Cottongrass Summer

Roy Dennis is one of the UK's most prominent field naturalists. His approach to wildlife and conservation stems from years of experience working in the field, from climbing trees to ring osprey chicks to handling lynx kittens in Norway – and wanting to smuggle them back to Scotland. His Wildlife Foundation of 25 years’ standing is internationally recognised for its work in conservation and wildlife protection.

“I can’t think of a more important book that’s been written about British wildlife in the past 20 years … Roy Dennis [is] the UK’s pre-eminent conservationist of the past half century … he writes with such conviction, clarity, insight, depth and purpose. He understands better than anyone how times have changed … In just a sentence or two, he cuts to the quick … If you read any book about the environment this year, read this.”

• Introduction; Cottongrass; All in a name; The optimism of spring; Capercaillies and crofters’ cows; The beauty of birdsong; Too many badgers; Rewilding – ecological restoration; Cheaper food and poorer farming; The tragedy of rare flowers; Nature’s networks; Bearded vulture and a lack of carrion; Storks and people; Green J is back again; Selective land management in Abernethy Forest; The decline of swifts and martins; Caring for our planet – a minister’s responsibilities; The bonnie heather hills of Scotland; The dangers of downpours; Traditional cattle and biodiversity; Lynx kittens in my pockets; Insect Armageddon; A good day with red squirrels; Sea eagles on Sunday; The invader from the Orient; Quiet pride over red kites; Thoughts on wild red grouse; Big fish; Rabbits – here today, gone tomorrow; Let’s have a sacred mountain; Nature and the problems of tidiness; Bringing back the beaver; The ecology of changing goose numbers; Looking at a footprint and thinking, ‘Bear!'; Chance and the Wilson’s warbler; The salmon and the bear; Our place on the planet; Right trees, wrong places; Orcas and seals; Golden eagles – a new future?; Days in a real forest; The deaf birder’s bird; Giant pandas and thoughts of home; Bounty from the seas; Genes and wildlife management; The true worth of nature; New Year birding; White stoat, green grass; Always remember the bigger picture; The assassin of the night; Is the common mole a soil canary?; Why mentors matter; Ecological resilience for our grandchildren’s grandchildren; Author’s note