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In this essay, we propose to study three recent Australian landscape memoirs – Tim Winton’s Island Home (2015), Mark Tredinnick’s The Blue Plateau (2009) and Germaine Greer’s White Beech (2013) – all of which demonstrate the capacity of landscapes to act as perceptual conduits for the fundamental tension between world and self. Our main contention is that landscape memoir acts as a pre-eminent vehicle for this tension, which is captured across different times and spaces and among multiple, intricately co-constituted life-worlds. Landscape memoir, in this and other ways, functions as both a multi-sensory phenomenological instrument for the recording of physical and emotional engagement with landscape and a distinct, episodically organised mode of life writing that seeks to understand the fractured nature of individual selfhood in the context of a more-than-human world. The essay also looks at the capacity of memoirs of this kind to operate as vehicles for conservationist thinking and action. In each of our three main cases, landscape mediates between an insecure self and a world or worlds that are portrayed as being threatened, although this is not enough in itself to establish a basis for the three works as ‘conservationist’ texts. However, all three can be seen as individual enquiries into different kinds of conservation that use the techniques and characteristics of landscape memoir to reflect on the material possibilities of personal and collective recovery (Winton) and ecological restoration (Greer); or, over and against these, to mark the elegiac registration of irretrievable loss (Tredinnick).

Different spaces of questions (for example, concerning what is good to remember) interrelate – and life writing gives us privileged access to this ethical interrelation. This chapter examines life writing by Edward G. Seidensticker and Donald Richie, each associated with translating Japan. What links these works is not only the writers’ personal connections, but an exploration of the value of translation in the writing of cultural scripts. Translation refers to broader processes of cultural translation, but also to literal translations, in particular for Seidensticker The Tale of Genji. Both Seidensticker and Richie write about translation between Orient and Occident, foregrounding cultural scripting as performative. Each probes the limits of spaces of questions, and also of opposing cultural scripts. Are their narratives more evidence of familiar stereotypes? In both, the relational quality of life writing undermines any effort to shore up ontological and epistemological distinctions, as this chapter explores.

Hybridity captures various ways in which identities are characterized by complexity or mixed-ness rather than simplicity or purity. It is a term that functions as a description of how things simply are, but it frequently appears to take on the characteristics of a prescription. It is not only that identities on various scales are hybrid, but also that they ought to be hybrid, or should become more hybrid. This prescriptive sense prompts reflection on the processes that drive mixed identities, shifting attention away from a static hybridity toward a dynamic and unending hybridization. The idea’s use in many different disciplinary formations typically implies that, while all identities are minimally hybrid, specific historical shifts have exaggerated and accelerated hybridity. Those shifts are associated with European colonialism, the Atlantic slave trade, neocolonial echoes, globalization, and the rise of the cyborg. Such associations raise the question of resistance to the prescriptive recommendation of hybridity to the extent that hybrid cultures are so frequently an outcome of violent domination. Formerly colonized cultures strive to re-establish more fundamental identities, casting the hybridizing colonial period as a brief if damaging and disruptive interlude. Resistance is also found in former imperial centers, with multiculturalism perceived as a hybridizing threat to the core integrity of a melancholic post-imperialism. And commentators continue to warn that automation and related AI will make unexpectedly diverse jobs obsolete in the very near future, a hybrid cyborg future that occasionally begins to feel more machine than human. Ultimately, it may seem that hybridity is opposed to various forms of indigeneity, purity, or in the most general case, humanity in general. However, such oppositions would be misleading, principally because hybridity as a cultural fact and as a concept implies nothing of necessity. Each context demands specific attention to the ways it is hybrid, the processes of hybridization, and the stabilities that follow.

I wish to acquaint you with some of the occurrences of the present past and future.Ned Kelly.1Peter Carey’s True History of the Kelly Gang clearly addresses occurrences of the past, in its return t...

The Younger Dryas interval (YD) was a period of widespread, abrupt climate change that occurred between 12,900 and 11,700 cal yr BP (10,900–10,000 14 C BP). Many sites in the Northern Hemisphere preserve a sedimentary record across the onset of the YD interval, including sites investigated in sedimentary basins located in central Mexico (Chapala, Cuitzeo, Acambay), the Basin of Mexico (Tocuila), and northern Mexico (El Cedral). Deposits consist of lacustrine or marginal lake sediments that were deposited during the Pleistocene and the Holocene. At the Tocuila and Acambay sites, Pleistocene fossil vertebrate assemblages, mainly mammoths (Mammuthus columbi), are found in association with a distinctive organic layer, sometimes called the black mat that formed during the YD. At the Chapala, Cuitzeo, Acambay, and Tocuila sites the black mats contain a suite of distinctive microscopic and mineralogical signatures and are accompanied by a sharp change in the depositional environments as supported by diatom and pollen studies reported here. The signatures include magnetic, Fe-rich microspherules, silica melted droplets with aerodynamic shapes (tektites), large amounts of charcoal, and sometimes nanodiamonds (Cuitzeo), all of which were deposited at the onset of the YD. The geochemistry of the microspherules indicates that they are not anthropogenic, authigenic or of cosmic or volcanic origin, and instead, were produced by melting and quenching of terrestrial sediments. Here, we present the stratigraphy at five field sites, the analyses of magnetic microspherules, including major element composition and scanning electron microscopy images. All of these materials are associated with charcoal and soot, which are distinctive stratigraphic markers for the YD layer at several sites in Mexico. © 2017 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

Adventure tourism numbers are estimated for Alaska and the impacts on wildlife are considered in detail. This wildlife includes: black and brown bears, bear-viewing tourism and its management approaches; the impacts on Dall sheep; the effects of winter recreation on ungulates, including mountain caribou; the recreational impacts on bird populations, including bald eagles, black oystercatchers and marbled murrelets; and whale-watching and harbour seal impacts. The effects of recreation caused by camping, hiking trampling pressure on tundra, the invasive plant spread along trails and the development of informal trails in Arctic wildlife refuges are considered. The impacts of off-road vehicles on tundra, helicopter-supported recreation impacts and the effects of waste produced by climbers on Mount McKinley are evaluated. Finally, the effects of recreational fishing and some impacts on native human populations are discussed.

This chapter considers a definition of adventure tourism that includes physical activity, the natural environment and cultural immersion. Both hard and soft adventure can be important. The trends and numbers involved in this tourism area are discussed, including the growth in demand. Other types of often related niche tourism types are considered and defined, such as ecotourism, wildlife tourism, sustainable and responsible tourism.

The Arctic region is defined, and the growth of tourist numbers and cruise tourists documented for Svalbard. The environmental impacts caused by trampling pressure on the fragile Svalbard tundra vegetation are outlined and the potential for the introduction of non-native plants is discussed. The environmental impacts on reindeer, walrus and various bird species are outlined, as are the snowmobile impacts on several species. The impact on historical sites and cultural remains is studied, and examples of the management of specific sites are given. The broader management approaches to the management of outdoor recreation in Svalbard is discussed. In Iceland the tremendous tourist growth since 2000 is discussed and the types of adventure tourism are documented, along with their environmental impacts, such as horse-based tourism; hiking and off-road vehicles. There is a detailed discussion of the introduction of non-native plants. The impacts of glacier and volcanic tourism, diving and snorkelling, whale and seal-watching are documented. The overall management of outdoor recreation impacts is discussed and suggestions are made.

The types of adventure tourism in the Himalayas are discussed and the numbers taking part estimated. The development of mountaineering and trekking is outlined and examples of the growth of river activities discussed. Religious and cultural tourism is the most important category, but it is debatable if this is adventure tourism. The impact of the 2015 earthquakes on Nepalese tourism is discussed and the environmental impacts related to adventure tourism are detailed, such as trail erosion, the introduction of non-native plants, rubbish disposal issues, the disposal of human waste, deteriorating water quality, the impacts of recreational fishing and ski developments. Ways of counteracting impacts are outlined and attempts to manage tourism are discussed, such as the banning of tourism, the development of Eco Development Committees and the Mountain Shepherds Initiative in Nanda Devi Reserve, the Khanchendzonga Conservation Committee, Bhutan’s tourism policy, the Annapurna Conservation Project and the development of codes of conduct, ethical codes and minimum-impact codes.

The Canadian Arctic is defined and described and the numbers of tourists for the various regions estimated. The impact of adventure tourism on wildlife is documented, such as polar bear hunting and polar bear viewing, and the management approaches to conserve this iconic species are outlined; the possible spread of Giardia by tourists is discussed; and the impact of tourism on marine mammals and their management is described for beluga, narwhal and seals. There are impacts on birds too and on terrestrial vegetation in the tundra. Examples of aboriginal tourism are documented, including the development of the world-class Carcross mountain bike trails. Pleasure craft and cruise tourism have impacts, and the management approaches to minimise these are discussed. Finally the maintenance of the rich and diverse archaeological and historical sites in the face of tourist impacts is discussed.

The areas of interest for adventure tourism are outlined and the number of tourists estimated. Tourism to Franz Josef Archipelago and Novaya Zemyla is described, and the problems related to such tourism development are outlined. These problems include bureaucracy and entry permits, remoteness and logistics, expense, lack of qualified personnel and of research and the lack of shipping infrastructure.

By studying many different proxy data sources from places around the world, scientists have found evidence of global-scale climate change, from ice ages or glacial periods, when huge ice sheets covered most of Earth, to such as the present, when ice is largely confined to the polar and high mountain regions. According to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2014), warming of the climate system is unequivocal. This is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures that anthropogenically produced greenhouse gases (mainly carbon dioxide, CO2) are contributing to the present warming of about 1.1 °C that has taken place since the late nineteenth century. Rising sea level is consistent with warming. Global average sea level has risen since 1961 at an average rate of 1.8 (1.3–2.3) mm per year, and since 1993 at 3.1 (2.4–3.8) mm per year, with thermal expansion, melting glaciers and ice caps, and the polar ice sheets contributing. Further warming will continue if emissions of greenhouse gases continue. The global surface temperature increase by the end of the twenty-first century is likely to exceed 1.5 °C relative to the 1850–1900 period for most scenarios and is likely to exceed 2.0 °C for many scenarios. The global water cycle will change, with increases in disparity between wet and dry regions, as well as wet and dry seasons, with some regional exceptions. The oceans will continue to warm, with heat extending to the deep ocean, affecting circulation patterns. Decreases are very likely in Arctic sea ice cover, northern hemisphere spring snow cover and global glacier volume. Global mean sea level will continue to rise at a rate very likely to exceed the rate of the past four decades. Changes in climate will cause an increase in the rate of CO2 production. Increased uptake by the oceans will increase the acidification of the oceans. Future surface temperatures will be largely determined by cumulative CO2, which means climate change will continue even if CO2 emissions are stopped.

In this chapter, recreation diving is defined, and the numbers involved and impacts discussed. However, it is difficult to quantify the impact of any one of many stressors on coral reefs independently of the others. There is often a lack of scientific understanding of the interrelationships which limits the success of efforts to effectively create policy and regulations preventing reef decline. The impacts include direct trampling by reef walking, from the effects of pontoons (installation, anchor damage, fish feeding), direct impacts from diver behaviour including sediments raised, the effects on the corals (including effects of sunscreens), impacts on fish communities and kelp forests. The ways of managing activities to reduce the impacts are discussed, including reducing use levels, modifying diver behaviour, establishing underwater diving and sculpture trails, artificial reefs, fee charging changes, and diver involvement in conservation projects.

Gorge walking, canyoneering, and canyoning use similar techniques and are undertaken by a relatively small number of participants. The impacts and management approaches from three case studies are illustrated. In the UK there is preserved a rare, specialised but diverse flora where the ecology can suffer types of impact and floral loss. Controlling impacts are suggested, like sacrificial gorges, gorge rotation, Adopt-a-Gorge schemes, and educational methods.

In this chapter, the types of climbing are defined and numbers involved are estimated. The effects of traditional summer climbing on cliff vegetation and other biota, like gastropods, are evaluated. This includes “gardening,” footpath erosion up to the crags, at the tops, and a decrease in rare and endangered species and tree damage from abseiling and belaying. The effects of cliff micro-topography and climbers’ preferences are discussed with regard to the vegetation distribution and the fact that not all effects are negative. The impacts on bird populations are evaluated, and the damage to the rock by ropes, chalk, protection, and the creation of rock polish is discussed. Other environmental effects from bouldering, winter, and mixed climbing are evaluated. The management to counteract these impacts such as management plans, memorandums of understanding, liaison groups, closures, seasonal restrictions, star systems in guides, permits, and outreach and education, including codes of conduct, are discussed and evaluated.

Here we define outdoor recreation, recreation impacts, and recreation ecology which are at the core of this book. The management of wilderness recreation in the USA is discussed as an example of how a recreation management system for protected areas operates, in particular how the National Park Service (NPS) has been controlled by legislative acts, policies, and guidelines. Strategies for defining visitor carrying capacity and monitoring visitor impacts are discussed along with site and visitor management techniques and strategies for educating the recreationists. The NPS originally employed the Visitor Experience and Resource Protection and decision-making framework for evaluating the visitor carrying capacity limits and currently uses the Visitor Use Management planning framework and decision-making framework which are described in this chapter.

One of the opening statements by the New Forest Review Group (1988) that orienteering “by its very nature causes very considerable disturbance to wildlife and damage to flora over wide areas” has been shown to be unsupported. There is trampling of vegetation, but little evidence of disturbance of mammals and birds. It has also been shown that the reason for this is that orienteering, by its very nature, and by procedures of good practice, is a sport of low ecological impact. There also seem to be many wide-ranging educational benefits of orienteering, letterboxing, and geocaching and particularly the development of environmental stewardship, where the benefits outweigh the minor environmental impact. However, the growth in popularity of these activities needs careful monitoring and further research carried out.

The Valsequillo Basin in Central Mexico has been of interest due to the presence of megafauna and evidence for early human occupation, but research has been controversial. It has been suggested that extensive and deep lakes characterised the Early Pleistocene environment but sediment exposure is highly fragmentary and reliable dating has been difficult. Here we report, for the first time, Early Pleistocene palaeoenvironmental reconstructions using stable isotopes,diatoms, tephra and pollen. We studied several stratigraphic sections of mainly non-volcanic rocks, containing the 1.3 Ma Xalnene Ash as a stratigraphic marker. The isotope and other proxy data show that topographically low points in the basin were occupied by spring-fed, shallow water lakes during the Early – Mid Pleistocene, with a trend to drier conditions. The basin was a dynamic volcaniclastic environment during this period, with the production of the Toluquilla Volcano sequence and other rhyolitic-dacitic volcanic ashes interbedded with the lake sediments at the sections studied. There is no evidence from the sections for extensive and deep lakes before or after the Xalnene ash deposition. The presence of lakes in the basin during the Early Pleistocene would have made it attractive for megafauna.