Nature's Architect The Beaver's Return to Our Wild Landscapes

About this book

Hundreds of years after their extinction in these isles, beavers are back in Britain. These highly skilled engineers of the natural world have been reintroduced at several sites across the UK and, even as they become established, are already having a dramatic effect on our wild landscapes. Here, leading nature writer Jim Crumley reveals the pioneering lifestyle of these intriguing and secretive creatures and considers the ecological and economic impact of the beaver reintroductions. Employing his trademark beautiful prose and empathy for life in the wild, Crumley considers the future for Britain's beavers and makes the case for giving them their freedom.

Contents

1. Liquid Architecture
2. Footprints on a Riverbank
3. The River Diaries: I
4. The Bute Experiment
5. Castor fiber: An Unnatural History
6. The River Diaries: II
7. Beaver and Swan
8. Aigas: Floating Islands and Why Beavers Climb Trees
9. The River Diaries: III
10. Bamff: Footprints in the Snow
11. New Hampshire: The Swampwalker
12. The River Diaries: IV
13. Return to Lochan Buidhe
Epilogue: Let Wildlife Manage Wildlife

Acknowledgements
About the Author
 

Customer Reviews

Biography

A nature writer, journalist and poet with 25 books to his name, Jim Crumley is also in high demand as a contributor for TV and radio, as well as print media. Jim's 2014 book, The Eagle's Way, was shortlisted for a prestigious Saltire Society award, and his new Encounters in the Wild series – which sees Jim get up close and personal with Britain's favourite animals – has been a roaring success.