As the popularity of Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth attests, the environment has become an increasingly important issue in the minds of most people. In A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation, Chris Park offers a comprehensive reference work for everyone concerned about the future of our planet.This comprehensive dictionary contains over 8,500 informative entries on all aspects of the environment and conservation, embracing a broad spectrum of concerns, including sustainable development, biodiversity, environmental ethics, philosophy and history, resource management, sociology, and environmental policy. In addition to its wide-ranging, concise definitions, the Dictionary includes thirty highlighted entries on topics such as Antarctica, Gaia hypothesis, Chernobyl, genetic engineering, the Kyoto Protocol, ozone depletion, and the United Nations Conference on Environmental Development. It is important to note that, unlike other books in this area, the dictionary addresses not only the scientific side of conservation and the environment, but also social, legal, political and economic aspects. Readers will find clear, concise coverage of international treaties, movements, trusts and organizations, as well as biographies of key figures in environmental science. The volume also boasts wide coverage of terms relating to rural/community development and participation, an area that plays an increasingly crucial role in managing the environment and biodiversity. The dictionary concludes with a valuable selection of 10 appendices, including international hazard assessment scales such as the Beaufort scale, the Richter scale, Torino asteroid and comet impact hazard scale, and the Fujita tornado scale, plus the geologic timescale and an appendix of useful websites for further study.Concise and wide-ranging, this is an essential work of reference for students and professionals, and anyone with an interest in the environment and conservation.