The Santa Barbara region is at the cusp of Northern and Southern California, where animals and plants from both areas mingle and create ecosystems of great diversity. In the first-ever comprehensive nature guide to the area, accomplished author, teacher, and Santa Barbara native Joan Easton Lentz shares her lifelong knowledge of this region renowned for its unique natural resources and legendary scenery. Taking readers on a journey from tidepools to mountain peaks and pinyon-juniper woodlands, Lentz combines lucid and evocative nature writing, including on-the-scene journal entries, with a rich array of photos and illustrations, creating a highly personal and scientific handbook. A Naturalist's Guide to the Santa Barbara Region at once deepens our understanding of the land and its array of inhabitants and inspires us to head outside.
Joan Easton Lentz is an author, teacher, and research associate at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. For over thirty-five years, she has been a serious student of the natural history of the Santa Barbara region, concentrating on its bird life. Lentz has written three books, the most recent being Introduction to Birds of the Southern California Coast (University of California Press, 2006).
"A valuable addition to the library of any naturalist interested in the Central California region."
– Fremontia
"There are few more qualified to write about the natural history of the Santa Barbara region than Joan Lentz, and certainly none more passionate. This is a book to read and page through in the easy chair, and a wonderful guide to take with you into the field. It is a gift to all of us who treasure this marvelous country, and an invitation to all those setting out to discover it."
– Karl L. Hutterer, emeritus director, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History