Author: Camu, Basil

Published by Leaf & Limb, 2024.

This is a review of a book which you can download for free. Basil Camu has offered his new book, “From Wasteland to Wonder: Easy Ways We Can Help Heal Earth in the Sub/Urban Landscape” for free through his website as an act of reciprocity to the Earth. His goal is to spread knowledge so others can participate and we can help restore Earth.

I purchased the hardbound book (which is sold at cost plus shipping) and enjoyed his clear, communicative writing style. Without belaboring too many specifics and using too much scientific jargon, his explanation of soil structure, carbon, and how our atmosphere is being destroyed, is written in a straightforward manner. I’m not one to explain science well but after reading Camu’s chapters, I would feel a lot more confident being able to explain it to someone else.

Camu is an arborist and has a company servicing trees but his intentions for recommending trees to plant is for their benefits. They have carbon sinking potential, ease in care, and serve as a habitat for wildlife. Camu recommends trees native to your locality for their adaptation and ease in obtaining seeds.

One of the eye-opening aspects I came across was Camu’s expertise in urban and suburban trees compared to forests. He believes that the strength of multiple trees found in groupings such as those found in a forest, would benefit trees to grow deeper roots and would hold each other up with their intermingling root system. The issues homeowners find with singular trees is the amount of effort placed without the strength of many trees and the canopy shade to retain help retain moisture.

Should you have to care for an individual tree on your property, Camu provides information on how to mulch, how to prune, and the type of correct cuts to make with pictures and step-by-step instructions.

Camu also includes step by step instructions on how to replace lawns with wildflower meadows including solarizing and mowing and recounting the steps that failed on his meadow planting trials. He also discuses how much seed is needed and the maintenance required.

Throughout the book, there are QR codes that will take you further into a topic. I read the book without viewing any of the codes and found the book to have sufficient information. I would put this book in the category of informative with some how-to instructions. I viewed some of the QR codes afterwards and they are linked to working sites, some you tube videos by other resources, and some from his own company, Leaf and Limb.

Reading this book, you will come across a chapter which discusses his non-profit group and request for contribution. While I am not too familiar with this sort of casual request from a book, he also shared this book and knowledge with little or no charge and keeps a tone of community outreach. And by being self-published, he has a certain amount of freedom to do as he pleases such as inserting QR codes. With beautiful pictures and a price tag that almost anyone can afford, this book is worth a look.