Douglas W. Tallamy
The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of our Most Essential Native Trees by Douglas W. Tallamy explores the impact oak trees have on the natural environment.
Beginning his exploration in October, Professor Tallamy proceeds systematically, month by month, to describe the changes the oak experiences. As he takes us through the different stages of the oak’s annual cycle, he explains how the wild life supported by its bark, leaves, root system, and leaf litter experiences a corresponding change. The stage each microorganism and little critter undergoes is described in minute detail and augmented by colorful photos. Also shared is advice about planting oak trees and the best oak options for each region.
Professor Tallamy’s enthusiasm for oak trees is contagious. He enumerates the countless ways in which oak trees are essential in supporting our ecosystem while acting as efficient purifiers of water and air. Although the book is ostensibly about oaks, it is actually more concerned with the rich biodiversity the oak supports than about the oak itself. As an entomologist, Professor Tallamy’s primary focus is on the insects, caterpillars, walking sticks, birds, and spiders that rely on the oak tree for sustenance and procreation. He meticulously charts each stage each species undergoes. Although this is a perfectly legitimate undertaking, it is somewhat misleading given the title of the book.
In diction that is clear, precise, accessible, and one which thankfully avoids academic jargon, the book is educational and choke-full of fascinating information about how different species inhabiting and surrounding the oak rely on it for life and sustenance. Professor Tallamy demonstrates how all is interconnected in a web of life even though it may seldom be seen with the naked eye.
Recommended.