Book 82

The New Naturalists

by Peter Marren

Published 19 August 2010

A history of the most successful, significant and long-running natural history series in the world.

A history of the most successful, significant and long-running natural history series in the world.

In 1995 Collins published the 82nd volume in the New Naturalist series to coincide with its 50th anniversary. Ten years on, Peter Marren has revised this fascinating account of the series. He covers the illustrious careers of its authors, how each title was conceived and received, and includes plates of the sketches and roughs of the jackets. It also gives behind-the-scenes details of the also-rans and the books-that-never-were.

This will appeal to the collector's market - it has a lengthy appendix dedicated to collecting the series with advice on how to spot a good edition, and a star rating according to scarcity - and will mark the 60th anniversary of the publication of the first new naturalist title.

Peter Marren is a trained ecologist who worked as a woodland scientist, conservation officer and author-editor with the Natural Conservancy Council between 1977 and 1992. He has written numerous book and articles and contributes regularly to British Wildlife.


Book 91

Nature Conservation

by Peter Marren

Published 7 May 2002
This volume provides a comprehensive study of wildlife conservation in Britain, concentrating on events in the last 30 years of the 20th century. As our environment is subjected to increasing assault from climatic changes and pollutants, conservation has become a growing concern. The first chapter of this text considers the political and institutional development of nature conservation and reviews the physical and biological nature of Britain, its geology, climate and wildlife habitats. Subsequent chapters cover the loss of habitats and species, how these losses have been managed and the techniques used to survey and monitor the integration of nature conservation policies in industries from agriculture to forestry and fisheries. Marren continues by discussing how nature conservation has emerged from the sidelines to become a major concern. He addresses the role of the media, weighs up the successes and failures of the conservation movement and looks to what the future may hold.