Our 3rd Edition of HIDDEN LIFE OF THE DESERT: And Our Future in the Drying Southwest is an informative and inspiring companion book to Thomas Wiewandt's film DESERT DREAMS. It features spectacular color photographs and clear, informative text. Part 1 introduces readers (Grade 6 - adult) to plants and animals that thrive in the Sonoran Desert through its five seasons--spring, dry summer, wet summer, autumn, and winter.
In Part 2 --"Facing the Future"--we have added 30 new, timely, thought-provoking pages that challenge readers to adopt desert thinking for desert living, in the context of explosive population growth and climate change. Consider where water in the West comes from, how we use it, and how power and water are connected. See how invasive grasses, today's farming practices, and mining threaten arid lands. Learn about renewable energy, solar canals, "Mechanical Trees," rainwater harvesting, and some crops of the future--desert plants that give us natural rubber, medicines, food, and biofuels.