Celebrating Ecological Literature: Chantal Lyons’ Groundbreakers Triumphs
Chantal Lyons’ compelling work, Groundbreakers: The Return of Britain’s Wild Boar (published by Bloomsbury Wildlife), has received the prestigious £1,000 Marsh Ecology Book of the Year award from The British Ecological Society (BES). This accolade highlights the book that has made a significant impact on ecological science over any two-year span. Funded by the Marsh Christian Trust, this award recognizes influential publications from around the globe.
A Journey into Wilderness
In Groundbreakers, Lyons shares her adventures in the Forest of Dean, where she delves into the lives of wild boars inhabiting this unique environment. She reflects on their behavior, noting that “boars are undeniably ‘intrusive’ and confrontational in ways that other familiar British wildlife are not.” According to her observations, “A landscape populated by wild boars is one free from conventional notions regarding nature’s expected behavior. They compel us to reconsider our connection with wildlife—moving away from wanting it subdued and instead fostering an appreciation for an untamed reality characterized by formidable creatures.”
Praise from Experts
Hefin Jones, a judge for the BES Marsh Ecology Book of the Year award, lauded Lyons’ narrative as “exhilarating on multiple levels,” underscoring its depth in both scientific insight and societal implications.
Upcoming Recognition Ceremony
The culmination of this honor will occur during an event at Liverpool’s BES Annual Meeting in December 2023. The gathering is expected to attract approximately 1,500 ecologists who will engage in discussions surrounding recent breakthroughs within ecological research—a fitting backdrop for celebrating such vital literary contributions to ecology.