{"product_id":"hedgelands-isbn-9781915294470","title":"Hedgelands","description":"\u003cb\u003eLonglisted for the James Cropper Wainwright Prize 2024 for Nature Writing\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Delightful . . . \u003ci\u003eHedgelands\u003c\/i\u003e is a merry exposition on the history and biology of these unique ecosystems, and a very good argument as to why we should re-engage with the hedge.\"—\u003ci\u003eThe Wall Street Journal\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Hart’s passion for the potential that resides here is intoxicating. Occasionally an environmental solution comes along that is so breathtakingly simple you can’t believe that not everyone is already doing it.\"—\u003ci\u003eSunday Times\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"[A] joyously readable book— it riffs along like breeze in the hedgerow.\"—John Lewis-Stempel in \u003ci\u003eCountry Life\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eOn this joyous journey around the wild edges of Britain, celebrated author Christopher Hart takes us through the life, ecology and history of the humble countryside hedge and how it is inextricably woven into our language, landscape and culture.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHedges – or hedgerows – have long been an integral part of the British landscape. An ancient, human-made boundary, hedgerows have become a critically important haven for wildlife and are now being recognised as one of the greatest ‘edge’ habitats on Earth.\u003cbr\u003eBritain boasts 400,000 kilometres of hedgerows, but has lost 50 per cent of them since the Second World War and their slow deterioration today is becoming a huge threat to the ecosystem.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eHedgelands\u003c\/i\u003e, Christopher Hart shares the history of the hedge, highlighting the hawthorn and hazel of ancient hedgerows, and reveals its abundance of wildlife, from the elusive dunnock to the iconic nightingale, the industrious hedgehog to the miniscule harvest mouse.\u003cbr\u003eHe demonstrates how this true environmental hero and powerful climate ally can help rebuild species-rich, resilient havens for birds, mammals and insects. Hedges play a vital role in mature woodland, grassland and even wetland, all of which can offer us much-needed ecological diversity and carbon sequestration.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThrough rewilding a patch of land in southwest England, Christopher shows us how easy, joyful and rewarding it is to restore even the smallest stretch of hedge. Whether you live in the country or the city, \u003ci\u003eHedgelands\u003c\/i\u003e shares how simple actions can make a huge difference to the future of our precious hedges – and environment.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“What’s good for us is good for nature, and what’s good for nature is good for us. And nowhere is this more true than in the bustling, flourishing, flowering, fruiting and altogether glorious native British hedge.”—Christopher Hart“Hedgerows are linear forests. Christopher Hart shows us these jewels in the heart of the English countryside and how biodiversity makes them hum with a richness the planet needs. If we pay attention, the nightingales will sing for us, again and again.”—\u003cb\u003eDiana Beresford-Kroeger, author of \u003ci\u003eTo Speak for the Trees\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A glorious anthem to the hedge! The sleeping giant that is waiting to be nurtured back to life-giving health. This wonderful book fires the imagination and will change the way you look at a hedge forever. And never was there a more urgent time to restore our degraded hedges into the lifelines they should be – for our beleaguered wildlife and for ourselves. Endlessly fascinating and teeming with ‘Wow!’s. A must read for anyone who wants to help restore ecological health to our countryside.”—\u003cb\u003eKeggie Carew, author of \u003ci\u003eBeastly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A hugely enjoyable ramble down the tangled green lanes of the beleaguered British countryside. Christopher Hart’s investigations shine a new light on the humble hedgerow, in which all manner of solutions to our environmental problems can be found.”—\u003cb\u003eLee Schofield, author of \u003ci\u003eWild Fell\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This is a soaring love song to the hedge – not the straight-shorn sanitised garden hedges but the ancient hedgerows that heave with life. Hart is an enthusiastic guide to these beautiful, underestimated ecological niches, which not only provide habitats for birds, invertebrates and plants but are also carbon banks and food stores, and even supply ingredients for cocktails.”—\u003cb\u003eAndrea Wulf, author of \u003ci\u003eMagnificent Rebels\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“We now know that if laid end to end, English hedges would stretch ten times around the earth. In \u003ci\u003eHedgelands\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003eChristopher Hart has put his arms around the whole extraordinary network. He inspires us to see that the hedgerow is a national treasure even more important than we realised.”—\u003cb\u003eMark Cocker, author and naturalist \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003eHedgelands\u003c\/i\u003e is brilliant – fascinating, inspiring, important and extremely timely. It has taken my love and appreciation of our precious hedges to another level. Please buy it, read it and share it with everyone you know who has enough space to plant a hedge!”—\u003cb\u003eBrigit Strawbridge Howard, author of \u003ci\u003eDancing with Bees\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A wonderful history of the threads that stitch the British countryside together, \u003ci\u003eHedgelands\u003c\/i\u003e provides a detailed description of the wonder of hedges and the vast array of species and benefits they provide for us.”—\u003cb\u003eJake Fiennes, author of \u003ci\u003eLand Healer\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A lovely book on a really important subject. Passionate, personal and important. You won’t ever look at a hedgerow in the same way again.”—\u003cb\u003eRoger Morgan-Grenville, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Return of the Grey Partridge\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This deeply enjoyable book makes me want to go live in a mighty conservation hedge – or at least create one. Hart has delved deep into fascinating hedge etymology and history, and brings the joy of restoring a hedge to life. As an insect lover, I welcomed the stories of renewal, and abundance of insects and other wildlife. May many more hedges be created.”—\u003cb\u003eVicki Hird, author of \u003ci\u003eRebugging the Planet\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A passionate celebration and exploration of our wonderful hedgerows. You’ll be swept along by Hart’s intoxicating enthusiasm.”—\u003cb\u003eDave Goulson, author of \u003ci\u003eSilent Earth\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“At the Soil Association, we have long advocated for the reinstatement and proper care of that multifaceted boon to nature and farming, the hedgerow. With Christopher Hart’s wonderful \u003ci\u003eHedgelands \u003c\/i\u003eby your side, any farmer, conservationist or interested layperson will understand so much more about this extraordinary resource, and how to appreciate and care for it.”—\u003cb\u003eHelen Browning, chief executive, Soil Association\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003eHedgelands \u003c\/i\u003eis a marvellous walk through a traditional European agroforestry system, complete with information on benefits to biodiversity, wild foods, carbon, climate resilience and more. Highly recommended.”—\u003cb\u003eEric Toensmeier, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Carbon Farming Solution\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“We all love hedgerows, and we’re all appalled that so many have been destroyed over the last century. But \u003ci\u003eHedgelands \u003c\/i\u003ehighlights another threat to these valuable linear oases – many of them are very poorly managed. For though they resemble a woodland edge, these are not natural habitats: they are man-made and have to be managed sensitively if they are to provide a good home for our birds and bees, hedgehogs and weeds. In this fascinating and insightful book, Christopher Hart brings to life the rich natural and cultural history of the hedge and makes a compelling case that they may indeed, as he says, be ‘Britain’s greatest habitat’.”—\u003cb\u003eDr Charlie Gardner, Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Delightful . . . \u003ci\u003eHedgelands\u003c\/i\u003e is a merry exposition on the history and biology of these unique ecosystems, and a very good argument as to why we should re-engage with the hedge.\"—\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Wall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eChristopher Hart has written ten novels published to date, both literary and historical, including \u003ci\u003eLost Children \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eRescue Me\u003c\/i\u003e, while his historical fiction, written under the pen name of William Napier, includes Julia, the best-selling Attila trilogy and the Last Crusaders trilogy. His work has been praised in both \u003ci\u003eThe Times Literary Supplement\u003c\/i\u003e and the \u003ci\u003eSunday Sport\u003c\/i\u003e. He has also published numerous short stories, essays and reviews, and has been a freelance journalist since the 1990s, for \u003ci\u003eThe Sunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eDaily Mail\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eDaily Telegraph\u003c\/i\u003e and others. He lives in Wiltshire, where he is rewilding seven acres and a hedge.","brand":"Chelsea Green Publishing UK","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48233221128421,"sku":"NP9781915294470","price":24.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781915294470.jpg?v=1767728868","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/hedgelands-isbn-9781915294470","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}