Overview

An inspiring story about what happens when 3,500 acres of land, farmed for centuries, is left to return to the wild, and about the wilder, richer future a natural landscape can bring For years Charlie Burrell and his wife, Isabella Tree, farmed Knepp Castle Estate and struggled to turn a profit. By 2000, with the farm facing bankruptcy, they decided to try something radical. They would restore Knepp's 3,500 acres to the wild. Using herds of free-roaming animals to mimic the actions of the megafauna of the past, they hoped to bring nature back to their depleted land. But what would the neighbors say, in the manicured countryside of modern England where a blade of grass out of place is considered an affront? In the face of considerable opposition the couple persisted with their experiment and soon witnessed an extraordinary change. New life flooded into Knepp, now a breeding hot spot for rare and threatened species like turtle doves, peregrine falcons, and purple emperor butterflies. The fabled English nightingale sings again. At a time of looming environmental disaster, Wilding is an inspiring story of a farm, a couple, and a community transformed. Isabella Tree's wonderful book brings together science, natural history, a fair bit of drama, and--ultimately--hope.

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9781094137032

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Reviews

This wonderfully readable book, which is partly a memoir and partly a plan of action, is an inspirational guide for how to 'rewild' a landscape...Honest, thoroughly researched, and deeply hopeful. -- Forbes The Knepp 'wilding' project is a vitally important experiment...This book tells this vital story and deserves to be widely read. -- James Rebanks, author of A Shepherd's Life The remarkable story of an astounding transformation. -- George Monbiot, author of Feral Moved me to tears several times...It is quite simply one of the best books I've ever read. -- Jeff VanderMeer, author of The Strange Bird Isabella Tree's uplifting story of discovering respect and trust in Nature so she can be helped to reflourish is the paradigm shift needed to begin to rewild the planet. -- David Suzuki, author of The Sacred Balance By bringing human emotionality to the forefront, Wilding shines a probing light on our relationship with the outdoors. -- Wall Street Journal Both a timely and important book. -- New York Review of Books A poignant, practical, and moving story of how to fix our broken land, this should be conservation's salvation; this should be its future; this is a new hope. -- Chris Packham, author of Practical Naturalist A hugely important addition to the literature of what can be done to restore soil and soul. -- The Guardian (London) A fine work of environmental literature that demands a tolerance for detail and should inspire others to follow suit. -- Kirkus Reviews A book about ecosystem building, about imagining a more beautiful abundance, more life in our lives. It's a book about the fact that it's still possible to heal what's barren or polluted and that maybe it would be richer, more joyful, and more possible than we imagine. -- CNN Wilding is one of the most exhilarating books I know. Knepp Castle is a modern marvel, a wild ancient landscape in a modern domestic country, a place filled with birds and animals leading their own independent and remarkable lives. Isabella Tree, who lives there, tells the rich, complicated story of Knepp. As a writer, Tree is both elegant and deeply informed, and the story is full of poetic awareness and scientific foundations. This story will delight anyone who's interested in nature, wildlife, and hope. -- Roxana Robinson, author of Sweetwater

Wilding is one of the most exhilarating books I know. Knepp Castle is a modern marvel, a wild ancient landscape in a modern domestic country, a place filled with birds and animals leading their own independent and remarkable lives. Isabella Tree, who lives there, tells the rich, complicated story of Knepp. As a writer, Tree is both elegant and deeply informed, and the story is full of poetic awareness and scientific foundations. This story will delight anyone who's interested in nature, wildlife, and hope. -- Roxana Robinson, author of Sweetwater A book about ecosystem building, about imagining a more beautiful abundance, more life in our lives. It's a book about the fact that it's still possible to heal what's barren or polluted and that maybe it would be richer, more joyful, and more possible than we imagine. -- CNN A fine work of environmental literature that demands a tolerance for detail and should inspire others to follow suit. -- Kirkus Reviews A hugely important addition to the literature of what can be done to restore soil and soul. -- The Guardian (London) A poignant, practical, and moving story of how to fix our broken land, this should be conservation's salvation; this should be its future; this is a new hope. -- Chris Packham, author of Practical Naturalist Both a timely and important book. -- New York Review of Books By bringing human emotionality to the forefront, Wilding shines a probing light on our relationship with the outdoors. -- Wall Street Journal Isabella Tree's uplifting story of discovering respect and trust in Nature so she can be helped to reflourish is the paradigm shift needed to begin to rewild the planet. -- David Suzuki, author of The Sacred Balance Moved me to tears several times...It is quite simply one of the best books I've ever read. -- Jeff VanderMeer, author of The Strange Bird The remarkable story of an astounding transformation. -- George Monbiot, author of Feral The Knepp 'wilding' project is a vitally important experiment...This book tells this vital story and deserves to be widely read. -- James Rebanks, author of A Shepherd's Life This wonderfully readable book, which is partly a memoir and partly a plan of action, is an inspirational guide for how to 'rewild' a landscape...Honest, thoroughly researched, and deeply hopeful. -- Forbes

Author Information

Isabella Tree is an award-winning author and travel writer, and the manager of the Knepp Wildland Project, along with her husband, Charlie. She has contributed to National Geographic, Granta, the Sunday Times, and The Observer, and her articles have been chosen for The Best American Travel Writing and Reader's Digest Today's Best Nonfiction. Tree is the author of several books, including The Living Goddess and The Bird Man. She lives in England.

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