BERKELEY, CA – May 23, 2003 – The University of California Press is pleased to announce a major publishing initiative to re-launch the popular California Natural History Guides, one of its oldest and largest series. Under the reinvigorated publishing program, the Press will systematically revise and update older volumes in the series, with designs that include substantially more illustrations and color. The rate at which new books in the series are published will also be dramatically increased.

California Natural History Guides—with lively writing, vibrant color photography, and informative maps and drawings—are the definitive resource for exploring the state’s spectacular landscape and wildlife. From Sharks, Rays, and Chimaeras of California to Introduction to California Mountain Wildflowers and Weather of the San Francisco Bay Region, the series has explored virtually every aspect of natural California.

Originally launched in 1959, the series was the brainchild of the Press’s long-time director August Frugé and entomologist Robert Usinger of the UC Berkeley faculty. Arthur C. Smith of California State University, Hayward, was the first general editor of the series, vigorously acquiring and promoting the books until his death in 1999. In the early 60s, the only natural history guides written for general audiences were national series from East Coast publishers, in which California specimens were inadequately represented. State residents, many of whom had moved from other regions of the country during the post-war population boom in California, were frustrated in their desire to learn more about the abundant natural resources of their new home. Frugé and Usinger conceived a series of accessible yet scientifically accurate guides that would “foster an understanding and enthusiasm, among a broad range of readers, of the flora, fauna, and natural features of California and of the ecological interrelationships of species, communities, and habitats,� in the words of the series mission statement.

“While most of the authors have some sort of academic connection, the Nature Guides have always been done by people who like to get their feet wet and see what’s happening out in the world—field naturalists rather than the kind of biologists who tend to stay in their labs,� states Ernest Callenbach, series editor during the 1980s. The Guides found a ready audience among outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers of all kinds and have done much to help Californians appreciate the natural world and understand the necessity of protecting it.

California Natural History Guides have been continuously published over the past four decades. A total of sixty-three volumes have been issued to date, of which forty-two remain in print today. In latter years the series has moved away from the original field guide format into more in-depth books designed for armchair reading. The new publication program will actively acquire new field guides once again and offer four sub-sets that reflect the full breadth of the series over the decades:

· Introductory Guides are short, selective and accessibly written for a wide general audience. Less comprehensive, these books will include only the most common and spectacular species. (4-1/2 x 7-1/4, 175-250 pages, 100-200 full-color illustrations and 100-200 b&w illustrations, retail prices $17.95 - $19.95 paperback)

· Field Guides, also intended for use as “glove compartment� guides, will be more comprehensive and technical than the Introductory Guides but still intended for use by general readers, amateur naturalists, and students. (4-1/2 x 7-1/4, average 450 pages, 50 - 200 full-color and 100 - 400 b&w illustrations, retail prices $17.95 - $35.00 paperback)

· Regional Guides are similar to Field Guides but the content covers a geographic area, which produces a less comprehensive treatment of only the most common species of animal and plant groups. (4-1/2 x 7-1/4, average 450 pages, 50 - 200 full-color and 100 - 400 b&w illustrations, retail prices $17.95 - $29.95 paperback)

· Companions are more comprehensive treatments designed for armchair reading rather than field use. (Variable trim sizes and page counts, 50 – 100 full-color and 100 - 400 b&w illustrations, retail prices $15.95 - $35.00 paperback)


Ten books, four revised editions and six new titles, are scheduled for publication this spring. All guides are published in simultaneous paperback and hardcover editions. The re-launch project also includes the development of an electronic publishing component and a dedicated marketing campaign, including in-store display fixtures for bookstores.


“As a public university, the University of California has a mandate to reach beyond its students and faculty to serve the larger community of the state’s residents. The re-launch of the California Natural History Guides is evidence of our strong commitment to publishing works that will appeal to all Californians. The Guides have a long and respected history at the Press, and we are pleased to be bringing them up to date for a contemporary audience,� declares the Director of UC Press, Lynne Withey.

California Natural History Guides General Editors Phyllis M. Faber is a biologist by training and was the long-time Vice President of Publications and editor of Fremontia for the California Native Plant Society. Faber is a fellow of CNPS, a California Coastal Commissioner, and a founder of the Marin Agricultural Land Trust. Bruce M. Pavlik is a Professor of Biology at Mills College (Oakland, CA), Director of the Joseph McInnis Memorial Botanical Garden, and past Vice President of the California Native Plant Society.



Additional Media Contact:

Kathlene Carney
(707) 765-1234
kathlene@carneypr.com