Wild in the City

By Brett VandenHeuvel, Executive Director —

Mike Houck and MJ Cody just released Wild in the City, Exploring the Intertwine to great acclaim this week. The book is an excellent companion for those who enjoy exploring the natural history of the Portland/Vancouver metro area.

The book features contributions by Northwest stalwarts Ursula LeGuin, Robert Michael Pyle (who was a dashing Darwin at a recent Halloween party), Robin Cody, and Kim Stafford, among others. I wrote the book’s introduction to the Lower Columbia River and I’m honored to be on the same pages as these great writers and over 100 other contributors. The editors pulled together a true team effort!

Last night, the Audubon Society of Portland, Urban Greenspaces Institute, Oregon State University Press and many contributors celebrated the book launch at Bridgeport Brewery in Portland. I had fun talking to folks who know the creeks, parks, and secret corners of the region intimately.

An Oregonian editorial celebrated the “happy coincidence” of Wild in the City’s release occurring at the same time that Portland Parks and Recreation won a prestigious gold medal from the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration. Commissioner Nick Fish announced the award at the party. Congratulations. Portlanders should be proud of all they have invested in their parks.

The Oregonian noted:

The new edition of "Wild in the City" has been greatly expanded and is more of an explicit guidebook for adventures or "rambles" on foot, by bike, canoe or kayak. The geographic lens has been widened, too. The focus is now on "Exploring the Intertwine: The Portland-Vancouver Region's Network of Parks, Trails and Natural Areas."

I love the expanded treatment of the Columbia River in the book, including descriptions of under-appreciated islands and sloughs.

Learn more about the book here and buy it at Portland Audubon’s Nature Store, Powell’s, and elsewhere. It’s a great holiday gift.

Let me know what you think. Any other good books out there that we should know about?