A book, entitled 'Pasion porla tierra. Cronicas de naturaleza y territorio' was published by one of councilors of WASWAC, Prof. Jose Luis Rubio, recently.

The book is the result of 95 columns of environmental scientific opinion published in the newspaper El Mundo.

The topics are broad and varied but basically relate to the functioning of the natural world around us and their connection with society and people. The ultimate goal of the columns has been to help improve and positively influence the social perception of the natural environment and its problems. This environmental perception is still insufficient and as a general issue has only some few decades of gradual improvement. On the other hand, it is an emerging theme influenced by serious problems that go beyond the purely environmental field with significant impact on economic and social aspects. Climate change, desertification, forced migration and food insecurity are some of them.

The author confesses fascinated by the secrets, tricks and surprises of the mysterious world around us and as a curious observer who tries to glimpse the intimate story of what happens in the territory and because it occurs. In this sense the primary objective of the book is to convey this fascination.

The theme of the columns is very rich as befits the huge variety of attractions of the Mediterranean natural environment.

Some of the articles are dedicated to raising awareness on seemingly modest, everyday aspects of our natural environment which are often little known. The Mediterranean world is one of the most biodiverse environments and offers countless possibilities of adaptation and biological processes. In this sense columns on oleanders, bulbs, mistletoes, rose hips, oaks and even thistles, among many other treasures of the near universe and almost ignored are included. Precisely for that everydayness some fascinating peculiarities of survival adaptation of Mediterranean life go unnoticed.

Others are strictly opinion on a controversial, novel or topics that somehow raise concerns of society such as the problem of forest fires. Forest fires are a dramatic threat to the stability and productivity of the land. Its dimension is extensive including environmental and socio-economic consequences and forecasts are not bright in a context of worsening climate change. There are also articles on complaints, critical positions and even outrage at situations of mismanagement, abuse, indifference or ignorance just before an enormously rich natural environment but at the same time fragile and vulnerable.

Other columns refer to the disclosure of any facts, process, or information that can help to discover how attractive, surprising, transcendent or special could be the natural process or the life of any living being (including plants, animals and microorganisms).

The scope or scale addressed is very broad including global issues such as the impact of climate change, water shortages, famine and food security, land degradation, urban planning and urban problems, pollution, etc. Along with the issues of global dimension aspects of local interest and relevance are also addressed such as the situation of the Albufera lake and many other problems and peculiarities of biodiverse Valencian territory.

There is a backup and scientific background to raise, argue and try to convey the problem or the beauty of the issues addressed in all contributions. The connection between mind and nature is a fascinating subject. In this sense, also they included contributions on Darwinism and the theory of evolution or metaphors or draw parallels between the workings of the natural world and some perceptions or behaviors of the mental realm of human beings.

In general, the set of articles provide two versions of nature. Sensory and aesthetic recreating us and excites us and, on the other hand, the one which seeks to understand and decipher the occult. It is fascinating to feel and appreciate what happens in nature but not least know why it happens and how it affects us. Two visions each of them more exciting.

This author for this book is Prof. Jose Luis Rubio, one of Councilors of WASWAC. The Editorial is UNED Alzira - Valencia, published in April 2016, ISBN is 978-84-92885-23-7, language is Spanish.