Exploring the Monterey Peninsula and Big Sur

Book excerpt: Jeremy Arkes gives us the nature book he wanted when he moved to the Monterey Peninsula 14 years earlier. This book provides all you need to know for hiking and appreciating nature from Monterey through Carmel and to Big Sur - one of the most pristine, abundant, and diverse ecosystems in California. With a tinge of humor, Arkes:?describes the "nature" of the trees, whales, sea otters, seals, sea lions, egrets, herons, tide-pool critters, and more?tells you how to find and recognize these species?discusses the role of some of the species in the local and global ecosystems?helps you better appreciate a walk in the forest?explains in simple terms how the Big Sur mountains and Point Lobos rocks formed ?tells you where to go to enjoy a calm or restless ocean?provides his own vivid photos of the species, the geology, and the best hikes?suggests a photographic scavenger hunt and a photo contest you can have with friends (or with kids)?fluidly weaves in how John Steinbeck, in Cannery Row, used Monterey nature as a metaphor for the harsh reality of post-Depression life.In addition, Arkes draws connections between some animal (and tree!) behaviors and human behaviors, including some of the root causes of the divisiveness and dehumanizing behavior we have witnessed recently. Making these connections helps us understand the various species better. More importantly, it could help us better understand ourselves.