Product Description

About 30 miles south-west of Land's End is the low group of rocks and islands that form the Isles of Scilly. Mysterious, romantic and beautiful, they have long exercised the imagination of story tellers and historians. Rosemary Parslow has spent many years working on the islands, each of which has its own unique character and special plants and animals. In this New Naturalist volume she examines the many aspects that make the islands and their flora and fauna so unique: their geography, geology and climate, the people of the islands, the way they used the land and its present day management. She brings to life the major kinds of habitats found in Scilly: the heathlands, the coast, cultivated fields and wetlands. She also discusses the people who have been important in the study of the island flora and fauna, and tells the story of the rise in popularity of the islands for birdwatchers. This book complements other regional titles in the New Naturalist series which include Loch Lomondside, the Broads, the Lakeland area and Northumberland.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #274917 in Books
• Published on: 2007-08-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 336 pages

Review
'! a fully rounded and wonderfully detailed natural history of England's only ocean archipelago. It works on several levels, as a guide, as a wildlife encyclopedia and as a lyrical celebration of a special place. Rosemary Parslow has written a classic book to add to the remarkable swell of New Naturalist masterpieces in recent years.' Peter Marren, British Wildlife 'Authoritative, yet readable, this book lives up to the high reputation of its brand ! by the beach bucketful.' Andrew Cooper, BBC Wildlife '!a priceless treasure trove of wildlife information.' Kentish Times 'Beautiful photos, beautiful language, beautiful islands and a beautiful book!' Cornwall Today 'Buy this book; you won't be disappointed.' The London Naturalist

About the Author
Rosemary Parslow worked for Nature Conservancy Council/English Nature for sixteen years before becoming Director of Conservation at the Cambridgeshire Wildlife Trust. She has also been BSBI (Botanical Society of the British Isles) recorder for Scilly for twenty years. It was while working as a scientific assistant at the Natural History Museum in London nearly fifty years ago that she first went to the Isles of Scilly. She has visited the islands every year since, giving her a unique opportunity to study, photograph and appreciate the wildlife, scenery and history of these enchanting islands.

Customer Reviews

The definitive naturalists guide
As a regular visitor to the islands for many years now, I pounced on this when it was published. I found it an invaluable resource to the natural history of the islands, with rather more authority than some other guidebooks I have seen. Rosemary Parslow also has a nice style of writing for the most part, but can be a little dry in places.

The book begins with a review of the islands' history and then, as a rather nice touch, gives a historical review of the islands' naturalists both resident and, like herself, regular visitors. The bulk is taken up with useful accounts of the geology, plants and animals of the islands.

I have given this four stars rather than five because the production is marred by poor proofreading and editing. There are a few errors of names, but there are a number of repetitions of text, as if chunks had been copied from one chapter to another without removing them from the source.

John Rostron