• Age: 9 to 12
• Grade: 4 to 7
• Reading age: 9 to 12

Healthy ecosystems are important to the more than eight million different species that live on Earth, including humans.

But over the centuries humans have damaged and changed the environment that we all depend on for our survival. We cut down forests, dam rivers, build cities and pollute the air, water and soil. That's where ecological restoration comes in. It aims to reverse the degradation of ecosystems, like grasslands, mountains and forests, on every continent and in every ocean. These are big goals, so everyone will need to step up!

In Taking Care of Where We Live, readers will explore restoration projects, big and small, around the world, from the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami program in Pakistan to the Green Corridors project in Colombia. They’ll also find out how to take small actions for the ecosystems in their own communities, such as learning about the land where they live and the people who lived there, planting native plants and trees and helping to remove invasive species. By putting our best human qualities together, we can repair some of the human damage to the planet and help make the its ecosystems healthy again.

The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Merrie-Ellen Wilcox is a writer and editor in Victoria, British Columbia. She is the author of What's the Buzz?: Keeping Bees in Flight, which is part of the Orca Footprints series and After Life: Ways We Think About Death, which was short-listed for both the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award and the Norma Fleck Award. When several huge Garry oak trees were cut down at the end of her street to make way for a parking lot, she became a passionate defender of the trees and the ecosystem they are parts of. She studied ecological restoration at the University of Victoria and continues to naturescape her garden.

Merrie-Ellen Wilcox's profile page

Amanda Key is an illustrator and graphic designer from Nanaimo, British Columbia. Her art centers around the natural landscape of Vancouver Island and draws from her childhood spent finding flowers, hiking trails and spotting animals. With a strong focus on observation and natural science, each design piece offers a chance to learn a bit more about her surroundings.

Amanda Key's profile page

“A key addition to the Orca Think series…Young readers will especially appreciate that many of the projects feature animals and will be inspired to take personal action after reading this book. This book is highly recommended for public and school library collections.”

Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC) Canadian Children’s Book News

“Fantastic…Stunning visualizations through photographs and illustrations, alongside easy-to-follow and engaging text, make this book accessible to a wide age range. A great addition to any collection, as it builds an influential bond between readers and nature’s call to aid in its rejuvenation.”

School Library Journal (SLJ)

“Well-written, educational and thought-provoking, Taking Care of Where We Live: Restoring Ecosystems is not only informative but also a call to action….The author’s well-balanced approach, offering both scientific and philosophical perspectives, provides much food for thought. Highly recommended.”

CM: Canadian Review of Materials