Wild Isles

This beautifully illustrated overview of the wildlife of the British Isles showcases the diversity of our plant and animal life.

Wild Isles is a celebration of the wildlife found on a relatively modest collection of islands positioned at a latitude so northerly to be unattractive to many animals and plants. Despite these unpromising foundations, the islands of Britain and Ireland, together with more than 6,000 lesser islets that make up our archipelago, contain some of the most diverse, beautiful and wildlife-rich landscapes and seas on our planet.

This book will explore the fascinating relationships within and between species who make their home on our beautiful isles.

Each chapter focuses on a particular kind of wild space. Britain and Ireland are dominated by a wide variety of grasslands from lowland water meadows to upland moors, and we will see how these human-shaped, semi-natural landscapes thrum with insect, bird and mammal life. Life requires water to flourish, and streams and rivers carry freshwater through our landscape, creating unique ecosystems and interrelations within and beside these waters, which are revealed in a third section. While Britain and Ireland’s woodlands are comparatively thin on the ground compared with most of continental Europe, we will see some of the forests and trees that remain are unusually ancient and, great repositories of life. Finally, of course, we are surrounded by sea, and our position on the continental shelf before it plunges into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean gives rise to an often overlooked plenty of marine life. A glorious richness divided into five breathtaking sections.

About the Author

Patrick Barkham lives in Norfolk. He writes for the Guardian, reporting on everything from technology to children's books and their relationship with the natural world. Outside of journalism, Barkham is one of a generation of British authors who have revitalised British nature writing. His first book, The Butterfly Isles, was shortlisted for the Ondaatje prize, and his next book, Badgerlands, was hailed by Chris Packham as 'a must read for all Britain's naturalists'.