Overview

BY THE WAINWRIGHT-CONSERVATION-PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR OF REBIRDING Transform your understanding of the natural world forever and discover the wild forces that once supported Britain’s extraordinary natural riches, and could again. Our precious archipelago is ravaged by climate change, bereft of natural ecosystems and lies at the mercy of global warming, flooding, drought and catastrophic biodiversity loss. But could restoring species that once helped protect our islands help turn this crisis around? From familiar yet imperilled honeybees and ancient oak woods to returning natives like beavers and boars, Britain’s cornerstone species may hold the key to recovering our biodiversity on land and in our seas. In Cornerstones, we discover how beavers craft wetlands, save fish, encourage otters, and prevent rivers from flooding. We learn how ‘disruptive’ boars are seasoned butterfly conservationists, why whales are crucial for restoring seabird cities and how wolves and lynx could save our trees, help sequester carbon and protect our most threatened birds. Benedict Macdonald transforms our understanding of the natural world forever, revealing lives that once supported extraordinary natural riches and explaining how humans – the most important cornerstone species of all – can become the greatest stewards of the natural world.

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9781472971593

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Reviews

'Cornerstones makes a bold, riveting and visionary case for reviving the wild species that can help us restore our living planet. This is an exciting read!' * Patrick Barkham, author of The Butterfly Isles and Wild Child * 'By concentrating on 'cornerstones', we have the potential to transform landscapes and lives. A brilliant read.' * Bird Watching magazine * 'Very few writers can navigate the complexities of the interconnectedness of nature and humanity, but Macdonald achieves this with skill and impact. Cornerstones paves a compelling pathway of hope, and it is as bright and brilliant as it is essential.' * Sophie Pavelle, author of Forget Me Not * 'It’s an interesting debate and one we should have.' * Simon Lester, Country Life * ‘This celebration of the species that anchor healthy, life-giving ecosystems is a timely reminder to recognise – and urgently protect – our common roots.’ * New Statesman * ‘A primordially fortifying book.’ * New Statesman * ‘It is ultimately a hopeful tale, and one well worth reading.’ * Lorraine Connolly, Country Life * 'From the first sentence of the introduction, I was drawn in by evocative descriptions of Nature at its best.' * Lorraine Connolly, Country Life * 'Macdonald crams in evidence from a dizzying array of studies and writes with the urgency of an evangelist […] it’s exciting, convincing stuff.' * Countryfile * 'This book is a brave, wonderfully descriptive and immensely important diagnosis of how far the countryside has drifted.' -- Chris Fitch * Geographical * 'Macdonald's skill is in painting a big picture and communicating the benefits for all to see.' -- Keith Betton * Birdwatch magazine *

'Cornerstones makes a bold, riveting and visionary case for reviving the wild species that can help us restore our living planet. This is an exciting read!' * Patrick Barkham, author of The Butterfly Isles and Wild Child * 'By concentrating on 'cornerstones', we have the potential to transform landscapes and lives. A brilliant read.' * Bird Watching magazine * 'Very few writers can navigate the complexities of the interconnectedness of nature and humanity, but Macdonald achieves this with skill and impact. Cornerstones paves a compelling pathway of hope, and it is as bright and brilliant as it is essential.' * Sophie Pavelle, author of Forget Me Not * 'It's an interesting debate and one we should have.' * Simon Lester, Country Life * 'This celebration of the species that anchor healthy, life-giving ecosystems is a timely reminder to recognise - and urgently protect - our common roots.' * New Statesman * 'A primordially fortifying book.' * New Statesman * 'It is ultimately a hopeful tale, and one well worth reading.' * Lorraine Connolly, Country Life * 'From the first sentence of the introduction, I was drawn in by evocative descriptions of Nature at its best.' * Lorraine Connolly, Country Life * 'Macdonald crams in evidence from a dizzying array of studies and writes with the urgency of an evangelist [...] it's exciting, convincing stuff.' * Countryfile * 'This book is a brave, wonderfully descriptive and immensely important diagnosis of how far the countryside has drifted.' -- Chris Fitch * Geographical * 'Macdonald's skill is in painting a big picture and communicating the benefits for all to see.' -- Keith Betton * Birdwatch magazine *

Author Information

Benedict Macdonald is a naturalist, conservationist, writer and producer. Having studied wildlife since a very early age, Benedict attended Christ Church, Oxford, before pursuing a career in natural history film-making. He has worked on series including The One Show, Springwatch, The Hunt and as a field director for Netflix's Emmy-award-winning series, Our Planet. Benedict also directed two BAFTA-nominated wildlife series for Apple TV+. His first book, Rebirding, highlighted the need for mass-scale nature restoration across the UK. It was the winner of the Richard Jefferies Prize and inaugural winner of the Wainwright Prize for Writing on Global Conservation. Ben's second book, Orchard: A Year in England's Eden, has also won critical acclaim. As a conservationist, Ben has remained at the forefront of public discourse on rewilding, nature restoration, regenerative farming and reintroducing lost species to the UK. He now works full-time to help bring this about as Head of Nature Restoration for Real Wild Estates.

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