I have a bit of an obsession with books about nature – my bookcase is absolutely full of them. There has been a big boom in the popularity of nature writing over the last few years so most good bookshops have a nature section. I wanted to share with you a few of my favourites...
Cornerstones by Benedict MacDonald
This is my absolute favourite – Benedict is a brilliant writer and I have loved all three of his books to date. Cornerstones focuses on ‘keystone species’ – ones that have a disproportionate positive impact on their environment. There is a section on each species including lynx, whales, birds of prey and beavers and Benedict talks about how these animals have the potential to mitigate many of the challenges we are facing like climate change, flooding, drought and biodiversity loss. I learned so much reading this book and would recommend it to anyone.
Forget Me Not by Sophie Pavelle
This is a lovely book that follows Sophie’s low-carbon journey around the UK to discover species that are on the brink of disappearing forever. She includes species such as the harbour porpoise, the grey long-eared bat and the mountain hare and it is packed with the natural history of these animals as well as the challenges they face and conservation efforts to save them. It is funny and charming and well worth a read. Sophie also contributes to some excellent podcasts and has a new book coming out in May which I can’t wait to read.
Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton
I have spent the first couple of months of the year travelling between various trade shows, and this book has been my companion. It is a heartwarming memoir of the author’s experiences of rescuing an abandoned baby hare during lockdown and the unexpected relationship that develops between the two of them. What unfolds is a moving exploration of nature, freedom and the delicate balance between care and control. It is beautifully written and reminds us of the joys that can arise when we open ourselves to the natural world.
A WILDING YEAR
I am absolutely delighted to finally reveal the launch of my new book 'A Wilding Year'. 'A Wilding Year' is a personal account of our experiences of returning our farm to nature - some of the challenges we have faced and some of the incredible results we have already seen. It is both a journal and a sketchbook, and hopefully offers some insight into how my designs take shape too. All of my royalties from the book will support our ongoing nature recovery efforts on the farm, so I hope that it will make a lovely gift for nature lovers.