Wilderness on the Doorstep: Discovering Nature in Stanley Park

Ann Turner, formerly the financial and budget manager of the University
of British Columbia Library, is a freelance writer.

This beautifully illustrated backpack-size guide updates the 1988
publication The Natural History of Stanley Park, which was also compiled
by the Vancouver Natural History Society. The contributing authors and
photographers bring expertise in their special fields of study as well
as intimate personal knowledge of the park. Intended for both casual and
regular visitors, the guide introduces the highlights of the park
through four popular walks: Seawall, Beaver Lake, Lost Lagoon, and the
Forest Trails. Later chapters on particular groups of natural life
elaborate on the trees, mosses, fungi, birds, mammals, insects,
amphibians and reptiles, marine life, and geological features of the
park. Information includes tables of common and botanical names,
distinguishing features, and where they may be found. Coloured
photographs and carefully detailed descriptions aid identification. The
text is conversational and helpful, like an experienced guide
accompanying a group of interested students, anticipating questions and
providing background information in the context of examples. Readers can
spend many happy hours with this guidebook, seeking out and appreciating
the less-obvious wonders Stanley Park has to offer.