iii Preface Educating society with foundational concepts about our natural resources and how we use those resources to feed, fuel, and sustain our growing population begins with today’s students of agriculture and natural resources. Natural Resources Systems is a thoroughly modern, content-driven text for next generation agriculture students who want to learn how we impact Earth and how we can sustainably use our natural resources. The authors of Natural Resources Systems have provided learners with a breadth of environmental knowledge while also creating awareness of careers and workplace skills needed to be successful in the twenty-fi rst century. To help stu- dents achieve success, the authors have incorporated supplemental features and activities, such as historical and STEM connections, and personalized career con- nections throughout the text. Many of the career profi les present students with real-life information, such as education and job requirements, willingness to move, and working in places like swamps and forests. Others present stories of real-life individuals in those careers with their words, stories, and nuggets of advice. Natural Resources Systems is presented in 28 chapters to help readers develop a fundamental knowledge of natural resources systems and to build on this knowledge with ensuing topics. Each chapter begins with a literacy integration activity designed to help students engage more deeply with the agricultural content of the text. The text covers topics essential for students and clearly conveys the theory and practice of sustainability to guide students on their way to becoming our next generation conservationists. Hundreds of full-color images and illustrations and companion online resources are effective teaching and learning tools that help learners engage with all aspects of natural resources, including areas such as wildlife man- agement, fi sheries, and soil conservation. The text also seeks to help students develop critical thinking skills needed to compete in the twenty-fi rst century with critical thinking questions and activities included in features, photo cap- tions, and in the review materials at the end of each chapter. Why is a new textbook about natural resources needed? Our world and the sci- ences of sustainability of the environment continue to change. As they change, the need arises to educate future generations about natural resources and man- aging them in a sustainable and productive way. The textbook was written with a key goal to engage a younger audience of potential conservationists. Natural Resources Systems makes natural resources and their management come alive and become experiential for the reader. The textbook presents the most pertinent and compelling foundational principles of natural resources and their management in relatively short segments. Each segment presents information, provides graphics and illustrations to bring those concepts to life, and challenges students to think deeply about natural resources. Textbook features encourage students to learn and apply critical thinking skills to dis- cuss important natural resources topics, such as the death of coral reefs, water rights, or drilling in Alaska’s unspoiled wilderness. What problems are solved with our approach? The textbook provides instruc- tors with resources that cover many of the standards they are required to teach, whereas many of the competing textbooks were fi rst written prior to