California’s Botanical Landscapes

A PICTORIAL VIEW OF THE STATE’S VEGETATION

By Michael G. Barbour, Julie M. Evens, Todd Keeler-Wolf, John O. Sawyer

I am very fortunate to have been a part of the book project now in print titled CALIFORNIA’S BOTANICAL LANDSCAPES: A PICTORIAL VIEW OF THE STATE’S VEGETATION (CNPS Press 2016, $39.95). Over the past 5+ years this book has evolved through volunteer efforts as a service to those passionate about California’s flora. The book is dedicated to Humboldt State University botany professor and North Coast CNPS founder John O. Sawyer. I am honored to have contributed time to the project with photographs for many of the ecoregions as well as coauthoring the Klamath Mountain chapter with Sawyer. This new book surveys our state’s native vegetation with photos and text exploring each of 14 ecoregions across the state. It includes a wide array of photographs of broad-scale vegetation patterns paired with in-depth, interpretive descriptions written by California’s top plant ecologists. 

Summary of California’s Botanical Landscapes:

• Over 300 pages, arranged by ecoregion into 14 vibrant chapters
• Descriptions of the key vegetation alliances and rare plant species for each region
• A discussion of current threat and management concerns for each region
• More than 600 photographs

I do consider it a must-have for anyone interested in the botanical diversity of California’s broad and diverse vegetation—written for botanists, ecologists, environmental scientists, natural historians, and plant lovers of all kinds. I encourage you to support the California Native Plant Society and order a copy today.