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  • Cornerstones

  • Wild Forces That Can Change Our World
  • By: Benedict Macdonald
  • Narrated by: Joshua Picton
  • Length: 8 hrs and 30 mins
  • 4.9 out of 5 stars (71 ratings)
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Cornerstones cover art

Cornerstones

By: Benedict Macdonald
Narrated by: Joshua Picton
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Summary

Bloomsbury presents Cornerstones by Benedict Macdonald, read by Joshua Picton.

By the Wainwright-Conservation-Prize-winning author of Rebirding.

Transform your understanding of the natural world forever and discover the wild forces that once supported Britain’s extraordinary natural riches, and could again.

Our precious archipelago is ravaged by climate change, bereft of natural ecosystems and lies at the mercy of global warming, flooding, drought and catastrophic biodiversity loss. But could restoring species that once helped protect our islands help turn this crisis around?

From familiar yet imperilled honeybees and ancient oak woods to returning natives like beavers and boars, Britain’s cornerstone species may hold the key to recovering our biodiversity on land and in our seas.

In Cornerstones, we discover how beavers craft wetlands, save fish, encourage otters and prevent rivers from flooding. We learn how ‘disruptive’ boars are seasoned butterfly conservationists, why whales are crucial for restoring seabird cities and how wolves and lynx could save our trees, help sequester carbon and protect our most threatened birds.

Benedict Macdonald transforms our understanding of the natural world forever, revealing lives that once supported extraordinary natural riches and explaining how humans—the most important cornerstone species of all—can become the greatest stewards of the natural world.

©2022 Benedict Macdonald (P)2022 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Critic reviews

"By concentrating on 'cornerstones', we have the potential to transform landscapes and lives. A brilliant read." (Bird Watching)

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Overly slow narration but...

...once I bumped up the speed to 1.35x it was spot on and very interesting!

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A must read....

Great , Factual and insitefull...
if only the world could be read this brilliant Book.

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Revolutionary

The author brought together historical ecology, hopes for the future, and scientific possibility together so succinctly. Desperate for this to become a BBC or Netflix series- it might just change the world for the better.

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Inspiring

Having read Rebirding I was keen to hear more from Benedict & was not disappointed. An inspiring book & poignant message to us as humans at a pivotal time in our environmental history. Everyone should read his books! 💚🦫🐝

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An absolute must read!

if you are interested in the UK's biodiversity or what is left of it read this book. What we did have, how and why it should be brought back and all with clarity and common sense.

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Beautifully read account of human destruction with glimmers of hope

Cornerstones is an incredible account of how us humans have almost destroyed every keystone species on our planet, we humans maybe be intelligent but we are not wise! Here wisdom and intelligence collide into a beautifully read masterpiece on how can ‘put things right’. Heartbreaking, horrifying and yet filled with hope. Thank you

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Wonderful book. So much for us to learn

Valuable addition to ecological literature. Very accessible and well narrated. Recommend highly. A must read

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Really enjoyed

Very interesting and insightful. Its great that we now have the understanding of how these cornerstone species impact the food chain and world overall. I learned a lot from this book and I'd like to listen through again at some point in the future also.

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Excellent

Fascinating & hopeful. Full of incredible facts & particularly eye-opening read close to ‘Wilding’ about the rejuvenated estate on non-profitable farmland.

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Eye Opening

Beautifully showcases the most vital species we are missing and what good they could do if brought back into the British Isles.

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