Download high-resolution image

The Urban Naturalist

How to Make the City Your Scientific Playground

Author Menno Schilthuizen

Illustrated by Jono Nussbaum

Hardcover

$32.95 US

The MIT Press

6.31"W x 9.25"H x 1.07"D (16.0 x 23.5 x 2.7 cm) | 19 oz (544 g) | 18 per carton

On sale Apr 01, 2025 | 312 Pages | 9780262049092

Sales rights: World

Add to cart Add to list Exam Copies

Nonfiction > Science & Technology

View on Edelweiss

A manifesto—and a field guide—for a new dawn of natural history, practiced by community scientists in their own urban jungle.

Imagine taking your smartphone-turned-microscope to an empty lot and discovering a rare mason bee that builds its nest in empty snail shells. Or a miniature spider that hunts ants and carries their corpses around. With a team of citizen scientists, that’s exactly what Menno Schilthuizen did—one instance in the evolutionary biologist’s campaign to take natural science to the urban landscape where most of us live today. In this delightful book, The Urban Naturalist, Schilthuizen invites us to join him, to embark on a new age of discovery, venturing out as intrepid explorers of our own urban habitat—and maybe in the process do the natural world some good.

Thanks to the open science revolution, real biological discoveries can now be made by anyone right where they live. Schilthuizen shows readers just how to go about making those discoveries, introducing them to the tools of the trade of the urban community scientist, from the tried and tested (the field notebook, the butterfly net, and the hand lens) to the newfangled (internet resources, low-tech gadgets, and off-the-shelf gizmos). But beyond technology, his book holds the promise of reviving the lost tradition of the citizen scientist—rekindling the spirit of the Victorian naturalist for the modern world.

At a time when the only nature most people get to see is urban, The Urban Naturalist demonstrates that understanding the novel ecosystems around us is our best hope for appreciating and protecting biodiversity.

"A fascinating dive into community-science projects that will surely encourage and inspire interested readers."
—Booklist

"In The Urban Naturalist, the Dutch ecologist Menno Schilthuizen invites us to explore the small natural oases found in every city...Mr. Schilthuizen points out that being in nature, even in a city, contributes to mental and physical health. You don’t have to find a new species of ant, snail or spider to succeed as an urban naturalist, but with the author’s advice and encouragement, that might happen too."
—The Wall Street Journal

“I find science fascinating, but laughing is my favorite activity. Menno presents scientific facts with his absolutely irresistible humor. Reading his book is illuminating. I laughed a lot and learned even more.”
—Isabella Rossellini, actress, filmmaker, founder of Mama Farm, author of Green Porno and My Chickens and I

“With clarity, wit, and passion, Schilthuizen celebrates the surprising biodiversity found in cities and invites readers to explore, embrace, and make it their own. The Urban Naturalist is both a journey of discovery and a call to action.”
—Thor Hanson, author of Close to Home

“From a fungi DNA lab on a Brooklyn kitchen counter to the firefly ambassadors in Kuala Lumpur, Schilthuizen’s chronicles of everyday naturalists show how anyone can unleash their own inner scientist.”
—Beth Shapiro, author of How to Clone a Mammoth and Life as We Made It

“An excellent primer for would-be citizen scientists, inspiring you to explore the unexpected biodiversity lurking in every urban corner. Schilthuizen’s writing has a poetic quality that makes this a pure delight to read!”
—Carin Bondar, author of Wild Moms

“What if everyone realized that doing citizen science in urban areas is quirky, social, and cool? Schilthuizen’s romp through these entertaining examples makes the case with elegance and passion.”
—Christopher Preston, author of Tenacious Beasts

“Menno Schilthuizen writes enthusiastically about all the ways that you can explore nature in cities and contribute to science and conservation, using both simple equipment and the increasing power of digital tools. A joy to read.”
—Richard Primack, author of Walden Warming

“As this fine book illustrates, the first step to conserving urban nature is learning to observe and appreciate it, and in the process expand our care for cities’ human and other-than-human residents. Don’t mourn, protect!”
—Richard Louv, author of Our Wild Calling and Last Child in the Woods

Menno Schilthuizen is a senior scientist at Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden and Professor of Evolution and Biodiversity at Leiden University. He is the director of a nonprofit for community science, the Taxon Foundation, and with his wife, cave biologist Iva Njunjić, he runs Taxon Expeditions, a scientific travel agency focused on discovering new species of wildlife.

Jono Nussbaum, born in London1967, studied art and design at Chelsea School of Art and Kingston University. He moved to central Italy in 2003. Inspired by a curiosity in nature and his rural surroundings, he now works as an artist, illustrator, and furniture designer.

Menno Schilthuizen View titles by Menno Schilthuizen

Jono Nussbaum View titles by Jono Nussbaum

Available for sale exclusive:

• Afghanistan

• Aland Islands

• Albania

• Algeria

• Andorra

• Angola

• Anguilla

• Antarctica

• Antigua/Barbuda

• Argentina

• Armenia

• Aruba

• Australia

• Austria

• Azerbaijan

• Bahamas

• Bahrain

• Bangladesh

• Barbados

• Belarus

• Belgium

• Belize

• Benin

• Bermuda

• Bhutan

• Bolivia

• Bonaire, Saba

• Bosnia Herzeg.

• Botswana

• Bouvet Island

• Brazil

• Brit.Ind.Oc.Ter

• Brit.Virgin Is.

• Brunei

• Bulgaria

• Burkina Faso

• Burundi

• Cambodia

• Cameroon

• Canada

• Cape Verde

• Cayman Islands

• Centr.Afr.Rep.

• Chad

• Chile

• China

• Christmas Islnd

• Cocos Islands

• Colombia

• Comoro Is.

• Congo

• Cook Islands

• Costa Rica

• Croatia

• Cuba

• Curacao

• Cyprus

• Czech Republic

• Dem. Rep. Congo

• Denmark

• Djibouti

• Dominica

• Dominican Rep.

• Ecuador

• Egypt

• El Salvador

• Equatorial Gui.

• Eritrea

• Estonia

• Ethiopia

• Falkland Islnds

• Faroe Islands

• Fiji

• Finland

• France

• Fren.Polynesia

• French Guinea

• Gabon

• Gambia

• Georgia

• Germany

• Ghana

• Gibraltar

• Greece

• Greenland

• Grenada

• Guadeloupe

• Guam

• Guatemala

• Guernsey

• Guinea Republic

• Guinea-Bissau

• Guyana

• Haiti

• Heard/McDon.Isl

• Honduras

• Hong Kong

• Hungary

• Iceland

• India

• Indonesia

• Iran

• Iraq

• Ireland

• Isle of Man

• Israel

• Italy

• Ivory Coast

• Jamaica

• Japan

• Jersey

• Jordan

• Kazakhstan

• Kenya

• Kiribati

• Kuwait

• Kyrgyzstan

• Laos

• Latvia

• Lebanon

• Lesotho

• Liberia

• Libya

• Liechtenstein

• Lithuania

• Luxembourg

• Macau

• Macedonia

• Madagascar

• Malawi

• Malaysia

• Maldives

• Mali

• Malta

• Marshall island

• Martinique

• Mauritania

• Mauritius

• Mayotte

• Mexico

• Micronesia

• Minor Outl.Ins.

• Moldavia

• Monaco

• Mongolia

• Montenegro

• Montserrat

• Morocco

• Mozambique

• Myanmar

• Namibia

• Nauru

• Nepal

• Netherlands

• New Caledonia

• New Zealand

• Nicaragua

• Niger

• Nigeria

• Niue

• Norfolk Island

• North Korea

• North Mariana

• Norway

• Oman

• Pakistan

• Palau

• Palestinian Ter

• Panama

• PapuaNewGuinea

• Paraguay

• Peru

• Philippines

• Pitcairn Islnds

• Poland

• Portugal

• Puerto Rico

• Qatar

• Reunion Island

• Romania

• Russian Fed.

• Rwanda

• S. Sandwich Ins

• Saint Martin

• Samoa,American

• San Marino

• SaoTome Princip

• Saudi Arabia

• Senegal

• Serbia

• Seychelles

• Sierra Leone

• Singapore

• Sint Maarten

• Slovakia

• Slovenia

• Solomon Islands

• Somalia

• South Africa

• South Korea

• South Sudan

• Spain

• Sri Lanka

• St Barthelemy

• St. Helena

• St. Lucia

• St. Vincent

• St.Chr.,Nevis

• St.Pier,Miquel.

• Sth Terr. Franc

• Sudan

• Suriname

• Svalbard

• Swaziland

• Sweden

• Switzerland

• Syria

• Tadschikistan

• Taiwan

• Tanzania

• Thailand

• Timor-Leste

• Togo

• Tokelau Islands

• Tonga

• Trinidad,Tobago

• Tunisia

• Turkey

• Turkmenistan

• Turks&Caicos Is

• Tuvalu

• US Virgin Is.

• USA

• Uganda

• Ukraine

• Unit.Arab Emir.

• United Kingdom

• Uruguay

• Uzbekistan

• Vanuatu

• Vatican City

• Venezuela

• Vietnam

• Wallis,Futuna

• West Saharan

• Western Samoa

• Yemen

• Zambia

• Zimbabwe

Preface
Part 1: Build Your Own Down House (We can all be Victorian naturalists now)
Chapter 1. The age of the amateur
Chapter 2. Rock vacations
Chapter 3. Darwin @home
Chapter 4. Soup kitchens for science
Chapter 5. Virtual academia
Chapter 6. On Chesil beachcombing
Chapter 7. Dead bug becomes specimen
Part 2: The City Is Your Galápagos (The urban as the naturalist’s goldmine)
Chapter 8. Hidden riches
Chapter 9. Nov. spec.
Chapter 10. Urban islands
Chapter 11. Involuntary slaughter
Chapter 12. It’s a trap!
Chapter 13. Animal architects of the Anthropocene
Chapter 14. The accidental ecosystem
Chapter 15. On the origin of urban species
Chapter 16. We are a node
Part 3: Knowledge Is Power (The urban conservationist)
Chapter 17. Speak softly and carry a big stick insect
Chapter 18. Tak kenal maka tak cinta
Chapter 19. Let it grow
Closer
Acknowledgments
Notes
References
Index

Photos

About

Praise

Author

Menno Schilthuizen View titles by Menno Schilthuizen

Jono Nussbaum View titles by Jono Nussbaum

Rights

Available for sale exclusive:

• Afghanistan

• Aland Islands

• Albania

• Algeria

• Andorra

• Angola

• Anguilla

• Antarctica

• Antigua/Barbuda

• Argentina

• Armenia

• Aruba

• Australia

• Austria

• Azerbaijan

• Bahamas

• Bahrain

• Bangladesh

• Barbados

• Belarus

• Belgium

• Belize

• Benin

• Bermuda

• Bhutan

• Bolivia

• Bonaire, Saba

• Bosnia Herzeg.

• Botswana

• Bouvet Island

• Brazil

• Brit.Ind.Oc.Ter

• Brit.Virgin Is.

• Brunei

• Bulgaria

• Burkina Faso

• Burundi

• Cambodia

• Cameroon

• Canada

• Cape Verde

• Cayman Islands

• Centr.Afr.Rep.

• Chad

• Chile

• China

• Christmas Islnd

• Cocos Islands

• Colombia

• Comoro Is.

• Congo

• Cook Islands

• Costa Rica

• Croatia

• Cuba

• Curacao

• Cyprus

• Czech Republic

• Dem. Rep. Congo

• Denmark

• Djibouti

• Dominica

• Dominican Rep.

• Ecuador

• Egypt

• El Salvador

• Equatorial Gui.

• Eritrea

• Estonia

• Ethiopia

• Falkland Islnds

• Faroe Islands

• Fiji

• Finland

• France

• Fren.Polynesia

• French Guinea

• Gabon

• Gambia

• Georgia

• Germany

• Ghana

• Gibraltar

• Greece

• Greenland

• Grenada

• Guadeloupe

• Guam

• Guatemala

• Guernsey

• Guinea Republic

• Guinea-Bissau

• Guyana

• Haiti

• Heard/McDon.Isl

• Honduras

• Hong Kong

• Hungary

• Iceland

• India

• Indonesia

• Iran

• Iraq

• Ireland

• Isle of Man

• Israel

• Italy

• Ivory Coast

• Jamaica

• Japan

• Jersey

• Jordan

• Kazakhstan

• Kenya

• Kiribati

• Kuwait

• Kyrgyzstan

• Laos

• Latvia

• Lebanon

• Lesotho

• Liberia

• Libya

• Liechtenstein

• Lithuania

• Luxembourg

• Macau

• Macedonia

• Madagascar

• Malawi

• Malaysia

• Maldives

• Mali

• Malta

• Marshall island

• Martinique

• Mauritania

• Mauritius

• Mayotte

• Mexico

• Micronesia

• Minor Outl.Ins.

• Moldavia

• Monaco

• Mongolia

• Montenegro

• Montserrat

• Morocco

• Mozambique

• Myanmar

• Namibia

• Nauru

• Nepal

• Netherlands

• New Caledonia

• New Zealand

• Nicaragua

• Niger

• Nigeria

• Niue

• Norfolk Island

• North Korea

• North Mariana

• Norway

• Oman

• Pakistan

• Palau

• Palestinian Ter

• Panama

• PapuaNewGuinea

• Paraguay

• Peru

• Philippines

• Pitcairn Islnds

• Poland

• Portugal

• Puerto Rico

• Qatar

• Reunion Island

• Romania

• Russian Fed.

• Rwanda

• S. Sandwich Ins

• Saint Martin

• Samoa,American

• San Marino

• SaoTome Princip

• Saudi Arabia

• Senegal

• Serbia

• Seychelles

• Sierra Leone

• Singapore

• Sint Maarten

• Slovakia

• Slovenia

• Solomon Islands

• Somalia

• South Africa

• South Korea

• South Sudan

• Spain

• Sri Lanka

• St Barthelemy

• St. Helena

• St. Lucia

• St. Vincent

• St.Chr.,Nevis

• St.Pier,Miquel.

• Sth Terr. Franc

• Sudan

• Suriname

• Svalbard

• Swaziland

• Sweden

• Switzerland

• Syria

• Tadschikistan

• Taiwan

• Tanzania

• Thailand

• Timor-Leste

• Togo

• Tokelau Islands

• Tonga

• Trinidad,Tobago

• Tunisia

• Turkey

• Turkmenistan

• Turks&Caicos Is

• Tuvalu

• US Virgin Is.

• USA

• Uganda

• Ukraine

• Unit.Arab Emir.

• United Kingdom

• Uruguay

• Uzbekistan

• Vanuatu

• Vatican City

• Venezuela

• Vietnam

• Wallis,Futuna

• West Saharan

• Western Samoa

• Yemen

• Zambia

• Zimbabwe

The Urban Naturalist

How to Make the City Your Scientific Playground

Photos

About

Praise

Author

Rights

Table of Contents

About International Sales USA

Penguin Random House

Sign in for more features

The Urban Naturalist

How to Make the City Your Scientific Playground

Photos

About

Praise

Author

Rights

Table of Contents

Our Mission Statement

About International Sales USA

Penguin Random House