Some of Britain's most renowned wildlife photographers have joined forces to create a striking visual documentation of the country's vanishing natural habitats and declining wildlife populations. The collaborative effort has resulted in a comprehensive book featuring dozens of compelling images that serve as what organizers call "a manifesto to what is at stake" in the ongoing battle to preserve Britain's natural heritage.
Irene Amiet, the Lancashire-based photographer who spearheaded the Wilder Britain project from her home in the Ribble Valley, emphasized the urgency of their mission. "We can only feel nature's losses if we know what we stand to lose," she explained. Amiet noted that photographers are uniquely positioned to witness environmental changes because they "continuously observe the changes in our local landscapes and how wildlife numbers keep diminishing." Her own recent work has focused on documenting the local owl population, which has "decreased rapidly" following last year's harsh winter conditions. "You can't take anything for granted," she added. "One minute you think you have a healthy population but then everything can change."
The ambitious project has attracted more than 60 photographers from across the United Kingdom, all of whom donated their images to support the cause. All profits from the book sales will be directed to the Rewilding Britain organization, which works to restore natural ecosystems throughout the country. The collection includes diverse wildlife imagery, from Rob Read's capture of a great tit in his Hampshire garden to Mark Kirkland's photograph of a common frog spotted in a Glasgow pond, demonstrating the wide geographic scope of the conservation concerns.
Photographers participating in the project have documented alarming trends in their respective regions. Worcestershire photographer Sarah Drury, who contributed an image of an Exmoor pony in Somerset, described how habitats are rapidly disappearing due to "expanding towns and construction." She emphasized that "each lost piece takes with it irreplaceable biodiversity and a little of our shared natural world." However, Drury maintained optimism, noting that "through local conservation efforts and community awareness, there remains hope to restore habitats before they're gone forever."
Andrew Mason, based in Staffordshire, has witnessed what he describes as a "worrying" decrease in wildlife in his local area. "We're losing our butterflies, we're losing our bees, our insects," he explained, pointing to multiple factors contributing to the decline. "We've seen a reduction in the birds because the farmers are cutting the hedgerows, taking away their food source for the winter. It's really quite upsetting." Mason's contribution includes a photograph of Britain's only venomous snake, the adder, captured on a still March morning. While acknowledging some positive conservation efforts are underway, he stressed that "we really have to work at this if we stand a chance of saving what we've got left."
The project also highlights the plight of particularly vulnerable species facing extinction. Andrew Mason's work includes documentation of the capercaillie, a large grouse species of which it is estimated only just over 500 individuals remain in the entire United Kingdom. Meanwhile, Shropshire photographer Andrew Fusek Peters spent several years searching to find and photograph black darter dragonflies, whose favorite roosting spots include the reed beds on the Long Mynd in his county.
Peters described the challenges facing these iconic dragonflies, explaining that "climate change and the drying up of the shallow bog pools they favor for breeding has seen a precipitous decline of this iconic species." Despite the grim statistics, he found beauty in his work, noting that "dawn is a magical time and if you are lucky, you might find a male and a female drenched in dew, glittering like Faberge broaches in the early sunshine." He emphasized that "determined conservation efforts are underway to reverse their fate."
The collection also captures dramatic behavioral moments in wildlife, such as Alistair Marsh's striking image of two brown hares boxing in the snow. This photograph required extraordinary dedication, as Marsh spent an entire week lying in freezing snow to capture the perfect moment. Marc Freebrey contributed another dynamic image, describing his experience watching otters chase fish as witnessing "a frantic, elegant dance."
The Wilder Britain book, published by Wilder World, represents more than just a collection of beautiful wildlife photography. It serves as both an artistic achievement and a urgent call to action, documenting the current state of British wildlife while inspiring readers to support conservation efforts. The photographers' collective message is clear: immediate action is needed to preserve what remains of Britain's natural heritage for future generations.
