Almost everyone loves to "get away from it all" and enjoy the beauty of nature. But too often our appreciation consists purely of seeing rather than of understanding. We have lost the ability to decipher the many clues that surround us: clues as to the history of a particular environment; clues to the animals who inhabit it, and to how they live; clues to the effect man has had on the landscape. With this book, award-winning naturalist Doug Sadler opens up this world of understanding for all of us. What should we look for in the forests, open country, wetlands, or rock formations? What can the tracks of animals tell us, both about the environment and about the animals themselves? Where should we look for the clues that will reveal the workings of the natural world to us? As Sadler says in his preface, "this book is for all those who like to enjoy the outdoors, rather than dominate it or have it rush past them; those willing to take their time to observe it, understand it, feel empathy with it."

The late Doug Sadler has written a weekly nature column in the Peterborough Examiner for thirty years, during which time he won the prestigious Kortright Award five times. He was also the recipient of the Richards Educational Award for 1986. A former President of the Federation of Ontario Naturalists, Sadler has published three previous books.

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