David B. Williams and Lyanda Lynn Haupt

From awe-inspiring volcanoes to otherworldly glaciers, the Pacific Northwest is a place made up of wildlife, plants, geology, Indigenous history, and the conservation efforts of so many. Two local writers and naturalists, David B. Williams, author of In the Range of Fire and Ice, and Lyanda Lynn Haupt, author of Among the Birds, celebrate everything wild about this special region.

With stories from his book, In the Range of Fire and Ice: A Human and Natural History of Washington’s Cascades, Williams creates a portrait of one of North America’s most dynamic landscapes. Blending human and natural history, he explores traditional Indigenous huckleberry harvesting grounds, ancient footpaths to erupting volcanoes, shifting glaciers, and forgotten mining camps. His research on the stewardship of this land, like the return of wolverines and wolves and the rebirth of Mount St. Helens, offers examples of resilience and hope in the face of climate change.

Lyanda Lynn Haupt turns to the unique birds of the PNW to highlight these protection efforts. Drawing from her book, Among the Birds: Field Notes from Cascadia, Haupt shares personal reflections on more than 70 Pacific Northwest birds, creating a portrait of natural history that focuses on conservation. Haupt connects with the daily life outdoors by taking a closer look at habits, habitats, and whimsical quirks of birds such as Steller’s Jay, Anna’s Hummingbird, Merlin, Black Oystercatcher, and many more.

Much like you’d encounter the land and its wild inhabitants on a mountain trail, windy shoreline, or even in a Seattle neighborhood, the work of Williams and Haupt highlights the vast connections we have in the Pacific Northwest, and the role we play in caring for the wild lives that thrive alongside us.