Disentangling the facts from the hype, this ’Domesday book’ of the British and Irish countryside offers a definitive and up-to-date survey of the state of our wildlife today. Norman Maclean, editor of the bestselling Silent Summer, examines the latest findings of Britain and Ireland’s top wildlife experts and interprets them for a wider audience. Each chapter provides reliable estimates of animal populations, showing which species are thriving and which are in decline. The book also considers the effects of climate change on our wildlife and how human population growth is influencing its development. Beautifully illustrated with colour plates and wood engravings throughout, this accessible and timely study reveals just how rapidly our countryside and its wildlife are changing, why we should be concerned, and what we can do about it.

Foreword Chris Packham
Introduction
1. Living with change
2. A short dose of Earth history
3. Climate change
4. Down on the farm and into the woods
5. Plant and animal introductions (and recent arrivals)
6. Our overcrowded isles – human population and aspiration
7. The availability of fresh water
8. Hunting, shooting and fishing: the enigma of field sports and wildlife
9. Wildlife conservation at home and overseas
So how is our wildlife faring? The details:
10. Mammals
11. Birds
12. Reptiles and amphibians
13. Freshwater fish
14. Butterflies and moths
15. Other insects – dragonflies, beetles, bees etc.
16. Other invertebrates – spiders, snails, crayfish etc.
17. Trees, shrubs and flowering plants
18. Fungi
19. Life in the open sea
20. Where sea meets land
21. Top wildlife sites
22. What does the future hold?
Further reading
Abbreviations
Glossary
Latin names of species
Index.