This latest volume in the New Naturalist series provides a comprehensive study of wildlife conservation in Britain, concentrating on events in the last 30 years.

As our environment is subjected to increasing assault from climatic changes and pollutants, conservation has become a growing concern for both specialists and generalists alike.

The first chapter of this book 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.