Let nature be, authors urge

0 Comments | Philadelphia Inquirer, The, June, 2006 | by AKRON BEACON JOURNAL

Andy and Sally Wasowski's idea of the perfect yard has nothing to do with groomed lawns and sculpted hedges. The Wasowskis are advocates of preserving natural lands, the topic of their new book, Building Within Nature: A Guide for Home Owners, Contractors, and Architects (University of Minnesota Press, $24.95.)

Andy Wasowski, a freelance writer and photographer, and Sally Wasowski, a landscape designer and authority on native flora, build a case in the book for leaving nature as undisturbed as possible when buildings are constructed. Such preservation, they maintain, is as good for us as it is for the environment: It puts us in closer contact with nature and greatly reduces the work and expense required to maintain a typical yard.

The book is largely devoted to...