There's a war going on out there, and humans are losing ground--literally. The first book to look squarely at the subject, Backyard Battle Plan takes a stand on the fastest-growing threat to our gardens: animal damage. Ecological imbalance and overzealous protectionist policies have produced a skyrocketing population of problem animals. Deer alone number thirty times what they did a century ago. With animal-related property losses totaling $3 billion a year, America's summer backyard--suburban and urban--is under siege. But our romanticization of wildlife, argues Backyard Battle Plan, blinds us to our need for a balance of preservation and control, even elimination. A godsend to any gardener whose cherished crops are regularly destroyed, this complete A-to-Z guide defines the enemy: from beaver to problem birds and coyotes to woodchucks; their habitats and the diseases they carry; and control methods from fencing to poison to hunting. Complete with fascinating boxes and sidebars, this is an honest and long-overdue primer on an issue we dare not keep taboo.
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Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
Rutledge, a landscape and forestry professional, presents short chapters on backyard pests?mostly mammals?and includes background information and possible control methods (exclusion, trapping, hunting, baiting, poisoning, or repelling). The format and quality of the chapters varies considerably, with some including illustrations of the animal's tracks, information on the efficacy of folk remedies, and extreme examples of backyard incidents (though sources are usually not cited). A separate section increases the reader's understanding of recommended control methods, use of poisonous plants, disease problems, and legalities. Some gardeners may be offended by Rutledge's condescending tone (particularly in passages about environmentalists and animal rights), and some factual errors are troubling, such as the author's assertion that alligators are American crocodiles. In addition, the book's subtitle is overstated, implying that this is the most comprehensive, well-researched, user-friendly, accurate guide available. However, local extension-office publications or a basic gardening guide like Rodale's Complete Garden Problem Solver (Rodale, 1998) may suffice for the amateur. Recommended only for comprehensive gardening collections or where demand warrants.?Bonnie Poquette, Appleton P.L., WI
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Rutledge divides his book into two sections--"The Enemy" and "The Battle Plan." "The Enemy" is a list of problem animals that can ruin crops by eating them or by spreading diseases. The enemies list includes alligators, birds, cats, dogs, chipmunks, deer, gophers, moles, opossums, rabbits, raccoons, mice, skunks, squirrels, woodchucks, and insects. Rutledge gives scientific information on each one, along with control methods (fences, traps, frightening devices, nest destruction, etc.). "The Battle Plan" section goes on to evaluate the different animal and insect control methods. To augment the text there are black-and-white drawings throughout. George Cohen
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Not a good purchase,
By Frank Leonardi "Critter 911" (Dallas) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Backyard Battle Plan : The Ultimate Guide to Controlling Wildlife Damage in Your Garden (Paperback)
I bought this book hoping to add to my knowledge of innercity animals and my repetory of methods for excluding them from my yard. Unfortunately I was dissappointed. The book provides few clues for dealing with animal problems short of killing them. While this may be the first choice for many people who are frustrated with animals that have moved into the attic or made a mess of the garden, there are other methods of resolving these types of problems that are for the most part glossed over by the author.
The author seems to have written this without much research. Much of the information presented about an animal's natural history or it's behavior is incomplete and sometimes just plain wrong. In skimming through chapters on animals I was very familiar with, I found a dozen errors. Further the information on diseases and zoonotics is poorly written and in addition to providing incorrect information, is not up to date about about vector animals. There are other books that are much more informative about this subject matter. For a better understanding of behavior and habitat, check out "Wild Neighbors" which is put out by the Humane Society. You might also check out "Living with Wildlife" by Landau and Stump or "When Raccoons fall through your Ceiling" by Lopez. Even if you ultimately find that the only solution for you is to kill the animals that are bothering you, these books will give you a better understanding of how and why the animals are behaving the way they are. In many urban settings, removing one animal just makes room for another one. At some point you'll want to know how to stop that cycle and these books will provide you with information that can help.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Coverage of Many Anaimals, Not Much Depth,
This review is from: The Backyard Battle Plan : The Ultimate Guide to Controlling Wildlife Damage in Your Garden (Paperback)
If you have a problem with many different types of animals eating your garden this book may be of interest to you. The author addresses virtually every type of animal the average gardener may encounter and then some, which may be very helpful if you have a problem with: alligators, bears, bison, moose or wolves. While the book provides a good overview, due to the wide variety of animals it discusses it doesn't go into as much detail as some readers may like.If you are an animal lover who is striving to have a garden and live harmoniously with nature, this book may not be for you. As the title suggests, the author views the critters devouring our gardens as "the enemy". Some of his references include books on tactical war strategies. While perhaps effective, not everyone will appreciate some of the author's methods and philosophies.
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