Backcountry Press releases “Mushrooms of Cascadia,” a guide by mycologists Noah Siegel and Christian Schwarz. This 576-page book features 800 photographs and details of over 600 Pacific Northwest mushroom species, emphasizing their ecological and cultural significance. It’s designed for enthusiasts, researchers, and nature lovers, fostering appreciation for regional fungi.
Spring 2024 Virtual Class Announced
Explore the diverse sea vegetables of the Pacific Coast in a live, two-part online class on May 23 and 30, 2024. Led by environmental educator and seaweed enthusiast Allison Poklemba, this course offers detailed resources, a Sea Vegetable ID Card, and identifies various local seaweeds. Enjoy recordings at your convenience.
A note for you, Conifer Country lover
Twelve years after publishing “Conifer Country,” author and ecologist Michael Kauffmann reflects on the journey of the book and its impact. His work has led to a thriving business, Backcountry Press, and acknowledgment as a conifer ecologist. Changes in the landscape, like wildfires and climate shifts, prompted updates to the book, emphasizing the balance between appreciation and stewardship of ancient forests and rare conifers. Kauffmann encourages readers to explore and protect these natural wonders.
“New” Trillium in Northwest California
In a paper published in Madroño, Salmon Mountains wakerobin (Trillium oettingeri) has been elevated to a new species.
California’s Great Valley Vernal Pools
Vernal pools, seasonal wetlands that foster unique species, play a crucial role in preserving California’s biodiversity. “Conservation of California’s Great Valley Vernal Pool Landscapes” is the first comprehensive book focusing on vernal pool landscape conservation. It highlights threats like urbanization and invasive species and aims to inspire greater conservation efforts. The eBook is free and the paperback is available for a discounted price.
Sip the Forest: A Guide to Pacific Northwest Conifer Teas
Embark on a flavorful journey through the lush forests of the Pacific Northwest, where the evergreen trees are not only charismatic megaflora, but also ingredients for a unique tea experience.
Mount Tamalpais
“Plants of Mount Tamalpais: Including Muir Woods” is a new book from Backcountry Press that explores the unique plant biodiversity of Mount Tamalpais in the San Francisco Bay Area. Authored by Robert Steers, who has studied the region’s flora for over a decade, the book highlights the area’s remarkable plant diversity, with emphasis on its rare and endemic species.
Second Printing Sale: The Klamath Mountains
Celebrating the one-year anniversary of “The Klamath Mountains: A Natural History,” a $15 discount is being offered on its second printing.
Coming Soon from BCP
We’ve been hard at work here at Backcountry Press World Headquarters and want you to know what books we will release soon. As always, thanks for your support!
Humboldt County’s Dog Poop Problem
Nova Garwood, a seventh grader at Jacoby Creek Elementary School in Humboldt County, has a black Labrador retriever named Sunny and loves to get outside with him. But on these adventures, she started to notice a large amount of dog poop on the trails she hiked – particularly near the trailheads. She started to ask some questions….
Best Fall Hikes in Humboldt
With the shift of the California Current, rains begin to fall in Humboldt County after a summer without. This rejuvenating moisture super-charges the landscape and the living world responds in wonderful ways.
Hiking Humboldt Volume 1
The book will arrive in Humboldt the last week of August 2023 FREE eBook with paperback purchase until September 2023 Primeval forests harboring the world’s tallest trees. Sea cliffs, pristine beaches, and towering coastal sand dunes. Mountain prairies, meadows, and vistas. Rivers, lakes, lagoons, and bays. Bears, elk, seals, otters, and birds galore. And solitude […]
Backcountry Press Hat
Our NEW HAT* wants to join you for: Embroidered on a super comfy, soft-banded, foam-front trucker hat. *We hope you enjoyed our best attempt at the Backcountry Press version of a J. Crew catalog description.
California Book Award Gold Medal
ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA BOOK AWARDS The Selection Process Each year, The Commonwealth Club receives hundreds of books from California authors for award consideration. Thier dedicated jury spends several months assessing each entry, narrowing down the many submitted works to a group of finalists and finally the medalists themselves. Types of Awards The California Book Awards […]
Hiking Humboldt KIDS Released
This exciting new book, created to get kids and families outside exploring the natural wonders of Humboldt County, is now a reality. Hiking Humboldt Kids by Rees Hughes is the next book in the “Hiking Humboldt Series,” and is the result of a dynamic collaboration between Backcountry Press and First 5 Humboldt. First 5 is […]
Birds of the Klamath Mountains
The Klamath Mountains are home to vast populations of bird species. This is due to diverse habitats including riparian corridors, coniferous forests, oak woodlands, chaparral, meadows, and rocky cliffs. Over 350 bird species call the Klamath Mountains home for some portion of their life. Many of the bird species found in the Klamath Mountains are […]
Webcast: The Natural History of the Klamath Mountains
Take a journey through the biotic and abiotic wonders that define the Klamath Mountains and one of the most unique mountain ranges in North America. Ecologist and author Michael Kauffmann takes us on across the range based on his new book about the range that spans northwest California and southwest Oregon. We explore a variety […]
Greed and Destruction: Klamath Mountains Mining History
The Klamath Mountains are second to the Sierra Nevada in gold abundance in California. This abundance was, unfortunately, met by the festering greed of gold miners who lacked respect for the land and the First Peoples who resided there at the time of first contact. While there were laws for mining, the miners often disregarded […]
Cultivating Place
A Podcast Interview with Jennifer Jewell This week Jennifer Jewell, with the Cultivating Place Podcast, interviewed Michael Kauffmann and Justin Garwood. Michael and Justin have spent the better part of the last decade curating and editing a cohort of 32 additional expert contributors to a new, and really the first, comprehensive natural history of the […]
Headline Humboldt
This week on Headline Humboldt, author Michael Kauffmann is in the studio to discuss his new natural history book of the Klamath Mountains.