This second book in the Audubon Perspectives series is the companion volume to the eight timely and important National Audubon Society television specials airing on TBS and PBS. While its predecessor, Fight for Survival, concentrated on the ongoing struggle of a number of animal species, this book explores the fight to rescue natural habitats from the ravages of human progress.

Award-winning author Roger DiSilvestro takes readers to the habitats at the heart of today's most critical wildlife conservation issues. He unfolds the drama of human activities threatening to destroy up to half the world's species within the next few decades, perhaps as many as 15 million different types of irreplaceable plants and animals--most of which will be wiped out, not by poaching, but by the degradation and loss of habitat.

Through 130 full-color photographs and accompanying text, Rebirth of Nature surveys the state of critical natural habitats today. Discussion of the many threats that jeopardize the integrity of habitats is enlivened by inspiring stories of dedicated people who question the traditional, exploitative treatment of the world's resources.

Read these engaging stories of people who make a difference. People like Terry Backer, a third generation Yankee fisherman, who helped form and lead the Connecticut Coastal Fishermen's Association. This unlikely alliance of lobstermen, recreational boat owners, and even swimmers forced the cities of Norwalk and Bridgeport to replace and repair sewage-treatment equipment that had been leaking into the sound and to pay for damages.

Similar ecological rays of hope are revealed in areas all over the country and the world. For example, in areas like Nepal, Kenya, and Ecuador, ecotourism can play a crucial role in wildlife and habitat preservation by generating income from tourism instead of from poaching or land clearing. As tourism generates increasing percentages of a nation's income, the importance of preserving the natural area grows.

In addition, Rebirth of Nature reminds us that endangered habitats are not just faraway places like African and Central American rainforests, but also natural areas closer to our own lives such as the Great Lakes and the Great Plains of the American West. In doing so, and in providing enlightening examples of successful programs to reclaim endangered habitats, Rebirth of Nature gives us all hope that through education and action we can make a difference.