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Driven grouse shooting, where flocks of Red Grouse are chased by lines of beaters so that they fly over lines of 'guns' that shoot the fast-flying birds, is a peculiarly British fieldsport. It is also peculiarly British in that it is deeply rooted in the British class system. This multi-million pound business dominates the hills of the north of England - the Pennines, the North Yorkshire Moors, the Cheviots - and throughout Scotland. Grouse shooting is big business. VERY big business And backed by powerful, wealthy lobbying groups, its tendrils run throughout British society. Inglorious makes the case for banning driven grouse shooting. The facts and arguments are presented fairly but the au...
Ecology is the science of ecosystems, of habitats, of our world and its future. In the latest New Naturalist, ecologist David M. Wilkinson explains key ideas of this crucial branch of science, using Britain’s ecosystems to illustrate each point.
Devoted to birds and wildlife since childhood, Mark’s early scientific research at Oxford, Aberdeen and the RSPB provided a solid background for his management, ambassadorial, and political lobbying activities which were to follow – and his larger than life, yet quietly humane personality has provided the final tools in his own, unique, nature conservationists’ toolbox. In this book, Mark mixes a great many stories from his professional life at the RSPB with personal anecdotes and passionate arguments on past and present issues in bird and nature conservation. He shows us something of the many scientists whose work paves the way for conservation action, places domestic conservation int...
The story of Passenger Pigeon, and what we can learn from its demise 100 years ago. September 1st, 2014 marked the centenary of one of the best-documented extinctions in history – the demise of the Passenger Pigeon. From being the commonest bird on the planet 50 years earlier, the species became extinct on that fateful day, with the death in Cincinnati Zoo of Martha – the last of her kind. This book tells the tale of the Passenger Pigeon, and of Martha, and of author Mark Avery's journey in search of them. It looks at how the species was a cornerstone of the now much-diminished ecology of the eastern United States, and how the species went from a population that numbered in the billions ...
In this informed, incisive and passionate commentary on the state of nature and conservation, Mark Avery reflects on our relationship with the wildlife around us. From the cats that pass through his garden to the chronic decline of farmland wildlife, from the Pasqueflowers he visits every spring to the proportion of national income devoted to saving nature – everything is connected, and everything is considered. This book analyses what is wrong with certain ways we do wildlife conservation but explores some of its many successes too. How can we do better to restore wildlife to everybody’s lives? We know how to conserve species and habitats – it’s time to roll out conservation measures on a much bigger scale. This is a societal choice in which every nature lover can play their part. Reflections sets out what is needed, and what part the state, environmental charities and we as individuals can play in making that happen. This highly personal work from a life embedded in and dedicated to nature does not shy away from the harsh realities we face, but its message, ultimately, is one of hope.
How and why did our most acclaimed birdwatchers take up birding? What were their early experiences of nature? How have their professional birding careers developed? What motivates them and drives their passion for wildlife? How many birds have they seen? Keith Betton and Mark Avery, passionate birdwatchers and conservationists, interview members of the birdwatching community to answer these and many other questions about the lives of famous birdwatchers. Following on from the success of their 2015 book Behind the Binoculars, Keith and Mark are back again, taking you behind the scenes, and behind the binoculars, of a diverse range of birding and wildlife personalities. Behind More Binoculars includes interviews with: Frank Gardner, Ann and Tim Cleeves, Roy Dennis, Kevin Parr, Tony Marr, Tim Appleton, Tim Birkhead, Dawn Balmer, Jon Hornbuckle, Tony Juniper, Richard Porter, Bryan Bland, Carol and Tim Inskipp, Barbara Young, Bill Oddie
Mark Avery and Keith Betton, passionate birdwatchers and conservationists, interview members of the birdwatching community about the lives of famous birdwatchers. They take you behind the scenes, and behind the binoculars, of a diverse range of birding and wildlife personalities.
The return of large predators might help to reinvigorate nature. But are wild animals like wolves and bears compatible with livestock farming? Will their arrival destroy mountain communities? Unable to decide on the issues, Steve Cracknell climbs up to the isolated summer pastures of the Pyrenees to talk with those most concerned: the shepherds. He also meets hunters and ecologists - and goes looking for bears. In a book of relevance to the rewilding debate in Britain, the author shows how attitudes to the wild are bound up with cultural perceptions. Nobody has a monopoly of the truth.
We owe it to our fellow humans – and other species – to save them from the catastrophic harm caused by climate change. Philosopher Elizabeth Cripps approaches climate justice not just as an abstract idea but as something that should motivate us all. Using clear reasoning and poignant examples, starting from irrefutable science and uncontroversial moral rules, she explores our obligations to each other and to the non-human world, unravels the legacy of colonialism and entrenched racism, and makes the case for immediate action. The second half of the book looks at solutions. Who should pay the bill for climate action? Who must have a say? How can we hold multinational companies, organisations – even nations – to account? Cripps argues powerfully that climate justice goes beyond political polarization. Climate activism is a moral duty, not a political choice.
In this book an ornithologist and a forester have combined their skills to try and tease out the real facts behind the various arguments: Which bird species are really threatened? How can we judge the relative value of bird species ousted by plantations and the new species which colonize them? How can the need for forest products be reconciled with the demands of conservationists? This fascinating book tackles these issues in a forthright manner. It represents a significant step towards achieving the sort of prudent land planning that will really improve our beleaguered countryside. Mark Avery has combined bird watching with a career as a biologist. Since graduating from Cambridge University...