Close to home The wonders of nature just outside your door

Conservation biologist Hanson (Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid: The Fraught and Fascinating Biology of Climate Change) shares his experiences observing and learning about nature on his rural property on an island off the coast of Washington. Divided into three parts--"Seeing," "Exploring," and "Restoring"--his essays encourage readers to pay close attention to the plants and animals in their own backyards. He wants readers to see them through someone else's eyes, such as a child's, or through new perspectives. He discovers diminutive, potentially new species in his yard while also tracking bumblebee activity, exploring soil science, watching wildlife, and observing animals that are active at night. The book concludes with ways to help nature by restoring habitats and identifying limiting factors in the environment that prevent animals from inhabiting their natural dwellings. The experiences of others and the importance of citizen scientists are woven throughout Hanson's essays as he explains studies and interviews experts on the book's topics. VERDICT A fascinating look at interesting creatures going about their business in the most mundane habitats, demonstrating that observing nature is available to all. For readers who relish accessible scientific studies and lyrical nature writing.--Sue O'Brien

Exploring the wild world behind his house. Conservation biologist Hanson lives in the Pacific Northwest, so most of his property is a temperate rain forest, but its rich biome serves him well. Author ofThe Triumph of Seeds: How Grains, Nuts, Kernels, Pulses, and Pips Conquered the Plant Kingdom and Shaped Human History, he writes that readers who assume a backyard consists of weeds, shrubbery, rodents, local birds, and bugs are in for a surprise. Evolution, ecology, and biological novelties proceed at their usual pace when humans settle nearby. Plenty of exotica live among us. Eighty percent of the small things on this planet and quite a few larger ones have yet to be named, and amateurs discover most of them. An ordinary bed sheet, brightly lit, attracts a torrent of moths including the occasional unknown. Over a hundred thousand households plant the same species of sunflower in their backyards and then take notes on the bees that visit. It was only after 1980 that scientists discovered a distinct habitat in forest canopies. Assisted by a local tree surgeon, Hanson struggles high up a backyard Douglas Fir and discovers an unnerving new environment. In the opposite direction, any patch of ground holds as much life below the surface as above, so soil may be the richest biome on the planet. Or perhaps it's the world after dark; a Google search produces 235 million hits for "diurnal biology" versus a mere 12 million for "nocturnal biology." Humans are more afraid of darkness than guns. This is not likely to change any time soon, as the author bumps around with a flashlight, fending off a territorial owl that represents a genuine danger. Far from the first natural history of the backyard, but a good one. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.