L-R: Sara Holman from Suffolk Wildlife Trust and Kellie Dimmock and Sophie Green from Suffolk Libraries with the Wild Reads book collection
Suffolk Wildlife Trust and Suffolk Libraries are launching a new partnership project to connect the natural world and the written word and celebrate the different ways authors relate to nature.
The Wild Reads project will run throughout 2020 and aims to give everyone the opportunity to enjoy the very best nature writing. It aims to inspire and ignite a love of nature in readers through the lenses of a wide variety of writers.
Together, we’ve selected a collection of ten books for the project, including authors such as the BBC’s Kate Humble, Isabella Tree and Melissa Harrison. Wild Reads books will be available across Suffolk, with titles available off-the-shelf from Lowestoft and Bury St Edmunds libraries.
There will also be book-related events, readings and discussions as well as walks and activities as part of the partnership.
Author Isabella Tree, whose book Wilding is on the Wild Reads list, has personally endorsed the project:
“Never has there been a greater need for nature writers who can communicate issues about the environment in a clear, immediate and powerful way. And never, thankfully, has there been greater public interest in learning about nature, what we can do to restore it and how we can forge a closer, more respectful relationship with it.
“I’m thrilled to be one of the authors selected by the Wild Reads project and to find myself in such awe-inspiring company. I hope these Wild Reads provide pleasure and, above all, encouragement to get out there into the natural world, to see things in different ways, and perhaps even to welcome wilder nature back into our lives.”
Kellie Dimmock, Suffolk Libraries Information for Living Librarian, said:
“Suffolk Libraries is thrilled to be working for the first time with Suffolk Wildlife Trust. We are really pleased to have created this fantastic partnership which will promote nature reading and writing to a much wider audience. Wild Reads will encourage everyone to get out into nature to discover some beautiful wild places and some brilliant books!”
Sara Holman, Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s Head of Learning, said:
“We are delighted to be working with Suffolk Libraries on Wild Reads. We hope the project will encourage people to engage with nature with us through the fantastic nature writing chosen for our Wild Reads collection and the range of book-related events and activities taking place throughout the year at our reserves and in Ipswich.”
The full list of Wild Reads titles is:
- Wilding, by Isabella Tree
- All Among The Barley, by Melissa Harrison
- The Peace of Wild Things, Wendell Berry
- The Wild Places, by Robert Macfarlane
- Nature Cure, by Richard Mabey
- Notes from Walnut Tree Farm, Roger Deakin
- Thinking on My Feet, by Kate Humble
- Meadowland: the private life of an English field, by John Lewis-Stempel
- The Overstory, by Richard Powers
- The Salt Path, by Raynor Winn
There will be Walking Book Clubs at Christchurch Park, Ipswich on 27 February, 30 April, 25 June, 27 August, 29 October and 26 November from 1:30-2:30pm, as well as the following Wildlife Walks at Suffolk Wildlife Trust reserves, exploring the wildlife and habitats featured in selected books:
- Black Bourn - Saturday 16 May, 10am-12pm
- Mellis Common - Saturday 13 June, 10am-12pm
- Bradfield Woods - Saturday 17 October, 10am-12pm
Visit the Suffolk Wildlife Trust website for a to find out more and book on to these events and activities.