Concrete Botany: The Ecology of Plants in the Age of Human Disturbance

Description

Joey Santore brings his years of experience as a self-taught botanist and environmental advocate to deliver Concrete Botany, a love letter to plants and urban ecosystems. The book showcases his personal evolution from working in railroads to a passionate advocate for ecological responsibility.

What makes Santore essential is his accessibility. He writes the way he speaks: plainspoken, urban vernacular, infectious enthusiasm. He demystifies botany for everyone, whether discussing “weeds” (plants we’ve simply decided we don’t want) or his concept of “ecological fuckery”—the ways human action has altered the natural world beyond recognition. Yet he refuses despair. Instead, he highlights hope through organizations like Urban Rivers, showing how small, dedicated groups instill wonder and curiosity in urban dwellers.

Santore’s adventures through cityscapes reveal plants fighting for survival in harsh conditions. His call to action is clear: get to know your environment and develop a lasting reverence for native species. He invites readers outside to look closer, to notice the biogeography unfolding in our neighborhoods and urban waterways.

The book succeeds because Santore’s zeal is contagious: he inspires powerful advocacy through genuine curiosity. You finish Concrete Botany wanting to explore your own urban landscape and know the names of the surrounding flora. You walk away with the resolve that biodiversity loss demands our attention.