The Nature of Oaks (The Book)

 

A new book by Douglas Tallamy has been released; it should be no surprise to anyone who has seen his presentations that it is in praise and support of perhaps his favorite plant: our native oaks. In this book, The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees, he uses a white oak (Quercus alba) in his yard to illustrate a month-by-month stroll through the year. This monthly profile describes what is happening with the oak and, even more importantly, how it is supporting the local ecosystem throughout the entire year.

It starts with October (cute reason why noted in the prologue) with acorns (which are falling in October). Each chapter is a folksy walk through one or more stories related to the month’s focus. In this one: planting acorns (including how he planted this one), producing acorns, and moving acorns (wildlife). November continues with the acorn focus but adds in the fascinating story of acorn weevils as well as two other insects that use acorns.

Acorn weevil larvae

White oak acorns with weevil hole

As so it goes: each chapter focusing on a seasonal aspect of the oak, how it looks (photo for each month), who it’s feeding/supporting. January, in particular, offers not only an insight into how birds use it (even when it’s dormant in the winter) but then branches into the wider discussions on what birds eat and how insects are made.

I like how some chapters serve as less obvious lessons for the benefits of having an oak. March, for example, talks about the benefit of leaf litter. August covers some the ecosystem services like rainwater absorption and carbon sequestration. Other chapters teach new things – like April’s dive into oak galls (I’ve seen at least 4 different kinds in my yard).

In fact, this book is – to a large extent – a parade of entomological details about the incredible diversity of insects supported by plants in general and oaks in particular. It is the perfect book for an entomologist who loves oaks to write.

What is the best oak for you to cultivate? One that is regionally appropriate! Tallamy provides good resources at the end of the book for determining what species are native for each state.

Quercus alba is a dominant one in my area but there are many others