Outdoor Conservation Book Club discussion

This book is pretty recent (I think published in 2021) but it has excellent reviews and I'm looking forward to reading it! Here's a blurb about it -

"A beloved natural historian explores how climate change is driving evolution. In  Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid, biologist Thor Hanson tells the remarkable story of how plants and animals are responding to climate change: adjusting, evolving, and sometimes dying out. Anole lizards have grown larger toe pads, to grip more tightly in frequent hurricanes. Warm waters have caused the development of Humboldt squid to alter so dramatically that fishermen mistake them for different species. Brown pelicans have moved north, and long-spined sea urchins south, to find cooler homes. And when coral reefs sicken, they leave no territory worth fighting for, so aggressive butterfly fish transform instantly into pacifists. A story of hope, resilience, and risk, Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid is natural history for readers of Bernd Heinrich, Robin Wall Kimmerer, and David Haskell. It is also a reminder of how unpredictable climate change is as it interacts with the messy lattice of life."

Finished! Overall I enjoyed it. It covers how a variety of species are adapting or moving (or both) to changing climates. Such as trees, birds, marine life, fish, etc. I thought it was maybe a little too optimistic at parts but that may be that I feel pessimistic not that it is actually overly optimistic. The final chapter brings it all together with a more sober synthesis of everything covered and a brief reminder of what we as people can do. Anyway I'm glad I read this! Also I have his book about feathers on my shelf and plan to read it soon too, Thor Hanson is an excellent communicator and science writer!

I bought this book from my local bookstore and it is proving to be a really intriguing read!

I really enjoyed this book, and thought the title was clever. He's a great science communicator, and I really appreciated how he was able to explain a complex situation with personal experiences. Also, I liked his experiments with his son, and how he was able to relay his interview with scientists into a personable experience for the reader. Very jealous of him living off an island on Washington's coast.

For everyone that's read this book or just interested in hearing the author talk, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) is hosting a conversation with Thor Hanson on Wed Aug 17! Details copied from the NCTC Facebook page -

Come join the USFWS Library on Wednesday August 17th from 3–4 pm EST, as we host a book discussion for America’s Wild Read on "Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid: A Fraught and Fascinating Biology of Climate Change" by Thor Hanson. Anyone is welcome! Please register in advance to join: http://ow.ly/R3jC50KjRYO.

Author and biologist, Thor Hanson, is a remarkable storyteller and a curious conservationist. This is a compelling story that explores ways that plants and animals are responding to climate change. Anole lizards have grown larger toe pads, to grip more tightly in frequent hurricanes. Warm waters cause the development of Humboldt squid to alter so dramatically that fishermen mistake them for different species. A story of hope, resilience, and risk that reminds us how unpredictable climate change is. But life always finds a way!

It will be an informal book club-like atmosphere where we reflect on the reading, answer discussion questions, and enjoy some time together through a conversation on conservation literature.

Poster for America’s Wild Read Summer 2022 with head and shoulders image of author and image of book cover for Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid. Graphics: Richard DeVries/USFWS

Sorry I missed it. Thanks for letting us all know.