Richard Carstensen & Bob Armstrong 
The Nature of Southeast Alaska 
A Guide to Plants, Animals, and Habitats

“Unlike the standard nature guides that explain how to recognize common animals,  Nature stresses the web of interrelationships that link the regional flora and fauna. This affectionate examination of some of North America’s most spectacular surviving old-growth forests will delight backpackers and armchair naturalists.” —Los Angeles Times Book Review






Everything you ever wanted to know about the flora and fauna of Southeast Alaska is contained in the third edition of this lively field guide to the natural world, from bears to banana slugs, mountains to murrelets. The authors, who are both Alaskan residents and biologists, combine scientific research with personal experiences to make a definitive field guide for residents of or visitors to Southeast Alaska. The unique features of the book include:

• In-depth information about how wildlife coexists with the environment


• Detailed discussions of mammals, birds, fish, invertebrates, fungi, and plants


• Detailed map of wilderness areas in Southeast Alaska


• More than 200 black-and-white illustrations


• A bibliography, list of common and scientific names, and an index

New to this edition:

• More than 100 new illustrations, many never before published, as well as new maps and photos


• Major expansion of sections on geology, old-growth forests, marine mammals, and amphibians


• Fifty-two new sidebars—written in the first person to give the text a more personal touch­—that describe recent findings or experiences.


• Sweeping updates and elaborations to chapter narratives—often thanks to technology unknown in 1992.

In-depth guide to Southeast Alaska’s flora and fauna; more than an identification manual,  
Nature explores how the species and habitats encountered in the woods and waters of Southeast Alaska fit into the bigger picture.

About the author

Since 1978, Rita M. O’Clair has taught a wide variety of biology courses at the University of Alaska Southeast, Juneau, where she is currently Associate Professor of Biology. She received a Ph D in zoology from the University of Washington, Seattle, in 1973. An honorary lifetime member of The Nature Conservancy, she belongs to numerous professional organizations. She has studied and photographed natural habitats around the world.