I was kept enthralled by the string of events, tales of failures and successes that led to the wilding of the Knepp Estate. Undaunted, the Burrell's take on the establishment and do battle with government departments using research and factual evidence. This and much patience mixed with an inner belief that what they were doing was right, they finally win the day and gradually bring back their land to natural nature. The incredible results they achieved with regards to wildlife, birds, butterflies and their habitats including woodlands, scrub, pasture and the river is just wonderful. I couldn't help remembering back to the character Arthur Fallowfield in the BBC's radio programme 'Beyond our Ken' and his answer to everything "The answer lies in the soil'. How true and how prophetic. This book is a heartwarming true account of what they have achieved and what could be achieved to save us from the brink of natural disaster. For all landowners, farmers, politicians, environmentalists and anyone wanting to make changes to enable a sustainable future, this is a must read.

Without doubt this is one of the most important books to have been written about how humans relate to their environment since Silent Spring. If that sounds like hyperbole then read this book. This is not just for farmers and readers of nature writing, we all need to read this book to become more involved and understand where our food comes from and how it is grown directly impacts on our world- its habitats, species, diversity, soils, waterways and undoubtedly its future. Farms exist to grow our food and we therefore have as much responsibility for how our food is grown as the farm owners. Ignorance is no longer an option. "With so much land given over to arable across the planet, around a third of all grain produced is fed to livestock, we are now encouraged to eat more meat than ever did. It takes 7-8 kilograms of grain to produce 1 kilogram of beef... rather than redesign the future, we could heed the accumulated wisdom of the past. We could eat less meat and return to traditional methods of rearing animals. This book is as much about our humanity as it is about the re-wilding of the British countryside. As revelatory and inspirational as Knepp estate is and it undoubtedly it is, without this being replicated throughout the countryside, whether in small and large farmsteads, it will remain a beautiful green oasis. So it is about us all supporting this dark brown revolution. For that is what is required a complete and radical change to how we manage the land we currently farm intensively. Written with the same compassion and humility that is clearly shown towards the land, many of our preconceived ideas about nature conservancy are called into question through the simple arts of observing and non-interference. The gentle wisdom of stepping back and allowing nature to find its own balance is replicated in the quiet way endangered species, like the turtle dove, the nightingale and the purple emperor have discreetly returned. "Rewilding is far from vandalistic. It restores to us a richer, deeper countryside that accompanied us for thousands of years."

A great book to educate on a different perspective to conservation. Inspirational and a fascinating story.

Wilding tells the story of the Knepp Estate - once a British farm - which was rewilded in an experiment to allow nature to take back control. This book gives so much hope in the restorative powers of nature, and how human intervention/control can do more harm than good in the natural world (even when trying to help it). A compelling and important read for anyone who is interested in nature, proving that nature still has so much to teach us.

A fascinating book which completely changed the way I look at conservation and our interaction with nature, both harmful and helpful. It was wonderful to watch a piece of beloved land come back to life with very little human intervention and it filled me with the belief that if we can just hand back some of the land to Mother Nature's care then perhaps all hope is not lost. A collection of astute observations, lyrical nature writing and a cry for change in the way we tackle conservation, this book has the potential to open eyes and change minds. I finished it filled with awe for trees, fungus, earthworms and soil and determined to find out ways in which I could help them.