The go-to guide to California’s natural history, now updated with fresh insights on stewardship for a changing climate and diverse naturalist perspectives.
The California Naturalist Handbook offers a fun, science-based introduction to California’s natural history, emphasizing observation, discovery, communication, and stewardship. This accessible guidebook explores geology, native plants and animals, freshwater resources, forest and rangeland resources, conservation biology, and the effects of pressing environmental issues. Aspiring naturalists will learn how to keep a nature journal, practice participatory science, and improve ecosystem resilience.
Used statewide for the California Naturalist Program, this updated edition includes:
- Updated overview of California’s unique ecosystems and plant and animal communities
- Expanded discussions of Indigenous knowledge and stewardship
- Contributions by diverse naturalist leaders including women, Indigenous peoples, and naturalists of color
- A deeper dive into southern California’s urban and desert ecologies
- Current climate change information, including fire and forest management, drought, flooding and groundwater issues, and recognition of climate grief
- Higher quality images showing a more diverse range of habitats
Greg de Nevers is an ecologist and botanist with broad geographical experience and a love for communicating the stories of science to the public.
Deborah Stanger Edelman is a cofounder of the California Naturalist Program and has over 30 years of experience working in natural resource restoration, conservation, and education programs.
Adina Merenlender is an internationally recognized conservation biologist and Professor of Cooperative Extension in Conservation Science at the University of California, Berkeley.
"We live in a time of increasing societal disconnection from nature while the planet is undergoing tremendous loss of biodiversity and environmental change. In order to address the challenges of our times it is necessary to be aware of the natural world. The California Naturalist Handbook provides a key framework to actively engage with nature through a broad perspective."—Don Hankins, traditional cultural practitioner, and professor at California State University, Chico
"The California Naturalist Handbook expanded my love for nature and passion for conservation. As a BIPOC environmental educator, I was empowered by this book to connect knowledge, experience, and identity by advocating for diversity in outdoor spaces and sharing inclusive conservation messages. This handbook will inspire you too to connect with nature, make conservation more inclusive, and champion stewardship in underrepresented communities."—Ashley Terry, Environmental Educator, Oakland Zoo
"This book provides a toolbox for delving into the natural history of a fascinating part of the world, California. Raising awareness of and developing reverence for the interactive forces of nature elevates creativity and thoughtfulness. The process of becoming natural historians fosters in us the desire to reciprocate, based on feelings of awe towards the continuity of nature. This book is a reminder that some of the most rewarding actions we humans can take are through nature appreciation and education."—Todd Keeler-Wolf, coauthor of The Manual of California Vegetation
“The California Naturalist Handbook helps build essential naturalist skills. Whether you are a student preparing yourself for a professional career in natural science or a self-taught nature enthusiast, this book will help you look deeper, see more, understand what you find, and ask more profound questions as you explore California.”—John Muir Laws, author, naturalist, and nature journalist
“This is a dangerous book. If you start reading it, you may find yourself having the uncontrollable desire to study the insects in your backyard, examine the rocks in a local roadcut, or look for frogs along a mountain stream. This book tells you how to do such things in a clear, no-nonsense fashion. It will enable you to explain what you see to your friends and family, even if they are at first reluctant to hear you.”—Peter Moyle, author of Fishes: An Enthusiast’s Guide
"Many cities lie within biodiversity hotspots and The California Naturalist Handbook points the way to how we can observe, appreciate, and steward urban open spaces as vital areas for wildlife and people."—Christopher J. Schell, urban ecologist, father, writer, and Assistant Professor at the University of California, Berkeley
320 pp.6 x 9Illus: 72 color figures, 8 maps, 1 table
9780520412712$34.95|£30.00Paper
Sep 2025