Over the holidays, I finished reading a book by Girvan Harrison called Nature's Way: An Introduction to Forest Ecology, 2006, Earthwood Editions: Gagetown, New Brunswick.

After reading this 189 page book my appreciation for, and knowledge of, forests has increased. While the book could be considered a general introduction to Forest Ecology, the book is particularly relevant to those living in the Maritime provinces of Canada and the North Eastern region of the U.S. (simply because the author is based in this region and the tree species mentioned are prevalent in these regions). The book does a good job of discussing many of the concepts and terms that are useful in understanding Forest Ecology. It it probably unique in the amount of time it spends trying to foster wonder about the workings of nature by asking the reader to reflect upon various interesting facts and ideas about forest flora and fauna. As an introduction to Forest Ecology I think it does the job. It covers the fundamentals and leaves you wanting to learn more about many of the topics discussed.

I would recommend "Nature's Way" as a primer for those wanting to know more about forest ecology. It is easy to read and does a good job of motivating readers to want to explore forest ecology in more detail. When I return from vacation at my in-laws, I will have a leading textbook on ecology to tackle:

Krebs, C.J. 2009. Ecology: The Experimental Analysis of Distribution and Abundance. 6th ed. Benjamin Cummings, San Francisco. 655 pp.

As a self-learner on vacation, I think it was a better choice to start my exploration of ecology in the context of "Nature's Way" because it offers some additional motivation for wanting to read Kreb's more advanced text: to better understand some of the concepts discussed and to extend my general ecological knowledge.

I am in the process now of re-reading pages and sections of the "Nature's Way" book so that on my daily nature walks (while on vacation) I can better appreciate what is going on around me. I would similarly recommend the book to those looking to enhance their experiences in forested environments.