Nature Obscura
Nature Obscura

Author: Kelly Brenner

Publisher: Mountaineers Books

Published: 2020-02-26

Total Pages: 229

ISBN-13: 1680512080

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With wonder and a sense of humor, Nature Obscura author Kelly Brenner aims to help us rediscover our connection to the natural world that is just outside our front door--we just need to know where to look. Through explorations of a rich and varied urban landscape, Brenner reveals the complex micro-habitats and surprising nature found in the middle of a city. In her hometown of Seattle, which has plowed down hills, cut through the land to connect fresh- and saltwater, and paved over much of the rest, she exposes a diverse range of strange and unknown creatures. From shore to wetland, forest to neighborhood park, and graveyard to backyard, Brenner uncovers how our land alterations have impacted nature, for good and bad, through the wildlife and plants that live alongside us, often unseen. These stories meld together, in the same way our ecosystems, species, and human history are interconnected across the urban environment.

Homewaters
Homewaters

Author: David B. Williams

Publisher: University of Washington Press

Published: 2021-04-24

Total Pages: 266

ISBN-13: 0295748613

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Not far from Seattle skyscrapers live 150-year-old clams, more than 250 species of fish, and underwater kelp forests as complex as any terrestrial ecosystem. For millennia, vibrant Coast Salish communities have lived beside these waters dense with nutrient-rich foods, with cultures intertwined through exchanges across the waterways. Transformed by settlement and resource extraction, Puget Sound and its future health now depend on a better understanding of the region’s ecological complexities. Focusing on the area south of Port Townsend and between the Cascade and Olympic mountains, Williams uncovers human and natural histories in, on, and around the Sound. In conversations with archaeologists, biologists, and tribal authorities, Williams traces how generations of humans have interacted with such species as geoducks, salmon, orcas, rockfish, and herring. He sheds light on how warfare shaped development and how people have moved across this maritime highway, in canoes, the mosquito fleet, and today’s ferry system. The book also takes an unflinching look at how the Sound’s ecosystems have suffered from human behavior, including pollution, habitat destruction, and the effects of climate change. Witty, graceful, and deeply informed, Homewaters weaves history and science into a fascinating and hopeful narrative, one that will introduce newcomers to the astonishing life that inhabits the Sound and offers longtime residents new insight into and appreciation of the waters they call home. A Michael J. Repass Book

Kayaking Puget Sound & the San Juan Islands
Kayaking Puget Sound & the San Juan Islands

Author: Rob Casey

Publisher: Mountaineers Books

Published: 2012-05-15

Total Pages: 290

ISBN-13: 1594856869

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CLICK HERE to download two trips from Kayaking Puget Sound — "Freshwater Bay to Salt Creek" and Rob Casey's favorite, "Deception Pass" *Kayak, canoe, and stand up padding routes that promise beauty and adventure * Completely updated information and maps, all new photographs, and over 10 all new trips * Revised, easier-to-use Trips-at-a-Glance chart * Originally for kayakers, info now applies to a range of vessels including pedaling kayaks, stand up paddleboards, canoes, row boats, shells, and even kayak-sailing outriggers The miles of inland waterways of the Pacific Northwest are among the best in the world for paddling. Beautiful scenery, intricate and protected waterways, and abundant marine life define the area, while on shore are ample public parklands for camping and exploring. The 60 trips in this extensively updated 3rd edition of the bestselling Kayaking Puget Sound & the San Juan Islands cover the Sound's myriad islands, fjord-like canals, and inlets from Canada's Gulf Islands to the Nisqually River Delta, including the fabulous San Juan Islands and the unique Hood Canal. Each trip description covers all the details paddlers need to plan and complete specific tours throughout the region. Other important updates to this 3rd edition include: modern safety tips (emphasis on proper gear and PFDs); a list of weather resources; how to make use of cell phones and mobile apps that utilize GPS and real-time navigational data; a resources section on kayaking training in the region through paddle clubs, certification groups, and paddle shops; how to prepare for open water trips; new info on how to cross into Canada; and more. Kayaking Puget Sound & the San Juan Islands, 3rd Edition, gives novice paddlers, weekenders, and lifelong kayakers the inspiration and knowledge to get out and explore the Northwest via its singular waterways.