Sinna's Salacious Synopsis

Nature's Best Hope

By Douglas W. Tallamy



This is a great book for an introduction to

ecology for any age. I was recommended this

book by a former colleague, who teaches at

primary school, so I would argue this is more

suited to a younger audience. In the first few

chapters, the author does a fantastic job of

analyzing the current state of lawncare in the

United States. He uses this as a reference

point throughout the book to lead into how

our current backyard landscapes are not

sustainable. Douglas questions the reader's

knowledge of their own backyard. His goal is

to challenge the idea that plants we view as

"weeds" and insects we view as "pests" are

harmful to us and our yards. The book does

have many references to the loss/decrease

of native plants and animals across the United States, due to invasive species and loss of habitat.

Douglas also does a wonderful job of empowering the reader to take part by creating "homegrown national parks" in their own backyards. He includes many helpful resources as to which native plants support which native animal or insect species. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to get into gardening, conservation, and community building through taking care of the environment.

I give this book 5 out of 5 chickadees