PHILADELPHIA — Like many people during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mike Weilbacher was itching to just get out and take long walks in natural areas, state parks, and preserves.
But unlike most, his trips became the core of a book: "Wild Philly," published recently by Timber Press.
The 366-page guidebook by Weilbacher, well-known in the area as director of the Schuylkill Environmental Education Center, contains 250 photographs and 25 maps. It includes chapters on the region's natural history, 101 of its most unique flora and fauna, and 25 field trips, as well as four bonus trips. The book has details on the city's history, native peoples, surrounding geology, forests, and threats to nature.
