vvEPA
EPA
843
R
95
001
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office Of Water
(4502F)
EPA 843-R-95-001
April 1995
Report On The Natural History
And Nature Writing Workshop
June 19 21,1994
Berkeley Springs, WV
nocyctod/Ttecyciabie
Printed on paper mat contains
t tout smiracyctod fiter
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em
^ Report on the
0)1 Natural History and
Nature Wrtiting Workshop
Berkeley Springs, West Virginia
June 19-21,1994
to
Supported and Sponsored by
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary
Chesapeake Bay Trust
BGE, Inc.
ECO Specialty Products, Inc.
Natural History Society of Maryland
North Carolina State Museum
April 1995
EPA Headquarters Library
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NOTICE
The workshop upon which this report is based was funded by the Environmental Protection Agency,
Office of Wetlands Protection (Grant Agreement X822090-01-0 with Ecosystem Recovery Institute,
Inc.). The opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed in this report are those of the editor or individual
authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the US Environmental Protection Agency or any of the
other supporters and sponsors.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Forward.... v
Introduction 1
Welcoming Comments 3
Field Sessions 7
Speaker Abstracts 9
Results of Breakout Sessions 15
Appendix A: Biographies of Speakers 21
Appendix B: List of Workshop Participants 23
Appendix C: Selected Bibliography 25
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"Nature is a language,
and every new fact that -we learn is
a new word; but rightfy seen, taken all together,
it is not merely a language, but the language
put together into a most significant and universal book.
I wish to learn the language, not that I may learn a new set of
nouns and verbs, but that I may read the great
book which is written in that tongue."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
November 2,1833
IV
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FORWARD
While on a field trip in the spring of 1992 to the Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware,
Glenn Eugster asked me whether I would be interested in organizing a natural history workshop. Because
of my natural history background, the idea immediately caught my interest. Therefore, I agreed to inquire
with a number of field people to ascertain the utility of such an endeavor and their extent of interest. Based
upon these conversations, a handful of people met later that year in Washington, DC to discuss the proposal.
Everyone that attended the meeting expressed a strong interest in the idea, which lead to a grant proposal
by Ecosystem Recovery Institute, Inc. to conduct a natural history and nature writing workshop. The grant
was approved and the workshop was held on June 19-21,1994 at the Coolfont Resort & Conference Center
in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia.
The workshop, of course, would not have taken place if it weren't for Glen Eugster's suggestion at
Bombay Hook, and on behalf of the workshop participants I would like to thank him for that. As the project
officer for this grant, I also want to express my appreciationto Dave Duree, Mike Rollins, KathyReshetiloff,
Chris Swarth, and Britt Slattery for their support in serving with me on the steering committee for the
workshop. All of these people have been very helpful and persistent in moving things along and responding
to my requests for help. Their comments on earlier drafts of this report are likewise appreciated, as is Kathy's
additional aid in formatting the report for printing. Dave, Kathy, and Chris also served as facilitators for the
breakout sessions. Many thanks also go out to our speakers Rick Blom, Dave Cassuto, Mike Hollins,
Carol LaChapelle, Ralph Lutts, Kent Mountford, Jean Worthley, and Dan Willard for their presentations
and interaction with the participants at the workshop. The excellent illustration on the workshop brochure,
which is used again on the front cover of this report, was provided by Sandra Janniche of the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service. The drawing on the inside back cover was copied from Anna Botsford Comstock's 1929
book, Handbook of Nature-Study for Teachers and Parents. I also appreciate the excellent cooperation we
received at the workshop from the Coolfont Resort & Conference Center management and staff. The
workshop was supported and sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Chesapeake Bay Trust, Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, BGE, Inc., Natural History Society
of Maryland, and North Carolina State Museum ofNatural Sciences. Financial support forthe original grant
was obtained through the Environmental Protection Agency. In addition, the Chesapeake Bay Trust funded
a number of teachers to attend the Workshop. ECO Specialty Products, Inc. provided a number of recyclable
products forthe workshop, including a notebook, paper, pen, and tote bag for each participant.
Given my long-time interest in natural history, I really enjoyed this workshop and my interaction with
the participants. As is evident by my welcoming comments, I am a strong proponent of natural history
education in both the primary and secondary school systems. And my hope is that this workshop will
contribute towards re-institutionalizing natural history training in our schools, or at least stimulate some
serious discussions on the idea in the future. To me, realizing this goal in itself would mean that the
workshop was a resounding success. Although it was not discussed as much as I had anticipated, hopefully,
the workshop also conveyed a better appreciation for the potential of nature writing to help promote and
influence an environmental ethic and increase public awareness for protecting our natural resources. And
perhaps because of this workshop, the participants will now be in a better position to, in Emerson's words,
"learn the language...[of natural history and]...read the great book which is written in that tongue."
William S. Sipple
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VI
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INTRODUCTION
Although the stewardship of natural resources isnot anew concept, today' spopulaceis re-embracing
a spirit of proactive stewardship in order to protect natural resources. Individuals can be motivated and
inspired in many ways. Many groups are gaining their inspiration from the classical works of nature
writers, such as Aldo Leopold, Henry David Thoreau, John Muir, John Burroughs, Walt Whitman, and
Ralph Waldo Emerson. This renewed interest in natural history and nature writing can be a powerful
force, motivating citizens and governments to action. Therefore, an overriding goal of this Natural
History and Nature Writing Workshop was to bring together individuals committed to promoting
stewardship and conservation of sensitive wetlands and watersheds through natural history documen-
tation and nature writing.
The workshop began with three field sessions in the morning of the first day led by the speakers. The
field sessions were considered integral to the workshop with thesessionleadersexploringtips on making
natural history observations, compiling good field notes, and teaching natural history. Various technical
approaches, teaching techniques, ecological concepts, and ideas on feelings/impressions about nature
were presented and experienced first hand. In the afternoon, the various speakers - naturalists, nature
writers, and educators discussed their roles in the conservation and protection of wetlands and their
watersheds through observation and documentation, nature writing, and natural history education. The
keynote address was given by Dr. Daniel E. Willard of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs,
Indiana University.
On theseconddayofthe workshop, the participants broke into three discussion groups to brainstorm
ideas and recommend specific actions that could be taken to achieve the following objectives:
1. Making natural history information more useful and accessible
to individuals involved in conservation efforts;
2. Increasing public awareness through nature writing; and
3. Incorporating natural history study into elementary and secondary education.
After a luncheon address given by Dr. Kent Mountford of the Environmental Protection Agency, the
results of the three breakout sessions were presented to the entire workshop audience with some
discussion about how they might be implemented and the potential for future similar workshops.
Including the speakers, 57 teachers, writers, and naturalists attended the workshop. Substantial
interaction occurred, both during and after the formal workshop sessions, including the evenings.
Therefore, the workshop provided an opportunity for people interested in natural history to meet others
in the field and share ideas and discuss issues. The workshop steering committee felt that the dynamic
interaction and recommendations that surfaced should be documented in some fashion, which is the
purpose of this report.
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WELCOMING COMMENTS
William S.Sipple
Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds
Environmental Protection Agency
Washington, DC
The excitement has been building; the time has finally come; the workshop is about to begin, at last.
I really can't express how excitedl've beenaboutthis event, so small and yet so big from my perspective.
And I'm sure all of you in this room share in this excitement. WELCOME all, and thanks for coming.
Wehaveagoodlistofspeakers for the workshop, wehave an excellent attendance, and wehavemuch
to look forward to over the next two days, starting with a half day field trip tomorrow. As you can see
from the brochure, Dan Willard will present our keynote address; Kent Mountford our luncheon
presentation. We also have six excellent speakers to cover our three topic areas: natural history
observation and documentation, natural history writing, and natural history education. Discussions
surrounding these topics should help us meet our obj ecti ves of making natural history information more
useful and accessible to individuals involved in conservation efforts, increasing public awareness
throughnature writing, and incorporatingnatural history study into elementary and secondary education.
And I'm sure many exciting issues will surface surrounding these objectives and various ways of
achieving them.
Now I would like to present a few thoughts on our objectives with the intent, hopefully, of setting
themood of Ae workshop. My statements will not necessarily be wito^
perhaps they will help to stimulate some discussion ova the next two days.
Let me say first of all that this workshop means a lot to ine. Like many people in this room no doubt,
I was intrigued by nature as a child, particularly birds. But as I grew older, my interests seemed to
frequently change. This found me not only steeped in a variety of natural history pursuits and collecting
all sorts of things, but also fishing, hunting, and trapping, all of which, by the way, were very instrumental
in my understanding fish and wildlife, their habits and habitats. Later a botanical interest became almost
a mania.1 I'm sure many of you have had similar experiences as children, teenagers, and young adults.
But there is more to it than thatwe not only need to observe, we need to document our observations.
This brings me to the first topic of this workshop, natural history observation and documentation.
To me, accurate observation and documentation of natural history phenomena and experiences are very
important; I can not overemphasize the long-term scientific utility of keeping such records, let alone the
resultant personal satisfaction and eventual nostalgic rewards. In my case, I fortuitously had the foresight
to document my natural history and outdoor observations and experiences with extensive field notes as
a child in the form of a journal. My first journal entry was made on February 2,1955, at age IS, and I
still maintain a journal to this day, almost 40 years later.2 Although many naturalists have kept extensive
journals (e.g., John Terres for over 50 years), I certainly don't mean to imply here that journals are the
only, or necessarily the best, way to document natural history phenomena. In fact, many amateur and
professional field naturalists simply record their observations and data in field notebooks.3
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Nature writing! Having dabbled a bit in nature writing, it seems incredible to me how deceptively
broad the field is. In this regard, an insightful taxonomy of nature writing was proposed in the simply
wonderful book, This Incomparable Lande, edited by Thomas I Lyon in 1991 * In his taxonomy, Lyon
presents a spectrum of categories, including field guides and professional papers, natural history essays,
rambles, and a series of four types of essays on experiences in nature. In this superb anthology, Lyon
also gives an historical account of nature writing, as well as a detailed American chronology. He goes
on to discuss the evolution of American literature on nature in light of more modem developments,
pointing out that it's commonly the nature essayist who ponders the human and cultural implications of
the tremendous amount ofnaturalhistoryinformation that has accumulatedduringthetwentieth century.
Needless to say, die works of many natural history essayists have been very instrumental in the historical
preservation and conservation of natural environments in the United States through their influence on
public opinion and awareness, ihe second objective of this workshop.5 I'm sure we will hear tomorrow
from Dan Willard, ifnot others, about many ofthe venerable giants whose writings were so instrumental
in this regard.
Now for natural history education. For some time now, it has bothered me mat the American
education system has been delinquent with respect to classical natural history education, at least in
modern times. I don't mean to imply that the state of natural history education has hit rock bottom,
however, for I know there are some good things going on at all levels of traditional education, as well
as continuing education in both the private and public sectors. I'm involved in some myself. But I still
contend that it's too little, too weak, and too often not readily available to those people on whom, in the
long run, the future of our Country'snatural resources will dependthe kids. Nor should we forget their
parents, long out of school, who couldhelp instill aland and conservation ethicin their children, assuming
they too were adequately informed.
Let me give you an annoying example of this dilemma. Just last year while visiting my son's high
school biology class on "parents night," I asked the teacher whether she would be covering ecology. Her
response was something to the effect mat "only if we have time at the end ofthe year." If ecology comes
last, one can easily see where natural history sits. I suspect that this situation is, unfortunately, too often
the case* This problem was concisely stated in one sentence by Paul and AnneEhrlich: "Most children
are extremely interested in natural history, although the interest is often killed rather than nurtured by
school systems."7 And as argued by die field naturalist, Marston Bates, our third great division of basic
knowledge, the humanities, has long since forgotten about nature.8 Similarly, Joseph Wood Krutch
pointed out that although there are many courses in 'The Nature Poets" in American colleges, nature
is usually left out of them. Krutch elaborated on this issue at length in The Great Chain of Life and
referencedavisithehad takento one of themostrespected ofthe smaller liberal arts colleges on the East
Coast where he noted a particularly striking tree on campus and inquired about its identity.9 When no
student or teacher with whomhe conversed could tell him thename ofthe tree, Krutch then inquired with
the head ofthebotanydepartment, its onlymember.TTiechainnan'sresponse?Well,thechaira^
rather complacently and explained: "Haven't the least idea. I am a cytologist and I don't suppose I could
recognize a dozen plants by sight."
In more recent times, this educational issue has been convincingly addressed by Paul D. Haemig.10
Haemig cites three reasons forthepoor quality of natural history education in American schools, themost
important, in his opinion, being that "...basic natural history is not valued knowledge in elementary and
secondary schools, because biological science departments at universities do not value it." But he argues
that fliisismoreofan institutional problem, since theaverageacademic biologist realizes the significance
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of agood natural history background in avoiding naive and embarrassing research mistakes, as well as
for stimulating die generation of new ideas. He presents this straightforward, yet persuasive, scenario:
"You see, the educational system in America works like this: Elementary schools prepare
students to go to middle schools. Middle schools prepare students to go to high schools. High
schools prepare students to go to universities. If university biological science departments do
not place a value on knowing basic natural history, high schools will not. If high schools don't,
then middle schools won't either. Finally, elementary teachers will not waste time teaching their
students anything that the students won't have to know for middle school."
Clearly, the neglect starts at the universities, and Haemig recommends reformation from the top down.
This article is a must to read, particularly for educators." Natural history education -1 most certainly
hope we will see much discussion in this area over the next two days.
There's one more item: tomorrow's field trips, which will be ledby our speakers. The field trips will
not be simply icing on the cake; we consider them integral to die workshop. Our leaders will explore
tips on making natural history observations, compiling good field notes, and teaching natural history.
Hopefully, they will be informative and exciting; perhaps even conducted in the spirit of die famous
eighteenth century Swedish naturalist and classifier, Carolus Linnaeus12, who according to Donald
Culross Peattie13 must have led quite robust field trips, as exemplified in the following colorful account
with which I plan to end my welcoming remarks. Peattie explained:
"I always think of Linnaeus as a student has described him in the years of his greatness, waiting
under a tree outside thewalls ofUpsalaJokingwith his students as they cameup, speaking Latin
with theforeigners, while he smoked and attended on the late ones. Two hundred followers were
sometimes gathered at the rendezvous.
"Neverweretherefieldtrips in the world like those, soceremoniousandso high-spirited. A whole
convention of procedure was laid down. Every student was to cany a lens, a botanical penknife
and dissecting needles, a lead pencil, a notebook, aDillenian vacuhun [sicj of sheet copper for
plant collections, and an insect box. HemustbeprovidedwithLinnaeus'sSystemaNaturaeand
other useful books, and even the dress was prescribed; pupils in the field must go clad in thin
linen trousers, with a broad-brimmed hat upon the head.
"Once all were assembled, an Annotator was appointed to take dictation, a Fiscal or monitor
tokeeporder.Andthenwithashoutandafanfare.thehordewaslooseduponaworldstilllargefy
unexplored."
In closing, I would like to say: may our workshop here be productive. And may our field trips
tomorrow be as exciting as those of the influential Linnaeus. Thanks again for your interest in the
important field of natural history.
1 Probably the two most common ways adults have become interested in natural history, whether they are involved
professionally eras anavocatiai, is througheither childhood collectinghabits (Le., feathers, insects, fossils, skulls, shells,
etc.) or through various outdoor consumptive activities, such as hunting, trapping, and fishing.
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21 have privately printed my journals through 1992. See Jersey Journal: Outdoor and Natural History Observations and
Experiences. 1955-1971 (1992,341 pp.), Maryland Journal: Outdoorand Natural History Observations and Experiences,
1971-1986 (1993, Volume I, p. 1-256), and Maryland Journal: Outdoor and Natural History Observations and
Experiences, 1987-1992 (1993, Volume TL, p. 257-483). For an interesting account of John Burroughs's thoughts on
maintaining a jnnmai see hiscssay "Spring Jottings" presented in John Burroughs Deep Woods (RichardF. Fleck, editor,
Peregrine Smith Books, Salt Lake City, UT, 1990,218 pp.).
3 Two very readable and informative books based upon years of documenting natural history observations are The Birds
and Marshes of the Chesapeake Bay Country by Brooke Meanley (Tidewater Publishers, Cambridge, MD, 1975,157 pp.)
and On Watching Birdsby Lawrence Kilham ((^IseaGreenPubh^hing Company, Chelsea, VT, 1988,187 pp.). Aclassic
an>j Wry Cfrlftrfol fTOm^f nf
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FIELD SESSIONS
The field sessions were considered integral to the workshop with the session leaders exploring tips
on making natural history observations, compiling good field notes, and teaching natural history.
Various technical approaches, teaching techniques, ecological concepts, and ideas on feelings/
impressions about nature were presented and experienced first hand.
Leaders Rick Blom and Chris S worth conducted a field trip to teach methods for making simple
natural history observations and how to document these observations in a field notebook. The casual
study of natural history, even though undertaken mostly for personal pleasure, may with very little
additional effort on thepart of the observer, provide information that is useful to the scientific or resource
management community. All that is needed are some skills in making objective observations of the
natural features in the environment (e.g., rock formations, forest age, pollinating insects, flowering
times, nesting birds, or seasonal changes in creek flow). These observations must then be recorded in
a systematic wayinsome sortofpermanentjournal. Thebestmethodof documentation is one that permits
those who arenot familiar with the original material to use someone'sjoumal to extract either qualitative
or quantitative information. Awell-keptjoumal can alsoprovidepleasantmemoriesandserve asarecord
of how one's own skill and experiences change through time.
During this field trip, the leaders described a standard format for documenting field observations
(e.g., date, format, time, weather, habitat surveyed, and species observed). The exercise focused on birds
because these animals were common and conspicuous in the area. Participants learned how to
concentrate on "field marks" to correctly identify species, and on different types of behavior (i.e., food
gathering, territorial defense, and nesting). The participants also investigated the age, size, and species
composition of trees in the surrounding forest, and they described water flow and bank erosion of a small
creek. Incidental observations of damselflies, spiders, water striders, and box turtles were also made.
Leaders Jean Worthley and Ralph Lutts conducted the natural history education field sessions. They
focused on the deciduous forest as their ecosystem of interpretation. Jean Worthley led an exercise in
sharpening observation skills by taking notice of subtle and diminutive features, including small
herbaceous plants, insects, and patterns in leaf color, structure, and arrangement that distinguish
otherwise similar looking plants. Ralph Lutts led an exercise in being a "nature detective" byusing keen
observation skills to discern unusual or unique natural phenomena and explaining their origin or
development. Both leaders credited William ("Cap'nBill") G. Vinal of the University ofMassachusetts
with this educational technique of continual deductive observation termed the "Socratic method."
Leaders Dave Cassuto and Carol LaChapelle conducted the natural history writing field sessions.
DaveCassuto took the group to a grassy knoll overlookingalakeforflieir first exercise.Participants were
instructed to observe a particular spot of interest and then record in writing not only what they saw but
also how they fit into the picture, since people are part of the natural world. Field notes were exchanged
between participants for critiques on how well they were able to convey the scene and their selves. Carol
LaChapelleguidedthe group back to themeetingroom. Whilereturning, theparticipants were instructed
to use their senses in absorbing as much of the surrounding environment as possible. Inside, the group
performed a self communicative exercise, a free write to be shown to no on else. Carol suggested this
as a daily exercise to get oneself into the habit of writing.
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"Of course one must not onty see sharply, but read aright -what he sees.
The facts in the life of nature that are transpiring about us
are like written words that the observer is to arrange into sentences.
Or, the writing is a cipher and he must furnish the key."
John Burroughs
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SPEAKER ABSTRACTS
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Who Speaks For Nature: Confessions of a Nerd
Daniel E.Wiilard
School of Public and Environmental Affairs
Indiana University
Bloomington, Indiana
Many more people "write about nature" than those quaint souls we call "naturalists."
This suggests an expansion of our topic to include the social perception of nature, and
how it got that way. To some extent, all writing about nature can not help but reflect the
biases, goals, and agendas of the writer. We see a number of attitudes in these reflections.
All this talk ofhowliterature and art reflect human perceptions aboutnaturereallymisses
the effect literature and art has on our perceptions of the natural world. Circuses which
make elephants and tigers act like simpletons embarrass me. Lil' Danny Meadow Mouse
plaguedmy youth.Bambiwasawildlifemanagement disaster. The Yearling is amaudl in
animal soap opera. All of tins leads us to believe "Nature knows best." Some accept a
thinly veiled social Darwinism, others a hopeful pantheism.
Nature is a construct. As a practicing ecologist, I have spent my life looking for
patterns in nature. I teach to Design With Nature. My experience teaches me that there
isn't an ecosystem; rather, we want to organize and control nature, so we construct a
model and then humanize it. This misses the point. Each organism has evolved to do the
best it can. Living things are washed in a sea of physical forces. Things happen. Some
things adapt, some don' t. Adaptability wins the game, not control. Nature is neither good
nor bad; it just is.
Each writer, each artist tries to capture and tame nature however they can. Each of
us perceives nature asacompositeofthese images, which we collect and filter.As writers,
we must describe and communicate what we see as accurately as we can. It's always
impressionism, but we must see through our own biases. These collected reflections of
reality provide (he roots for understanding natural processes.
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OBSERVATION AND DOCVMENTA UON
Reading the Landscape
Michael S. Rollins
Ecosystem Recovery Institute
Freeland, Maryland
Nature is more than a collection of organisms scattered about the earth. The
cumulative total of living organisms and life support matrices of air, water, and land is
interactive. This interactive nature of "nature" is the driving force which develops an
ecosystem of evolving interdependent parts. 'Discovery" of the relationship between a
diversity of organisms and between those organisms and their environment is a fun way
of teaching and learning about ecology and ecosystems, much akin to the discovery in
a mystery novel. This discovery and mystery approach to teaching stimulates interest on
the part of students due to the inquisitive nature of the human mind. In order to develop
thetechnique of discovery, studentsofnatureneedto develop or hone theirobservational
skills. All of our senses including sight, sound, smell, and touch can be used to make
observations which can serve as clues to the mystery of ecosystem interactions. Due to
technological advances, today's society has become increasingly removed from the land
for sustenance and survival. This has lowered the importance and relevance for making
constant hourly and daily environmental observations of weather, vegetation patterns,
and animal behavior. The rediscovery of the value of human senses and the realization
of ecosystem relationships is exciting to students.
The combination of observation, discovery, and excitement forms an important link
which re-sensitizes man to his relationship with die natural world. The ecophilia
phenomenon addressed by others can be expressed as eco-"feel"-ya. Being creatures of
great emotion, concomitant with strong reasoning and logic skills, humans are probably
themost important organisms in the ecosystem for serving as stewards or guardians over
the conservation of nature and natural resources.
The background theme and focus of this presentation is to facilitate educators and
writers to think about ecosystem pattern and function so that they can "Read The
Landscape" as an outdoor exercise. By advancing the intrigue and excitement inherent
in the landscape reading exercise, it is hoped that students are sensitized to the
interdependence of organisms with the land and water resources that support their life
functions. Realization oftheutility ofecosystems in providing life requisites for all living
organisms have both explicit and implicit function in advancing a conservation ethic and
facilitating wetland and watershed protection.
Through a series of Kodachrome slides exhibiting vegetation patterns, land forms,
animal signs, andhydrologic features I will attempt to test andstimulatethe observational
and detective skills of the audience. The discovery of information will begin with simple
patterns that describe what the audience is seeing, or at least their interpretation of what
10
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they think they are seeing. I will then facilitate, invite, and probe the audience to use their
cognitive skills to establish relationships between simple observations of pattern and
color. While this visual presentation doesnot accommodate the use of other senses such
as sound, smell, and touch, it is very effective at sensitizing the audience to a realization
of observational and reasoning skills they may have forgotten.
Natural History Observation and Documentation
RickBIom
Bel Air, Maryland
While writing of any kind is a valuable exercise, the value declines steadily and with
increasingrapidity if there is no focus. Studentskeepinganaturejournalaspartofaclass
assignmentshouldbe encouraged torecord any thoughts or observations that strike them
as important or interesting, but it is equally important to provide them with a framework
for consistent observation. To do so requires die teacher to define a specific project and
to assist the student in establishing guidelines and determining what information will be
gathered and in what form it will be recorded. For example, to note that a bird sits on
a fence post and occasionally flies out to catch an insect is interesting but anecdotal. To
note how many times it sallies out in a fifteen minute period and to collect mat
information at different times of the day over the period of several weeks or months
provides the opportunity to create a hypothesis and to present information in support of
it Equally important, focus allows the student to sort through the mass of information
and the sensory overload.
Students given a blank notebook and told to go into the field and take notes are
inevitably confused. Should the observationsbeaboutthe woods orthe individual trees?
The leaves or the branches? The grass orthe clouds? If die student is diligent and records
everything, itisnotpossible togetmorc thanone or two steps from the door. More often,
the size of the task leaves the student unable or unwilling to decide what to record.
Teachers should provide precise direction for two reasons: Students need to learn how
to make choices, and datarandomly collected has no value to others andprovidesno basis
for additional work.
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NATURE WRITING
The Wages of Water
David N. Cassuto
Department of English & the
School of Public and Environmental Affairs
Indiana University
Bloomington, Indiana
Literature, policy, and propaganda are distinguishable from each other only by
context. Throughout American history, and particularly with regard to western water
issues, hydrology and mythology have long cohabited. Water's value is after all a
function of perception, and perception is shaped by art. The "Reclamation Myth" as well
as that of "Restoration," which now seeks to supplant it, has deep roots in American
literature. Using examples ranging from John Wesley Powell to John Steinbeck, I will
discuss the geographical and hydrological implications of our national reluctance to
acknowledge literature's privileged place in the policy arena.
Nature Education Through the Language Arts:
Reading and Writing the Natural World
Carol LaChapelle, M.A.
Chicago, Illinois
This presentation will offer teachers and educators ideas on how to introduce nature
writing into their environmental education programs, using the syllabus of a workshop
called "Reading & Writing the Natural World." Designed for an adult education
audience, this syllabus grew out of auniversity course in American nature writing; it uses
nature writing and journal writing to increase participants' awareness of the natural
world and of their relationship to it.
The presentation will focus on how journal writing in particular encourages
participants to examine and express their own thoughts and feelings about nature. Such
expression, itisbelieved, deepens their commitment to thenatural worldand encourages
them to act more responsibly toward it. Nature writing anthologies, journal writing
exercises, and ideas 011 how to offer this course in a variety of nature education venues
will be presented.
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NATURAL HISTORY EDUCATION
Nature Education For Children
JeanWorthley
Finksburg, Maryland
Young children are naturally curious and explore their environment using all their
senses. As they grow older, this curiosity tends to disappear, probably due to several
causes, such as television and video games, unenlightened adults who spray every insect
encountered and step on the rest, and teachers who neglect the teaching of natural history
because they do notunderstanditand/or have prejudices of their own. Inmypresentation,
I will give tips gleaned from raising six children who all enj oy the out-of-doors, teaching
pre-schoolers for thirteen years, producing 800 programs for Hodgepodge Lodge
(Maryland Public Television nature series), and most recently from spending five
months with my two year old grandson, Max, in Seattle.
The Educational Impact of Nature Writing on
Public Attitudes Toward Nature
Ralph H. Lutts
Virginia Museum of Natural History
Martinsville, Virginia
Nature literature can playapowerful role in promoting public understanding of our
natural environment. Its impacts, however.maynotalwaysbebeneficial. Nature writers
and educators should be aware ofboth the opportunities andpitfalls associated with their
crafts. Walt Disney's Bambi and Rachel Carson's Silent Spring provide excellent case
studies. Each had, and continues to have, a tremendous influence on public attitudes
toward nature. They demonstrate that nature writing is not done in a vacuum. It is
influenced by and reflects the times and society in which it is created. This presentation
will examine the broad educational impacts of these works on the American public.
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LUNCHEON ADDRESS
Journal and Sketchbook as a Wellspring
Kent Mountford
Chesapeake Bay Program
Environmental Protection Agency
Annapolis, Maryland
Early in my sailing life I was taught that die ship's log is a sacred document, and I
learned thatacrosstheocnturieslogbooks-fromHomer'sOdyssey through Columbus's
journals - framed much of what we know about the world's history. Fortunately, these
earlyjoumalists, men like Jacob Danckaertsin the 1680's and the New Bedford whalers
in the 19th Century, realized that words wouldn't capture it all. They often employed
sketches - some crude, some detailed - which frequently spoke of places and events
more eloquently than pages of verbiage.
Despite my 25 years of professional life as an ecologist dealing with the problems
of polluted estuaries, I choose to be defined by the memories that reside in 44 years of
journals kept as the logs often sailing vessels that have ledme through this life. Starting
with my first boat in 1951, these logs, in chain of tradition from the past, became the
framework, the discipline, that made me put pen to paper. They are my window on life
for others; my conscience at times, my license to anthropomorphize.
For decades in amplification of my own writing I have taken photographs and now
have a library of over 10,000. Many of these are over 30 years old, troubled by mold and
with their dyes fading. They are an impermanent record, however graphic - sometimes
beautiful - they may have been. I've also failed to get die right picture, and sometimes
ftecamerasftemselvesfailed!mfrelastfewyeare,m
sound and excitement of motion to the wonder of color. Now video archivists at the
Smithsonian are finding mat many video and audio tapes are beginning to fail after as
little as a decade. Logbooks, however, seem to be enduring. For example, just this spring
at the Mystic Seaport Society's Library in Connecticut I handled a ship's log from the
18th Century, yellowed andbound in hand sewn sailcloth. Its works and the old sketches
are in tact. And over the decades hundreds of sketches have become part and parcel of
my log books.
Using my log books, I will convey some of my experiences with you today while
emphasizingthepersonal rewards and, by examplesfromthepast, thepotential historical
significance of keeping such records.
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RESULTS OF BREAKOUT SESSIONS
On the second day of the workshop, the attendees, speakers, and session facilitators were assigned
to one of three breakout sessions covering discussions on the workshop's principal subject areas: (1)
natural history observation and documentation, including the accessibility of such information, (2)
increasing public awareness through nature writing, and (3) incorporating natural history study into
elementary and secondary education. A series of questions/issues was distributed at the workshop for
consideration during the breakout sessions. The following are representative of the questions/issues
presented:
Natural History Observation and Documentation
1. What is natural history and how does it differ from ecology and related biological and earth
sciences? Are there varying viewson this? How does the academiccommunity perceive the value
of natural history information/study?
2. By what means do amateur and professional field workers document their natural history
observations - field notes, journals, or othermeans? Is this technical material readily available
to agencies and the private sector, and in what form? How can we make this information more
available to potential users?
3. What types of natural history information are most useful distributional data, life history
information, habitat requirements, behavioral observations/studies? At what level should it be
obtained - species, population, community, ecosystem?
Natural History Writing
1. What is nature writing? Is it different from writing technical papers on natural history?
2. Through what media should nature writing be promoted for children? Adults? How can we
reach children through nature writing? Adults?
3. What has been thehistorical role of nature writing (e.g., essays) in natural resources protection
in the United States? Who were some of the key writers? Why were they effective? Is it common
knowledge that such writing has been instrumental in natural resources protection? Can nature
writing still be used as a tool to instill a conservation ethic in the general public? What types of
nature writing would be most effective for this purpose?
Natural History Education
1. What is the status of natural history education in the American school system at the
elementary school, middle school, high school, and university levels? Why is it the way it is?
What are the main problems preventing more natural history education in our schools? Is it a
teacher problem or an administrator problem? Is lack of appropriate teacher training a factor?
Are the students receptive to natural history information, particularly at the high school level?
Who needs to be convinced of its worth - the students, parents, teachers, or administrators?
2. What trainingprograms in natural history are available to teachers? What areas do they cover?
Would a directory of such training be helpful?
3. How can we make natural history education more interesting and meaningful to students at
all levels? What are some of the approaches/techniques that have been most successful? Are there
some innovative programs?
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The results for each two-hour breakout session are presented below:
Observation and Documentation Session
This session started with an attempttodefinetheterm "natural history." Apparently, this was auseful
exercise given that this phrase means different things to different people. Some attributes of die term
included:
1. Natural history describes what die environment looks like (i.e., what is in the environment).
2. Natural history is largely descriptive; it includes the landscape, geology, time scale, and the
impact of man.
3. Natural history describes "how the environment works."
4. Natural history describes changes over time (i.e., the changes in the entire landscape).
5. Natural history is descriptive and qualitative rather than quantitative.
Natural history has its roots in simple observation. The public can participate directly, without any
long-term training. Through natural history one can take spiritual or mental "ownership" over a place,
habitat, or environment.
Natural history is not a discipline that is accepted as scientifically valid by some professionals,
scientific researchers, or government agencies because of the fact that lay people can easily access the
tools of Ae trade required for the study of natural history. It requires use of the senses, a keen eye for
noticing one's surroundings, an ability to document information, and a working knowledge of an area's
biota. Ecology or environmental science are accepted disciplines, on the other hand, because they are
grounded in more technical biology or chemistry. Most lay persons would not likely call themselves
"environmental scientists" or "ecologists" (even though they may be), but would more likely refer to
themselves as "naturalists." Therefore, data or records labeled as natural history observations may be
dismissed out of hand or viewed with skepticism by some. Also, because many people study natural
history as a form of passive recreation and they do this for free (with no expectation of remuneration),
it may not be taken seriously.1
Fornatural history tobeofvalue toprofessionals,resourceagencies, or society in general, individuals
are encouraged to keep their records in some sort of systematic fashion. In this regard, natural history
notes should be summarized and stored in field notebooks. Several participants in flu's session explained
their systems and notebooks. Kent Mountford of the Environmental Protection Agency described the
field notebooks he has kept for 30 years. Myrtha Allen, a science teacher at Patterson High School in
Baltimore, has taken her students to Fox Island in the Chesapeake Bay every year for the past ten years.
Each student takes notes, creates data graphs, and keeps a field notebook.
Although field notebooks are of unquestioned value for personal growth and satisfaction, their value
may be diminished if the contents are not shared with others. The difficulties with sharing this
infonnatiOTwasacknowledgedbythegroup.Librariesandmus
be able to archive field notebooks. Photography and audio recordings were discussed as alternate
methods of natural history documentation.
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Recommendations
1. Teach methods for keeping a field journal or field notebook that would contain useful natural
history notes.
a. Equipment to consider includes: type of paper, waterproof ink, system for cross-
reference of species accounts, etc.
b. Types of information useful to record include: weather, latitude-longitude, habitat
descriptions, species identification notes, estimates of population size, and notes on field
marks or other characteristics.
2. Work with teachers to develop a program of field natural hi story journals for students in grades
9 and 10.
3. Compile information on programs nationwide that might be using field journals or field
notebooks.
4. Promote other forms of nature documentation such as photography (single lens reflex or
video), sound recordings, and map making.
5. Develop alist oforganizations such asmuseums or libraries or other archival institutions which
could serve as repositories for field journals.
6. Develop a list of journals which reside in museums or other institutions so that unpublished
natural history information might be available to interested persons.
Nature Writing Session
Because of the diversity of the participants in this session, the discussion quickly veered from some
of the suggested topics. However, theinteraction between participants was so livelythat some topics were
abandoned for ideas that the group obviously felt strongly about When presented with the question
(What is nature writing?), the group declined to define nature writing to the point of possibly excluding
different genre. Rather, it felt that nature writing includes various writing formats (song, prose, factual
articles, philosophical pieces, journal writing, etc.).
As the group delved into how writing can be used to change an opinion, a discussion of social class
systems ensued. Many in the group viewed appreciation for nature as a middle class/suburban hobby.
Much of today's nature writing is marketed to an audience that does not need convincing (i.e. basically
preaching to the choir). It is not logical to expect people to care about nature or have an interest in natural
history if that person does not have die most basic necessities of life (i.e. food, job, clothing, home).
Therefore, certain elements need to be incorporated into writing in order to effectively change
opinions or promote new ideas. Readers must be made aware of how the issue personally affects them,
their families, or their communities. The message needs to be slanted specifically for the audience being
addressed. The economy, which is a strong catalyst in the formation of personal opinions, often drives
an individual's choice on issues/concepts. If possible, nature writing should include how a particular
issue affects individuals economically, or how it can affect the quality of the reader's life. Sometimes
a subject is unique, standing on its own without much marketing.
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Recommendations
1. Encourage the National Writing Project to incorporate natural history/nature writing into its
agenda.
2. Encourage more colleges and universities to offer majors in natural history/nature writing.
High schools would men be more likely to incorporate natural history study and nature writing
into their curricula to prepare students for higher education.
3. To alter public opinion and change actions mat are detrimental to natural systems and wildlife,
policy makers must become familiar with nature writing, and writers need to familiarize
themselves with current regulatory and resource management policies and how they are
established.
4. Develop a bibliography of natural history resources and nature literature that can be used in
science, humanities, and English classes. Distribute the bibliography to educators through state
education departments and the National Writing Project.
5. Since many of the participants are involved in some aspect of education, a workshop focusing
on techniques forteachingriatural history study andnature writing was strongly encouraged. The
workshop could focus on natural history study and writing exercises and how to apply these
techniques for different audiences.
Natural History Education Session
Despite some initial skepticism, the group was very enthusiastic about this topic. However, there
was general agreement mat natural history studies were alow priority to educational administrators and
policymakers.
Considerable frustration was expressed because college tracking systems and requirements focus
on approved scientific courses like physics, chemistry, and molecular biology. The competition to
qualify for college entrance and scholarships is so intense that students are currently discouraged from
taking electi ves like natural history courses.
The group agreed mat natural history and ecology merges the application of scientific, historic,
philosophic, and literary disciplines. The consensus was that scientific courses have become too narrow
and limiting in scope, resulting in extremely fragmented environmental awareness. The group felt that
natural history studies challenge students to expand their intellect and awareness of the world around
them and are therefore appropriate for inclusion as academic requirements for college bound students.
A total of23 factors were listed that the group felt contributed to the limited study of natural history
in our education system (e.g., it is not a "main-stream" subject and there is a need to get teachers
motivated/excited about natural history). After venting their frustration with the "system," the group
turned to consideration ofhow to bring about change in it. There was strong consensus that change from
the "bottom up" was faster and more effective than from the "top down." Several individuals explained
howthey cooperated on projects with teachers from other disciplines to develop natural history projects.
English teachers worked with science teachers to have students combine field work with writtenreports.
Sometimes mere were a number of disciplines brought into the projects.
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As the discussion went on, it occurred to the group that they had, in fact, bought about some of the
changes (on a temporary basis) that they were seeking to institutionalize. A humorous conversation
ensued to die effect that these were subversive enterprises. That led to the proposition that perhaps this
was an effective approach to setting in motion a process to facilitate incorporation of the formal study
of natural history and ecology into the "system."
Student moral and participation was another positive benefit derived from these ad hoc initiatives.
Someone noted that the "Beavis and Buttheads" in their classes became involved and participated
enthusiastically in some of these projects. Their participation made it "cool" for their followers to join
in. A number of the teachers recalled similar experiences. Consensus was mat this was an important and
dynamic benefit to the cross-cultural approach in natural history education. They also suggested two
other effective tools that could bring about change:
a. With the increasing popularity of computers, it was agreed that computer networking should be
incorporated in bringing about change in the education system.
b. The group noted thatpublicizingtheprojects was another valuable tool for bringing about change.
Publicity could be achieved through the school intercom and newspaper, as well as through
community news media.
One topic that emerged and consumed considerable discussion time was the potential for
capitalizing on the new "Performance Assessment" or "Outcome-based" philosophy emerging in the
educational field throughout the country. This approach surpasses the traditional testing of passive and
segmented knowledge by testing students' ability to actively incorporate and integrate that knowledge
into various applications. It became clearer as discussion evolved that the group had really been talking
about the need for this process as they listed their negatives. Suddenly, the negatives could be turned to
positives. Some educators already familiar with the "Performance Assessment" and "Outcome-based"
education noted the similarity of this formalized process with the ad hoc initiatives other members had
undertaken. There was consensus that this could become an unexpected opportunity for increasing
natural history studies.
Recommendations
1. Continue multi-discipline ad hoc initiatives.
2. Recognize the value of making change one step atatime. It will eventually add up to significant
change.
3. Recruit other teachers into the process.
4. Recruit students as persuaders through "action education."
5. Recognize and employ the opportunities found in computer networking.
6. Capitalize on the school intercom and newspaper for effective publicity.
7. Capitalize on school/industry partnerships.
The group became energized and enthusiastic as it viewed all of these initiatives as "subversive."
ManyfeltempoweredbythisconceptbecauseittralywoiddmcreaseAeireffec^venessinbringingabout
meaningful change from the"bottomup."The group was unanimous in their desire to attendaworkshop
devoted to developing this "subversive" process.
1 For additional discussion on defining natural history, see footnote 5 in the Welcoming Comments.
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"Ifa child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder...
he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it,
rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery
of the world we live in."
Rachel Carson
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APPENDIX A
Biographies of Speakers
RickBlom, a birdwatcher for over 20 years, isthe coordinator of theMarylandBreeding
Bird Atlas Project. He is a columnist for Bird Watcher's Digest and editor of The
Slammer newsletter.
Dave Casutto is a post doctoral fellow at Indiana University. He authored Cold River
Running. He is currently researching the relationship between literature and the politics
of water use, using the Salt Creek watershed as a microcosm for land-use and water-use
controversies.
Mike Hollins is the founder and principal of Ecosystem Recovery Institute. He has been
involved in many levels of environmental education focusing on observation, documen-
tation, and interpretation of nature.
Carol LaChapelle is a teacher of nature and journal writing at universities, museums
and nature centers. Her courses emphasize expressing feelings about the environment
and nature experiences.
Ralph Luttsis the past Director of Outreach at the VirgmiaMuseum of Natural History
and the deputy Director of the Global Network of Environmental Education Centers'
Mid-Atlantic Region. He is the author of.The Nature Fakers: Wildlife, Science and
Sentiment,
Kent Mountford has been involved with marine science for 30 years, the last 10 of
which have been with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Chesapeake Bay
Program where he is currently senior scientist for program management and commu-
nications in Annapolis. He's written and published a score of articles, in both thepopular
and scholarly literature.
Dan Willardisaprofessorinthe School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana
University. He authored a chapter in Cold River Running, an ecological history of the
Pere Marguette River, and helped develop an environmental radio show, Earthnotes,
broadcast on Public Radio Station WFIU.
Jean Worthley is a naturalist and outdoor educator. She is the author of The Complete
Famify Nature Guide and hosted the Public TV series "Hodge Podge Lodge" for 10
years.
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22
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APPENDIX B
List of Workshop Participants
Anne Agee
Anne Aiundel Community College
Arnold, Maryland
Myrtha Allen
Patterson Senior High School
Baltimore, Maryland
Cathleen Bartlow
East Peoria High School
East Peoria, Illinois
Ken Bernie
Odessy Production
Westminster, Maryland
Rick Blom
Bel Air, Maryland
Watt Bowie
Environtec, Inc.
Timonium, Maryland
Kathleen Buppert
Department of Natural Resources
Annapolis, Maryland
Dave Cassuto
Indiana University
Bloomington, Indiana
Nancy Pirtle-Conelly
Ecosystem Recovery Institute, Inc.
Freeland, Maryland
Janet Crampton
Rockville, Maryland
Linda Davis
Friends School
Baltimore, Maryland
Kathleen Diehl
Soil Conservation Service
Riva, Maryland
Kevin Dodge
Garrett Community College
McHenry, Maryland
Patricia Duffy
Belmont Center
Elkridge, Maryland
Dave Duree
Ecosystem Recovery Institute, Inc.
Freeland, Maryland
Ajax Eastman
Baltimore, Maryland
Marlene Fowler
Seven Oaks Elementary School
Baltimore, Maryland
Sarah Gardner
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Annapolis, Maryland
Mary Grubowski
Northern High School
Baltimore, Maryland
Glen Hedelson
Bel Air High School
Bel Air, Maryland
Mike Hollins
Ecosystem Recovery Institute, Inc.
Freeland, Maryland
Kathy Hurst
Simmons Elementary School
Horsham, Pennsylvania
Arthur Johanson
Owings Mill High School
Lynnwood, Maryland
Kay Johnson
Columbia, Maryland
Mary Beth Johnson
Greencastle University
Columbia, Maryland
Claudia Jones
Annapolis, Maryland
Dolores Ketterer
Bala Cynwyd Middle School
Elkins Park, Pennsylvania
Doris Kirk .
Rainbow Elementary School
Parkesburg, Pennsylvania
Carolyn Koch
Simmons Elementary School
Abington, Pennsylvania
Carol LaChapelle
Chicago, Illinois
Susan Lamport
Stephen C. Foster State Park
Valdosta, Georgia
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Barbara Lardiari
Seven Oaks Elementary School
Baltimore, Maryland
Ralph Lutts
Virginia Museum of Natural
History
Martinsville, Virginia
Ben Marks
ECO Specialty Products
Baltimore, Maryland
Paul Mclver
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
Denver, Colorado
Permelia Mclver
Arvada, Colorado
Kent Mountford
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
Annapolis, Maryland
Marshawn Nelson
Northern High School
Baltimore, Maryland
Ashton Nichols
Dickenson University
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Nancy Preuss
Sandy Spring, Maryland
Pat Pudelkewicz
Chesapeake Bay Critical Area
Commission
Baltimore, Maryland
Bruce Reid
Baltimore Sun
Bel Air, Maryland
Kathryn Reshetiloff
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Annapolis, Maryland
Aldema Ridge
Mt. View Middle School
Catonsville, Maryland
Sue Schliepsiek
East Peoria High School
Peoria, Ilinois
Donna Sellers
Randallstown High School
Pikesville, Maryland
Linda Shevitz
Maryland State Department of
Education
Greenbelt, Maryland
Danna Shimrock
Garrett County Community
College
McHenry, Maryland
William Sipple
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
Washington, DC
George Ann Siwicki
East Peoria High School
Peoria, Illinois
Carolyn Smith
John Rurah Elementary School
Baltimore, Maryland
Phil Steinberg
Holabird Middle School
Baltimore, Maryland
Jane Stern
Westport Elementary School
Randallstown, Maryland
Chris Swarth
Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary
Lothian, Maryland
Dan Willard
Indiana University
Bloomington, Indiana
Garver Winegar
Times Dispatch
Mineral, Virginia
Jean Worthley
Finksburg, Maryland
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APPENDIX C
Selected Bibliography on Natural History
and Nature Writing1
William S. Sipple
This bibliography of natural history and nature writing is not meant to be comprehensive. The
references fisted were simply selected from books and similar publications that I have in my private
collection. To make the bibliography more useful, however, I selected references representative of
the following twelve, admittedly arbitrary, categories:
anthologies
biographical treatments
journals
books on or by some of the key historical figures in natural history and conservation
* rambles/longer excursions/nature essays
comprehensive and more "philosophical" treatments of natural history
regional natural history publications (surveys/inventories/reviews)
field guides and technical identification manuals
comprehensive technical books with species specific natural history information
species-specific treatments of a less technical nature
nature encyclopedias/nature book series/related books
nature books for children2
However, no attempt was made to categorize nature writing in a more meaningful taxonomic literary
sense. For an insightful preliminary taxonomic treatment of nature writing, a suggested reading is
This IncomperableLandeby Thomas J.Lyon(1989).Likewise, no attempt was made to list technical
texts on biology, ecology, geology, or other fields of biological or physical sciences, which was
beyond the scope of the effort.
Some of these books have been printed by more than one publisher; some have been reprinted
a number of times. Therefore, I have listed them by the publisher and by the most recent copyright,
printing, or reprinting date shown on the copy I have in my library.
Anthologies
Beebe, William (editor). 1971. The book of naturalists: An anthology of the best natural history.
Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. 499 pp.
Borland, Hal (editor). 1969. Our natural world: The land and wildlife of America as seen and
described by writers since the country's discovery. J.B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia, PA,
849pp.
Finch, Robert and John Elder (editors). 1990. The Norton book of nature writing. W.W. Norton &
Company, Inc., New York, NY. 921 pp.
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Halpern, Daniel (editor). 1986. On Nature: Nature, landscape, and natural history. North Point Press,
San Francisco, CA. 319 pp.
Lyon, Thomas J. (editor). 1991. This incomparable lande: A book of American nature writing.
Penguin Books, New York, NY. 495 pp.
McClintock, Marshall (editor). 1948. The Greystone nature lover's treasury. Grey stone Press, New
York, NY. 790 pp.
Biographical Treatments
Bonta, Maria M. 1991. Women in the field: America's pioneering women naturalists. Texas A&M
University Press, College Station, TX. 299 pp.
Fox, Stephen. 1981. JohnMuir and his legacy: The American conservation movement Little, Brown
& Company, Boston, MA. 436 pp.
Peattie, Donald C. 1936. Green Laurels: The lives and achievements of the great naturalists. The
Literary Guild of America. Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York, NY. 368 pp.
Renehan, Edward J., Jr. 1992. John Burroughs: An American naturalist. Chelsea Green Publishing
Company, Post Mills, VT. 356 pp.
Rourke, Constance. 1936. Audubon. Harcourt, Brace & Company, New York, NY. 342 pp.
Streshinsky, Shirley. 1993. Audubon: Life and art in the American wilderness. Villard
Books, New York, NY. 407 pp.
Journals
Audubon, Maria R. (editor) 1972. Audubon and his journals. Reprinted by Peter Smith, Publisher,
Inc., Magnolia, MA. (Volume I, 532 pp.; Volume n, 554 pp.).
Benson, Adolph B. (editor) 1966. Peter Kami's travels in North America: The English version of
1770. DoverPublications, Inc., New York, NY. (Volume I,i-xviiiandl-401;Volumen, 402-797).
Sipple, William S. 1992. Jersey Journal: Outdoor and natural history observations and experiences,
1955-1971. Private printing. 341 pp.
Sipple, WilliamS. 1993. Maryland Journal: Outdoor and natural history observations and experiences,
1971-1986. Private printing. Volume I, pp. 1-256.
Sipple, WilliamS, 1993. Maryland Journal: Outdoor and natural history observations and experiences,
1987-1992. Private printing. Volume H, pp. 257-483.
Books On Or By Some Key Historical Figures In Natural History And Conservation
Carson, Rachel. 1962. Silent spring. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, MA. 368 pp.
Darwin, Charles. 1859. The origin of species. AMentorBook(1958 edition). Publishedby The New
American Library of World Literature, Inc., New York, NY. 479 pp.
Fleck, Richard F. (editor). 1990. John Burroughs Deep Woods. Peregrine Smith Books, Salt Lake
City, UT. 218 pp.
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Frome, Michael. 1962. Whose woods these are: The story of the national forests. Doubleday &
Company, Inc. Garden City, NY. 360 pp.
Harding, Walter. 1959. A Thoreau Handbook. New York University Press, NY. 229 pp.
Keeney, Elizabeth B. 1992. The botanizers: Amateur scientists in nineteenth century America. The
University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, NC. 206 pp.
Leopold, Aldo. 1971. A Sand County almanac, with essays on conservation from Round River.
Ballantine Books, Inc., New York, NY. 295 pp.
Link, Mike (editor). 1988. The collected works of Sigurd F. Olson: The early writings: 1921-1934.
Voyageur Press, Stillwater, MN. 281 pp.
Lockley, RJvl (editor) 1966. Gilbert White: The natural history of Selborne. E. P. Button &
Company, Inc., New York, NY. 296 pp.
Lutts, Ralph H. 1990. The nature fakers: Wildlife, science & sentiment. Fulcrum Publishing, Golden
Colorado. 255 pp.
Muir, John. 1961. The mountains of California. Doubleday & Company, Inc., Garden City, NY. 300pp.
Pinchot,Gifford 1910. The fight for conservation. Doubleday, Page & Company, New York, NY. 152pp.
Stewart, Frank. 1994. A natural history of nature writing. Island Press, Covelo, CA. 304 pp.
Teale, Edwin Way (editor). 1981. The insect world of J. Henri Fabre. Harper & Row Publishers, New
York, NY. 333 pp.
Teale, Edwin W. (editor). 1982. The wilderness world of John Muir. Houghton Mifflin Company,
Boston, MA. 332 pp. N
Wilson, R.T. 1967, Darwinism and the American intellect: A book of readings. The Dorsey Press,
Homeword, IL. 210 pp.
Rambles/Longer Excursions/Nature Essays
Abraitys, Vincent. 1975. The backyard wilderness. ColumbiaPublishing Company, Inc., Frenchtown,
NJ. 208 pp.
Callighar, Sally. 1958. One day at Teton Marsh. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York, NY. 239 pp.
Carrighar, Sally. 1965. Wild heritage. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, MA. 276 pp.
Carson, Rachel, L. 1952. Under the sea-wind. Oxford University Press. New York, NY. 314 pp.
Dillard, Annie. 1974. Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. Harper's Magazine Press, New York, NY. 271 pp.
Eckert, Allan W. 1967. Wild season. Little, Brown and Company, Boston, MA. 244 pp.
Heckman, Hazel. 1972. Island Year. University of Washington Press, Seattle, WA. 255 pp.
Hoover, Helen. 1968. The gift of the deer. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. New York, NY. 210 pp.
Hubbell, Sue. 1987. A country year: Living the questions. Harper & Row Publishers, New York, NY.
221 pp.
Kieran, John. 1953. Footnotes on nature. Doubleday & Company, Inc., Garden City, NY. 279 pp.
Kilham, Lawrence. 1988. On watching birds. Chelsea Green Publishing Company, Chelsea, VT. 187pp.
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McPhee, John. 1969, The pine barrens. Farrar, Straus & Giroux, New York, NY. 157 pp.
Meanley, Brooke, 1975. Birds and marshes of the Chesapeake Bay Country. Tidewater Publishers,
Cambridge, MD. 157pp.
Meanley, Brooke, 1992. The Patuxent River wildrice marsh. Private printing. 69 pp.
Ogburn, Charlton, Jr. 1979. The winter beach. Morrow Quill Paperbacks, New York, NY. 321.
Peterson, Roger T. and James Fisher. 1956. Wild America: The record of a 30,000-mile journey
around the continent by a distinguished naturalist and his British colleague. Houghton Mifflin
Company, New York, NY. 434 pp.
Platt, Rutherford. 1956. The river of life: The miracles of creation revealed in the world around us.
Simon and Schuster, Inc., New York, NY. 309 pp.
Pyle, Robert, M. 1986. Wintergreen: Rambles in a ravaged land. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York,
NY. 303 pp.
Sipple, William S. 1991. Through the eyes of a young naturalist. Gateway Press, Baltimore, MD.
204pp.
Teale, Edwin W. 1957. Dune boy: The early years of a naturalist. Indiana University Press,
Bloomington & Indianapolis, IN. 275 pp.
Teale, Edwin W. 1960. Journey into the summer. Dodd, Mead & Company, New York, NY. 366 pp.
Teale, Edwin W. 1965. Wandering through winter. Dodd, Mead & Company, New York, NY. 370 pp.
Teale, Edwin W. 1974. A naturalist buys an old farm. Dc>dd,Mead&C^ompany,NewYork,NY.250pp.
Terres, JohnK. 195S. The Auclubon book of true nature stories. Thomas Y. Crowell Company, New
York, NY. 307 pp.
Comprehensive And More "Philosophical" Treatments Of Natural History
Bates, Marston. 1950. The nature of natural history. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, NY. 309pp.
Bates, Marston. 1980. The forest and the sea. Time-Life Books, Inc., Alexandria, VA. 273 pp.
Eiseley, Loren. 1979. Darwin and the mysterious Mr. X: New light on the evolutionists. E. P. Dutton,
New York, NY. 278 pp.
Gould, Stephen J. 1979. Ever since Darwin: Reflections in natural history. W.W. Norton &
Company, New York, NY. 285 pp.
Gould, Stephen J. 1985. The flamingo's smile: Reflections in natural history. W.W. Norton &
Company, New York, NY. 476 pp.
Krutch, Joseph W. 1956. The great chain of life. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, MA. 227.
Wilford, John N. 1986. The riddle of the dinosaur. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, NY. 304 pp.
Wilson, Edward 0.1992. The diversity of life. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. 464 pp.
Wilson, Edward 0.1994. Naturalist. Island Press, Covelo, CA. 352 pp.
28
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Regional Natural History Publications (Surveys/Inventories/Reviews)
Barber, Michael G. and Jack Major. 1977. Terrestrial vegetation of California. John Wiley & Sons,
New York, NY. 1002 pp.
Curtis, John T. 1987. The vegetation of Wisconsin: An ordination of plant communities. The
University of Wisconsin Press, Madison, WI. 657 pp.
Harris, Herbert S. 1975. Distributional survey (amphibia/reptilia): Maryland and the District of
Columbia. Bull. Maryland Herp. Soc. 11 (3): 73-167,
Higgins, Elizabeth, A. T., Rappleye, R.D., and R.G. Brown. 1971. The flora and ecology of
Assateague Island. Bulletin A-172, University of Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station,
College Park, MD. 70 pp.
Hotchkiss, Neil and Robert E. Stewart. 1979. Vegetation and vertebrates of the Patuxent Wildlife
Research Center: Outline of ecology and annotated lists. U.S. Dept. of Int., Fish and Wildlife
Service. 120 pp.
Kieran, John. 1959. A natural history of New York City: A personal report after fifty years of study
& enjoyment of wildlife within the boundaries of greater New York. Houghton Mifflin
Company, Boston, MA. 428 pp.
McAtee, W. L. 1912. A sketch of the natural history of the District of Columbia. Bulletin No. 1,
Biological Society of Washington, Washington, DC. 142 pp.
McCormick, Jack. 1970. The Pine Barrens: A preliminary ecological inventory. New Jersey State
Museum Rept. 2.103 pp.
Sipple, William S. 1971. The past and present flora and vegetation of the Hackensack Meadows.
Bartonia41: 4-56.
Sipple, William S. 1994. A natural history of the Pocomoke River watershed with special reference
to its wetlands. Private printing. 61 pp.
Field Guides And Technical Identification Manuals
Abbott, R. Tucker. 1968. Seashells of North America. Western Publishing Company, Inc., Racine,
WI.280pp.
Anthony, H. E. 1928. Field guide of North American mammals. G. P. Putman's Sons, New York,
NY. 674 pp.
Borror, Donald J. and Richard E. White. 1970. A field guide to the insects. Houghton Mifflin
Company, Boston, MA. 404 pp.
Burch, John B. 1962. How to know the eastern land snails. Wm. C. Brown Company Publishers,
Dubuque, IW. 214 pp.
Conant, Roger. 1975. A field guide to reptiles and amphibians of Eastern and Central North America.
Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, MA. 429 pp.
Correll, Donovan S. 1950. Native orchids of North America north of Mexico. Chronica Botanica
Company, Waltham, MA. 399 pp.
29
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Craighead, John J., Frank C. Craighead, Jr., and Ray J. Davis. 1963. A field guide to Rocky Mountain
wildflowers. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, MA. 275 pp.
Dillion, Elizabeth S. and Lawrence S. Dillion. 1972. Amanual of common beetles of Eastern North
America. Dover Publications, Inc., New York, NY. Volumes I, p. 1 -434; Volume II, p. 435-894.
Ditmars, Raymond, L. 1944. The reptiles of North America: A review of the crocodilians, lizards,
snakes, turtles and tortoises inhabiting the United States and Northern Mexico. Doubleday,
Doran & Company, Inc. Garden City, NY. 476 pp.
Dom, Robert, D. 1992. Vascular plants of Wyoming. Mountain West Publishing, Cheyenne, WY.
340pp.
Duncan, Wilbur H. andMarion B. Duncan. 1987. The Smithsonian guide to seaside plants of the Gulf
and Atlantic Coasts. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. 409 pp.
Eddy, Samuel. 1969. How to know the freshwater fishes. Wm. C. Brown Company Publishers,
Dubuque, IW. 286 pp.
Elmore, Francis H. 1976. Shrubs and trees of the Southwest uplands. Southwest Parks and
Monuments Association, Tucson, AR. 214 pp.
Fernald, Merritt L. 1950. Gray's manual of botany: A handbook of the flowering plants and ferns
of the central and northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. American Book Company,
New York, NY. 1632pp.
Gosner, Kenneth, L. 1971. Guide to the identification of marine and estuarine invertebrates: Cape
Hatteras to the Bay of Fundy. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 693 pp.
Hale, MasonE. 1969. How to know the lichens. Wm. C. Brown Company Publishers, Dubuque, IW.
226 pp.
Harrison, Hal H. 1975. Afieldguide to birds' nests of 285 species found breeding in the United States
east of the Mississippi River. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, MA. 257 pp.
Hitchcock, A. S. 1950. Manual of the grasses of the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office,
Washington, DC. 1051 pp.
Hitchcock, C. Leo and Arthur Cronquist. 1981. Flora of the Pacific Northwest, University of
Washington Press, Seattle, WA. 730 pp.
Hillcourt, William. 1970. The new field book of nature activities and hobbies. G. P. Putman's Sons,
New York, NY. 400 pp.
Hoffmann, Ralph. 1955. Birds of the Pacific States. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston,MA. 253pp.
Kaston, B. J. and Elizabeth Kaston. 1953. How to know the spiders. Wm. C. Brown Company
Publishers, Dubuque, IW. 220 pp.
Klots, Alexander B. 1960. A field guide to the butterflies of North America, east of the Great Plains.
Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, MA. 349 pp.
Lowery, George H., Jr. 1981 Louisiana birds. Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge, LA.
651 pp.
30
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Morgan, Ann H. 1930. Field book of ponds and streams: An introduction to the life of fresh water.
G. P. Putman's Sons, New York, NY. 448 pp.
Murie, Olaus, J. 1954. A field guide to animal tracks. HoughtonMifflinCon^any.Boston, MA. 374pp.
Needham, James G. and Paul R. Needham. 1974. A guide to the study of fresh-water biology. Holden-
Day, Inc. San Francisco, CA. 108 pp.
Niering, William. 1984. Wetlands: A comprehensive field guide, fully illustrated with color
photographs, to the trees, wildflowers, fishes, insects, birds, and other natural wonders of North
America's rivers, lakes, and swamps. Alfred A, Knopf, Inc., New York, NY. 638 pp.
Newcomb, Lawrence. 1977. Newcom's wildflower guide. Little, Brown & Company. New York,
NY. 490 pp.
Palmer, Ralph S. 1954. The mammal guide: Mammals of North America north of Mexico.
Doubleday & Company, Inc.. Garden City, NY. 384 pp.
Pennak, Robert W. 1978. Fresh-water invertebrates of the United States. John Wiley & Sons, New
York, NY. 803 pp.
Peterson, Roger T. and Margaret McKenny. 1968. A field guide to wildflowers of northeastern and
northcentral North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, MA. 420 pp.
Pojar, Jim and Andy MacKinnon (editors). 1994. Plants of the Pacific northwest coast: Washington,
Oregon, British Columbia & Alaska. Lone Pine Publishing, Redmond, WA. 527 pp.
Pough, Richard H. 1949. Audubon bird guide: Small land birds of eastern & central North America
from southern Texas to central Greenland. Doubleday & Company, Inc.. Garden City, NY. 312pp.
Pough, Richard H. 1957. Audubon western bird guide: Land, water and game birds. Doubleday &
Company, Inc.. Garden City, NY. 316.
Radford, Albert E., Ahles, Harry E., and C. Ritchie Bell. 1968. Manual of the vascular flora of the
Carolinas. The University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, NC. 1183 pp.
Redington, Charles B. 1994. Plants in wetlands. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, Dubuque, IW.
393 pp.
Robbins, Chandler S., Bruun, Bertel, and Herbert S. Zim. 1966. A guide to the identification of birds
of North America. Golden Press, New York, NY. 340 pp.
Shaw, Richard J. 1976. Field guide to the vascular plants of Grand Teton National Park and Teton
County, Wyoming. Utah State University Press. 301 pp.
Stebbins, Robert C. 1966. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Houghton Mifflin
Company, Boston, MA. 268 pp.
Stokes, Donald W. 1976. A guide to nature in winter: Northeast and northcentral North America.
Little, Brown & Company, Boston, MA. 374 pp.
Symonds, George W. D. 1958. The tree identification book: A new method for the practical
identification and recognition of trees. Quill, New York, NY. 272 pp.
Tiner, Ralph W., Jr. 1987. A field guide to coastal wetland plants of the northeastern United States.
The University of Massachusetts Press, Amherst, MA. 285 pp.
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Yokes, Harold E. 1957. Miocene fossils of Maryland. Bulletin 20, Maryland Geological Survey,
Baltimore, MD. 85 pp.
Wherry, Edgar T. 1948. Wild flower guide: Northeastern and midland United States. Doubleday &
Company, Inc., Garden City, NY. 202 pp.
i
Comprehensive Technical Treatments With Species-Specific Natural History Information
Bent, Arthur C. 1963. Life histories of North American marsh birds. Dover Publications, Inc., New
York, NY. 392 pp. + plates.3
Carroll, D.M. 1991. The year of the turtle: A natural history. Camden House Publishing, inc.,
Charlotte, VT. 172 pp.
Comstock, Anna B. 1929. Handbook of nature-study for teachers and parents. ComstockPublishing
Company, Ithaca, NY. 942 pp.
Cook, Fannye A. 1959. Freshwater fishes in Mississippi. Mississippi Game and Fish Commission,
Jackson, MS. 239 pp.
Fowler, Henry W. 1906. The amphibians and reptiles of New Jersey. Part II of the Annual report of
the New Jersey State Museum, p. 23-408 + plates.
Jordan, David S. and Barton W. Evermann. 1969. American food and game fishes: Apopular account
of all the species found in America north of the equator, with keys for ready identification, life
histories and methods of capture. Dover Publications, Inc. New York, NY. 574 pp.
Meanley, Brooke. 1985. The marsh hen: A natural history of the clapper rail of the Atlantic Coast
salt marsh. Tidewater Publishers, Centreville, MD. 123 pp.
Paridiso, John L. 1969. Mammals of Maryland. U.S. Dept of the Interior, Bur. of Sport Fisheries
and Wildlife North American Fauna No. 66.193 pp.
Pearson, T.Gilbert (editor). 1936. Birdsof America. Doubleday & Company, Inc., Garden City.NY.
(Part 1,272 pp.; Part H, 271 pp.; Part m, 289 pp.).
Stewart, Robert E. and Chandler S. Robbins. 1958. Birds of Maryland and the District of Columbia.
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bur. of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife North American Fauna No. 62.
386 pp.
Stone, Witmer. 1907. The mammals of New Jersey. Part JJ of the Annual Report of the New Jersey
State Museum, p. 33-211 + plates.
Stone, Witmer. 1965. Bird studies at old Cape May: An ornithology of coastal New Jersey. Dover
Publications, Inc. New York, NY. Volume I (pp. i-xliii and 1-484) and Volume n (pp. i-vii and
485-941).
Tachna, Thomas C. and Clait E. Brown (editors). 1994. Migratory shore and upland game bird
management in North America. The International Assoc. of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in
cooperation with the Fish & Wildlife Service, USDI. Allen Press, Lawrence, KA. 223 pp.
Wood, W. E. Clyde. 1940. Birds of Western Pennsylvania. University of Pittsburgh Press,
Pittsburgh, PA. 710 pp. + plates.
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Species-Specific Natural History Treatments Of A Less Technical Nature
Ball, Alice E. 1936. American land birds. Tudor Publishing Company, New York, NY. 295 pp.
Felsko, Elsa. 1956. A book of wild flowers. Thomas Yoseloff, Inc., New York, NY. 231 pp.
Glaser,JohnD. 1979. CollectingfossilsinMaryland. Educational SeriesNo. 4,Maryland Geological
Survey, Baltimore, MD. 76 pp.
House, Homer D. 1934. Wild flowers. The Macmillan Company, New York, NY. 362 pp.
Kieran, John. 1955. An introduction to nature. Hanover House, Garden City, NY. 223 pp.
Lemmon, Robert S. 1952. Our amazing birds: The little-known facts about their private lives.
Doubleday & Company, Inc., Garden City, NY. 239 pp.
McKenny, Margaret. 1954. Wildlife of the Pacific Northwest. Binfords&Mort Publishers, Portland,
OR. 299 pp.
Rickett, W. H. (editor). 1953. Wild flowers of America. Crown Publishers, Inc., New York, NY. 71
pp. + 400 plates.
Nature Encyclopedias/Nature Book Series/Related Books
Allen, Thomas B. 1974. Vanishing Wildlife of North America. The National Geographic Society,
Washington, DC. 207 pp.
Boulenger, E. G. and others. 1947. Wild life the world over. Wise & Company, Inc., New York, NY.
624 pp.
Drimmer, Frederick (editor). 1954. The animal kingdom: The strange and wonderful ways of
mammals, birds, reptiles, fishes, and insects: A new and authentic natural history of the wildlife
of the world. Volume I, mammals. Greystone Press, New York, NY. 680 pp.
Farb, Peter. 1962. The insects. Life Nature Library Series. Time Incorporated, New York, NY. 192pp.
Fisher, James, Simon,Noel, and Jack Vincent. 1969. Wildlife in danger. The Viking Press, Inc., New
York, NY. 368 pp.
Jordan, E. L. 1954. Hammond's illustrated nature book of America. C. S. Hammond and Company,
New York, NY. 319 pp.
National Audubon Society, 1965. The Audubon nature encyclopedia. Volumes 1-12. Curtis
Publishing Company, Philadelphia, PA.
Niering, William. 1966. The life of the marsh: The North American wetlands. Our Living World of
Nature Series. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, NY. 232 pp.
Reader's Digest Association. 1969. Our amazing world of nature: Its marvels & mysteries. The
Reader's Digest Association, Inc., Pleasantville, NY. 320 pp.
Russell, Franklin. 1973. The Okefenokee swamp. The American Wilderness/Time-Life Book
Series. Time-Life Books, Alexandria, VA. 184 pp.
Scheffel, Richard L. (editor) 1984. ABC's of nature: A family answer book. The Reader's Digest
Association, Inc., Pleasantville, NY. 336 pp.
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Weed, Clarence M. 1922. Butterflies worth knowing. Little Nature Library Series. Doubleday, Page
& Company, Garden City, NY. 286 pp.
Nature Books For Children
Boulton, Rudyerd. 1933. Traveling with the birds. M.T. Donohue & Company, New York, NY. 64pp.
Burgess, Thorton W. 1920. The Burgess animal book for children. Little, Brown, & Company,
Boston, MA 363 pp.
Burgess, Thorton W. 1923. The Burgess flower book for children. Little, Brown, & Company,
Boston, MA 350 pp.
Buyukmihci, Hope S. 1968. Unexpected treasure. M. Evans and Company, Inc., New York, NY.
190 pp.
Matschat, CecileH. 1938. Suwannee River: Strange green land. The Literary Guild of America, Inc.,
New York, NY. 296 pp.
North, Sterling. 1963. Rascal: A memoir of a better era. E.P. Dutton & Company, Inc. New York,
NY. 189pp.
Rawlings, Marjorie K. 1938. The Yearling. Grosset & Dunlap Publishers, New York, NY. 428 pp.
Schmidt, Karl P. 1934. Homes and habits of wild animals. M. A. Donohue & Company New York,
NY. 64 pp.
Seton, Ernest T. 1913. Wild animals at home. Grosset & Dunlap Publishers, New York, NY. 226pp.
Seton, Ernest T. 1927. The biography of a grizzly. Grosset & Dunlap Publishers, New York, NY.
167 pp.
Seton, Ernest T. 1928. Wild animal ways. Doubleday, Doran & Company, Inc., Garden City, NY.
243pp.
Sutton, Ann and Myron Sutton. 1963. Exploring with the Bartrams. E.M. Hale and Company, Eau
Claire, WI. 224 pp.
White, E. B. 1970. The trumpet of the swan. Harper & Row, Publishers, New York, NY. 210 pp.
Zapf, Marjorie A. 1967. The mystery of the great swamp. Weekly Reader Children's Book Club.
Atheneum, New York, NY. 167 pp.
1 This bibliography was compiled specifically as a handout for the Natural History and Nature Writers Workshop.
* Obviously, some of the listings could fit into one or more of these categories.
} There is a series of these books by Bent for various groups of North American birds.
34
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from the field note-book of a lad of fourteen who read Thorcan and admired
the books of Thompson-Scton.
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