As a zoologist with a passion for UK conservation, I jumped at the opportunity to read Birds, Beasts and Bedlam after learning that it explores Derek Gow's work to convert his farm into a refuge for our threatened wildlife. Although the book delivers on its promised insight into the author's work to rewild in the UK with native species, an unexpected thread throughout its pages explores the conflicting viewpoints of academic researchers and conservation practitioners. Gow's strong opinions may be hard for some academics to stomach but are well worth a read by anyone seeking to understand a practitioner's perspective of UK conservation.

The book has a clearly defined structure, opening with Gow's farming background, followed by chapters covering his work caring for and restoring native wildlife, and concluding with his thoughts on the conservation sector. This structure is emphasized by the author's own illustrations of focal species at the start of each chapter, with my personal favourite being the drawing of a water vole entering its nest.

Where Gow excels best as an author is the vivid imagery he conjures in just a few words. Graphic moments such as a fox carcass becoming a water vole latrine will cast light on the reality of working with wild animals to those unfamiliar with conservation work. Although on occasion the jargon may go beyond the understanding of someone outside the farming community, Gow's anecdotes will still appeal to readers familiar with James Herriot's work. From rampaging bisons to biting wildcats, Gow engages all senses to draw the reader into his world; instead of simply stating that he helped deliver the first heck cattle to Britain, he pulls his readers in with lorries that ‘lurched through the potholes’, their ‘pneumatic brakes hissing’ and their backs full of cattle whose ‘hot breath steamed and dung splattered’ from within (p. 85).

Gow's descriptive language extends to the presentation of his personal views and beliefs. He has nostalgia for a ‘much less indulgent age’ (p. 106) and likens aspects of modern conservation to work that ‘trained teams of lower primates with crayons’ could do (p. 174). Coming from ‘a hearty tribe that kept sheep and cattle’ where ‘outside [the] tribe [lay] enemies: vegans, conservationists’ (p. 71), he is not afraid to criticize those with a different point of view. His description of a woman from Natural England as ‘whining’ and existing with ‘blind unenthusiasm’ (p. 79) is just one example of how disengaged he is with certain professional conservationists. As this book is a personal rather than unbiased account, it is only natural that readers will not always agree with the author. I, for example, do not agree that ‘it's always individuals … who change things’ (p. 51) or that ‘no evidence means no’ animals are present is a ‘fatal’ way of thinking (p. 124), but I presume this stems from my own academic background in contrast to Gow's farming one. Readers who do not like to have their beliefs challenged might take offence.

Despite his non-academic background, Gow often eloquently explains academic concepts. Of particular note are the ways in which he describes the cause behind wildcat declines, the impact bison can have on woodland structure, and the reason why we cannot always determine if a species is truly native. Unfortunately, however, zoological intricacies are not always accounted for. Gow contradicts his own belief that the correct ecological niche should be filled during reintroductions; he calls the difference between the non-native, hybrid edible frogs and native, genetically pure pool frogs a ‘petty detail’ (p. 127), when in reality hybrid genetics can prevent an animal from filling the desired niche. Additionally, in the last chapter Gow criticizes the hurdles to reintroduction without acknowledging that if things go wrong when you have not jumped the right hurdles, then subsequent reintroductions become more difficult.

Although I do not always agree with Gow's opinions, I do support his ultimate goal of returning to a less organized and more wild state of living. To me, this book highlights the importance of defining the end goal of conservation, so that collaboration is encouraged even where personal views may differ. I believe this book will be of interest to anybody who wants to learn about Gow's experience with our native species and get an insight into the numerous projects in which he has played an important role. However, perhaps more important is its being read by academically trained conservationists, so they may appreciate a different perspective and continue to seek solutions that account for the wide variety of actors in the conservation endeavour.