Tuleyome Book Recommendations 2022

Nate Lillge • November 9, 2021

   December 2022

Otherlands: A Journey Through Earth's Extinct Worlds


by Thomas Halliday

November 2022

Yoshi and the Ocean: A Sea Turtle's Incredible Journey Home


by Lindsay Moore


In 1997, a loggerhead turtle was rescued after enduring injury to its shell. She was given the name Yoshi by her rescuer and taken to the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town, South Africa where she spent 20 years being rehabilitated until finally scientists felt confident she could return to the sea. With the use of a tracking device, scientists were able to monitor Yoshi's remarkable journey home after so many years. Lindsay Moore's beautiful telling of this story through watercolor pictures and poetic, informative text is inspiring for kids and adults alike

This Contested Land


by McKenzie Long


McKenzie Long discusses thirteen national monuments, including Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, and the stories, controversies, and passions of each.

October 2022

The California Field Atlas


by Obi Kaufmann


Obi Kaufmann has spent years exploring the backcountry of California, striving to understand the state's many ecosystems. Through the pages of The California Field Atlas, Obi explains the wonders of the Golden State with poetic prose and colorful illustrations.

August 31, 2022

Resource Wars: The New Landscape of Global Conflict


by Michael T. Klare


International security expert Michael T. Klare argues that in the early decades of the new millennium, wars will be fought not over ideology but over access to dwindling supplies of precious natural commodities.

July 20, 2022

The Cold Canyon Fire Journals


by Robin Lee Carlson


This is Robin's first book and it details the impacts of fire on Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve - one of the area's most popular hiking spots.

June 22, 2022

The Davis Farmers Market Cookbook


by Ann M. Evans


Ann Evans is the co-founder of the Davis Farmers Market. The book includes recipes for year-round cooking from market offerings and provides information about some of the vendors

May 25, 2022

Pacific Coast Tree Finder: A Pocket Manual for Identifying Pacific Coast Trees


by Tom Watts


A handy book that easily fits in your pocket. Don't know what tree you're looking at? You will with this easy to follow, step-by-step guide!

April 27, 2022

Oaks of California


by Bruce M. Pavlik, Pamela C. Muick, Sharon G. Johnson, and Marjorie Popper


"The first book ever devoted to the state's native oaks..." This is a wonderful, detailed book about the diversity of oaks, human history with the trees, and their importance to wildlife.

March 30, 2022

The Cougar Conundrum: Sharing the World with a Successful Predator


by Mark Elbroch


Mark Elbroch, mountain lion biologist, discusses whether mountain lions are a threat to humans and domestic animals and their need for protection as they are forced to the edge of their habitat. This book provides information and advice for this wildlife modern wildlife challenge.


March 2, 2022

Gertrude's Oaks: The History & Legacy of Woodland's Urban Forest


by David L. Wilkinson


Woodland was founded as a small in the middle of a valley oak grove and given it's name by Gertrude Swain Freeman - whose husband founded the town. More information about David Wilkinson's book is available here. David will be signing books on Friday March 6 at 6 pm at Local Inspirations, 524 Main Street, Woodland.


February 2, 2022

The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees


by Douglas W. Tallamy


Oaks are very distinctive and full of stories. This book highlights the seasonal cycles of the trees and the connections they have with other living organisms - from woodpeckers to caterpillars. It also provides information about what species of oak is the best to plant in your area.


January 5, 2022

America's National Monuments: the Politics of Preservation


by Hal Rothman


Rothman investigates the history of national monuments, and follows the evolution of federal preservation which has saved many natural, cultural, and arhaeologically significant sites. In the twentieth century, national monuments tended to be behind the national park system. Laws, policies, personalities, and rivalries all affected efforts to preserve these important locations.


December 10, 2021

Sibley Birds West: Field Guide to Birds of Western North America


by David Allen Sibley


This is a comprehensive guide to birds in the western United States. Over 700 bird species found west of the Rocky Mountains are included with illustrations and maps. This is a great resource for beginner and expert birders. This comes in handy when trying to identify the millions of birds migrating through the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument region right now!



November 10, 2021

Our National Monuments: America's Hidden Gems


by QT Luong


Yes, we recommended this book a couple of weeks ago but we are excited to have been included in this wonderful book. QT Luong has assembled many wonderful pictures from 27 national monuments, including Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument! The book was published yesterday, November 9! Head to the website to get your own copy!


October 27, 2021

Our National Monuments: America's Hidden Gems


by QT Luong


This book showcases 27 national monuments - including Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument - with beautiful photographs and highlights the importance, significance, and wonder of the monuments. The author hiked and camped in the 22 land-based national monuments that were subject to the 2017 executive order questioning the designation of 27 national monuments. The book includes maps, descriptions of the author's explorations and highlights of the monuments. The book, set to be published November 2, is now available for pre-order via QT Luong's blog and Amazon.



September 29, 2021

The Largest Avian Radiation


by Jon Fjeldsa, Les Christidis, and Per G.P. Ericson (Editors)


This book explains how DNA has been used to complete a tree of life for the 6,200 perching bird species, which are 60% of all birds. It discusses how the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs had less of an impact on the southern hemisphere and therefore, the perching birds we see today can be traced back to that hemisphere.

by Robin Wall Kimmerer


GatheringMoss is a beautifully written mix of science and personal reflection that invites readers to explore and learn from the elegantly simple lives of mosses. Robin Wall Kimmerer shares a series of linked personal essays that lead readers to an understanding of how mosses live and how their lives are intertwined with the lives of countless other beings, as well as what these fascinating organisms have to teach us.

RECENT ARTICLES

By Nate Lillge August 6, 2025
Bill Grabert is stepping down from his position as treasurer on Tuleyome’s volunteer Board of Directors – we thank him for his many years of service! Bill first joined Tuleyome as a staff member in 2016. His nature-based teaching influenced many youth over the years with school field trips throughout the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument region, from Redbud Trail to Conaway Ranch. As part of Tuleyome’s team of instructors for the California Certified Naturalist program, Bill inspired adults to care for the region. His love of the area began as soon as he graduated from college and began working as a geologist in Lake County. Bill has devoted his diverse knowledge and skillset to care for, steward, and enjoy California’s northern Inner Coast Range Mountains for many years. He will be missed on the Board but we look forward to seeing him on the trails! -Nate Lillge (Adventures and Engagement Director)  and Lyndsay Dawkins (Volunteer Tuleyome Board President)
By Bryan Pride August 6, 2025
Fifty-eight and a half million acres of America's wildest forests have been protected for nearly 25 years by the Roadless Rule, a conservation cornerstone that could soon disappear. Established in 2001, the Roadless Area Conservation Rule (RACR) , more commonly known as the Roadless Rule, designated "Inventoried Roadless Areas" (IRAs) across our nation's forests, prohibiting new roads from being built. Now, USDA Secretary Rollins wants to rescind it . From Alaska to California, the losses from this rollback would be massive. In Alaska, 92% of the Tongass National Forest could lose protection, threatening one of the world's most pristine ecosystems and the indigenous communities who call it home. California would lose protections across 4.4 million acres spanning 21 national forests , which has the potential to impact treasured places like Inyo, Shasta-Trinity, and the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument. Rule Born from Necessity, Not Ideology The Roadless Rule traces back to 1998, when U.S. Forest Service Chief Mike Dombeck saw the agency's vast road system as a major environmental and fiscal problem . To put this in perspective: the Forest Service maintains eight times more miles of road than the Interstate Highway System. The agency had too many roads to properly maintain for safety and environmental purposes, with poorly maintained roads contributing to erosion and other harms across national forests. The road maintenance backlog had ballooned to $8.4 billion while the agency received only 20% of the funding needed to maintain roads to environmental and safety standards. Dombeck proposed a moratorium on road construction in undeveloped forest areas across most of the National Forest System. The agency adopted an 18-month moratorium in February 1999 pending completion of an overall road management plan. Later that year, the agency undertook a rule making process to provide long-term administrative protection for roadless areas. The Forest Service conducted an extensive public involvement process that produced 1.7 million comments , with the majority favoring a strong national policy protecting roadless areas. The resulting Roadless Rule was not and is still not a blanket ban: it makes exceptions to allow access to non-federal land inholdings and pre-existing mineral leases, and allows logging to reduce fire risk, improve habitat or aid in the recovery of endangered species. What began as a fiscally prudent solution to an unwieldy road network became a cornerstone of forest conservation, one that Americans overwhelmingly supported then and continue to support today. The Administration's Claims vs. Reality According to USDA Secretary Rollins , the rule is “overly restrictive”, hinders fire prevention and responsible timber production, therefore the Rule poses “real harm to millions of acres of our national forests.” Rollins linked rescinding the Rule with Presidential Executive Order 14192, "Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation .” The reality is different. Rollins' claim ignores what's actually at stake. Roadless areas are essential ecosystems that provide clean air and water while keeping wilderness intact. They also serve as critical refuges for wildlife; 57% of America's most vulnerable species depend on roadless areas for habitat. For the 156 million Americans who visit national forests annually, these areas offer irreplaceable backcountry recreation experiences. Most strikingly, the administration's fire prevention argument is backwards. Scientific research reveals that 88% of wildfires are human-caused , and 95% of these fires start within half a mile of a road. Areas closest to roads experience 53% more fires than would occur by random chance. Less than 3% of wildfires start in wilderness areas more than a mile from roads. This research indicates that more roads through our forests are more likely to increase fires and would outweigh the effects of improving fire containment. While the administration claims roads improve fire response, fire management teams consistently identify inadequate resources and personnel shortages, not roads , as the primary barriers to effective wildfire management . Rather than building roads that increase fire risk, fire management experts advocate for investing in cultural and prescribed burns, fire mitigation and forest restoration, proven approaches that are underfunded but key to preventing future fires and reducing fire magnitude. What's Next? Rescinding the Roadless Rule will require a public comment period that has yet to be announced. This is when we can all share our views. Tuleyome will be following this issue closely and will be commenting. For more information on the Roadless Rule and how to participate in the public comment process or other advocacy opportunities, contact B ryan Pr ide .
By Kristie Ehrhardt August 6, 2025
The short answer is honestly, pretty much anywhere! Because the 344,476 acre Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument (the Monument) is located in the rural areas of Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Solano and Yolo counties you will have a great view of the dark night sky, free from urban light pollution from virtually anywhere within its boundaries! The Monument is an easy drive from not only the metropolitan Sacramento area but also from the San Francisco Bay Area as well as the North Bay communities making it an easy day trip. If you’re here especially for the Perseid meteor shower though it might be a very long day since best viewing happens between the hours of midnight and early morning. If you’re adventurous and up for an all-nighter, be certain to pack plenty of water and snacks and be sure to pull over only where it is safe and you’re not blocking a road, especially when it’s dark. Also always keep safety in mind and look out for wildlife as the Monument is home to black bears, mountain lions, coyotes, tule elk and bobcats that may be traveling through the area as well. If you’d like to stay a night (or several), there are multiple developed campgrounds to choose from inside the Monument boundaries. If you’re up camping, check out The Blue Oaks Campground, Indian Valley Campground, Hunting Creek Campground, Deer Valley Campground, Lower Nye Campground, West Crocket Campground or Kowalski Camping area just to name a few of the sites available for overnight stays. Before you go though, please do check with the United States Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management websites for details on the particular camping area you’re interested in as well as current conditions, requirements and fire restrictions. The Monument also offers primitive camping in the three wilderness areas located within the Monument boundaries. Cache Creek Wilderness, Cedar Roughs Wilderness and Snow Mountain Wilderness present nearly unlimited opportunities for dispersed camping or backcountry camping (areas located outside of designated campgrounds). Although camping is allowed and encouraged, these areas have no amenities such as tables, toilets, available water or waste removal and require you to pack out all trash and waste. There are no motorized vehicles allowed within Wilderness areas and they provide places for deep solitude with nature. Camping in Wilderness areas or other dispersed camping areas require visitors to understand and follow the Leave No Trace principles of outdoor recreating as well as planning ahead and knowing the area and what to pack. That said, other than the trees potentially blocking some of the night sky, you’re sure to avoid urban light pollution and have an unobstructed view of the night sky from practically anywhere within the Monument! -Kristie Ehrhardt ( kehrhardt@tuleyome.org ) Tuleyome Land Conservation Program Manager