Plants of the Pacific Northwest: From Alaska to Oregon, including British Colombia and Washington - Canadian Science Books

     Permit me to state up front that I consider this work (based on thirty years of new research) a magnum opus, a tour de force, a tome of extraordinary merit, well conceived, superbly written, meticulously researched, well designed, and executed to perfection. Few books have pleased me as much in recent years.

     A few general comments are merited before delving into the species accounts. It seems to me that the pinnacle of responsible publishing is manifest here.  "Canadian Science Books is a brand of Talk Science Communications Inc. Talk Science is a WBE Canada Certified Women Business Enterprise, a CGLCC Certified 2SLGBTQ+ owned business and a Certified Living Wage Employer." Furthermore, "We return a percentage of company profits to the original stewards of this land through South Island Reciprocity Trust."

     Respect for and recognition of the enduring contribution of Indigenous peoples is a significant theme throughout the book, and the participation of an Indigenous author, Leigh Joseph (Styawat) provides important ethnobotanical context.

     The principal authors, Jim Pojar and Andy MacKinnon, are legends in the botanical and plant sciences of their region, respected and revered, and are joined by two younger colleagues, plant taxonomist Jamie Fenneman and the aforementioned Styawat of the Squamish nation.

     The introductory notes deal with the current minefield of taxonomic changes. Thank goodness for that! This is a minefield that is no sooner cleared than it is planted with more explosives! The pace of taxonomic change is unlikely to slow down any time soon.

     The species accounts are superbly done. First there is a general statement about the taxa about to be covered, concise but instructive, acting as a guide post for what is to follow.

      In addition to a text that elucidates the species under consideration, an incredible array of full colour pictures accompanies each account. My wife, Miriam, submitted one of her photographs, featured at the top left of page 40.

     Many other photographers contributed pictures and the sheer volume is impressive, to say nothing of the high quality of the images. 

     I was happy to see the issue of foraging addressed. While it is understandable that people seek the goodness of the land, it is a simple fact that few people forage wisely or efficiently and many barely know what they are doing. Other than in the context of ancestral indigenous food-gathering, plants are better left untouched. A mushroom performing its ecosystem function in the forest is far more valuable to me than it is on my plate. And so it should be for all of us.

     No one has ever claimed that field identification of plants is easy, but this book comes as close as it is possible to making it easy. The descriptions, the pictures and the informative text synergistically come together to give you the best chance possible of correct ID.

      Here is a sad commentary on the circumstances we now face in North America. Unfair, unreasonable and unwarranted tariffs affect everything we do. It was with dismay that I saw the following statement on the website of the Royal BC Museum.

 

PLEASE NOTE Due to the US suspending the de minimis threshold with the result that all shipments now require pre-payed duties, we are unable to ship to US destinations at this time. We apologies for this inconvenience as we work through this process.

     I hope that many of our American friends will drive up over the border to get their copy. 

      The next time I visit the West Coast, Plants of the Pacific Coast will be the first thing in my backpack. My binoculars and camera will nestle alongside it. With my hiking boots on my feet all else is discretionary. 

     I will be set to go!

Plants of the Pacific Coast: From Alaska to Oregon, including British Columbia and Washington - Canadian Science Books

Jim Pojar, Andy MacKinnon, Leigh Joseph (Styawat) and Jamie Fenneman

Paperback - $34.95 CAD (Canada), $29.95 USD (USA) - ISBN 9781069158208 

1,300 photographs - 180 line drawings - 740 range maps

Publishing date: On or around 20 August, 2026