Roger Lovegrove - Silent Fields. The Long Decline of a Nation's Wildlife [2007][A]

Book Description
Publication Date: March 29, 2007
Since time immemorial mankind has taken it upon himself to wage war against nature -- against those species of birds and mammals which he believes conflict with his livelihood. This remarkable book is about that war of attrition against the native mammals and birds of England and Wales from the middle ages to the present day. There is widespread knowledge about the huge declines in popular species such as song birds, farmland birds, otters, and pine martens, however, there is less
understanding about the deep-rooted causes of these losses, or about the complex relationship between mankind and these species.

Roger Lovegrove has undertaken years of unique research: by searching through parish records of 'vermin' trapped, hunted, and killed over the generations, he has revealed an unprecedentedly accurate and detailed picture of the history of a nation's wildlife, and of the often devastating impact and extinction that we have forced on our ecology. Consisting of species-by-species accounts, accompanied by beautiful, specially-commissioned illustrations, this book outlines the history - and often the
future too - of a wealth of wildlife species, from badgers, bears and beavers, to wolves, kingfishers, the golden eagle and the humble house sparrow.

The geographical scope is British, but the subject will be of interest to conservationists around the world because of the unique historical material that will be included. The topic has enormous relevance today, as public concern about the environment rises, and controversies rage about hunting, wildlife management and reintroduction of ancient species.

Reviews
"A fascinating and exhaustive study...Wide-ranging and meticulously researched, Silent Fields is undoubtedly an instant classic - a treasure trove of information about our ancestors' attitudes and their behaviors towards the realm of nature."--Mark Cocker, BBC Wildlife Magazine

"[A] fascinating book...Silent Fields provides a remarkable analysis of the social history of wildlife and our changing attitudes to it...a scholarly yet readable account."--Tim Birkhead, Times Higher Education Supplement

"Silent Fields was the book Lovegrove was born to write. His storytelling ability...shines through." -- Peter Ranscombe, The Scotsman (Critique)

"An amazing picture..."Ground-breaking" is a much-overused word, but Lovegrove's sweeping and meticulous research is for once genuinely that, endlessly fascinating as well as being elegantly written." -- Michael McCarthy, The Independent (Review)

"The book is much more than a lament for abandoned nests and empty burrows...Silent Fields is a marvellously detailed, hedge-skimming history of rural Britian with all its moral contradictions and complexities." -- Richard Girling, Sunday Times

"This is a book of major importance and public interest tracing man's impact on wildlife since the 16th century. It culminates in posing the question: How do we manage our wildlife in modern Britian as part of the rural fabric and economy?" -- Lord Barber of Tewkesbury, former Chairman of the Countryside Commission and RSPB

"Lovegrove has provided a uniquely exhaustive review of wildlife management in Britain. We own him an enormous debt of gratitude; without his painstaking analysis none of us would have been aware this widescale clearance of our wildlife had ever happened."--Animal Welfare

About the Author
Roger Lovegrove, OBE, was Director of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Wales, until his retirement in 1997. He currently serves on a number of governmental environmental advisory committees. He is the author and contributor to numerous books on birds and wildlife, including the Collins Field Notebook and The Birdwatcher's Diary and has regularly appeared on television and radio. He was awarded an OBE in 1997 for services to wildlife conservation.