For many years I have followed the natural history observations Kelly Brenner regularly posts to her Twitter feed. Her ability not only to notice but to absolutely revel in the small details of nature that many others would easily overlook is uncanny. So when I learned that she was writing a book, needless to say I was eager for it finally to be published so I could discover more about her remarkable perceptions of the natural world.
As a naturalist who travels, I often find myself examining things that might be often overlooked, particularly in places where many people might not give them much thought. Such as case over the past few years has been trees in cities. I began to take greater notice of them a few years ago on a business trip to the U.S. city of Indianapolis, Indiana; an interest that received a significant boost when I discovered that in Nürnberg, Germany all the trees are given identifying numbers to make their care more efficient and effective.
David Lindo first came to my attention back in 2012 with his memior “The Urban Birder.” Here, I recall thinking, was a voice that was different, had something interesting to say, and certainly came from a place – both geographically as well as demographically – that was not represented in the previous literature of the bird watching community.
As the U.S. – and many other industrialized nations as well – becomes increasingly urban, questions of wildlife conservation increasingly are expanded not just to consider those animals living in the countryside but those in cities as well. From the stereotypical rat and pigeons to the now increasingly seen raccoons, skunks, and coyotes, urban wildlife is rapidly becoming a topic of wide-spread discussion.