The Perfect Summer STEM Book is almost here. Parents, teachers, and nature lovers are looking for fun ways to keep kids learning outside the classroom. Reptiles & Amphibians for Kids: An Introduction to Herpetology takes young readers on a deep dive into the amazing world of backyard amphibians and scaly reptiles—from tiny tree frogs and salamanders to giant snapping turtles and crocodilians. If you want a book that mixes animal science with backyard adventure, this upcoming release is a must-have for summer reading lists.
More Than Just Basic Facts This book is not just a boring list of animal facts. Instead, it is an exciting field guide and hands-on activity manual. Coming out just in time for outdoor summer fun, the book covers more than 60 North American species. It gives clear guidance on how to spot them in the wild. It also includes easy-to-read body diagrams and cool notes on how these animals live and hunt. Even better, it encourages kids to get outside and participate in real science. Readers will learn how to join national science projects like FrogWatch USA. They will also discover how to build safe backyard habitats and help local turtles safely cross the road. It turns reading into a true outdoor adventure for kids.
Growing the Next Generation of Nature Lovers For young readers who love STEM and wildlife, understanding nature is the first step in protecting it. This book connects real animal biology with fun activities that middle-schoolers and younger students will enjoy. It talks about big environmental topics—like habitat loss, climate change, and pollution—in a way that is clear and easy to grasp. It breaks down tough ideas and busts common animal myths. For example, it explains the science behind why touching a toad will never actually give you warts. Teachers and homeschooling parents will find it perfectly designed for teaching biology, food webs, and nature conservation.
Meet the Expert Behind the Book The book is highly accurate and incredibly fun to read, thanks to its author. Dr. Jessica Hua is a well-known university professor and a top researcher in wildlife ecology. She brings years of real field experience to the book, explaining complex science in a way that is easy to understand. Outside of her research, Dr. Hua runs community science programs designed for families and children. Her love for teaching and protecting wildlife shines through every chapter. This ensures readers are learning from a true expert who cares deeply about the environment.
Mark Your Calendars for June 16th With the official release date set for June 16th, right now is the perfect time to plan for a summer of discovery. Whether it is for a homeschool science class, a summer camp program, or a curious kid exploring a local pond, Reptiles & Amphibians for Kids is a fantastic choice. By mixing real science with thrilling outdoor projects, it is poised to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards and future animal experts and transform the outdoors into a living laboratory!
When many people imagine an ideal summer, they picture distant destinations: national parks, long road trips, and dramatic landscapes far from home. Yet some of the most meaningful encounters with nature can take place much closer—along a neighborhood trail, beside a modest wetland, or in the fragment of prairie at the edge of town. With a guidebook in hand and a shift in perspective, everyday surroundings can become the setting for rich, meaningful adventures.
Nature Smart: Midwest by Stan Tekiela fits naturally into this way of traveling. Although it contains identification tips and natural-history facts, it functions less like a traditional field guide and more like a companion for seeing the familiar with new eyes. Its focus on prairies, wetlands, forests, birds, mammals, insects, amphibians, reptiles, and fungi encourages readers to look again at ordinary places and recognize them as living ecosystems.
The Power of Nearby Nature
Rather than centering on distance or spectacle, micro-travel emphasizes short, local excursions that fit into daily life. A half-hour walk in a nearby park, an hour at a marsh after work, or a slow exploration of a wooded ravine can become satisfying experiences when framed as encounters with real, functioning habitats.
Nature Smart: Midwest provides the ecological and behavioral context that makes these small outings feel substantial. Its sections on prairies, for example, reveal that what might appear to be an empty field is often a complex community of grasses, forbs, insects, and ground-nesting birds. Wetland chapters describe how shallow, “messy” water regulates floods; filters pollutants; and supports frogs, dragonflies, and marsh birds. Forest chapters illuminate the layered structure of canopy, understory, and forest floor, as well as the roles played by fungi, insects, and mammals in cycling nutrients.
Nature and Mental Health
For readers concerned with mental health and the pace of modern life, this style of engagement with nearby nature offers distinct advantages. Research has repeatedly shown that even small doses of time outdoors can reduce stress, improve mood, and restore attention. Micro-adventures grounded in books like Nature Smart: Midwest add an additional layer: They create cognitive and emotional connection.
Knowing that the birds heard at dawn are establishing territory, that the mushrooms after rain are fruiting bodies of a vast underground network, or that a weedy ditch is functioning as a miniature wetland changes a brief walk from “time outside” into participation in a larger story.
This narrative quality can be particularly helpful for those who struggle to slow down. Many people find it difficult to simply “relax” in nature without feeling idle or restless. Stan’s explanations—how fire renews prairies, why certain plants flower at specific times, how animals adapt to winter or darkness—offer the mind gentle focus. Attention is drawn away from internal worries and directed toward external patterns and relationships. The result is not passive distraction but a quiet form of curiosity that tends to calm the nervous system.
Lowering the Barriers to Nature
Focusing locally also reduces the barriers often associated with outdoor experiences. Extensive planning, travel costs, and the pressure to “make it worth it” can turn vacations into sources of stress. By contrast, a local outing requires minimal logistics yet still feels purposeful.
Over the course of a summer, repeated visits to the same prairie edge, pond, or woodland path allow readers to notice seasonal changes and animal behaviors over time. This familiarity often leads to a sense of belonging: the recognition that one’s own neighborhood is part of a living landscape rather than a backdrop.
The book’s broad coverage of organisms—from birds and mammals to insects, amphibians, reptiles, and fungi—also supports a more inclusive view of nature. Instead of reserving wonder for rare species or spectacular vistas, Nature Smart: Midwest highlights the importance of common animals and overlooked habitats.
Backyard birds become case studies in migration, nesting, and song. Ant hills and spider webs illustrate complex social structures and hunting strategies. Mushrooms and soil organisms reveal the hidden processes that keep forests and grasslands functioning. This emphasis can quietly shift attitudes from indifference or fear toward respect and stewardship.
Seeing these connections often replaces a sense of helplessness with a more balanced mix of concern, appreciation, and agency. Readers can better understand how small actions—supporting habitat-friendly practices, reducing chemical use, protecting local green spaces—fit into a larger picture.
A Summer That Lasts All Year
In this way, a summer spent with Nature Smart: Midwest is not only about recreation. It is about cultivating a sustained relationship with the nearby natural world—one that supports mental well-being, encourages slower and more attentive living, and deepens understanding of how even small patches of habitat contribute to the health of larger ecosystems.
This book supports the idea that meaningful adventure does not depend on distance. It can be found in the next park over, at the edge of a retention pond, or along a familiar trail walked with a new awareness that the land, and its countless inhabitants, are telling stories all summer long—and well beyond.
Stan Tekiela is an author, naturalist, and photographer who travels extensively to study and capture images of wildlife. He can be followed on www.instagram.com and www.facebook.com. He can be contacted via his webpage at www.naturesmart.com.
A cavity in a tree, excavated by a woodpecker, seems normal enough. But when you stop to think about it, this simple space is absolutely remarkable. Today, let’s take a closer look at the humble woodpecker cavity.
Eastern screech-owl, taken in southern Minnesota
According to the International Ornithological Committee (IOC), there are 241 species of woodpeckers in the world. Here in America, we have 22 species of woodpeckers, ranging from the small downy woodpecker to the giant pileated woodpecker. All these woodpeckers have one thing in common: They all excavate cavities to use for nesting. Because of this, woodpeckers are considered primary cavity-nesting birds. In other words, woodpeckers are the primary users of the cavities that they excavate; however, there are an estimated 75–80 species of non-woodpeckers that also rely on these cavities to nest. These birds are called secondary cavity nesters, and their very existence depends upon woodpeckers. A study published in 2017 found that nearly 20% of all bird species in the world rely on cavities in trees, for roosting or nesting.
Most woodpeckers only use the cavities that they excavate for one brood of young birds. Woodpeckers excavate in dead or dying trees with just a few exceptions. Live trees/wood are too dense and hard for the woodpeckers to excavate. Over the life span of the cavity, it may host dozens of families of baby birds from a wide variety of secondary cavity nesters.
Depending upon the woodpecker species, or the softness of the wood, it takes anywhere from 4 to 20 days for a pair of woodpeckers to excavate a cavity. I say “a pair” because both the male and female do the work. It all depends upon the level of decay in the wood. Obviously, the softer the wood, the faster the process goes. Only a small handful of woodpecker species excavate cavities in live trees. The overwhelming majority are excavated in dead trees or dead limbs of live trees.
In the world of woodpeckers, parenting duties are shared by both adults. Cavities are excavated by both male and female, but the male does slightly more work. When it comes to incubation, the female does most of the incubating during the day, and the male takes the night shift. After the young hatch, both parents bring food to the begging babies.
So many of our most beloved birds—eastern bluebirds and mountain bluebirds—as well as raptors—American kestrels and screech-owls—are dependent upon large woodpecker cavities. In one recent study, it was found that, of all the cavities found in a forest, only 10% of the natural cavities were being used, but 80% of old woodpecker cavities were being utilized by secondary cavity-nesting birds. I think many people do not realize that several waterfowl species, such as hooded mergansers, wood ducks, and buffleheads, also depend upon cavities in trees to nest.
So far, I have been concentrating on nesting and haven’t considered the value of woodpecker cavities for roosting at night. Many species of birds who don’t use cavities for nesting will use a nest cavity for a place to be safe and warm when roosting, especially on long, cold winter nights. Many studies show the benefits of roosting inside cavities compared to being out on a tree branch, which leaves birds vulnerable to nocturnal predators like owls.
And speaking of owls, all the species of screech-owls use woodpecker cavities to nest and also roost, except they roost during the day. All of this was running through my head the other day while I was capturing some images and video of a wonderful eastern screech-owl that I found enjoying a little sunshine on a cold winter day in the northland. Until next time…
Stan Tekiela is an author, naturalist, and photographer who travels extensively to study and capture images of wildlife. He can be followed on www.instagram.com and www.facebook.com. He can be contacted via his webpage at www.naturesmart.com.
Every January, we set the same grandiose goals: Get fit and reduce our carbon footprint, but also save money and travel the world. By February, the gym membership is collecting dust, the savings account is stagnant, and that dream trip to Bali feels impossibly far away.
In 2026, it’s time to ditch the “go big or go home“ mentality. Enter micro-travel: the art of exploring your own backyard through day trips, local hikes, and regional adventures. It’s the ultimate hack for keeping your resolutions without burning out or going broke. Here’s how micro-travel fixes your biggest New Year’s struggles.
Resolution #1: “I need to get in shape (but I hate the gym).“
The Problem: Treadmills are boring. We start strong in January, but the monotony of indoor exercise kills motivation.
The Micro-Travel Fix: Swap the stair-climber for a limestone bluff. Hiking offers physical challenges with a visual reward, making exercise feel like exploration. Instead of a crowded gym, you could be traversing rugged terrain in a natural area or taking a brisk walk along a river boardwalk. Whether it’s an urban greenway or a wilderness trek, you aren’t just burning calories; you are discovering hidden waterfalls and wildlife. When fitness becomes an adventure, you actually stick with it.
Resolution #2: “I want to travel more (but I’m broke).“
The Problem: We equate “travel“ with expensive flights, hotels, and weeks off work. When the budget’s tight, travel is the first thing to cut.
The Micro-Travel Fix: Adventure doesn’t require a passport; it just requires a tank of gas or a bus ticket. Micro-travel focuses on high-value, low-cost experiences within a day’s drive. You don’t need a plane ticket to see geological wonders or world-class art. You can explore “pay-what-you-wish“ museums, visit state parks with nominal entry fees, or tour historic downtowns for free. A Saturday road trip can be just as enriching as a European vacation, at a fraction of the cost.
Resolution #3: “I want to be more sustainable (but also see the sights).“
The Problem: We want to see the world, but long-haul flights have a massive carbon footprint.
The Micro-Travel Fix: Rediscovering your region is the most eco-friendly way to tour. By staying local, you drastically reduce emissions while supporting your local economy. Micro-travel fosters environmental appreciation by guiding you through protected lands and nature preserves. When you explore locally, you become a steward of your own environment, learning to protect the nature that exists right outside your door—while supporting local artisans, farmers, and small businesses.
The Tools You Need to Start
To truly master the art of micro-travel, you need the right resources to uncover the hidden gems in your region. Two excellent examples of guidebooks that unlock these local experiences are the regionalDay Trips series and 60 Hikesseries.
Pennsylvania Day Trips proves that you can find over 200 diverse destinations—from the “Niagara of Pennsylvania“ at Bushkill Falls to fair-trade chocolate factories—without leaving the state. It organizes trips by theme, making it easy to find history, art, or oddities on a whim. Meanwhile, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: San Antonio & Austin is the perfect blueprint for fitness-focused exploration. It details trails for every skill level, guiding hikers through the diverse landscapes of the Texas Hill Country and urban San Antonio. Both titles exemplify how a simple guidebook can transform a free weekend into a memorable journey, proving that your 2026 resolutions are just a day trip away.
Mushroom Finder is a new addition to the Nature Study Guide Finders series started by May Theilgaard Watts in the 1930s. Author Jacob Kalichman is a field mycologist who maintains suggested common names and associated guidelines for North American fungi.
When did your interest in fungi begin?
It started abruptly in 2010. I had already been interested in finding and identifying bugs and snakes for a few years, so it wasn’t a big leap. But I had never paid attention to wild mushrooms before a family trip to coastal Northern California, at a perfect place and perfectly rainy time for them. I tried mushroom hunting on the first day there and got hooked immediately.
What is your favorite fungi?
I can’t pick a favorite species, but I have a favorite category of many thousands of species, which is the largest group of mushrooms, the agarics (mushrooms with gills). I picked them to focus on because I wanted a huge-but-tasteful challenge. Agarics would be the obvious candidates for the “peak” of fungal evolution, but only a few genera get a lot of attention. Mushrooms are famously diverse and plastic, but somehow the biggest group, the agarics, are surprisingly well-defined. The boundaries with other groups aren’t too fuzzy, and the variation within the group isn’t too extravagant.
Can you share a personal anecdote about your experiences with researching fungi?
No, I’m not a good storyteller because I make things as boring as possible. The more you think you understand the patterns or the possibilities, the less surprising any particular events are. I’ve managed to make all my personal experiences boring, but not mushroom identification. It’s still far from obvious how to categorize even the familiar mushrooms by simple field features, which is why it’s exciting, and why everyone should buy copies of Mushroom Finder. There’s no fluff, and everything weird in it is included because the mushrooms really are intractably weird.
What was the most challenging aspect of researching fungi?
Real fungal researchers, scientists conducting studies and doing lab work, have a lot more challenges than I have. One of the most challenging things for me, personally, is just finding the time and motivation to actually go mushrooming. It’s so much easier to stay home and study by just reading and browsing photos. When you go out, you have to worry about gas, weather, bugs, rangers, photography, and making collections, but it’s worth it for learning faster. A picture is worth a thousand words, and a mushroom in the hand is worth a hundred mushroom pictures.
How do you cater information to both beginner and more experienced mushroom foragers?
Maybe I should learn to distinguish them, but I haven’t yet. As far as identification goes, I don’t see much of a difference between beginners and experts. There’s such an incredible number of species—and there’s so much variation within each one—that every identifier is guaranteed to be a beginner regarding thousands of species.
The features that distinguish lookalikes within one group are different from the features that distinguish lookalikes in another group. And there isn’t a lot of well-developed terminology for field features. So I don’t think “general mushroom ID expertise” is as meaningful as one might assume. Someone who knows a species doesn’t need to read about it, and someone who doesn’t know the species does, regardless of what else they know.
What advice do you have for a beginner?
You might be able to have the most fun by setting the lowest expectations. Mushroom identification is really hard in general. You’ll never be able to identify everything you find, to species, by sight. But some are easy. The more time you spend, the more you’ll recognize. Don’t go hunting for any particular species; spend some time with whatever you find. Everything is something!
I think the best way to learn is to go mushrooming with someone who’s already familiar with it. You’ll learn what they tell you (obviously), but you’ll also find out how they find mushrooms, how they look at them, how much they know (you can learn it too), and how little they know (you don’t have to know everything).
What do you hope nature enthusiasts and amateur mushroom hunters learn from your book?
It’s supposed to be a useful first step for identifying whatever fungus or fungus-like thing you’ve just found.
It’s about broad categories, groupings with visibly different forms, which are likely to be studied by different people. I hope it’s a good illustration of how many of those categories there are. It’s pretty comprehensive and doesn’t rely on a “miscellaneous” grouping. That means we ended up with as many categories here as there are species in some other guides.
What are some common misconceptions about mushroom hunting?
One misconception is that picking a mushroom “kills it.” Picking is usually as harmless as picking an apple off a tree. The mycelium is a network of threads underneath, in the soil or wood, that will go on living and producing more mushrooms.
Of course, the actual mushroom you pick will no longer be able to release all the spores it naturally would have. Also, hard shelf-like conks on the sides of logs and trees are usually perennial, so be aware that it could take many years for another to reach the same size.
Another misconception is that it’s all about ingestion. A lot of enthusiasts go mushrooming like bird-watchers, not for food—just for the fun of finding, photographing, and identifying whatever species happen to be there. It’s for enjoying nature, building skills, contributing to knowledge, the thrill of a scavenger hunt, etc.
What are some practical tips or techniques for safely identifying mushrooms in the wild?
Identifying mushrooms is always safe, and so is touching and smelling them, but eating mushrooms isn’t always safe. Don’t eat a mushroom unless you’re absolutely sure of its identity and edibility. Maybe ask yourself, “If I eat this and wake up terribly sick in the hospital the next day, would it be crazy to consider that it might be because of the mushroom?” If the answer is no, I think you shouldn’t eat it. Comparing features in books probably isn’t enough for that. Ideally, you should have some amount of experience in the woods, and confirmation from someone else who has more.
What are some safety tips you have for foragers?
Don’t get lost!
What is one surprising fact about mushrooms that readers might enjoy?
It’s perfectly safe to taste a small, fresh piece of even the deadliest mushroom, as long as you spit it all out. Tasting like this, with a nibble and spit, is a normal part of identification for several groups of mushrooms.
A number of people (including me) have chewed up and spit out big, hearty bites of deadly mushrooms with no apparent symptoms, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Accidentally swallowing any amount could mean hospitalization or worse.
How do you see the field of mushroom hunting evolving in the next few years?
I think it will get easier in several ways. We’ll have more and more DNA-sequenced, photographed collections, which we can use to get a better idea of what species we have and how to distinguish them in the field. AI will keep getting better at identifying mushrooms from photos.
The difference between mushroom foraging (for food) and mushrooming (for curiosity, photography, etc.) will keep getting more clear, like the difference between bird hunting and bird-watching.
I think common names will be suggested, improved, settled on, and used a lot more. We’ve lagged badly behind plants and animals and settled for scientific names in lots of “common” situations. But I think we’re finally moving toward catching up.
In what ways do you think this book contributes to the larger conversation and understanding of the role of fungi in our ecosystem?
This book isn’t about ecology, it’s about identification. It’s a tool for identifying fungi, as well as an unusual way to see how diverse the forms you can find and identify are. I hope it does what any field guide does, which is to sacrifice a bit of mystery in exchange for some familiarity, fun, or beauty. I’m really happy with Roo’s illustrations, because they provide all three. Some fungi are important, and all fungi interact with other species, but not everything about fungi is important, or about the other species. If you enjoy this book, I think it has done its job.
Find the entire Nature Study Guide Finders series at naturestudy.com.
Dorcas S. Miller, founding president of the Maine Master Naturalist Program, is the author and illustrator of Bird Nest Finder, in addition to more than a dozen other nature guides in the Finders series, including Track Finder, Scat Finder, Winter Weed Finder, Berry Finder, and Constellation Finder. Her Finders books have sold over half a million copies. Bird Nest Finder is her newest one, released in October 2024.
What inspired you to write Bird Nest Finder?
When the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) issued a permit to a naturalist training program that I helped start, we could legally collect and use a variety of specimens—-including nests—in our programs. I bought a popular nest book replete with color photographs but without a key. I also found an out-of-print 1949 publication with an extensive key but no photos or illustrations. Both books were challenging to use. My goal was to develop a user-friendly guide with keys and illustrations.
What prompted you to focus on aboveground bird’s nests in eastern North America?
Two reasons: Ground-level nests are so well camouflaged that they are much harder to find. Plus, Finder books are only 64 pages long, so there simply wasn’t room for both ground-level and aboveground nests. I couldn’t even include all aboveground nests, so I chose to focus on common (and sometimes charismatic) species.
What do you think is the most surprising fact about bird’s nests that readers might not be aware of?
A Migratory Bird Special Purpose Salvage permit (issued by the USFWS) is required in order to collect dead migratory birds, bird parts (such as feathers), abandoned nests, and nonviable eggs from the wild for conservation education purposes.
Can you share some challenges you faced while researching and writing this book?
* How to develop a key that would encompass nests that are large and small, beautiful and plain, elaborately constructed and apparently haphazard, camouflaged and in plain sight;
* How to convey with pen and ink both the details (grass, twigs, fluff, lichen, plastic, wasp’s-nest paper, etc.) and the gestalt of each nest;
* How to include enough—but not too much—written information;
* How to fit everything in a pocket-size format;
* How to blend data and observations collected from naturalists over the course of 100 years with my own observations;
* How to deal with nests that I’ve never seen.
The last challenge sent me on an expedition to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to visit the extensive nest collection at the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University. There, I was able to observe, measure, take notes on, and sketch nests from all over eastern North America.
How do you envision your book being used by readers in the field?
I hope that the book helps people learn about where and how birds build their nests, then gain a greater understanding of the inter-connections of the natural world.
Could you discuss any memorable encounters or discoveries during your field research for this book?
The nests that tell a story are particularly memorable. In the woods behind my house, I found two unbroken, 1.1×0.8-inch white eggs resting on the flattish surface of a 3-foot stub covered with pine needles. No birds fluttered near the scene. Two days later, both eggs had disappeared. What happened here? White eggs of this size and in this setting pointed to the mourning dove, which builds a minimal nest, usually with a few haphazard twigs and grasses. A predator—likely one of the ubiquitous squirrels but perhaps a raccoon, skunk, or fisher—had dropped by for an egg-y hors d’oeuvre.
The winter wren regularly uses niches in the upturned roots and dirt of a blown-down tree. Time and time again I checked blown-downs without success. Then, as I walked along a trail with friends, I glanced at a fallen tree and two fist-size cavities in the roots caught my eye. One had a floor of grasses and moss; the edges of the hole were crisp. The other floor contained vegetation, but the entrance was worn and some bits of moss had dribbled down the roots. What happened here? A male wren had started both nests; the female chose one and added the lining. As she flew in and out with food, her wings brushed against and rounded the niche edges, transporting some materials past the lip.
Do you have any advice for aspiring naturalists or those interested in contributing to bird conservation?
* Volunteer. Some time ago, I banded land birds for two months (fall migration) at a bird observatory. I helped support long-term research and I learned so much. You might not have that much time, but if you can identify accurately, you might spend a day collecting information for the annual Christmas Bird Count, a blitz to tabulate every bird and species within a specified time in a defined area. Your local bird club can provide details. In the process, you’ll spend time with other passionate birders.
* If you have a backyard, check for invasive plants and take steps to limit or eradicate them. These species can choke out native species that serve as host nests. If you don’t have a yard, help an organization that does. This past summer, I volunteered with individuals from a local land trust who wielded machetes and scythes, cutting back highly invasive Japanese knotweed. The team had cut twice already (to sap plant strength); professional application of an herbicide would follow, as would replanting with native vegetation. There was a stark difference between before and after; I felt my contribution was making a difference.
* Check out conservation organizations and join one or two. These organizations are likely to have a list of projects for volunteers, so you can contribute time and learn a lot.
The Nature Study Guide Finders Series was started by May T. Watts in the 1930s. The series has been updated, with one group released in October 2024 and the rest of the series to be released in April 2025. Go to naturestudy.com to learn more.
Spending time outdoors is vital for a healthy lifestyle. Nature offers many benefits that contribute to our well-being, from physical health improvements to mental clarity and emotional balance. These outdoor experiences can enrich our lives in many ways, and it is essential to prioritize getting outside in the new year.
Physical, Mental, and Emotional Health Benefits
Spending time in nature has been linked to numerous physical health benefits. Studies have shown that spending time outdoors can lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease, and improve overall fitness. Activities like hiking and biking in natural settings certainly contribute to better physical health.
Nature has a profound impact on our mental health as well. Research indicates that spending time in natural environments, whether while birding, paddling, or simply walking, can reduce stress, anxiety, and symptoms of depression. Nature’s calming effect can also improve mood, increase attention span, and enhance overall cognitive function.
For physical health, regular engagement with nature through activities like hiking, bird-watching, and outdoor exploration can provide gentle yet effective exercise. These activities offer opportunities for movement while simultaneously delivering mental health benefits.
Routine Ideas
Incorporate nature into your self-care routine with these suggested approaches:
Start with accessible spaces. Even small patches of green in urban areas can provide connections to nature.
Join community groups that organize nature activities.
Practice mindful observation through activities like bird-watching.
Use nature as a space for quiet reflection and stress relief.
Combine physical activity with nature exposure through walks or hikes.
Create regular routines that incorporate time outdoors.
On days when you can’t make it outside, you can read about nature! If you need inspiration, opt for a book from our Meditations series. These titles contain nature writing and essays from Ralph Waldo Emerson, John Muir, Henry David Thoreau, and Walt Whitman. Let the words enrich your experience as you ponder the wilderness from riverbank, mountaintop, or beside a campfire.
The Planet, Activism, and Self-Care
While nature’s healing benefits are universal, it is important to recognize that environmental health and human health are intrinsically linked. People the Planet Needs Now, by Dudley Edmondson, is an essential publication on the importance of environmental justice, highlighting the work of Black and Brown activists. For example, Nicole Jackson, founder of N Her Nature LLC, emphasizes the therapeutic potential of nature, particularly for Black women dealing with toxic stress in both their personal and professional lives. Through her work, she demonstrates how activities like bird-watching, nature walks, and wellness programs can help individuals create their own “self-care toolbox.” Nicole’s approach reveals how nature can serve as a centering force, providing peace and learning opportunities without the need for verbal expression.
Nature offers a powerful, holistic approach to health and wellness. Whether dealing with physical ailments, mental health challenges, or emotional stress, connecting with the natural world can provide relief, restoration, and renewal. Nature isn’t just a luxury, it’s an essential component of human health and well-being.
The Nature Study Guides Finder series is a timeless favorite in the outdoors world. These guides have been loved by nature fans for ages, offering valuable insights and tips for identifying various plants and animals. With a recent update to the look, the series now carries a fresh, modern design and introduces two new titles—Mushroom Finder and Bird Nest Finder. There are also five titles in the series that have recently received updates with new editions.
New Titles
New to the series is Mushroom Finder, written by Jacob Kalichman, an expert field mycologist known for his extensive work on North American fungi. This pocket-size guide is perfect for foragers and outdoors enthusiasts looking to identify mushrooms in their natural habitats. Jacob’s expertise ensures readers get accurate and reliable information, enhancing their foraging adventures. The book includes stunning illustrations from Roo Vandegrift, who currently works as the Plant Pathologist at the USDA Plant Inspection Station. Roo’s detailed art captures each mushroom’s unique traits, making identification easier and more fun.
Bird Nest Finder is another exciting addition, written and illustrated by Dorcas S. Miller, a seasoned author within the Finder series. Dorcas has previously written Track Finder, Scat Finder, Winter Weed Finder, Berry Finder, and Constellation Finder, which have sold over half a million copies. Bird Nest Finder focuses on aboveground nests in Eastern North America, providing essential information for bird-watchers and nature lovers. The author’s deep knowledge and detailed illustrations make this guide a valuable resource for anyone interested in the nesting behaviors of birds.
Revived Classics
Along with the new books, five previously out-of-print books are back on the shelves. These revived classics include:
Bird Finder (originally published in 1990) by Roger J. Lederer—an essential guide for bird-watchers, with detailed descriptions and illustrations of various bird species
Pacific Coast Bird Finder (1977) by Roger J. Lederer—identifies common and noteworthy birds of California, Oregon, and Washington
Desert Tree Finder (1974) by May Theilgaard Watts—a must-have for desert explorers, providing detailed information on identifyingtrees and tree-like cacti of the desert southwest
Pacific Coast Mammal Finder (1987) by Ron Russo—identifies mammals by sight, as well as by their animal tracks, burrows, nests, scat, scratch or chew marks, and skulls/jaws; great for wildlife enthusiasts
Pacific Coast Fish Finder (1990) by Ron Russo—identifies marine fish of the Pacific Coast; ideal for anglers and nature lovers
Not only did this classic series get a new, updated look, but it also expanded its collection, solidifying its status as a go-to resource for outdoors enthusiasts, nature lovers, and foragers. Whether readers are experienced naturalists or budding explorers, the Nature Study Guides Finder series has something for everyone. Discover the beauty and intricacies of the natural world with these expertly crafted guides.
Great for the Holidays
The Nature Study Guides Finder series is the perfect gift for the holiday season. These pocket-size guides are packed with expert content in simple form, making them ideal for anyone who loves the great outdoors or is just beginning to develop an interest in nature. They’re designed to be portable, so adventurers can easily take them on outings and identify the wonders they come across. These books make thoughtful gifts that spark curiosity and deepen appreciation for the natural world, making them perfect as stocking stuffers or special gifts under the tree.
The Nature Study Guides Finders series has helped nature enthusiasts identify plants, trees, birds, mammals, and other organisms for more than five decades.
These gems are getting some upgrades this October, including updates to range maps, scientific names and families, icons, and design. To learn more, read the previous blog Timeless Treasures: The Everlasting Appeal of Nature Study Guides Finders Books. The Finders are known for three distinct features: size, dichotomous keys, and longevity—partially due to their affordable price point. These components contribute to the great success of this series over the years.
SIZE MATTERS
When out on the trails, the amount, weight, and size of items brought along matters significantly to any hiker or outdoors enthusiast. Carrying heavy or bulky items can quickly become cumbersome and detract from the enjoyment of the journey. This is why one of the greatest characteristics of the titles in the Finders series is their compact, lightweight design. These booklets measure only 4×6 inches. Many users report that they can easily slip them into their jacket or pants pockets before exploring the trails. Additionally, they fit perfectly into the outer pockets of backpacks. The glossy covers also contribute to the ease of quick retrieval, making them a practical, convenient choice for anyone looking to travel light while staying prepared.
THE KEYS ARE KEY
Each book is organized using a dichotomous key, consisting of a series of statements or questions, each offering two distinct choices. These choices lead the user down different paths, depending on the characteristics of the organism being identified. By systematically narrowing down these choices, readers can eventually arrive at the correct identification of the organism. Educators and naturalists appreciate the guides for their organization, which encourages examining the structure and families of plants. The Finders for birds and mammals are organized by taxonomy (classification via characteristics).
Inside page from Winter Tree Finderby May Theilgaard Watts and Tom Watts
THEY’RE REASONABLY PRICED
The first book in the Finders series, Tree Finder, was published in 1939 by May Theilgaard Watts, followed by her Flower Finder in 1955. Many consumers eventually replace their original copies because of wear and tear from use (some have enjoyed them for over 40 years!). The 1939 edition of Tree Finder was initially priced at a modest 25 cents, and for many years, it was priced at just $5.95. As the series continues to thrive, new editions are set to be released at the accessible price of $7.95. This practical price point has been integral to the series’ ongoing success, ensuring that it remains a beloved resource for both seasoned naturalists and budding nature lovers alike—in 2024 and beyond.
NEW EDITIONS RELEASING IN 2024/25
The new editions for 12 of the Finders will be available on October 8th wherever books are sold. These editions are eagerly anticipated, as they feature a cohesive new look that adds a nostalgic touch to their appearance. With their attractive design, it will be tempting for outdoors enthusiasts to purchase all of these books. Additionally, there will be bundles available that are grouped by region or subject matter, providing buyers with convenient options to expand their collections. The rest of the Finders will be released in 2025, and they will also receive similar visually appealing updates to ensure continuity in the series. Keep an eye out for these exciting releases!
A NOD TO SUSTAINABILITY
Beyond the practical benefits, the Nature Study Guides Finders series also aligns with the ethos of sustainability—a core value for many nature enthusiasts and environmentalists. The compact size and durable quality of the guides ensure minimal waste, and their longevity means fewer replacements over time. Investing in these guides is not just a step toward becoming a better naturalist, but it’s also a step towards a greener planet.
Birding is big—and getting bigger. As topsy-turvy as this year has been, its events have shaken up enough routines to cause people to notice new things in the world, and that includes the birds flying around their homes.
Barn Swallow
Maybe the boom in new birders is simply tied to the fact that many of us are safe at home and looking out the windows at times when we’d normally be stuck in traffic commuting. Or maybe, even during quarantine, people have found that they want to get outside and, for social distancing reasons, have discovered new places to go. Birding fills that bill nicely.
Of course, it could be that in a digitally-engaged-always-on-Zoom world, people are finally waking up to what birders have always known: Birding is fun, and you’re guaranteed to see some amazing things. As a hobby, birding gets a lot right.
There’s a very low cost to get started.
There’s a low learning curve.
It works great for small groups.
It works just as well for individuals.
It takes you outside and away from screens.
Birders are introduced to more about the world around them.
It’s a hobby that you can participate in year-round.
These books for beginning birders also have information on birdseed and other bird foods. Not all birds eat the same kinds of foods, and you’ll be amazed at how the mix of birds in your yard changes once certain foods, feeders, bird houses, etc., are put into use. The guides also have information on bird nests and trees, as well as a few words on the habits and migration patterns of some of the birds in each region.
