Book reviews


Masculinities in Forests: Representations of Diversity by Carol J. Pierce Colfer (2020) 266 pp., Taylor & Francis, Abingdon, UK. ISBN 978-0-367-81577-6 (e-book), open access.


This book contributes to a broadening of gen- der studies into the international forest con- servation and development sector. Moving on from studies with a primary focus on wo- men’s worlds, the author seeks to also incor- porate men’s worlds, to foster more holistic views of forest management and collabora- tions with those who live in or near them. With analysis and reflections on a series of field sites, the book follows the course of the author’s career from the USA to Indonesia and within a transnational organization. This allows the exploration of the role of different forms of masculinity in people–forest rela- tionships. Premised on the stereotype of for- ests as spaces dominated by men, the book demonstrates the variability of masculine identities and behaviours and how these relate to and influence management, research and lived experiences of forests. The foreword by Susan Paulson puts the


book into context within the broader literature and is especially valuable for readers unfamiliar with gender or masculine studies. The first chapter gives the motivation of the author for writing the book and develops the conceptual framework used for the subsequent case studies. To conceptualize masculinities, the author uses the construct of a harp, with its frame being analogous with the stability and constraints that cultures provide, the strings representing elements of choice (qualities, interests, norms), which form chords (linked qualities and preoc- cupations) and eventually a song representing a man’s version of masculinitywithin his own life. Following an explanation of positionality


and the author’s formative experience of mas- culinity during her childhood (Chapter 2), the main case studies are presented in Chapters 3–6, with an example of the harp analogy on each heading page. Chapter 3 covers the time the author spent in Bushler Bay (USA) in the 1970s, which then comprised two logging- dependent communities. Here the example of the harp is framed by competition vs cooperation, time vs productivity, and in- dependence vs hierarchy. The differences between masculinities of loggers and U.S. Forestry Service staff are explored, with a thought-provoking inclusion of the norms and expectations derived from the structure of the local high school basketball team. The subsequent two chapters focus onmas-


culinities in a range of Indonesian forest con- texts, firstly in Bali and Kalimantan (Chapter 4)


and then West Sumatra (Chapter 5). For Chapter 4 an example of a Kenyah harp is framed by competition vs cooperation, gen- erosity vs greed and aristocrat vs commoner. This is countered by the Minang harp exam- ple of state, custom and religion in Chapter 5. There is richness to the sections focused on Indonesia, particularly regarding the time that the author has spent with the Kenyah and the counter-narrative that can be created through the norms and practices of men and women at the time of the main field studies. Rather than being based on a geographical lo- cation, Chapter 6 delves into the intersection of masculinities and institutional (mis)prac- tices of an anonymized forest research organ- ization that the author worked for in the 1990s and 2000s. Here the description of internal politics, the mismatch between organizational policy and internal practice will strike a chord with many in the sector. Charting the author’s return to field sites in Bushler Bay and Indonesia, Chapter 7 offers reflection on the dynamic nature of people–forest relationships and the impact that masculinities have on how people live in, use or seek to exert control over these places. The depth of the book comes from the


longitudinal nature of the author’scareer and the considered retrospective this offers. As a mid-career, northern, feminist, male conser- vation and development professional, I would encourage others to take advantage of this freely available book. Read it, if even just the succinct chapter summaries (3–6) and the re- turn to field sites detailed in Chapter 7, reflect, and work to challenge our everyday practices to better take diversity, gender and masculin- ities into account.


ROB SMALL Fauna & Flora International, Cambridge, UK. E-mail rob.small@fauna-flora.org


The Bird-Friendly City: Creating Safe Urban Habitats by Timothy Beatley (2021) 272 pp., Island Press, Washington, DC, USA. ISBN 978-1-64283-047-7 (pbk), USD 35.00.


At a time when many people, especially in urban environments, are gaining greater ap- preciation of the nature around them, The Bird-Friendly City provides a welcome discus- sion of how birds, our most visible and audible urban wildlife, can be encouraged to flourish. Timothy Beatley presents a compelling case for enhancing what he calls the ‘birdicity’ of our cities—a term characterizing the bird- friendliness of cities. The argument for increas- ing birdicity appears to represent a realistic and


achievable win–win situation, whereby benefits to birds can also enhance the well-being of human city dwellers. Amultitude of additional benefits are also explained, from the greater value of bird-friendly properties to the reduc- tion of heat island effects by urban green spaces.As such, this book supports the growing movement among urbanites who respond to the biodiversity crisis by taking action to demand better urban planning for wildlife. Timothy Beatley has undertaken a huge


amount of research into the different ap- proaches to create bird-friendly cities and re- calls his first-hand experience with practitioners leading these campaigns. The book showcases issues facing birds in urban environments and, being primarily based in North America, the major threat to migratory songbirds from collisions is well represented. The 12 chapters cover various case studies to structure the read- er’s journey, and although some points are re- iterated, these serve to reinforce the case and mean that readers of various backgrounds will feel comfortable picking up this book. The book’s subtitle Creating Safe Urban


Habitats suggests that the text will provide a kind of manual for designing bird-friendly cities. Yet although the book thoroughly dis- cusses the situation in North America, with pertinent case studies from further afield, it does not exhaust the discussion of challenges in other parts of the world, nor the range of solutions available. Although the book pro- vides a starting point for advocating change, conservationists, practitioners and campaign- ers need to carefully consider the local contexts and implement evidence-based approaches to make cities more bird-friendly. This is particu- larly pertinent aswe navigate the energy transi- tion from fossil fuels to renewables, which will require a significant change in land use in cer- tain areas and carry potential risks to vulner- able bird species. Evidence-based approaches are also needed given the complexities of highly artificial urban and suburban environ- ments. For example, garden bird feeding in New Zealand has been found to favour higher densities of introduced seed-eating birds, with potentially negative consequences for native insectivorous species. The Bird-Friendly City is a timely and rec-


ommendable book that challenges our percep- tions of how cities should operate and which birds can flourish given the opportunity. It also promotes the importance of valuing the nature we retain in cities; veteran trees are worthmore in terms of bird habitat and carbon sequestration than newly planted saplings. The book also highlights how gardens, which make up the majority of the suburban environment,


This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Oryx, 2021, 55(6), 958–959 © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Fauna & Flora International doi:10.1017/S0030605321001435


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