A Year in the Woods: The Diary of a Forest Ranger
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Colin Elford spends his days alone - alone but for the deer, the squirrels, the rabbits, the birds and the many other creatures inhabiting the woods.
From the crisp coldness of January, through the excitement of spring and the warmth of summer, and back into the dampness of the autumn and the chill winds of winter, we accompany the forest ranger as he goes about his work - stalking in the early-morning darkness, putting an injured fallow buck out of its misery, watching stoats kill a hare, observing owls, and simply enjoying the outdoors.
A Year in the Woods is an invigorating look at nature through a forest ranger's eyes and an enthralling journey deep into the woods. It includes a delightful 'Preamble' by Craig Taylor.
About the Author
Colin Elford is a forest ranger on the Dorset/Wiltshire border. The manuscript version of his diary found its way to Hamish Hamilton via his neighbour, the angling writer Chris Yates.
Craig Taylor is the author of Return to Akenfield and One Million Tiny Plays About Britain and the editor of the magazine Five Dials.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
37 of 41 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A walk in a different wood,
By
This review is from: A Year in the Woods: The Diary of a Forest Ranger (Hardcover)
I think this book could prove to be a bit of a challenge to some people. Not because of its generally clear cut style and matter of fact approach. Not because of its simple chronological style, or its occasional lapses into purple prose. All of these things are central to a book written by a knowledgeable man who clearly has a deep and abiding fascination with the British countryside.
The key problem that some people may find is that the author kills things - kills them with regularity and kills them effectively. He also takes a pride in what he does, but also acknowledges regret. Deer, squirrels and rabbits are killed in the name of woodland management. The author, Colin Elford, is a woodland ranger and he is charged with the protection of his trees. As his trees thrive, so do many other plants and animal. But those animals which pose a threat are controlled. Elford sees himself has helping in the restoration of balance, in a land stripped of its large predators. People who think of conservation as nothing more than benign neglect, or object to the killing of animals, may struggle with the way the author "drops" deer at regular intervals, and actively intervenes in the woodlands in his care. Those who see the need for management of habitats may not be troubled by this. Many people will sit somewhere between. This book is a wonderful exploration of the countryside on the Dorset / Wiltshire boarder and without ever doing so explicitly highlights some of the various ways in which people can view the British countryside. I dare say that the author has sense of connection with the people and practices that created a landscape. A landscape that many people hold dear and that has been under growing and intense pressure since the end of WWII. His book is a wonderful account of the current expression of part of that traditional. I know that some people will object to the content of this book, but it comes highly recommended as a window into one aspect of the British countryside and its wildlife.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting what happens when most of us sleep!,
By
This review is from: A Year in the Woods: The Diary of a Forest Ranger (Hardcover)
I live in this neck of the woods and it is so comforting to know that people like Colin Elford are looking after the balance of this truly lovely environment. The sheer joy of living comes through the writing and it is almost a case of, despite the eloquence of the writing, that there are not enough good words to describe the pleasure of being Colin Elford. There were times that I could feel the sun on my face and the wind in my back, smell the leafy woodland and hear the birds. If you live in a city and have a yen to escape to the country, even if it is via a good read, I recommend that you hold this lovely little book in one hand and a cup of your favourite tea in the other and relax with this gem.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
enchanting,
By
This review is from: A Year in the Woods: The Diary of a Forest Ranger (Hardcover)
I sent for this book after hearing Colin Elford being interviewed on radio 4 and have been surprised and captivated by his writing skills. He is totally 'at one' with his environment and can describe and capture this for his reader with a poetic and enchanting skill. You are with him as a privileged guest in his woods.
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