LOCAL BOOKSHELF 'New England's Roadside Ecology,' by Thomas Wessels

LOCAL BOOKSHELF'New England's Roadside Ecology,' by Thomas Wessels If appreciating nature and getting outside for hikes and exploration made your New Year's resolution list this year, Thomas Wessels' book, "New England's Roadside Ecology: Explore 30 of the Region's Unique Natural Areas," will inspire you to do just that. Each New England state has its own section in the book highlighting "trail explorations that begin at a roadside stop, then take you into extraordinary natural places." &emsp;&emsp;Local author and professor emeritus from Antioch University New England, Thomas Wessels has shared so much knowledge in "New England's Roadside Ecology" in the hopes people will "forge stronger bonds with the natural world and develop a greater level of respect and stewardship — and those potential benefits outweighed the risks." The risk he worries about is the potential damage done by increased visitors. Wessels writes, "So I implore you to help protect these special places by staying on designated trails." &emsp;&emsp;Wessels includes a Features Focus section which provides "deeper explanations and additional information on common aspects of the natural areas you will find in this book and throughout New England." These include "Glacial Impact," "Great New England Hurricane of 1938," "Old Growth," "Stone Walls and Early Agriculture," and many more. Each hike will have a heading to let you know the difficulty and length of the hike and location and features focus. &emsp;&emsp;Wessels advises the best time of year to visit for many of the locations. This is often based on when certain species will be in bloom. For Rhododendron State Park, he writes, "The best time to visit this park is in early to mid-July when these large shrubs put forth a dramatic floral display." &emsp;&emsp;The book is meant to be read before visiting the sites, but it is also a good idea to bring it with you! It is the best guidebook you will ever have for identifying both where you are and what surrounds you. Wessels has included stunning and detailed photographs to help. &emsp;&emsp;Although it is an excellent guidebook, "New England's Roadside Ecology" is much more than that; it tells us how we can learn about our history by paying attention to the forests around us. It even offers glimpses of a hopeful future if we take care of these magnificent places. Andrea Farnsworth is an assistant librarian at Mt. Caesar Union Library in Swanzey, New Hampshire.