Birds, Beasts, and Bedlam: Turning My Farm into an Ark for Lost Species

Gow is a freelance ecologist who has devoted his talents and his Devon farm to save a variety of threatened species through a process called “rewilding.” A reformed farmer, Gow’s focus is restoring a biodiverse habitat that is closer to Mother Nature’s original vision. Nature takes over and manages the ecosystem, keeping things in balance. Each piece is necessary to create the full picture, and thus his focus is on restoring missing elements. His work with beavers, water voles, wildcats, and tree frogs has been successful. This story is strewn with bites and scratches, as some interactions with wild animals are less than charming. He also recounts many similarly aggressive run-ins with bureaucratic agencies, which he deals with by mainly ignoring them. Narrator Calum Beaton is convincing in this role, reading about an unassuming, likable guy out to save the earth. He has the right amount of cheeky attitude that helps keep listeners fully engaged.

CORRECTION: The original version of this review listed the wrong publisher; the publisher is Chelsea Green, not Dreamscape Media. LJ regrets the error.