Island Press Annual Report 2011

2011 annUaL rePort www.islandPress.org

From Knowledge to Action

2011 annUaL rePort

From Knowledge to Action

isLand Press, a nonprofit organization founded in 1984, works to provide the best ideas and information to those seeking to understand and protect the environment and create solutions to its complex problems.

taBLe of Contents

ď ł The design of the mixed-use Beddington Zero Energy Development (BedZED) in south London encourages sustainable, healthy lifestyles, including energy from renewable sources, efficient water and energy use, waste recycling, and travel by walking, bicycling, and public transit. From Making Healthy Places.

Photo credit: Tom Chance, Bioregional.

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Message from the President and Chairman of the Board

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Cultivating Actionable Knowledge

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Increasing Access to Knowledge

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Translating Ideas into Action

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Financial Report

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Ways to Give

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Board of Directors & Thought Leaders Advisory Council

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Island Press Staff

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Island Press Focus Areas

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Cover photo: A small school of menhaden fish taken on a jetty at Stony Beach in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA. Photo credit: Justin Benttinen, Getty Images.

Message from the President and Chairman of the Board In November 2011 we celebrated a

how Franklin’s book is making an

major victory for the health of our

impact. This story illustrates the role

oceans when the Atlantic States

that Island Press plays in cultivating

Marine Fisheries Commission

and distributing actionable

voted to sharply reduce the

knowledge to inspire change.

annual harvest of menhaden by 37%. The path to this milestone began, in large part, with a 2007 Island Press book. The Most Important Fish in the Sea by H. Bruce Franklin describes the effects of overharvesting menhaden, an otherwise unremarkable fish that plays an important role in the oceanic food chain. Our subsequent support of Franklin’s outreach to concerned community members and the collective advocacy efforts he inspired led to regulatory action in favor of fisheries conservation.

In this report, we tell the story of

Island Press published 31 new titles in 2011, including books on oceans and water; energy and climate change; the built environment; ecosystems; and policy, economics, and law. In addition, we published electronic editions of nearly all our print publications and laid the groundwork for Island Press E-ssentials — a series of short, digital-only publications that address timely issues with the same quality you have come to expect of our print books.

As we reflect on 2011, we would like to extend our sincere gratitude to our supporters. Your support allows us to publish innovative ideas and take those ideas to the communities and decision makers who can put them into practice.

The menhaden story is just one example of how knowledge, when effectively communicated, can put us on a path toward a sustainable future. Even as our modes of communication change, Island Press continues to pioneer new models for translating ideas into action.

In the coming year we will expand our digital publishing with new initiatives, strengthen our partnerships to reach more people, and ensure the latest knowledge about environmental issues — from oceans to cities, energy to ecosystems — is accessible and far reaching.

Charles C. Savitt, President Island Press

Charles C. Savitt, President

Decker Anstrom, Chair, Island Press Board of Directors

Decker Anstrom, Chair Island Press Board of Directors

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2011 annUaL rePort

From Knowledge to Action

CULtiVating aCtionaBLe KnoWLedge about the need

Bringing science-based solutions to

for immediate

decision makers is critical to shaping a sustainable future. A recent landmark

natural and national history. It turns

conservation measures. Our work is driven

policy change aimed at protecting the

out, menhaden matter a lot. They are a

by the power ideas have to create change. In

overfished menhaden is a good example of

crucial food source for larger fish as well

addition, the expertise of our editorial team

how Island Press moves ideas off the page

as many marine mammals and birds. As

provides insight and guidance unmatched

and into practice. The story begins in the

filter fish, they play an important role in

in the publishing world.

summer of 1999. Historian and Rutgers

maintaining water quality by feeding on

University professor H. Bruce Franklin was

algae that can choke bays and estuaries.

fishing with friends when a nearby school

Franklin’s book captures how a politically

of menhaden was captured by a giant

powerful industry harvests menhaden for

vacuum tube on a factory ship. In the days

industrial and consumer products such as

that followed, not only had the menhaden

paint, fertilizer, lipstick, and health-food

disappeared, but so had the bluefish and

supplements.

weakfish Franklin and his friends had set out to catch.

Over the course of four years after

Franklin’s experience that summer sparked

in 2007, Island Press launched an extensive

a curiosity and concern that inspired him

outreach campaign with Franklin to inform

to write The Most Important Fish in the Sea, a

policymakers, the media, environmental

narrative of menhaden’s role in America’s

advocates, and the fishing community

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publishing The Most Important Fish in the Sea

 Island Press author H. Bruce Franklin, The Most Important Fish in the Sea



RESOURCES FOR THE PATH FORWARD Whether the topic is overfishing, climate change, or creating healthy communities, Island Press works with thought leaders to capture their depth of knowledge, create accessible resources, and cultivate actionable knowledge. Here are a few noteworthy resources we developed with our authors in 2011.

This complete street in Copenhagen accomodates pedestrians, bicyclists, motor vehicles, and transit.

From Making Healthy Places. Photo credit: www.pedbikeimages.org, Ryan Snyder.

Since Island Press was founded in 1984, we have sold over 3 million books.

Human Transit by Jarrett Walker: In this groundbreaking book, Jarrett Walker explains the fundamental elements that form successful transit systems. Walker has spent over 20 years working on public transit network design and policy around the world. He gives readers practical tools for designing and implementing more efficient transit that meets local needs quickly and reliably. He argues that by understanding the elements of successful transit, we can create transit systems that will enrich our lives and our communities.

Making Healthy Places edited by Andrew L. Dannenberg, Howard Frumkin, and Richard J. Jackson: This book examines connections between built environments and health and was cited by The New York Times’ Well blog in conjunction with the release of Richard Jackson’s public television series Designing Healthy Communities. “[Making healthy Places] is just about the most authoritative and thorough examination of how our urban design (and house design) affects our health and wellbeing, and should be on the desk of every urban designer and planner as an important reference.”

Environmental Land Use and Planning by John Randolph: This second edition textbook from a professor of environmental planning at Virginia Tech offers a unique framework for teaching and learning interdisciplinary environmental planning. It addresses topics such as sustainable land use principles and planning analysis as well as managing watersheds, ecosystems, and development to achieve sustainable communities. Randolph’s first edition, published in 2006, has been adopted for use in nearly 50 university courses.

Lloyd alter, treehugger 3

2011 annUaL rePort

From Knowledge to Action

inCreasing aCCess to KnoWLedge Island Press believes that knowledge,

environmentalists — two groups often

when communicated effectively, has the

at odds — to call for greater protection

power to solve problems and transform

measures for menhaden.

our environment and communities. After publishing The Most Important Fish in the Sea, we worked with Franklin to share his findings. This outreach campaign inspired recreational fishermen and

Momentum was building. An investment

Building a knowledge network for sustainability in U.S. metropolitan areas: As urban populations continue to grow, our cities face mounting challenges that transcend sector, discipline, and geography. In 2011 Island Press

banker and recreational fisherman decided to get involved in the cause. He contacted Island Press to fund a project disseminating hundreds of books to key members of the Virginia and Maryland state legislatures and U.S. House of Representatives.

ISLAND PRESS EXTENDS ITS REACH Island Press programs and strategies communicate knowledge and solutions to people who can apply it to their work or advocate for informed decision making on environmental issues. Here are just a few ways we increased access to ideas in 2011.

“Governments have no budget to provide access to great thinkers.... With help from Island Press, we were able to have a meaningful conversation between government staff and [Island Press] authors.

For us, there was real value added.”

Patti southard, Director of the King County’s GreenTools Program (Washington)

brought together thought leaders with policymakers, business professionals, practitioners, and community leaders to foster learning and collaboration to solve local challenges. Working with local partner organizations in the Seattle and San Francisco metropolitan areas, we began to strengthen local

 Shanghai Houtan Park: The contaminated water has been cleansed and made touchable after a long journey through the vegetated terraces and human-made wetland. The steel structure is made of recycled materials. Various productive crops that attract wildlife are used in the park and harvested by park managers. From Urban Ecological Design. Photo credit: Kongjian Tu. Courtesy Turenscape.

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 The conservation and restoration of mangroves as a climate change adaptation strategy is one topic area practitioners and other users can explore on the Climate Adaptation Knowledge Exchange (CAKE) website.

capacity to address sustainability issues. For example, Island Press brought fifteen experts to Seattle, including Peter Calthorpe (Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change), Shi-Ling Hsu (The Case for a

of Island Press and EcoAdapt. CAKE is an online community-building and knowledge-sharing resource for people interested in climate change adaptation. CAKE’s global community reaches across Over 9 million pages were viewed inside Island sectors and disciplines and currently Press titles on Google Books in 2011 alone. includes resource managers, planners, decision makers, and practitioners Carbon Tax), and Howard Frumkin (Making Healthy interested in sharing information. In 2011 CAKE was Places). They met with public officials, advocacy visited by people in over 185 different countries and groups, and media in the region. territories and engaged visitors from all of the 50 U.S. states. With more than 1,700 registered users, CAKE Reaching new audiences in Africa and Asia: has grown into a leading resource on climate change Our partnership with The Asia Foundation and Books adaptation. for Africa enables us to donate books to communities Linking practitioners and the public to new ideas that otherwise may not have access to them. In 2011 through strategic partnerships: The Asia Foundation distributed nearly 9,500 Island Press books throughout Asia. We also To ensure that green-building professionals donated approximately 7,000 books to Books for have access to the latest ideas, the U.S. Africa for distribution.

Green Building Council (USGBC) and Island Press formed the GreenWorks book club Action on adaptation: in 2008. Each month, GreenWorks hosts a webinar In July we celebrated the with an Island Press author and makes it available one-year anniversary of the to its 25,000 USGBC members, offering continuing Climate Adaptation Knowledge education credits for participants. Peter Calthorpe’s Exchange (CAKE), a joint project January 2011 webinar drew nearly 600 members.

More than 1,800 USGBC members participated in these webinars throughout the year. Another of our strategic partnerships that continued to grow in 2011 is with TreeHugger — Discovery Communications’ sustainability website. Together we created BookHugger, an online, interactive book club. Every month BookHugger features a web chat with an Island Press expert. The December 2011 web chat with Jarrett Walker (Human Transit) reached more than 3,000 viewers.

“Island Press is an essential partner in our drive for sustainability. Not only is it a ‘must’ source for up-to-date publications on the stewardship of our natural resources, it is also the contributor of our most current information on domestic and global policies.”

John turner, Former Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International, Environmental, and Scientific Affairs

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2011 annUaL rePort

From Knowledge to Action

In August Island Press participated in the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) 2011 World Conference in Mérida, Mexico. Several Island Press authors presented and staff spoke on topics such as using narrative skills to reach a broader audience and incorporating climate change into restoration projects.

inCreasing aCCess to KnoWLedge (ContinUed)

Publishing in the digital age: In 2011 Island Press laid the foundation for our E-ssentials program. Island Press E-ssentials are short, electronic-only publications designed to provide timely and cutting-edge environmental information with the same editorial quality of Island Press books. In addition, as part of our effort to distribute information and knowledge as widely as possible, we have made almost all of our books available to preview for free on Google Books and Amazon Look Inside the Book.

 Island Press authors and contributors gather in Mérida, Mexico for the SER 2011 World Conference. From left to right: Vicky M. Temperton, Richard J. Hobbs, Robert J. Cabin , Cristina Eisenberg, Joyce Maschinski, James Aronson, Andre Clewell, Stephen Glass, Dean Apostol, and David Polster.

More than 10,000 public libraries can now access Island Press books digitally, and over 700 Island Press book are currently available in electronic form.

Inspiring the next generation of leaders: In the past year over 150 Island Press books were adopted for use in college classrooms around the world. The most widely adopted titles were Ecological Economics, 2nd edition; Environmental Land Use Planning and Management, 2nd edition; Water Resources; Making Healthy Places; and Introduction to Restoration Ecology and Community Planning, 2nd edition.

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“The choice to go with Island Press was an easy one; I had a great experience last time with my book Water follies. This time Island Press was excited about Unquenchable, and I was excited about working with them again. They are the premier publisher of books on natural resources and the environment. The fit was just natural.” robert glennon, Morris K. Udall Professor of Law and Public Policy, University of Arizona College of Law

 Coot and turtles seen at the Natural Areas Conference in Tallahasse, Florida in November 2011.

Photo credit: Renee A. Boronka

transLating ideas into aCtion As the story of menhaden so clearly

commission, said,

illustrates, knowledge — when

“The book being in

communicated effectively — has the power

circulation those four years did a lot to raise

to transform our communities and our

awareness about menhaden and helped

environment. As the campaign around the

spur this expression of public concern.”

plight of menhaden gained momentum, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s own scientific advisors placed growing pressure on the commissioners to act. As hearings took place in most states along the East Coast, the commission received an unprecedented 92,000 letters from concerned citizens. Almost all of the letters called for curbs on menhaden harvests, and many of them referenced Franklin’s The Most Important Fish in the Sea. In November 2011 the fisheries commission voted for the first time in its history to

ON THE GROUND IMPACT At Island Press we place a special emphasis on transforming science- and evidence-based ideas into action. We draw from global ideas and experience to help local stakeholders address environmental challenges and work toward a sustainable future. Collaborating with academic institutions, environmental organizations, and government agencies, Island Press works to provide the best ideas and information to people seeking to understand and protect the environment and create solutions to its complex problems.

Training land conservation practitioners in finance techniques: The Conservation Finance Network is a multiinstitutional effort that trains land conservationists to use innovative finance techniques that allow them to conserve and steward more land. In 2011 we co-sponsored a week-long boot camp with Yale University. This rigorous course provides attendees with in-depth information about new ways to fund and finance conservation, as well as advice on their own projects from peers and experts. Given this year’s success, we moved forward to plan for another boot camp at Stanford University in 2012.

“I enjoyed the breadth of the topics; the high caliber of speakers; the focus on different scales from small urban to large landscapes, public to private funding; and the opportunity to put it all together.” andrea Mackenzie, Santa Clara County Open Space Authority and boot camp participant

reduce the annual harvest of menhaden, and they reduced it sharply by 37%.

William Goldsborough of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, who also sits on the 7

2011 annUaL rePort

finanCiaL rePort

From Knowledge to Action

Statement of Activities FY 2011 and FY 2010

Island Press Composition of Income FY 2011

Unrestricted

Temporarily restricted

total 2011

total 2010

foundation grants individual contributions total support

219,715 322,067 541,782

765,237 178,612 943,848

984,952 500,679 1,485,630

1,812,419 367,044 2,179,463

earned revenue: Publishing income (net of returns) interest and other revenue total earned revenue

2,748,916 7,880 2,756,796

-

2,748,916 7,881 2,756,797

3,179,691 30,293 3,209,984

net assets released from restrictions Total support and revenue

1,339,110 4,637,688

(1,339,110) (395,262)

4,242,427

5,389,447

Program services: research and publication outreach and education Partnerships and technical assistance total program services

1,932,171 1,213,353 631,398 3,776,922

-

1,932,171 1,213,353 631,398 3,776,922

2,164,334 1,233,051 855,011 4,252,396

supporting services: Management and administration fundraising total supporting services

599,947 390,754 990,701

-

599,947 390,754 990,701

570,534 396,471 967,004

Total operating expenses

4,767,622

-

4,767,622

5,219,400

Change in net assets

(129,934)

(395,262)

(525,195)

170,047

net assets, beginning of year Net assets, end of year

2,894,336 2,764,402

721,616 326,354

3,615,952 3,090,757

3,445,905 3,615,952

oPerating sUPPort and reVenUe support:

Earned Revenue $2,748,916 65%

Foundation Grants $984,952 23%

Individual Contributions $500,679 12%

oPerating eXPenses

Island Press Composition of Expenses FY 2011

Fundraising $390,754 8%

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Management & Administration $599,947 13%

Program Services $3,776,922 79%

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WaYs to giVe As a nonprofit, Island Press relies on the generous contributions of foundations, corporations, and individuals to support our programs and publishing efforts. There are many different ways to support Island Press.

Contribute online at www.islandpress.org/donate.

Send a check by mail to: Island Press — Center for Resource Economics 1718 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20009-1148

ď ł David Miller, Island Press Senior Vice President & Publisher

Leave a legacy gift. Including Island Press in your will or trust helps to ensure we can reach and inspire future generations.

Honoraria and speaker fees can help support our ongoing initiatives. If you have an upcoming engagement planned, ask your host to make a donation to Island Press in your honor.

Employer match programs can double or even triple your donation. Contact your Human Resources department to find out if your company matches your charitable contributions.

The Combined Federal Campaign enables federal and military employees to contribute to Island Press using CFC #12052.

Please contact Meredith Harkel at (202) 232-7933 for more information on any of these options.

Island Press is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Please consult your attorney or tax advisor to learn how tax benefits may apply to your personal situation.

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2011 annUaL rePort

From Knowledge to Action

Board of direCtors & thoUght Leaders adVisorY CoUnCiL Board of Directors* Decker Anstrom (Chair), Former CEO, Landmark Communications

Pamela Murphy (Treasurer), Chevy Chase, MD Carolyn Peachey (Secretary), President, Campbell, Peachey & Associates

Ron Sims,, Former Deputy Secretary of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Margot Ernst, New York, NY

Drummond Pike, Principal, Equilibrium Capital

Sarah Slusser, Slusser, Executive Vice President, GeoGlobal Energy LLC

Russell Faucett, General Partner, Barrington Partners

Alexis G. Sant, Managing Director, Persimmon Tree Capital

Peter R. Stein, Stein, General Partner, Lyme Timber Company

Merloyd Ludington Lawrence, Merloyd Lawrence, Inc. and Perseus Books

Charles C. Savitt (President), President, Island Press

Bill Meadows, President, The Wilderness Society

Susan E. Sechler, Sechler, Silver Spring, MD

Diana Wall, Ph.D., Ph.D., Director, School of Global Environmental Sustainability and Professor of Biology at Colorado State University

Stephen Badger, Director, Mars, Inc. Katie Dolan (Vice Chair), Larchmont, NY

Victor M. Sher, Esq., Esq., San Francisco, CA

Thought Leaders Advisory Council Bruce Babbit, Washington, DC

Maryanne Tagney Jones, Jones, Seattle, WA

Vicki Sant, Sant, Washington, DC

Frances Beinecke, New York, NY

Anne Kroeker, Kroeker, Seattle, WA

Loring LaBarbera Schwarz, Schwarz, Sudbury, MA

Angel Braestrup, Washington, DC

Kristin Mannion, Mannion, Washington, DC

Jeanne Sedgwick, Sedgwick, Woodside, CA

Lisa Cashdan, Norwich, VT

Stephanie Meeks, Meeks, Falls Church, VA

Walter C. Sedgwick, Sedgwick, Woodside, CA

Catherine Conover,, Washington, DC

Dane Nichols, Nichols, Washington, DC

Daniel Shaw, Shaw, Woody Creek, CO

Melissa Dann,, Chevy Chase, MD

Wendy Paulson, Paulson, Barrington, IL

Mark J. Spalding, Spalding, Washington, DC

Paul R. Dolan,, New York, NY

Richard H. Penney, Penney, New York, NY

Judith Stockdale, Stockdale, Chicago, IL

Paul R. Ehrlich,, Stanford, CA

Suzanne G. Penney, Penney, New York, NY

Terry Tamminen, Tamminen, Santa Monica, CA

George T. Frampton, Jr., Jr., New York, NY

Susan Cohn Rockefeller, Rockefeller, New York, NY

Russell Train, Train, Washington, DC

Wolcott Henry, Henry, Washington, DC

Connie Roosevelt, Roosevelt, New York, NY

E.O. Wilson, Wilson, Lexington, MA

Trudi Inslee, Inslee, Bainbridge Island, WA

Mary Rubin, Rubin, Larchmont, NY

Bonnie Wyper, Wyper New York, NY

Alexandra Jackson, Jackson, Ithaca, NY

Roger Sant, Sant, Washington, DC

 Vania Aksentijevich, Development Assistant.

Photo credit: Harold J. Becton Photography.

* January 2011 – June 2012 10

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isLand Press staff

ď ł Amy Bridges, Office Assistant/Accouting Clerk; and Caryn Cabaniss, Executive Assistant to the President.

Photo credit: Harold J. Becton Photography

ď ł Jaime Jennings, Publicity Manager. Photo credit: Harold J. Becton Photography.

Executive Office

Finance & Accounting

Production

Charles Savitt, President

Ken Hartzell, Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

Maureen Gately, Director of Production & Design

Trevor Angel, IT Manager

Sharis Simonian, Production Editor

Amy Bridges, Office Assistant/ Accounting Clerk

Caroline Sperry, Production Assistant

Vania Aksentijevich, Development Assistant

Laura Hess, Associate Director of Accounting

Marketing

Meredith Harkel, Donor Relations Manager

Caryn Cabaniss, Executive Assistant

Editorial David Miller, Senior Vice President & Publisher Rebecca Bright, Editorial Assistant Heather Boyer, Senior Editor

Brian Weese, Vice President, Marketing & Sales

Emily Davis, Developmental Editor

Jaime Jennings, Publicity Manager

Barbara Dean, Executive Editor

Jason Leppig, Marketing Manager

Erin Johnson, Assistant Editor

Angela Osborn, Promotions, Rights & Fulfillment Manager

Courtney Lix, Assistant Editor

Development, Programs & Communications Denise Schlener, Vice President, Strategic Advancement

Livia Kent, Managing Editor, CAKE

Meghan Bartels, Marketing Assistant 11

2011 annUaL rePort

From Knowledge to Action

isLand Press foCUs areas

Oceans & Water

Biodiversity Communications Ecosystem Science & Management Energy Food & Agriculture

Energy & Climate Change

Freshwater

The Built Environment

Green Building Health Land Use Planning Transportation Landscape Architecture Restoration & Ecology Cities & Urban Design

Ecosystems

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Policy, Economics & Law

“No press has challenged America’s values and its way of stewarding the land — or not stewarding the land — more than Island Press. It has brought together a community of scholars and activists that deeply care about the fate of humankind and the natural resources of this planet, and because it has a mission, it doesn’t publish fluff.” gary Paul nabhan, Where Our Food Comes From

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