A Natural History of the Nipomo Mesa Region

"A Natural History of the Nipomo Mesa Region"

I began by writing birdwatching guidebooks I had printed and bound at my local print shop. A Natural History of the Nipomo Mesa Region was my first, real, self-published book, thanks to a wonderful organization known as Save the Mesa, who granted me the funds to have my book printed, and the late Bill Denneen, biologist and Nipomo Mesa champion, who provided matching funds. Thanks to them, I was able to complete a five-year project consisting of in-depth research both in the library and in the field.

This simple book is the culmination of exhaustive research into university and historical archives, plus bird, plant, insect, and mammal identification field research within the pre-described area I termed, "The Nipomo Mesa Region." It is located on the Central Coast of California.

I am very proud of this book. It exemplifies the passion and commitment required to document not only a historical landscape, but a landscape that has been altered forever due to agriculture, development, climate change, and land use practices.

This book is an excellent field guide, small enough to tuck in a day pack, yet easy to read and to make notes in its margins. Readers can check out the endnotes, a book in themselves when read separately. A Natural History of the Nipomo Mesa Region