Shaping the Wild

What can one Welsh hill farm tell us about how we can help nature thrive?

In this captivating debut, conservationist David Elias explores one a hill farm in Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park and what it can show us about the realities of farming and looking after nature in this environment. As he visits throughout the seasons, he forms a deep relationship with the land and the people who have worked upon it, discovering their history and traditions, current lifestyle and thoughts on their future. He also explores the many farm’s many habitats and the wildlife that can be found upon them and shows how this has been influenced by changing farming practices over the generations.

Through lyrical prose and first-hand conversations with farmers, Elias also shows what current policies have achieved – and not achieved – and why it’s so important that we get a better understanding of the realities and challenges of farming if we are to truly going to reconcile this vital industry while also looking after nature.