The Book of Wilding: A Practical Guide to Rewilding Big & Small advocates for the kind of future that nature lovers can only dream of. It proposes a society where people -- individuals as well as organizations and, yes, governments -- cooperatively work to restore and sustain the environment to help preserve wild areas and the creatures that thrive there.

But this weighty tome by Isabella Tree and Charlie Burrell also delves deeply into ways that people can transform failing farms into thriving natural areas that still produce a profit, as well as methods for converting disused bridges and railways and, perhaps most importantly, parks and residential gardens into interconnected zones of natural beauty.

It's an ambitious concept, one that requires a great deal of focus and commitment, even though it requires far less hands-on management and financing than other forms of environmental revitalization.

Much of the book deals on a scale most property owners can only imagine -- many acres of land, traversed by herds of herbivores that have a dramatic effect on the local environment. Sadly, I can't rehome a herd of deer or elk to my third-acre property, nor can I contemplate hosting a back-from-extinction mastodon in my backyard.

But, while I don't have acres of land to commit to this philosophy, nor rights to control the meanderings of a river through the countryside, I found the arguments put forth here for the rewilding of our environment quite persuasive. Not only do the authors convince readers of the importance of their case, they reveal ways in which some effective tactics can be achieved inexpensively, even profitably in the case of farmers.

The Book of Wilding is focused on England, and the circumstances there -- to say nothing of the laws controlling environmental shifts in policy -- are quite different than they are in other parts of the world. But much of the theory can be applied elsewhere, and certainly my own United States would be wise to consider many of these strategies for its own natural salvation.

As noted, much of the action suggested in this book is beyond the abilities of the average property owner, but it's certainly an inspiring look at what could be. And it's fascinating to read how small changes in the care and use of land can have broad impacts on the plants, insect life and larger animals in the neighborhood. As the authors note:

Scale is important. But still more important is connectivity. The tiniest piece of land can make a vital difference if it relates to other patches of nature, helps to join the dots. Whatever scrap of soil we have agency over, whether it's a field, a grass verge or a window box, can make a difference. Opening our hearts to a wilder world, letting nature in to our backyards, increasing the potential for life on every inch of soil, is the key to our future.

Some of it's bewildering, such as whether to fence off an area to keep deer out or to encourage deer and other herbivores to browse the area. Hands on or hands off? Encourage beaver activity or not? Manage tree growth or let it go wild? A lot of the answers depend on a specific set of circumstances that each property owner will have to address.

One surprise, the authors have a surprisingly lax attitude toward the argument for native vs. nonnative plants. That's an area where I will always err on the side of the natives.

And I'll confess, I skipped over some large sections of the book that had no bearing on me or my own paltry efforts at home. Chapters on herd management, for instance, and British funding incentives simply did not hold my interest. But, overall, The Book of Wilding is a fascinating read, and it provides some clear understanding of what can be done in the world today to restore and protect biodiversity.

Overall, The Book of Wilding is an important, worthwhile read that large landowners, conservation groups and governments -- on both local and national level -- should read. It provides some hope for a better future for our world.