The winners of the 2007 National Outdoor Book Awards are given in 10 categories. The Natural History Category Winner was “Sky Time in Gray’s River: Living for Keeps in a Forgotten Place,” by well-known local author and naturalist Robert Michael Pyle (pictured above), published by Houghton Mifflin Company in Boston.

A description of the book on the NOBA Web site says: “In this beautifully designed, hand-sized volume, Robert Michael Pyle describes his life in the little, out-of-the-way village of Gray’s River in southwest Washington. He follows the lives of his neighbors – birds, butterflies, cats and people – season by season, over a 30 year period. His keen curious eye and generous whimsical spirit combine with his gifts as a writer to make a lovely meditation on one’s own back yard.”

Pyle, a professional writer since 1982, has published hundreds of papers, essays, stories and poems, and has received many awards. He is also an expert lepidopterist and lifelong conservationist.

The NOBA Foundation, Idaho State University and the Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education sponsor the awards program. The other 2007 winners may be found at National Outdoor Book Award Web site at (www.noba-web.org)