The Reindeer Botanist: Alf Erling Porsild, 1901-1977 By Wendy Dathan

Author of baby reindeer

This well researched book is the first biography of one of Canada s most remarkable botanists Alf Erling Porsild 1901 1977 grew up on the Arctic Station in West Greenland and later served as curator of botany at the National Museum of Canada He collected thousands of specimens greatly enlarging the National Herbarium and making it a superb research center For nearly twenty years Porsild studied reindeer activities in Alaska and the Northwest Territories as part of the Reindeer Project designed to encourage grazing animal husbandry among aboriginal peoples He published extensively and his meticulous research and observations have particular relevance today with the growing concern over global warming in the Arctic The Reindeer Botanist Alf Erling Porsild 1901 1977This book is for you if you are interested in any of the following topics the history of efforts to help indigenous people adapt to European settlement of their land and interfere with their way of life Arctic phytogeography the history of the National Herbarium of Canada in the 20th century the role of selected scientists in North American and Northern European botany in the 20th century I found the book to be well written Some might say the author includes too many relatively long quotes from correspondence and reports Personally I found this approach suited the subject it gives a good feel for the way various people thought of Porsild and issues related to his work In my opinion this is preferable to summaries and references to resources which are likely difficult if not impossible to obtain Paperback .