMC in partnership with the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas) Contains information on the status, environment and management of 110,000 protected areas worldwide.

Images and Sounds

In addition to the general sources listed below there are more specialized sources listed in the following HSU Library research guides:

• Fisheries--Images and Sounds
• Forestry--Graphics and Images
• Oceanography--Graphics and Images
• Rangeland Resource Science--Images and Sounds
• Wildlife--Images and Sounds

• American Environmental Photography (Library of Congress American Memory Project) Collection of approximately 4,500 photographs documenting natural environments, ecologies, and plant communities in the United States at the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth century. Produced between 1891 and 1936 by a group of American botanists generally regarded as one of the most influential in the development of modern ecological studies.
• American Field Guide (Oregon Public Broadcasting and PBS) Includes over 1400 videos on the American environment produced by 30 PBS stations. Search by keyword or browse by one of the broad categories--animals, ecosystems, human history, livelihoods, earth and space, plants, public policy and recreation.
• Index to Illustrations of Living Things Outside North America (Mumz & Slauson) 1981 (ref N 7525 M86) Indexes illustrations of 9,000 species found in over 200 books. List of books is annotated with HSU Library holdings.
• Index to Illustrations of the Natural World: Where to Find Pictures of the Living Things of North America (Thompson) 1977 (ref N 7525 56) Indexes pictures of 3,000 species found in 178 books. List of books is annotated with HSU Library holdings.

Statistical and Environmental Data

See Environmental Planning-Statistical and Environmental Data

Environmental Reviews

Environmental reviews contain analysis of environmental issues and typically have a geographic or topical focus. The content frequently includes extensive statistical data. State of the Environment Reports (National Council for Science and the Environment) is a major directory of environmental reports from international organizations, countries, states, and other non-governmental organizations. In addition to the general environmental reviews listed below there are more specialized reviews listed in the following HSU Library research guides:

• Fisheries--Environmental Reviews, Assessments and Plans
• Forestry--Environmental Reviews, Assessments and Plans
• Oceanography--Environmental Reviews, Assessments and Plans
• Rangeland Resource Science--Environmental Reviews, Assessments and Plans
• Wildlife--Environmental Reviews, Assessments and Plans

World

• Environmental Sustainability Index (Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) and World Economic Forum) Composite index that ranks 146 countries using 21 indicators that represent 76 variables of environmental sustainability. The socioeconomic, environmental, and institutional indicators cover such areas as past and present pollution levels, natural resource endowments, environmental management effors, contributions to protection of the global commons, and a society's capacity to improve its performance over time. Using the ESI, countries can be compared quantitatively on their progress towards improving and maintaining the quality of the environment.
• Global Biodiversity: Status of the Earth's Living Resources (World Conservation Monitoring Centre) 1992 (print copy available in ref QH 75 G56 1992)
• Global Environmental Outlook (UN Environment Programme) Ongoing series of "state of the environment" reports initiated in 1995 in response to the environmental reporting requirements of Agenda 21 that includes global and regional perspectives on the past, present and future enviroment.
  • Global Environmental Outlook-1 (1997)
  • Global Environmental Outlook 2000 (2000)
  • Global Environmental Outlook 3 (2002) (print copy available in GE 170 G567 2002)
  • Global Environmental Outlook 4: Environment for Development (2007)
  • Global Environment Outlook (GEO-5) (2012)
• Little Green Data Book (World Bank) Annual statistical compilation for world regions and individual countries. Topics cover agriculture, forests, biodiversity, energy, emissions, oceans, water and sanitation and environmental health.
• Living Planet Report (WWF International, Global Footprint Network and Zoological Society of London) Biennial report assesses the state of global ecosystems using two primary measures - the Living Planet Index, which is based on population trends for hundreds of forest, freshwater and marine species; and the Ecological Footprint, which is based on human demands on renewable natural resources.
• Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (United Nations) 2001-2005 Series of full and synthesis reports that assess the consequences of ecosystem change for human well-being. Their findings provide a "state-of-the-art scientific appraisal of the condition and trends in the world’s ecosystems and the services they provide, as well as the scientific basis for action to conserve and use them sustainably."
• OECD Environmental Data and Indicators (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development)
• State of the World [Year]: A Worldwatch Institute Report on Progress Toward a Sustainable Society (Worldwatch Institute) Annual (ref HC 59 B766) Chapters are unique in each annual volume. The Worldwatch Institute provides Table of Contents and pdfs of some chapters for recent editions.
• Wellbeing of Nations: a County-by-County Index of Quality of Life and the Environment (Prescott-Allen) 2001 (ref GE 140 P74 2001) Uses 39 indicators to create a Human Wellbeing Index for each country and 51 indicators to create an Ecosystem Wellbeing Index. These two indexes are then combined into a Wellbeing Index and a Wellbeing/Stress Index that measures the amount of stress each country's development places on the environment.
• World Atlas of Biodiversity: Earths Living Resources in the 21st Century (Groombridge and Jenkins) 2002 (print copy available in ref QH 541.15 B56 G762 2002) Prepared by the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre this work uses text, maps, figures and tables to outline the broad ecological relationships between humans and the environment and to summarize trends and conditions of the Earth's main ecosystem types. General chapters include information on biodiversity through time; diversity of organisms; humans, food and biodiversity; and global biodiversity. Specific chapers cover the state of terrestrial, marine, and inland water biodiversity.
• World Resources Report (United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environment Programme, World Bank and World Resources Institute) Annual (ref HC 59 W667)
• World Water Development Report (UNESCO) Published every three years in conjunction with the World Water Forum this report is a comprehensive review that gives an overall picture of the state of the world's freshwater resources and tht aims to provide decision-makers with the tools to implement sustainable use of the world's water.
• The World's Water: The Biennial Report on Freshwater Resources (Gleick) Biennial (TD 345 G54 - latest edition in Reference) Each report includes chapters dealing with the political, economic, scientific, and technological issues surrounding freshwater. Also includes charts and tables presenting data on the world's freshwater resources. Tables, figures, and maps are also available at The World's Water as well as links to Internet resources on water quality and water resources.
• Yearbook of International Co-operation on Environment and Development (Fridtjof Nansen Institute) Contains both reference data and analysis on environment and development achievements and problems as reflected in international treaties, intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and specific countries. Ceaased with 2004 volume.

• Environmental Quality (US Council on Environmental Quality) Annual (print copy also available in Docs PrEx 14.1) Report on US environmental quality required as part of the National Enviornmental Policy Act of 1969. Reports produced from 1970 to 1997.
• Freshwater Ecoregions of North America (Abel and others) 2000 (ref QH77 N56 F69 2000) ) Produced by a team of World Wildlife Fund-US scientists presents a conservation assessment of freshwater ecoregions and outlines measures that must be taken to conserve and restore native biodiversity.
• North America's Environment: A Thirty–Year State of the Environment and Policy Retrospective (United Nations Environment Programme) 2002
• North American Mosaic: an Overview of Key Environmental Issues (Commission for Environmental Cooperation) 2008. Overview of "a wide variety of environmental trends and conditions across North America."
• OECD Environmental Performance Reviews: United States (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) Reviews the efforts of the United States to manage its environment including air, water, nature, and biodiversity in a sustainable manner in co-operation with its global neighbors.
• Our Living Oceans: Report on the Status of U.S. Living Marine Resources (US National Marine Fisheries Service) (print copy also available in Docs C 55.13/2:NMFS-F/SPO #1) Triannual report giving national and regional overviews on the status of fisheries resources, marine mammals, and sea turtles.
• Report on the Environment (US Environmental Protection Agency) Presents the best available data and information on national conditions and trends in air, water, land, human health, and ecological systems that address 23 questions EPA considers mission critical to protecting the nation's environment and human health. Some indicators are undated biannually.
• State of the Beach (Surfrider Foundation) Annual report that assesses the state of America's beaches by summarizing each coastal state's beach accessibility and health.
• State of the Coast (US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Series of essays on the health of the coastal areas of the United States.
• State of the Land (US Natural Resources and Conservation Service) Provides analysis and data on land use and change, soil erosion and soil quality, water quality, wetlands, and other issues regarding the conservation and use of natural resources on non-Federal land in the United States. Based upon the Natural Resources Inventory conducted every 5 years.
• State of the Nation's Ecosystems: Measuring the Lands, Waters and Living Resources of the United States (Heinz Center for Science, Economics & the Environment) 2002 (QH104 S73 2008) Examines the extent, condition and use of farmlands; forests; freshwaters; grasslands and shrublands; coasts and oceans; and urban lands in the United States. Uses 103 environmental indicators to present the "big picture" on the condition of ecosystems at the national level, as well as present trends on changes to ecosystem conditions.
• Status and Trends of the Nation's Biological Resources 1998 (US Geological Survey Biological Resources Division) (print copy available in Docs I 19.202 ST1 and cd-rom in Docs I 19:120:ST1 CD) Large-scale assessment of the health of plants, animals, and ecosystems in the United States. In the two-volume set Part 1 describes the major factors affecting biodiversity and biological resource health, e.g., land use, climate change, nonindigenous species; and Part 2 explores the condition and status of regional biological resource, e.g., Pacific Northwest. Updates Our Living Resources: A Report to the Nation on the Distribution, Abundance, and Health of U.S. Plants, Animals and Ecosystems 1995 (US National Biological Service) (print copy available in Docs I 49.2 R31/15)
• Terrestrial Ecoregions of North America: a Conservation Assessment (Ricketts and Dinerstein) 1999 (ref QH77 N56 T47 1999) Compiled by a team of scientists from the World Wildlife Fund employs a ecoregion-based approach, rather than a state-by-state analysis, to produce a comprehensive assessment of the current status of biodiversity in North America north of Mexico.

California -- See "Reviews and Assessments" under each subject subdivision in the California Environment Information Sources research guide.

Bibliographies

• Environmental History Bibliography (Forest History Society) Includes over 40,000 references to books, articles, and dissertations on the history of natural resources utilization, management, and utilization with an emphasis on forest related resources. References through 1975 were also published in North American Forest and Conservation History: A Bibliography (Fahl) 1977 (ref SD 140 F33). Includes over 1800 references on California environmental history.
• Native Americans and the Environment Bibliographic Database (Dark) Contains over 2,200 print and online references on environmental justics, ethnoscience, conservation, traditional environmental knowledge, natural resource utilization, traditional foods, and land and treaty rights.
• United States Environmental Bibliography (Teisch) 2000. Bibliography of books and articles on environmental history, subdivided by regions within the United States and then by subject within the region.

Internet Subject Directories/Portals/Gateways

• EcoEarth.Info Environment Links
• Native Americans and the Environment On-line Documents and Other Web Sites (Dark) Categorized by region and by subject.