If you’re in need of a list of publishers of environmental books, below we’ve featured 15 publishing houses that should be of interest to you.
1. Island Press
Island Press is a non-profit publisher located in Washington, DC. Since their founding in 1984, they have built a reputation for being a leading environmental publisher, specializing in producing quality books on sustainability, ecosystems, climate and energy, health and food, the natural world, and the built environment. They currently have more than 800 titles in print, and dozens of new releases are added to their list each year.
If you would like to get published by Island Press, you can submit a proposal to their editorial team. Proposals should include a general overview of your manuscript, an annotated table of contents, author information, a list of comparable titles, and a description of your target audience. For more details, check out their submission guidelines here. If you have any additional questions, you can reach Island Press through their online contact form.
2. Bower House Books
Founded in 2002, Bower House Books is an independent publisher based in Denver. They publish both fiction and non-fiction books under four different imprints. Their Bower House imprint specializes in environmental issues, environmental activism, cooking, gardening, and living in the West. Some of their recent releases include The Landscape of Home, Home Land: Ranching and a West That Works, and Meet the Natives: A Field Guide to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers, Trees, and Shrubs.
Bower House welcomes submissions from authors and literary agents. To submit a proposal, follow the submission guidelines stated here. Submissions may be sent via email or post. For general inquiries, you can contact Bower House here.
3. Chelsea Green Publishing
Founded in Vermont in 1984, Chelsea Green Publishing is one of the leading publishers of non-fiction books on sustainable living. Their books provide readers with practical information about ecology and the environment, healthy food, organic gardening and farming, sustainable economics, health and wellness, and progressive politics. Their bestselling titles include Andy Brennan’s Uncultivated, Chris Smith’s The Whole Okra, Tim Dee’s Landfill, and Rhonda Sherman’s The Worm Farmer’s Handbook.
Chelsea Green is currently open for submissions. For information on what they are looking for and how to submit a proposal, you can check out their submission guidelines here. You can also contact the Chelsea Green team should you have any other questions or concerns.
4. Green Writers Press
Green Writers Press is a small Vermont-based press dedicated to spreading social justice and environmental awareness through the books they publish. They publish fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, and they collaborate with authors, poets, and artists who care about the environment and want to make a positive impact. Some of the authors they have worked with include John Elder, Julia Alvarez, Clarence Major, and Madeleine Kunin, among others.
They open for submissions on September 1 of each year, and prospective authors have until June 1 of the following year to submit their work. To learn more about submitting to Green Writers Press, you can visit their Submittable page. Should you need to get in touch with them outside their submission period, you can contact them here.
5. Mountaineers Books
Mountaineers Books is an independent publisher that was established in 1960. The press was founded by volunteers of The Mountaineers, a non-profit community of climbers in the Pacific Northwest, with the goal of making their climbing knowledge available to the public. Today, Mountaineers Books publishes books across a range of subjects, including nature and the environment, climbing, marine sports, fitness, conservation, hiking and backpacking, travel, and more.
If you think your manuscript is something Mountaineers Books might be interested in, you can submit a proposal via email or post. For information on what to include in your proposal, check out the submission guidelines outlined on their website. For other inquiries, contact Mountaineers Books here.
6. Bellevue Literary Press
Founded in 2007, Bellevue Literary Press is an independent, non-profit publisher based in New York City. They specialize in literary non-fiction and fiction about the intersection between the arts and sciences. Even though they are a small press, they have published many award-winning books, including the Pulitzer Prize winner Tinkers by Paul Harding. Their areas of interest include astronomy, the environment, art history, current affairs, spirituality, and more.
Bellevue Literary Press holds open reading periods throughout the year. This year, they will begin accepting submissions in the fall. You can sign up for their free email newsletter to stay updated. If you would like to get in touch with Bellevue Literary Press, you can contact them here.
7. University of Virginia Press
Founded in 1963, the University of Virginia Press primarily publishes books in the areas of American history, architecture, environmental literature, African American studies, and regional interest. Publishing an average of 70 new titles each year, the press currently has a number of active book series, including Under the Sign of Nature, a series focusing on environmental literature.
If you are interested in submitting your work to the University of Virginia Press, check out their submission guidelines and prepare your proposal accordingly. Once you are ready, you can send your proposal to the appropriate acquisitions editor.
8. Cornell University Press
Located in New York, Cornell University Press is the publishing division of Cornell University. They were founded in 1869, making them the first university press in the US to operate in the name of the university itself. Today, they publish an average of 150 non-fiction titles on an annual basis, spanning various disciplines and subject areas, including nature and the environment, history, women’s studies, business, anthropology, industrial relations, politics, and more.
Cornell University Press welcomes submissions in all the areas they publish. If you would like to submit your work for their consideration, you can send a proposal to the appropriate acquisitions editor. When submitting, make sure you follow their submission guidelines. For more information on what to expect when collaborating with Cornell University Press, you can see an overview of their publishing process here.
9. University of Washington Press
Founded in Seattle in 1915, the University of Washington Press is one of the largest academic publishers in the Pacific Northwest. They primarily publish non-fiction books in the following academic areas: environmental studies, natural history, anthropology, US history, visual culture, gender and sexuality studies, critical ethnic studies, Native American studies, and Asian American studies.
Prospective authors can submit a proposal to UWA Press by email or in hard copy. Proposals must include a cover letter, a description of the project, a chapter outline, and sample chapters. More information about their guidelines can be found here. Should you have any other questions, you can reach UWA Press via email.
10. University of Nebraska Press
For more than 75 years, the University of Nebraska Press has been committed to the publication and dissemination of books and journals of cultural and intellectual significance. They publish more than 150 new books each year, with more than 6,000 titles currently in print. They have several imprints, publishing across a range of subjects, including history, anthropology, the environment, media studies, gender and sexuality, literary criticism, early modern studies, and more.
UNP is currently seeking high quality submissions from prospective authors. If you are interested, you can send a proposal to the appropriate acquisitions editor. Your proposal should include the project’s working title, a brief description of the project, chapter summaries, projected word count, information about the intended audience, and a few sample chapters. Check out UNP’s submission guidelines for more information.
11. Edward Elgar Publishing
Founded by Edward Elgar in 1986, Edward Elgar Publishing is an independent publisher with offices in the UK and the US. They publish monographs, textbooks, reference books, and journals, specializing in the fields of law, economics, public policy, education, business, technology, regional studies, and the environment. Some of their most recent environmental books include The Economics of Climate Resilience and Adaptation, Handbook on Green Growth, Protecting the Third Pole, and Human Rights and the Environment.
Edward Elgar Publishing is actively seeking submissions at the moment. To submit, fill out their book proposal form and send it to the appropriate editor. You can find their proposal form and the contact information of their editors here.
12. Green Books
Founded in 1986, Green Books is an independent publisher based in the UK. They specialize in books that deal with cultural and environmental issues, particularly ecology and climate change, eco-building, eco-philosophy, transport and planning, and green living. Some of their recent titles include The Ocean Book: How Endangered Are Our Seas, Wild Law: A Manifesto for Earth Justice, and Six Steps Back to the Land.
Green Books is currently accepting non-fiction submissions. They are particularly interested in books that deepen people’s respect for the environment, books that deal with practical issues like eco-building and organics, and books on green economics. If you have a manuscript or book idea that fits the bill, you can send a proposal to Green Books via email. Before submitting, make sure you check out their submission guidelines.
13. White Horse Press
Also based in the UK, White Horse Press is a small family-run publisher that produces academic books and journals that deal with environmental issues. They are currently open for submissions, and they are interested in monographs and edited volumes that fall within their publishing scope. Though they are a small press, they aspire to the same standards as international academic publishers.
If you are interested in submitting to White Horse Press, you fill out their book proposal form and send it to them via email. If you would like to discuss your idea with them via email before filling out the form, you are free to do so as well. For more information on publishing with White Horse Press, you can check out their guidelines here.
14. New Society Publishers
Headquartered in Canada, New Society Publishers is a solutions-oriented publisher that specializes in books that contribute to building a more sustainable society. They primarily publish books related to the environment, climate change, sustainable building and design, food and gardening, modern homesteading, ecology and conservation, energy, progressive leadership, new economies, and social responsibility.
New Society Publishers is currently open for submissions in the form of book proposals. If you are interested in submitting, start by checking out their submission guidelines. You can then send them your proposal via email or post. Should you have any additional questions, you can contact them here.
15. McGill-Queen’s University Press
McGill-Queen’s University Press is a joint venture between McGill University in Quebec and Queen’s University in Ontario. They are a scholarly publisher with more than 3,000 in print and have published numerous bestselling and award-winning titles. Their areas of interest include history, Canadian studies, environmental studies, folklore, anthropology, linguistics, cultural studies, sociology, women’s and gender studies, urban studies, and more.
MQUP currently welcomes submissions, and they are interested in both scholarly and general interest books. Should you wish to get published by MQUP, you can send them a proposal that includes a description of your manuscript, an outline, information about the target audience, a list of comparable titles, and a few sample chapters. Check out their submission guidelines for more details.
16. Greystone Books
Based in Canada, Greystone Books is a non-fiction publisher that specializes in books about travel and adventure, social issues, nature and the environment, science, and health. Since their establishment in 1993, they have worked with many gifted authors from Canada and abroad, such as Allan Casey, Julie Angus, Wayne Grady, Harry Thurston, David Suzuki, Charlotte Gill, and Brian Brett, among others.
To submit your work to Greystone Books, you can send them a proposal. They accept both digital and hard-copy submissions, but email submissions are preferred. Your proposal must include a description of your book, an annotated chapter outline, a sample chapter, a list of comparable titles, and an updated curriculum vitae. You can find their complete submission guidelines here. If you have any questions about the submission process, you can reach their editorial team via email.
17. Federation Press
Federation Press is an independent Australian publisher founded by Kathryn Fitzhenry, Diane Young, and Christopher Holt in 1987. Although they are most known for their selection of legal books, they also publish books on other subjects, including architecture, governance, gender studies, the environment, history, health, urban planning, social work, literary studies, and more.
They are currently accepting submissions in all the areas they publish. If you plan on submitting, make sure you check out their submission guidelines before preparing your proposal. For general inquiries, you can get in touch with Federation Press via email.
Are there any other publishers of environmental books that should be on this list? If so, please tell us about them in the comments box below!
Hiten Vyas is the Founder and Managing Editor of Writing Tips Oasis.