Requested for West Virginia, read for general interest. There were times this book was sort of outside of my understanding, since I've never had land enough to think about these sorts of things. But Whyman's storytelling is both good and relatable. The first few paragraphs really spell out why returning land to itself is vitally important in a climate crisis that no one seems ready to take responsibility for on a macro level.

Thanks for the digital ARC!

This is such an important book! Okay, maybe mostly important because I also live in Virginia and I also care about restoring natives and I also don't have a clue how to do it. But I'm gonna guess that what Whyman writes about will resonate with anyone concerned about plants and the planet (which impact everything else). I enjoyed the candid, emotional side of the challenge as well as learning about methods of restoration (and mediation). Reading Bad Naturalist made me wonder if there is any other kind of 'naturalist' at this point, as we have severely befuddled our environment, sometimes unintentionally and too often with the best of intentions. Great read. I hope it finds a wide audience in Virginia and beyond. Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and offer my honest review. And thank you to the author for writing this wonderful book and sharing her journey so well.

A very enjoyable read with a lovely mix of observation ( plant, animal, human impact on the Earth) and the story of a woman batting non-native plants and other factors to encourage her corner of wilderness. In the world. I liked her writing style and the slowly evolving journey. Thank you to the author. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.