OURWILDWORLD
September 2020 BBC Wildlife 89
PackawayRucksack
VesperFlights
RoyDennisis oneof
conservation’s leading lights.
He recently made headlines
for reintroducing white-
tailed eagles to the Isle of
Wight, but this achievement
was merely the latest in a
lifetime of successful reintroductions.
The return of lost species is a key element
of rewilding and this book is a reminder
that conservationists have been doing it
for decades. However, this fascinating
history is lost among a sea of details.
While no one could doubt the author’s
devotion to enlivening Britain’s depleted
nature, this book relies heavily on his
decades-old notes and diaries. Narrative
and nuance is hidden among a stream of
names, dates and measurements.
Sophie Yeo Environmental journalistA dayoutwiththekidsdoesn’tfeelright
if there’s no rucksack melded to your
back, and there’s plenty to like about
this lightweight design: it’s made from
100 per cent recycled plastic material
left over from making swim shorts; it
folds down into a pouch; and it’s
adorned in a pretty print by naturalist
and scientific illustrator Maria Sibylla
Merian. On the downside, the lack of
any structure means it’s no good for
heavy items, and there are no side
pockets for water bottles. But on my
recent holiday, it was preferable – and
more stylish– thanmy
old and battered
Berghaus.
Sarah
McPherson
HelenMacDonald
describes her latest book
as a Wunderkammer
(cabinet of wonders).
Within its pages are essays
on all kinds of curiosities:
boxing hares, mushroom
foraging, and swan upping – each held
to the light to explore our human
relationship with nature. Through
intimate stories from her life, MacDonald
powerfully conveys the personal and
spiritual truths that animals can reveal to
us. But she also takes solace in knowing
that nature is not there for our purpose;
we are just one part of an “exquisitely
complicated world”. Her insights are at
times surprising, and I finished the book
seeing the natural world, and my place
within it, afresh. CSBOOKRUCKSACK
BOOKFINISTERRE AND NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM. £40
BY HELEN MACDONALD, VINTAGE PUBLISHING, £16.99Creature t :
Oceans
FansofNatasha
Durley’sprevioustwo
CreatureFeatures
bookswillbepleased
bythismarine
additiontotheseries.
Asbefore,eachpage
groupstogether
amazingcreaturesfromaroundthe
worldthatallsharea commonbodypart
orpattern.It’sbeautifullyillustratedBY NATASHA DURLEY, BIG PICTURE PRESS, £10.99YOU Gwithbol a d b g
particularly the spread celebrating
the black-and-white species against
a fantastically pink background –
sunglasses may be required!
Whether you adore dolphins, sharks
or whales, or perhaps even the smaller
creatures, such as hermit crabs or
anemones, there’s something for
everyone. It’s a wonderful book to flick
through briefly or to pore over in depth- I seemed to notice something new
eachtimeI pickedit up!MS
OUT IN THE GARDEN
COVERING GROUND
As autumn arrives, spread
fallen leaves over flowerbeds to
provide a rich mulch as well as
additional cover and foraging
opportunities for many species.NEW BORDERS
Now is the time to plant hedges
and replace ornamental species
with native ones, such as hazel
and hawthorn, to help add to the
diversity in your garden.MINI MEADOWS
Depending on soil conditions,
you may want to sow a
wildflower meadow ready for
next spring. Find out how to
sow a mini meadow in our free
wildlife gardening magazine,
accessed via our app.O MORE CHILDREN’S NATURE BOOKS
Read our reviews: bit.ly/31x288eRestoringtheWild
BY ROY DENNIS, WILLIAM COLLINS, £18.99Merian was
a pioneering
17th-century
naturalist.