A Peterson Field Guide To Eastern Forests: North America (Peterson Field Guides)

I have recommended this book, along with the Audubon equivalent, to my Basics of Ecology short course students as good background for those who are interested in having a degree of familiarity with the ecology of the eastern woodlands but not interested in delving in too deeply.. The virtues these two books have in common are broad coverage, so one does not need a separate field guide for each type of organism, and clear illustrations. The flip side of the breadth of coverage is, of course, the lack of depth for any one group.Of the two, this book is better organized and has more, and more interesting, reading material beyond the species descriptions. On the inside.back cover it also has the usual ruler found on the Peterson plant guides. Although, for my personal taste, it would be easier to use if it were on the outside, it's definitely a big plus to have it at all.As seems to be usual with current field guides, the book is reluctant to open and stay flat, probably a byproduct of the paperback format. It would be helpful for the purchaser to paperclip a string marker to use in order to get back to the desired page easily.Other reviewers have covered the structure and contents, so I won't duplicate that.The text is a bit advanced for a neophyte, but clear, friendly in tone, and well written. The illustrations are not photographs, but drawings "artistically" arranged which I am biased against. It would probably be a good idea to carry a smartphone and look up images of any species you are puzzled about.

This has come to be one of my favorite of Peterson's Field Guides. While, as has been mentioned, it is not really a guide to identification per se, there are still many wonderful pictures of forest mammals, birds, trees, shrubs, flowers, reptiles, amphibians, and more that you may come across in your travels throughout eastern woods and fields. Beyond that, however, the book serves as an excellent guide to the functioning of forest ecology, which is a vastly more complex (and ultimately more satisfying) goal than simple identification. As a teacher of ecology, I often use this book with my students as superior to our actual ecology textbook, especially when dealing with the eastern American region in specific. So for those interested in patterns and functioning in a forest ecosystem, this book is outstanding. If you are more into identifications, then this is the one field guide to take that will give a comprehensive overview of forest life. Either way, it's an excellent resource for any naturalist.

This is not an actual "in the field" type field book. It's more of a help to figure out what you're getting yourself into before you go somewhere. On that note, this is a great book and covers a lot. So much so that I wish they wrote one specific to my area so it could have more detail. The book mentions why forests came to be the way they are in different regions which is a very interesting approach.

Received this book and in BRAND NEW condition. I was a bit weary, as others have been labeled "NEW", but obviously received a "used" or older edition item / book. | Plus, I SAVED $9.00 off this book's retail price! | A great gift, for someone that loves the OUTDOORS and its adventures. | There are excellent COLOR PHOTOS and many, many, many different TOPICS covered. | Would BUY again!

Great book,covers the whole ecology of Eastern Forests. Everything from trees to mammals, birds, fish, shrubs, insects. All of it. Of course, having so much information, and being a field guide, it can only hold so much information on everything.One of my favorite Peterson Field Guides, and I own nearly every one of them for my area.

This book is a very good addition to anyone looking to further their understanding of wildlands. People seeking to understand the nature and which plants will best grow on their property or property they are considering to further wildlife habitat will appreciate the information contained in the book.For those looking to purchase property for a retreat or possible vacation area will find the information equally beneficial. Knowing which species thrive in areas frequently sustaining wildfires (when not planted as cover) can help in determining the actual long term value and whether additional steps should be taken to mitigate potential threats their homes/structures.

This is a good guide if you want an overview of the flora and fauna of the Eastern forests of North America. Not as detailed as a tree guide or bird guide, but since it contains just about everything you can imagine (fish, mammals, trees, birds, etc), it is a good start if you only want to carry one field guide.

Great well written guide, but really jam packed with information, one page can have 7 examples of leaves, a diagram of a bird with with a list of 17 body parts and descriptions of habitats. It makes for slow reading with lots of thinking trying to understand and absorb. I carry it in my pack mountain bike to a beautiful spot and read about nature as I sit in it.

While this is more of a book to read on your own then to skim through in the field, it gave a very good overview of different Eastern forests and the ecology that makes them tick. Very helpful for learning the animals you are most likely to see, and how they interact with other things in their environment.

Information is great.

worth the price markup !

Well written and easy to follow. Great pictures and loaded with information and is easy to follow. Has all the tech info as well.

Great!