The book of wilding A practical guide to rewilding big and small

Award-winning nature writer Tree and conservationist Burrell inherited a large estate outside London on which they pursued the goal of converting the property into a natural environment. Working the 3,500 acres, they studied the land's native ecology--its waterways and plant species, animal life, and soil conditions--to determine the best practices that would allow these habitats to evolve with minimal human management. Careful to differentiate between the notion of rewilding, which implies restoring land to a previous condition or time span, the authors call their method of land management simply wilding to allow for a more ecumenical approach. In what deserves to be termed a definitive text, Tree and Burrell address every aspect of the wilding process, from the smallest insect nesting sites to locations suitable for populations of large mammals. Of necessity, the experiences they expertly chronicle are UK-based. However, the core principles they espouse can have nearly universal application, from hundred-acre expanses to the backyard home garden. A required resource for anyone interested in learning about, preserving, and protecting the wild.