Restoration ecology / rewilding Books

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Book SynopsisA BBC Radio 4 Book of the WeekMagnificent' GuardianRemarkable A compact classic!' Bill McKibbenI learned something new and found something amazing on every page' Anthony Doerr, author of All the Light We Cannot SeeFens, bogs, swamps and marine estuaries are the earth's most desirable and dependable resources. Here, Pulitzer Prize winner Annie Proulx brings her witness and research to the vitally important role they play in preserving the environment, and their systemic destruction in the pursuit of profit. Travelling from the fens of sixteenth-century England to America's Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Fen, Bog and Swamp is both a revelatory history and an urgent plea for wetland reclamation, from one of our greatest prose stylists.A rousing call to action' EsquireSparklingly furious it has a profoundly positive message' Richard Mabey, TelegraphThis haunting tribute is a pleasure to read' Financial TimesTrade Review‘Proulx wants us to see the loss of wetlands – and to appreciate the beauty in these swampy and often stinking places. Boy, does she succeed. The prose is just magnificent, bringing to life hitherto overlooked habitats’ Guardian ‘Proulx’s book is truly peat-ish: layered, learned, feisty, wildly discursive, and most certainly “undulating, dreaming [and] philosophising”’ Richard Mabey, Telegraph ‘A haunting tribute to the world’s peatlands … Proulx’s poetic description of these places, and peat itself, is a pleasure to read’ Financial Times ‘This sobering history of our world’s rich wetlands explains the chilling ecological consequences of their destruction’ New York Times Book Review ‘An enchanting work of nature writing’ Esquire ‘Delves into the history of peatland destruction and its role in the climate crisis … Proulx uses nimble prose to knit together scientific facts, personal experiences, and literary references while deciphering the nomenclature of these three subtly diverse wetlands which collectively hold the key to human history’ Vogue ‘A fierce declaration of peat’s importance to climate stability and human survival ’ New York Review of Books ‘[Proulx’s] astute and impassioned examinations of all kinds of wetlands … show a new side of the novelist we thought we knew’ Los Angeles Times ‘So often feared, dredged and drained, swamps, bogs and fens (it turns out) are just as vital to our species’ survival on this planet as healthy forests and oceans – perhaps more so. Proulx has written a moving elegy and cri de coeur for our world’s wetlands’ Anthony Doerr, author of All the Light We Cannot See ‘Annie Proulx is, as ever, remarkable – her mind, her heart and her learning take us on an unforgettable and unflinching tour of past and present’ Bill McKibben

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Book SynopsisA BBC Radio 4 Book of the WeekA subject that could not be more important. A compact classic!' Bill McKibbenI learned something new and found something amazing on every page' Anthony Doerr, author of All the Light We Cannot SeeFrom Pulitzer Prize winner Annie Proulx whose novels are infused with her knowledge and deep concern for the earth comes an urgent and riveting history of wetlands, their ecological role and how the loss of them threatens the planet.Fens, bogs, swamps and marine estuaries are the earth's most desirable and dependable resources, and in four illuminating parts Proulx documents the emergence of their systemic destruction in the pursuit of profit and the consequent release of their stored carbon. Wide-ranging and idiosyncratic, Proulx's explanation of wetlands takes readers to the fens of sixteenth-century England, Canada's Hudson Bay Lowlands, Russia's Great Vasyugan Mire and America's Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and introduces the nineteenth-century explTrade Review‘So often feared, dredged and drained, swamps, bogs and fens (it turns out) are just as vital to our species’ survival on this planet as healthy forests and oceans – perhaps more so. Proulx has written a moving elegy and cri de coeur for our world’s wetlands. I learned something new – and found something amazing – on every page’ Anthony Doerr, author of All the Light We Cannot See ‘Talk about seeing the whole world through a single well-chosen window! Annie Proulx is, as ever, remarkable – her mind, her heart and her learning take us on an unforgettable and unflinching tour of past and present, fixed on a subject that could not be more important. A compact classic!’ Bill McKibben ‘Annie Proulx has brought nature full circle in her short history, Fen, Bog, and Swamp … We must understand and restore these vital ecosystems to protect our future’ Diana Beresford-Kroeger, author of To Speak for the Trees ‘Proulx wants us to see the loss of wetlands – and to appreciate the beauty in these swampy and often stinking places. Boy, does she succeed. The prose is just magnificent, bringing to life hitherto overlooked habitats’ Guardian ‘Annie Proulx's sparkling book Fen, Bog & Swamp will open your eyes to humanity's reckless trashing of wetlands in the name of 'improvement'’ Telegraph ‘A haunting tribute to the world’s peatlands … Proulx’s poetic description of these places, and peat itself, is a pleasure to read’ Financial Times ‘Proulx’s astute and impassioned examinations of all kinds of wetlands … show a new side of the novelist we thought we knew’ Los Angeles Times ‘An enchanting work of nature writing and a rousing call to action’ Esquire ‘Writing with her signature vitality, precision, and creativity, she crafts a galvanizing narrative … Proulx’s concern for the future of life on earth as the planet warms is acute’ Booklist

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR WRITING ON CONSERVATION''Full of joy, pathos, warmth, integrity and intrigue.'' AMY-JANE BEER''One of the most notable works of recent nature writing.'' HELEN MACDONALD''A thrilling expedition into a wild, unruly world.'' LEE SCHOFIELD ''Gently thought-provoking and beautifully written.'' LEIF BERSWEDEN''The remarkable story of Britain's wild boar.'' THE GUARDIAN''A real page-turner.'' STEPHEN MOSSAfter centuries of absence, wild boar are back in Britain. What does this mean for us and them?Big, messy and mysterious crossing paths with a wild boar can conjure fear and joy in equal measure. Driven to extinction seven hundred years ago, a combination of the species' own tenacity and illegal releases from the 1980s has seen several populations of this beast of myth begin to roam English and Scottish woods once more.With growing woTrade ReviewMagnificent. An elegant, enlivening and profoundly on-point portrait of a forgotten icon, and our struggle to reconcile ourselves to its return. Read cover to cover with absolute relish. * Amy-Jane Beer *Written with great passion and insight, Groundbreakers examines the joys and challenges that come with living alongside resurgent Wild Boar ... A timely and vital addition to the conservation writing canon. * Lee Schofield, author of Wild Fell *I've had the privilege of reading this book in advance, and I can tell you it's a gem. * Eoghan Daltun *Groundbreakers is a real page-turner, as Chantal Lyons delves back in time and forward into the future to tell the fascinating story of Britain's only truly big, fierce mammal: the wild boar. * Stephen Moss *The wild boar is lucky to have Lyons. -- Adam Weymouth * The Sunday Times *Groundbreakers is a charming and impressively balanced account that's as important for our society as rootings are to the forest floor * Leif Bersweden, author of Where the Wildflowers Grow *Deeply researched and beautifully written. -- Michael Odell * The Times *A well-researched, important, and intimate study of the frequently misunderstood wild boar. With a burgeoning human population, Lyons does not shy away from the issues of their increasing spread into our midst, writing with balance and humour, as well as concern for the future welfare of this fascinating keystone species. * Polly Pullar, author of The Horizontal Oak *A fine book about a very interesting species ... This boarish book is neither borish nor boring. * Mark Avery *Meticulously researched, carefully judged and passionately argued, in Groundbreakers Chantal Lyons unleashes a sounder of captivating prose. An unflinching book on both the challenges and triumphs of rewilding and a fascinating exploration of Britain's forests and their wildest inhabitants. * Joe Shute, author of Forecast *A fascinating, joyful study of one of the less glamorous cover stars of the rewilding movement. In this balanced and thoughtful book, we are invited to be bolder and braver in our relationship to the natural world, and not to fear change in a changing world - especially with an animal that has, until just a few centuries ago, helped engineer our collective landscape. * Tiffany Francis-Baker *A marvellous book … It is both timely and profound. * Sophie Yeo, Inkcap Journal *A delightful, page-turning, exploration of nature's resilience, that asks all the right questions about the future of natural history on these isles. * Jules Howard *Conversations about whether we should or should not have wild boar in Britain are redundant now. They're already here, and this rich and readable book goes a long way towards helping us understand our new neighbours. * Patrick Laurie *If you, like me, were unaware that “repigging” might just be the key to reviving Europe's biodiversity, then prepare to have your eyes opened by this warm and intrepid book. Groundbreakers is a charming, compulsively readable tribute to an unlikely keystone species. * Ben Goldfarb, author of Crossings and Eager *The whole hog ... Groundbreakers is rich in evocative accounts of Lyons’ own solitary, wonder-charged encounters with the elusive animals -- Rachel Aspden * The Guardian *Groundbreakers is an inspiring book on many levels. Not only did it have me rooting for the wild boar, whose return to our depleted countryside is clearly an ecological necessity; it also made me think long and hard about our relationship with the natural world and why we all need more wildness in our lives. Beautifully written, combining the authority of a serious naturalist with the poetry, humour and curiosity of a seriously gifted writer. I loved it. * Mike Unwin *Table of ContentsIntroduction PART ONE: PAST AND PRESENT Chapter 1: An End and a Beginning Chapter 2: A Wild Boar Chase Chapter 3: Guys, Dolls and Humbugs Chapter 4: Monstrous Appetites Chapter 5: Re-Pigging Chapter 6: This Is Our Land Chapter 7: The Boar People (Part I) Chapter 9: Mad About the Boar Chapter 8: The Boar People (Part II) Chapter 10: To Kill a Boar PART TWO: FUTURES Chapter 11: A Bamboche of Boar Chapter 12: Mind-Forged Fences Chapter 13: Losing Them Again Chapter 14: The Risks of Being Alive Epilogue

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'Important and empowering' - BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH 'Get this great guide and be inspired' - STEPHEN FRY 'A handbook of hope ... Buy it, read it, start changing things right now' - JOANNA LUMLEY _______________ The enormity of climate change and biodiversity loss can leave us feeling overwhelmed. How can an individual ever make a difference? Isabella Tree and Charlie Burrell know firsthand how spectacularly nature can bounce back if you give it the chance. And what comes is not just wildlife in super-abundance, but solutions to the other environmental crises we face. The Book of Wilding is a handbook for how we can all help restore nature. It is ambitious, visionary and pragmatic. The book has grown out of Isabella and Charlie’s mission to help rewild Britain, Europe and the rest of the world by sharing knowledge from their pioneering project at Knepp in Sussex. It is inspired by the requests they receive from people wanting to learn how to rewild everything from unprofitable farms, landed estates and rivers, to ponds, allotments, churchyards, urban parks, gardens, window boxes and public spaces.. The Book of Wilding has the answers. _______________ 'Brilliantly readable and incredibly hard-working' - HUGH FEARNLEY-WHITTINGSTALL 'A deep, dazzling and indispensable guide to the most important task of all: the restoration of the living planet' - GEORGE MONBIOTTrade ReviewRewilding is possibly the most important and empowering revolution to have evolved out of the conservation movement in the last hundred years. This book shares the knowledge and wisdom of that movement that we all need to better understand how we can all play our part in helping nature restore the planet * Benedict Cumberbatch *As the Roman poet Horace said, "Drive nature out with a pitchfork and she’ll come roaring back". That hopeful and demonstrably true observation lies behind the urgent optimism of this wonderful book. Rewilding works and it works fast: nature does reclaim with stunning speed and power. In The Book of Wilding Isabella Tree and Charlie Burrell take us on a fabulous adventure that demonstrates how almost every single one of us can contribute to the grand project of rewilding. Beauty, wonder and dazzling variety are the rewards for surprisingly small amounts of input and labour. Get this great guide and be inspired to go wilding yourself, no matter how small the patch of our earth you call your own * Stephen Fry *Five Years ago, Isabella Tree’s phenomenal book Wilding started a national conversation about restoring our flat-lining landscape. The Book of Wilding, co-authored with her husband Charlie Burrell, takes that conversation to the next level. It is both brilliantly readable and incredibly hard-working, offering all of us the opportunity to get involved. Let’s do it! * Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall *This is a deep, dazzling and indispensable guide to the most important task of all: the restoration of the living planet * George Monbiot *The definitive wildlife survival manual ... Visions of paradise with all the practical advice to make it * Chris Packham *One of the wisest women alive, Isabella Tree has produced a handbook of hope. Her advice is invaluable; it reaches everyone who wants to make a better world out of the mess we humans have created. Buy it, read it, start changing things right now * Joanna Lumley *What an amazing book, a profound and passionate guide to returning the land to its natural state, a must, I think, for anyone who hopes for a sustainable future * Raynor Winn *A revolutionary and realistic recipe for restoring nature, nurturing new life and filling our homes, habitats and hearts with more wild joy * Patrick Barkham *Rewilding offers new hope for our beleaguered biodiversity. Buy this inspiring book and get rewilding! * Dave Goulson *This beautifully written and lavishly illustrated book is essential reading for anyone with an interest in rewilding, landscapes or indeed nature * Tristan Gooley *Protecting the ecosystems we have left is no longer enough. Given our long delays we must actively support the regeneration of our web of life. This brilliant book tells us how * Christiana Figueres, former Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change *Rewilding has a firm place in my heart and it's great to see it presented as a possibility for everyone, regardless of where they live. This book answered all my rewilding questions. I'm inspired to give my modest garden back to nature * Lara Maiklem, author of Mudlarking *[The Book of Wilding] is an eloquent yet hard-hitting synthesis of how a little helping hand can allow nature to heal itself, resulting in astounding outcomes for wildlife, while enriching our own lives in every conceivable way. With rare honesty and thoughtful reflections, the authors share their experiences and vision for greening farmscapes and cityscapes at every scale. This book is not merely important, it is epoch-making and world-building * Dr Gabriel Hemery, author of The New Sylva *All is not lost. Nature’s capacity to heal can still overcome our tendency to disrupt and destroy. This inspiring book shows how it can be done * Eric Schlosser, author of Command and Control *This beautiful book is both highly accessible and deeply practical and does a lot to break down any idea that wilding is only for those with vast wealth and large tracts of land. It should be compulsory reading for all Master Planners, landowners and gardeners as it will become a handbook for anyone seeking to create a wilder world. I love this book because it is at once humble and expansive, spiritual (with a small s) and resolutely practical. If you know anyone owning a window box or a country estate buy them this book, it will inspire them … A Bible for a new green enlightenment * Tim Smit, co-founder of the Eden Project *A game changer for sure. Informed and visionary. Easy to digest and persuasive. Just jolly well buy this book. It's a lifetime must that's essential * Derek Gow *Just in case you’re someone who thinks that ‘rewilding is an exotic, elite activity for a few rich landowners,’ The Book of Wilding will more than set you straight on that score! It’s something very different: a way of seeing, thinking, affirming, sharing and recrafting our relationship with the natural world * Sir Jonathon Porritt, Environmentalist *We know we need Nature back, and that’s why national laws and global agreements now say it must happen. The gap between ambition and practical action is, however, vast. In The Book of Wilding Isabella Tree and Charlie Burrell make a powerful case for action and with many examples show how we can achieve Nature’s recovery from the scale of entire landscapes to small gardens, and from wild wetlands to urban centres. I thoroughly recommend [The Book of Wilding] to anyone who wants to be part of the solution to fixing our depleted world * Dr Tony Juniper CBE, Environmentalist and Chair of Natural England *A gloriously produced and carefully researched educative guide to rewilding. Full of valuable advice for all who want to help restore nature -- whether you have a country estate or a window-box on an estate, this book will help you on your rewilding journey * Dr James Canton, author of The Oak Papers *What stands out from this beautiful book is the invitation for us, as humans, to become and create the wild at whatever scale we are able. As well as being full of practical examples of what we can do in our gardens, it highlights our birth-right and responsibility as a keystone species to enhance the natural world for all other species, as well as ourselves * Frances Tophill *When it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss, rewilding restores 'a sense of agency and ambition'. With their comprehensive and timely book, the authors are passing that agency onto others * Geographical *Whether you own a window box or run a community garden, this illustrated hardback will leave you inspired and hopeful * BBC Wildlife *A giant, handsome yet incredibly accessible doorstop of a tome, The Book of Wilding works as an A-Z guide to how and why to bring nature back to the land * Caitlin Moran *

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the Saltire Society First Book of the Year Award Red kites were once Britain’s most common bird of prey. By the early 1900s they'd been wiped out in Scotland and England following centuries of ruthless persecution. When some reintroduced kites began roosting on their 1,400-acre farm at Argaty in Perthshire, Tom Bowser’s parents, Lynn and Niall, decided to turn their estate into a safe haven. They began feeding the birds and invited the world to come and see them, learn about them and fall in love with them. A Sky Full of Kites is the story of the Argaty Red Kite project, and the re-establishing of these magnificent raptors to Scotland, but it is also much more than that. Ill at ease with the traditional rural values of livestock farming, Lynn and Niall’s son Tom, who returned to work on the farm after a career in journalism, reveals his passion for nature and his desire to dedicate his family’s land to conservation.Trade Review'An inspirational real-life story' * Scots Magazine *'Imbued with the author's passion for nature, and his desire to dedicate his family's land to conservation' * The Bookseller *'This book has plenty to tell us about the birds… many of the best bits of this book are the historical references and the brief history of kites in literature and history' * Scotland on Sunday *'An environmental story that gives hope, a story of a bird that was extinct doing really well on an estate that’s trying to promote a different way of doing things' * Dundee Courier *'A wonderful book' -- Euan McIlwraith * BBC TV's Landward *'The story of how a farm was turned into a private wildlife reserve….hopefully more farmers will start to see wildlife as an asset, as this farm did' * Birdwatcher Magazine *

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Book SynopsisThe wild is waiting... Esme is annoyed and braced for boredom when she’s sent to stay with her gran for the weekend, until she discovers a terrible mistake. Cora, the abandoned kitten Gran found on the Rothiecraig Estate, is in fact a wild lynx kit and she is growing—fast! Suddenly, Esme find herself on a dangerous mission to rewild Cora, along with Callum Docherty for company, the school’s ‘bad boy’, and Shug, the worst guard dog in the world. The situation takes a terrifying turn when the children pitch their tents on a bleak Highland moor and hear wolves howling outside…

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