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Field Guide to Acadia National Park
The 42,000 acres that comprise Acadia National Park include glacier-worn granite mountains, rocky cliffs, crystal blue ponds and lakes, and a dramatic coastline where waves collide spectacularly with dramatic headlands. This book describes the flora, fauna, and geology of the park, as well as a number of the prominent trails that take you in and around some of the most charming scenery in North America.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 1978
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July 19, 2022
I got this book in anticipation of a trip to Acadia National Park. I was able to read much of it before visiting, and completed it during the trip. I used it frequently while in the park.
This is a pretty good field guide. It is fairly complete, and well-organized. There may be better guides, but this is what I had, and it was helpful. Many common species are described, and often illustrated with drawings. (There are a few photos, but they were not particularly informative.) It even included a chapter on Acadia’s trails and roads. I did not notice any factual errors. I would really like to give it 3.5 stars. Three is too little, but four is a bit high. Still, I do recommend it.
HOWEVER, it could and should be improved: Although this is a “Revised Edition”, another revision is needed, and could make this a very good guide. Here are some examples of its deficiencies.
The illustrations are somewhat random. They are not necessarily with the text descriptions. For example, there is a silhouette of a white ash leaf on page 82, but white ash isn’t described until pages 86-87. At the very least, a reference within the description (“see drawing on page 82”) would have helped.
Also, not all species had illustrations. There was no obvious reason why there was a drawing of an alewife, but not of any other fish. Nor was there any reason to have two identical drawings of belted kingfishers (pages 26 AND 31)! Illustrations that clearly allow a reader to identify species would be a big improvement. Descriptions of key identifying characteristics would also help. I spent quite a bit of time flipping back and forth trying to identify several plants.
These are not deal-breakers, but I hope the author is able to publish a new edition someday. Hopefully before I return to Acadia!
This is a pretty good field guide. It is fairly complete, and well-organized. There may be better guides, but this is what I had, and it was helpful. Many common species are described, and often illustrated with drawings. (There are a few photos, but they were not particularly informative.) It even included a chapter on Acadia’s trails and roads. I did not notice any factual errors. I would really like to give it 3.5 stars. Three is too little, but four is a bit high. Still, I do recommend it.
HOWEVER, it could and should be improved: Although this is a “Revised Edition”, another revision is needed, and could make this a very good guide. Here are some examples of its deficiencies.
The illustrations are somewhat random. They are not necessarily with the text descriptions. For example, there is a silhouette of a white ash leaf on page 82, but white ash isn’t described until pages 86-87. At the very least, a reference within the description (“see drawing on page 82”) would have helped.
Also, not all species had illustrations. There was no obvious reason why there was a drawing of an alewife, but not of any other fish. Nor was there any reason to have two identical drawings of belted kingfishers (pages 26 AND 31)! Illustrations that clearly allow a reader to identify species would be a big improvement. Descriptions of key identifying characteristics would also help. I spent quite a bit of time flipping back and forth trying to identify several plants.
These are not deal-breakers, but I hope the author is able to publish a new edition someday. Hopefully before I return to Acadia!
Displaying 1 of 1 review