LOCAL BOOKSHELF 'Wildscape: Trilling Chipmunks, Beckoning Blooms, Salty Butterflies and Other Sensory Wonders of Nature" by Nancy Lawso

Nancy Lawson's new book, "Wildscape: Trilling Chipmunks, Beckoning Blooms, Salty Butterflies, and Other Sensory Wonders of Nature," is every bit as important and engaging as her first book, "The Humane Gardener." As the natural world comes alive this spring, "Wildscape" will encourage you to observe and appreciate the living creatures with which we share our world. &emsp;The observations and research for "Wildscape" occurred during the pandemic, with Lawson weaving important scientific research with her personal narrative. Lawson writes in the opening pages, "If you treat the local environment like the homeland it's meant to be, you'll be exposed to more cultures and ideas and ways of life than if you visited with people from every country in the world." &emsp;"Wildscape" is indeed an impressive study of what you can observe in your backyard and community. Vivid photographs accompany Lawson's detailed observations. &emsp;Lawson arranged the book by the five senses. The chapters are titled The Scentscape, The Soundscape, The Tastescape, The Touchscape, and The Sightscape. She devotes each chapter to how wildlife uses these senses and how modern human lifestyles interfere with and affect these essential survival traits. In the chapter on scent, Lawson writes, "According to one study, a scent that could have been detectable to pollinators from a kilometer or more away during preindustrial times might travel less than 200 meters today." &emsp;"Wildscape" will leave you in awe of the miraculous ways animals and plants communicate with each other. Understanding how they use their senses helps us consider humans' impact on the natural world. Lawnmowers, leaf blowers, weed whackers and traffic are all examples of noise pollution Lawson touches on in the chapter on sound. She writes, "The negative effects of our human-made cacophony reverberate across the animal kingdom, affecting everyone from mollusks to mammals, and can lead to reproductive failure, an increased vulnerability to predators, and the inability to find prey or locate mates." &emsp;Not mowing down wildflowers to protect pollinators has become well-known, but Lawson's invitation to consider the effects on the senses highlights consequences we may have yet to consider or fully understand. &emsp;Lawson writes about how our good intentions can cause more harm than good. One example of this is hanging bird feeders. Lawson points out, "Artificial feeding can have untold impacts on animals and plants alike." &emsp;Reading this may feel disappointing, but there are alternatives. Lawson tells the story of a hummingbird, noting, "It's possible to view such antics up close without ever hanging a feeder, especially in a yard filled with native plants." &emsp;"Wildscape" is a lovely resource to reconsider how we interact with wildlife and how it affects both individual species and the larger ecosystem we depend on. This book will inspire you to use your senses to deeply appreciate all that nature offers without interfering or disrupting more than necessary.