Shropshire and Downe: Two Landscapes Darwin Held Dear aims to present an impression of the natural environment in which Charles Darwin grew up and where he later came to live in Downe; the two landscapes are compared.
Ewa Prokop has been in the unusual position of having been employed as an officer in the field of nature conservation in both Shropshire and Downe, two landscapes Darwin held dear. She has pieced together historic records of biodiversity in his day and
presents this alongside modern records of biodiversity. The book incorporates extracts from Darwin’s and other authors’ works to give the reader a sense of Darwin as a person. All lovers of Darwin will want to explore this side of the great man.
The book also seeks to highlight the value of recording wildlife as well as revealing information about some threatened species of these landscapes too.
The author works for the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Partnership. She also runs the website www.madaboutcharlesdarwin.co.uk .