Reviewed by annieb123 on

4 of 5 stars

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Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

New England's Roadside Ecology is a travel book highlighting 30 accessible nature areas in New England curated and presented by Thomas Wessels. Due out 14th Sept 2021 from Timber Press, it's 236 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

This is a really handy and useful book full of nature walks and natural attractions each beginning at a roadside stop. Given the difficulties of traveling the last couple years, this book will be useful for nature lovers in the area and also travelers from other areas looking for outdoor attractions which can be enjoyed far away from crowds. Trail lengths for the highlighted walks range from .5 to 4 miles (most are in the 1-2 mile range). Alongside the individual trail guides, the author provides some general info on things to look for along the trail as well as trees, plants, flowers, general trail features, man-made changes, and (importantly) a little about trail etiquette and conservation.

The hikes themselves are arranged in chapters grouped together geographically: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The number of destinations varies by state from 2 (Rhode Island) to 7 (New Hampshire & Massachusetts) for a total of 30. Each walk covers several pages and includes a title, special features, location, details, difficulty, length, and many photos with captions showing plant life to keep an eye out for and interesting sights along the way.

Four stars.The author is clearly knowledgeable and keenly interested in the subject and he does a good job of bringing these walks to a wider public.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 21 August, 2021: Finished reading
  • 21 August, 2021: Reviewed