Author and historian Samuel Adams Drake traveled 2400 miles of Maine seacoast, by rail, by boat, and on foot, and wrote lovingly of his journey. Through his eyes, the reader learns about the towns, notable figures, Indians, history, forts, lighthouses, islands, cemeteries, churches, weather, and of course, the natural beauty of the Great State of Maine. Published in 1891, Drake's book is lavishly illustrated with more than 270 images.

Mike Sullivan loves his adopted city of San Francisco, and he loves trees. In The Trees of San Francisco he has combined his passions, offering a striking and handy compendium of botanical information, historical tidbits, cultivation hints, and more. Sullivan's introduction details the history of trees in the city, a fairly recent phenomenon. The text then piques the reader's interest with discussions of 71 city trees. Each tree is illustrated with a photograph--with its common and scientific names prominently displayed--and its specific location within San Francisco, along with other sites; frequently a close-up shot of the tree is included. Sprinkled throughout are 13 sidelights relating to trees; among the topics are the city's wild parrots and the trees they love; an overview of the objectives of the Friends of the Urban Forest; and discussions about the link between Australia's trees and those in the city, such as the eucalyptus. The second part of the book gets the reader up and about, walking the city to see its trees. Full-page color maps accompany the seven detailed tours, outlining the routes; interesting factoids are interspersed throughout the directions. A two-page color map of San Francisco then highlights 25 selected neighborhoods ideal for viewing trees, leading into a checklist of the neighborhoods and their trees.

Karlsson, an environmental lawyer and author, has published an amusing and informative book describing her family's adventures sharing their house in the U.S. Virgin Islands with a host of local creatures, including bugs, birds, bats, rats, lizards, scorpions, frogs, and stray cats.

Fifty-nine species of wetland plants are described and illustrated with color photographs. These wetland species occur in eelgrass beds, low salt/brackish marshes, high salt/brackish marshes, deep freshwater marshes, shallow freshwater marshes, wet meadows and swamps. Definitions and a general introduction to wetlands are also provided.

This project supported by the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of St. John, in the US Virgin Islands, is meant to help both residents and visitors in identifying and learning about the local trees and plants. Part 1 points out some of the notable trees in the Cruz Bay area, and includes a map that shows the sections of town referred to, so people can walk around and use the book to identify particular trees. Part 2 presents photographs of trees and plants grouped by distinguishing characteristics that ordinary people can easily recognize, such as flowers, fruits or thorns. It also identifies some potentially dangerous ones. One of the key Unitarian Universalist principles is: "Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part." Trees and plants, whether native or introduced, help define the unique experience of life in this place, and as we learn more about them we develop a greater appreciation for their complexity and value. In the course of the project, we learned that many native trees are currently threatened by a combination of factors, including droughts, deer grazing, development projects and imported pests. We hope that the information in this book encourages people to pay more attention to the native trees and plants, and to assist in preserving them.

The longleaf pine ecosystem, once one of the most extensive ecosystems in North America, is now among the most threatened. Over the past few centuries, land clearing, logging, fire suppression, and the encroachment of more aggressive plants have led to an overwhelming decrease in the ecosystem’s size, to approximately 2.2% of its original coverage. Despite this devastation, the range of the longleaf still extends from Virginia to Texas. Through the combined efforts of organizations such as the USDA Forest Service, the Longleaf Alliance, and the Nature Conservancy, extensive programs to conserve, restore, and manage the ecosystem are currently underway. The longleaf pine ecosystem is valued not only for its aesthetic appeal, but also for its outstanding biodiversity, habitat value, and for the quality of the longleaf pine lumber. It has a natural resistance to fire and insects, and supports more than thirty threatened or endangered plant and animal species, including the red-cockaded woodpecker and the gopher tortoise. The Longleaf Pine Ecosystem unites a wealth of current information on the ecology, silviculture, and restoration of this ecosystem. The book also includes a discussion of the significant historical, social, and political aspects of ecosystem management, making it a valuable resource for students, land managers, ecologists, private landowners, government agencies, consultants, and the forest products industry. About the Editors: Dr. Shibu Jose is Associate Professor of Forest Ecology and Dr. Eric J. Jokela is Professor of Silviculture at the School of Forest Resources and Conservation at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Dr. Deborah L. Miller is Associate Professor of Wildlife Ecology in the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at the University of Florida in Milton.

The history of the ubiquitous pine tree is wrapped up with the history of early America—and in the hands of a gifted storyteller becomes a compelling read, almost an adventure story.