'Natural history is as much about history as it is about nature.'

So begins author Brian Parkinson's fascinating ramble along the highways and sideroads of New Zealand in search of what remains of the country's natural heritage. From Stewart Island to the kauri forests of Northland and the dunelands of Manawatu, the places visited are usually easily accessible by road. Travel routes are suggested and instructions given as to how to get to specific localities where some of our rarest birds and plant species still survie. Surprisingly, there is much to be seen from the road.