Identifying Ferns the Easy Way

Book excerpt: "Identifying Ferns the Easy Way: A Pocket Guide to Common Ferns of the Northeast" is an exquisitely illustrated and easy-to-use guide created to make fern identification more accessible than ever for nature lovers of all ages. This guide presents a unique method to explain how ferns are classified into five major groups. Then, these groupings are illustrated using fern silhouettes. Each of the 28 common ferns in this guide has descriptions which detail "Where it Grows," "Tips for Identification," "Can be Confused With" and "Interesting Notes." The terminology used in this book makes this guide extremely user-friendly. "Gardeners, hikers and naturalists all need this elegantly simple guide to the common fern species of the Northeast. The lineage of these plants is ancient, their charms immutable. These pages bring their identities into the light, a gift indeed." Roger B. Swain. Host, PBS -TV's "The Victory Garden""This guide offers a wonderful way for people to become acquainted with our common regional ferns. A simple, effective key and great illustrations make this a very user-friendly field guide."Tom Wessels, Professor Emeritus, Antioch University and author of "The Forested Landscape."Lynn Levine, began her career in 1978, as the first woman consulting forester in the Northeast. She has taken thousands of people into the forest to share her love of nature, and to spur others to feel the same. She has found that teaching about trees, tracks and, now, ferns, is one powerful way to spark and enhance that bond. Levine is the author of "Mammal Tracks and Scat: Life-Size Pocket Guide," and two children's books: "Snow Secrets" and "Is it Time, Yet?" She is co-author of "Working with Your Woodland: A Landowner's Guide" and "Mammal Tracks and Scat: Life-Size Tracking Guide." Briony Morrow-Cribbs launched her book illustrating career with two New York Times Best Sellers: "Wicked Plants: The Weed that Killed Lincoln's Mother & Other Botanical Atrocities" and "Wicked Bugs: The Louse that Conquered Napoleon's Army & Other Diabolical Insects." Briony's work includes etchings, prints and illustrations.