The Laws Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada

John Muir said that "when we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe"- My first summer in the Sierra. Even if we first go out to look at birds, we find a whole community of plants, insects, mushrooms and other organisms all interacting with each other. The Sierra Nevada hosts a rich diversity of species. This field guide allows everyone to more deeply appreciate and enjoy this treasure. As the population of California grows, it will only become more important that people understand, respect, and love this biodiversity.

I have created an easy to use, fully illustrated (2,710 original watercolor paintings), pocket size guide to over 1,700 species found in the Sierra Nevada.  The guide was rigorously field tested and reviewed by educators, naturalists, and scientists throughout the country. The final book is co-published by Heyday Books, a wonderful non-profit press in Berkeley, and the California Academy of Sciences.

Read published reviews.

Read discussions in blogs: Boingboing, Chris Blanc's Blog, Chris Coldewey Online, Jakedog, Left of the Altar, Futuratronics, Art Predator,

See the September 29th, 2007 interview on KRON TV.

See slideshow of presentation to CNPS in Monterey

See sample pages.

For high resolution page images for reproduction in magazines or reviews, please contact me by email.

To order your signed copies of the guide, contact me by email.

Sierra Birds: A hiker's guide

The draft of the bird section of the guide was so enthusiastically received (the reviewers did not want to part with their drafts) that we published it separately as a stand alone book.  It is remarkably easy to use and is now carried by everyone from environmental educators to back country rangers. 

Read published reviews. 

To order your signed copy of the guide, contact me by email.