Sparing Nature

Two global trends that will dominate the 21^st century are the explosive growth of the human population and the mass extinction befalling countless species of the plant and animal kingdoms.

Anthropologist Jeffrey K. McKee explores the cause-and-effect relationship between these two trends, demonstrating that nature is too sparing to accommodate both a richly diverse living world and rapidly expanding numbers of people.

“Jeff McKee is bringing to Sparing Nature the same graceful writing style combined with the insights of a fine scientist that I found in The Riddled Chain. Furthermore, his timing is exquisite, since the close relationship of human population growth and the decay of biodiverisity has not been brought to popular audiences in far too long.”—Paul Ehrlich, Bing Professor of Population Studies, Stanford University

"Using wit combined with scientific rigor, McKee takes the reader on a six million year journey, beginning with our prehuman ancestors and ending at the present day. What he shows the reader on this journey is often disturbing. But it is a “good read.” It is clearly the work of an erudite, concerned and thoughtful scientist." -- J. Roberts, Editor, Population Review.

"Jeffrey McKee leads us on an engaging yet unblinking exploration of the shadow that looms, largely unconfronted, over efforts to save room and resources for the other creatures with whom we share this planet -- the shadow of relentless human population growth. Even our best efforts to conserve biodiversity and step more lightly on the planet that sustains us are ultimately futile if we continue to add 200,000 people each day to the human population." -- Yvonne Baskin, author of A Plague of Rats & Rubbervines

"McKee's Sparing Nature will exceed all your expectations ... His book never flags, and is broken into highly digestible sections ... McKee's book is replete with telling and up-to-date examples culled from the scientific literature, leavened with plenty of personal examples from his native Ohio and from South Africa, where he conducts his research." -- NewScientist

"With an elegant and earnest writing style more common among nature writers than academics, McKee tallies the value of a balanced ecosystem." -- The Nation