Focusing on the 25 genera of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians that are classified as ‘critically endangered’ by the WWF, the information provided on each species in this illustrated guidebook includes the threats they face and the conservation efforts being made to ensure their survival. Off-mint. Age 7+

Mixing memoir and practical advice, this book shows how to reconnect with the sights, sounds and smells of the wild. Challenging the idea that this can only happen in the countryside, it argues that nature benefits mental and physical health even in an urban environment.

Temporary waters include intermittent streams and ponds, episodic rain puddles, seasonal limestone lakes, water-retaining structures of plants and man-made containers. This study focuses on the remarkable properties and adaptations of the obligate temporary-water species these habitats support.

After years in London, Ruth Pavey wanted to reconnect with the countryside and plant a wood of her own. Combining childhood memories, local history and nature writing, she tells how she bought four acres of scrubland in the Somerset Levels and set about transforming it, tree by tree, into a haven for wildlife. Illustrated with her own drawings, this is an account of the challenges she faced, the satisfaction she achieved, and the local characters she encountered.

‘Britain is in the grip of an alien invasion’ was how the national press responded to Japanese Knotweed, while some people eat it like spinach and researchers describe Knotweed hysteria as ‘absurd’. Here, the award-winning environmental journalist Fred Pearce offers compelling evidence to dispel exaggerated fears surrounding ‘footloose species’ of flora and fauna, explores the new scientific thinking about foreign versus native species, and considers how the aliens might be ‘exactly the shot in the arm that real nature needs’.

This comprehensive reference handbook was produced for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, to describe the birds of the world threatened with depletion or extinction. The large, beautifully drawn illustrations capture in exquisite detail many hundreds of species, and for each one there is information on its physical characteristics and its range. All technical terms are clearly explained, and there is a helpful guide to bird families.

With over 150 colour photographs, this journey from the sea to the summit of Scafell Pike explores the natural history of Lakeland through its various habitats - coastlands, meadows, woodlands, waters and fells. Varley also describes how the region has been shaped by human activities in the past and considers what the future holds as landscape, flora and fauna face climate change and rising sea levels. Foreword by Chris Bonington.