From New York to Namibia, from Toronto to Chernobyl, we are shown patches of land reclaimed by nature. In these examples nature has been given a helping hand by humans. Small areas within cities included unused elevated rail lines, planted walls or skyscraper nest sites, which suit peregrine falcons. We learn how these natural places benefit the local people.

Large spaces are needed to support a top predator, of course, or a herd of elephants. The term core habitat is explained, but not too many technical terms are needed to understand what is being demonstrated. When a large area like a national park is rewilded, this often means introducing a species which used to live here, like the wolf in Yellowstone, and sometimes removing non-native introduced species, like invasive weeds. On occasion rewilding a large space can mean introducing a new species similar to one which has been lost. The night heron was successfully moved to Bermuda to feed upon the exploding population of crabs that ate all the island's small wildlife after the crab's normal predators had been killed.

Corridors between core areas are shown, from fenced off highways and green bridges to let animals cross, to a continent-wide program of milkweed planting in order to let Monarch butterflies thrive on their annual migrations. One corridor helps many creatures, from predators to pollinators. Not all situations work well, because humans continue to spread and clash with nature.

If you don't know much about REWILDING you will be able to discuss it like an expert after reading this excellent book, and you will even develop your own opinion on whether we should bring back mammoths! Jane Drake and Ann Love have created the perfect Christmas present for a nature lover or ideal reading material for a high school class.

Book Summary