With environmental issues such as global warming, ozone depletion, and tropical deforestation increasingly in the news, it should come as no surprise that Americans are more concerned about the environment than ever before. For the first time, Americans are realizing that our quality of life depends largely on the quality of the environment. And more and more people want to do something about it.

This interest in environmental issues may be recent, but our appreciation for nature is nothing new. We have always valued the scenic beauty of our national parks, forests, and natural areas. We treasure the diversity of plants and animals that inhabit these unspoiled places. And we find a special tranquility and connection with nature in these settings.

If you share this love of nature -- and share the desire to preserve the natural world -- you may wish to transform your interest into a career. Careers for Nature Lovers can help by offering information on a wide array of jobs in fields as diverse as biology, agriculture, land management, forestry, geology, and waste management. What's more, these aren't office jobs; as you will discover, this book focuses on employment opportunities that actually involve working outdoors.

You'll find details about jobs for geoscientists who study natural disasters such as earthquakes and for pollution control technicians who monitor industry's compliance with government pollution regulations. You'll find out about jobs for zoologists who work to save endangered species and for foresters who manage our national parks. Not only do these professions get you outside, working on the ground, but they can also make a crucial difference in stemming the environmental degradation that threatens our magnificent natural heritage.

I often tell people that being president of The Nature Conservancy is the best job in the world, in large part because I get to travel frequently to the Conservancy's system of thirteen hundred nature preserves in the United States and its cooperative projects beyond our borders. But when I'm visiting these beautiful places, I usually find myself envious of the preserve managers and land stewards. These are the people who are really on the cutting edge of environmental protection. Men and women working in the outdoors for the outdoors are the ones who are getting things done and making a difference for us and for generations to come.

John C. Sawhill
Former President
The Nature Conservancy

John Sawhill passed away as this second edition was being prepared. He was a leader with vision and commitment who had the courage to write the foreword to this book even before the first edition was published. Gregory Low, vice president for U.S. conservation for the Nature Conservancy, and the author thought it would be a fitting tribute to John's memory to include his original words in this revised edition.

Our incredible Earth, natural habitat and nurturing ground for so many species, has its limits, as do all the species that call it home. The protection of the planet's water, land, and air has become increasingly important to the ecological balance of all life on Earth.

We are bombarded on a daily basis with news of perils to our habitat: scientists theorize about global warming, parents worry about their children's health, whole species are threatened to the point of extinction, food supplies are contaminated, oil continues to spill into our water sources, rain forests are depleted at a rapid rate, animals are displaced from their natural environments because of land development.

In addition, waste materials are thrown into landfills, nuclear waste may be stored in public areas, and public lands are often privatized for development or logging. Some scientists now believe that Mars once had life and the elements that sustain it -- water and an atmosphere -- which supports the theory that planets can literally die. Maybe even Earth.

Biodiversity comes from the two-word phrase biological diversity, which refers to the variety of species of plants and animals and the ways they interrelate in ecosystems and interact with the environment. The loss of habitat, decline or overexploitation of a species, introduction of a foreign substance, pollution and contamination, and global climate changes upset the delicate balance of nature. All life is interdependent, and human beings -- our food supply, the air we breathe, the water we drink -- are affected, too, when biodiversity and ecosystems are threatened. Ecologists are those who research conservation and restoration of ecosystems, including the effects of land uses and management practices, in order to understand which processes affect the loss of various species.

On a personal level, you may think that you cannot do much to understand, let alone reverse, any harm that has already been done to our environment or prevent further damage from occurring. It all seems like an overwhelming job; even so, you have taken some steps on a daily basis to "reduce, reuse, and recycle." You shop for goods with no extraneous packaging that would be thrown away. You recycle paper, plastic, glass, and cans. You wrap your presents in recycled paper products and take public transportation, carpool, or bike to work or school. You eat organic foods when possible and actively participate in the annual Earth Day celebrations. You probably even belong to Greenpeace, the Sierra Club, or other environmental organizations. You have determined that our precious Earth can be saved if everyone takes these small steps.

We are aware that some of the natural resources available to us today may not be there for our children or grandchildren to enjoy. But we also know that we hold in our hands the power to stop -- even to reverse -- the damage that has been done to the environment if we all act in concert in everyday ways for the rest of our lives.