Wildlife Congregations: A Priest's Year of Gaggles, Colonies and Murders by the Salish Sea

We have been longtime allies using prayer as the backbone of our work. I encourage people to read this and see why we love and protect everything that has a spirit which we are all connected to.

Reuben George, Grandson of Chief Dan George, Tsleil Waututh First Nation

Is there a special sort of loneliness, an emptiness in the human soul, caused by our loss of engagement with massive gatherings of animals? Join Dykstra on a quest for close-up experiences of gaggles, colonies, & murders. Be forewarned, you may be inspired to do some traipsing of your own.

Lynne Quarmby, Molecular Biologist & Biochemist Author of Watermelon Snow: Science, Art, and a Lone Polar Bear

I love the playful lyricism of this book, combined with its soulful reflectivity. The words beautifully articulate a collective experience of our time: awe for the abundance and flourishing of nature, and the grief of irreparable loss. Laurel shares remarkable learnings from communing with nature, whether it be the joy of parent and child encountering 1000 sea lions, or reflecting on the loss of tens of thousands of shorebirds that we no longer see with the rapid decline of bird populations. Terms of Venery conveys a powerful message: reconnecting with diverse ecosystems can motivate us to defend them.

Brigette de Pape , Rogue Page and climate activist