One idea put forward for restoring nature's balance is the re-introduction of mega-herbivores, with increased grazing enabling soil carbon levels to be restored and thus negating the release of methane from thawing of the permafrost (particularly needed in Arctic regions). Another point: Apparently the ends that are sought by the current conservation movement (explicitly or implicitly) aim to restore nature to a pre-Industrial standard. But the authors question this premise. Why stop there? In the process, Jepson and Blythe cover evolutionary biology, ecology, political issues and various theories of rewilding in an unbiased, accessible and informed way. Natural and systems approaches are assessed, drawing on recent research and innovations such as the wildlife economy model in South Africa, de-domestication and wildlife banks. He also expressed the sadness and frustration that inevitably befalls one who ventures down the path of conservation: “One of the penalties of an ecological education is that one lives alone in a world of wounds.” To me, that rings painfully true. As an ecologist he was remarkably open-minded and un-egotistical. He genuinely felt that nature is the greatest teacher of all – and that’s a lesson, I feel, that we all do well to follow.

While it’s a great book, which stands on its own merits, it’s also ideal for getting skeptics interested in the concepts behind rewilding. You had already been wilding for more than a decade when your next choice, George Monbiot’s Feral, was published in 2013. What does his book add?

Despite possessing deeply held convictions on matters like animal welfare, Bekoff doesn’t preach to readers. Instead, he “suggest[s] how rewilding helps us rethink the problems and come from a more compassionate and empathetic perspective.”

I've had some more time to reflect on this book and consider it in the context of some other books I've been reading on natural history and wanted to add some additional thoughts to this review.An evocative journey through the history and natural history of the woodland. A beautiful and poetic book, which shines a light on many unfamiliar stories from across the world. They touch on numerous rewilding projects – from the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone to the rewilding of England’s Knepp Estate – helping readers get a sense of rewilding’s many shapes and sizes. A helpful and interesting guide to the role of keystone species which form the basis of the UK’s biodiversity and the benefits they have for humans. This is a great book for anyone involved in land management, from farmers to estate owners.