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An Irish Atlantic Rainforest: A Personal Journey into the Magic of Rewilding
An Post Irish Book Award winner, 2022
'The stories are absorbing, the writing charismatic and the ideas thought-provoking' Irish Independent
'Fascinating ... a manifesto for saving our own corner of the planet through letting things be' Irish Times, The Gloss
'Daltun writes with passion and purpose of the way we should live now' RTÉ Guide
On the Beara peninsula in West Cork, a temperate rainforest flourishes. It is the life work of Eoghan Daltun, who had a vision to rewild a 73-acre farm he bought, moving there from Dublin with his family in 2009.
An Irish Atlantic Rainforest charts that remarkable journey. Part memoir, part environmental treatise, as a wild forest bursts into life before our eyes, we're invited to consider the burning issues of our climate breakdown, ecological collapse, and why our very survival as a species requires that we urgently and radically transform our relationship with nature.
This is a story as much about doing nothing as taking action - allowing natural ecosystems to return and thrive without interference, and in doing so heal an ailing planet.
Powerfully descriptive, lovingly told, An Irish Atlantic Rainforest presents an enduring picture of the regenerative force of nature, and how one Irishman let it happen.
'The stories are absorbing, the writing charismatic and the ideas thought-provoking' Irish Independent
'Fascinating ... a manifesto for saving our own corner of the planet through letting things be' Irish Times, The Gloss
'Daltun writes with passion and purpose of the way we should live now' RTÉ Guide
On the Beara peninsula in West Cork, a temperate rainforest flourishes. It is the life work of Eoghan Daltun, who had a vision to rewild a 73-acre farm he bought, moving there from Dublin with his family in 2009.
An Irish Atlantic Rainforest charts that remarkable journey. Part memoir, part environmental treatise, as a wild forest bursts into life before our eyes, we're invited to consider the burning issues of our climate breakdown, ecological collapse, and why our very survival as a species requires that we urgently and radically transform our relationship with nature.
This is a story as much about doing nothing as taking action - allowing natural ecosystems to return and thrive without interference, and in doing so heal an ailing planet.
Powerfully descriptive, lovingly told, An Irish Atlantic Rainforest presents an enduring picture of the regenerative force of nature, and how one Irishman let it happen.
409 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 2022
97 people are currently reading
1315 people want to read
About the author
Eoghan Daltun
3 books13 followersEoghan Daltun (b. 1967) is an Irish, Italian-trained, sculptor and sculpture conservator, and farmer, also notable for his work on, and advocacy for, rewilding. He is the author of a book on his personal rewilding work outside Eyeries on the Beara peninsula.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
November 17, 2022
Part memoir and part call to arms. Daltun bought a farm on the Beara peninsula, in the far southwest of Ireland. He dug out the rhododendrons, fenced off the sheep and feral goats, and watched nature take the land back. Soon a rich ecosystem emerged.
I didn't fully appreciate until now that Ireland's natural habitat is rainforest -- of the temperate rather than the tropical kind. But so little of it is left, and that little is under threat. We bemoan the destruction of the Amazon, but fail to realise what has been done in our own backyard. Perhaps a corner can be turned, if only we can listen and learn.
I didn't fully appreciate until now that Ireland's natural habitat is rainforest -- of the temperate rather than the tropical kind. But so little of it is left, and that little is under threat. We bemoan the destruction of the Amazon, but fail to realise what has been done in our own backyard. Perhaps a corner can be turned, if only we can listen and learn.
March 3, 2023
As an ecologist, I think everybody should read this book. It follows the personal history of the author until he came into possession of a piece of land in southwest Ireland. The author describes his long-life journey of learning ecology and Nature using an Irish temperate rainforest as a template. It is not simply a description of this type of environment. The author touches on basically all the main ecological topics that have been relevant for the past 50 years. The reasoning of the author resonates with my own ideas and reflections as a professional. This book is a must. Plus, it is extremely well written.
May 26, 2023
A great book to build enthusiasm for ecological restoration ("rewilding"), which it sounds like Ireland needs. Despite the mystical sounding subtitle, it makes a science based argument for the importance of restoring and respecting ecosystems. Daltun gives an excellent popular explanation of why and how invasive species can be such a problem in their new homes, for one highlight.
On the more critical side, Daltun's enthusiasm for scientific ecology is not matched by academic rigour. Description of his rewilding work is lacking detail from my (professional) point of view. The references appear sporadic and incomplete, leaving many statements as unsupported assertions. He takes a strong position that megafauna extinctions were primarily and directly caused by human hunting, something that as far as I can tell is not borne out if you look at the breadth of scientific evidence now available. And some of his discussion hinges more on appeals to popular science writers (E.O. Wilson in particular) rather than primary research.
All up, an important book that deserves a wide audience, but readers with a professional or scientific interest may find it to be not entirely satisfying.
On the more critical side, Daltun's enthusiasm for scientific ecology is not matched by academic rigour. Description of his rewilding work is lacking detail from my (professional) point of view. The references appear sporadic and incomplete, leaving many statements as unsupported assertions. He takes a strong position that megafauna extinctions were primarily and directly caused by human hunting, something that as far as I can tell is not borne out if you look at the breadth of scientific evidence now available. And some of his discussion hinges more on appeals to popular science writers (E.O. Wilson in particular) rather than primary research.
All up, an important book that deserves a wide audience, but readers with a professional or scientific interest may find it to be not entirely satisfying.
September 25, 2022
Exceptional. Ranging from one person’s personal history to the scale of the whole planet. It made me want to go out and sit in the woods.
December 28, 2023
This year, I learned about the poor state of Ireland’s forests for the first time. Since then, it truly feels like having swallowed the red pill. Unlike enjoying a relaxed hike around Glendalough this late September, I found myself in a climate Armageddon-like situation: Trying to find shade and a spot to cool down from temperatures around 25 degrees, my partner and I sat down on the dead and dry ground in a conifer plantation, where no bird was singing and no bugs were crawling. This experience, advertised as a hike to enjoy nature, felt more like an apocalyptic march through a severely damaged, if not dead, ecosystem.
This is why I was very excited about Daltun’s book and read it over the course of a few days. I’m giving it a 4/5 rating, and would have loved to give it 5 if not for the perpetuation of a specific narrative that I’ll outline further below.
First of all, the book has reached its main goals with me as a reader: It has significantly advanced my understanding of why Ireland has such a reduced species range and is therefore vulnerable to ecosystem disturbance. And considering my negligible baseline knowledge of ecology and temperate rainforests, I not only experienced the sweet satisfaction of a steep learning curve on these topics, but I’m also completely hooked on the idea of rewilding. I’m thinking of my parent’s garden, joining rewilding groups of volunteers or straight up getting my own plot of land and copy Daltun’s lifework. Also, I now want to visit the Bofickil forest VERY badly (think of the ‘shut up and take my money’ meme). I am deeply convinced that everyone who’s slightly interested in biodiversity and the ecological crisis should read this book as it’s genuinely educational and a fun read.
“An Irish Atlantic Rainforest” is a profoundly captivating read thoughout the chapters dedicated to describing the evolution of the author’s rainforest and ecological processes alongside his own life story (which make up most of the book). However, I really struggled with Daltun’s narrative of how we ended up in such a desolate state of ecological and climate breakdown. He also seems to contradict himself at times. Following the footsteps of people like E. O. Wilson or Jared Diamond, Daltun identifies ‘humans’ as the culprit. While I generally agree, this assertion is analytically vague, or even misleading, and is not helpful and rather problematic in trying to identify leverage points from which the ecological crisis can be overcome. Here are just a few quotes that particularly do not sit well with me:
“As a species, we really are, as E. O. Wilson described us, the ‘planetary killer’, and have been for a lot longer than most of us realise, or probably care to.”
“The idea that we lived in harmony or balance with nature until relatively recently is, sadly, a myth.”
On the meaning of Daltun’s lifework and rainforest:
“In my mind, it’s a handkerchief-scale revolt against the very Anthropocene - the ‘Age of Humans’ - itself, the present epoch in which the human stamp on the planet has become so overwhelming and dominant as to be nothing less than a geological force.”
These statements seem to, on the one hand, balance on the verge of downplaying the role of indigenous communities as stewards of biodiversity (which is highlighted later, thankfully), and, on the other hand, put the current scale of ecological breakdown in the same box as previous cases of human-induced ecosystem deterioration. The sheer magnitude and timeframe of the current crisis just don’t hold up to these narratives, and I also doubt that’s what the author believes in. While ‘half earth’ and rewilding are most valuable ideas when it comes to tackling the biodiversity and climate crises, the human/nature divide is largely superficial. The idea of ‘bad human - good nature’ is reductionist and inspired extremely questionable conservationist policy. If there’s something inherently and genetically ‘bad’ or damaging to the environment about the way us humans think, then why bother trying to change what we’re doing? What’s so frustrating (but also relieving) about his statements in chapter 13 is that he basically refutes them himself later in the book. In chapter 18, he writes:
“Are we completely mad? Any objective analysis (and there’s plenty of it) shows unequivocally that, as a species, we are behaving as if we were. But rather than madness, the principal driver is now very clearly a ferociously aggressive economic system - capitalism - and associated culture that places greatest value on all the wrong things.”
“Our relationship with nature is a broken one, but can be repaired.”
Daltun’s subsequent analysis of why capitalism’s growth imperative is bad for the environment is so crystal clear and on point that I have the urge to scream into the void: “Why Eoghan? Why not like this a bit earlier???” Eventually, such contradictory assertions are probably caused by the author’s conflicted stance on whether humans count as part of nature or not, elaborated on in the last chapter. While the last chapter again changed my perception of the book to the better, I’d like to humbly suggest other readers to follow the line of thought Daltun commences on p. 306 and look into the eco-Marxist and ecofeminist concept of the “Capitalocene”. Wikipedia writes:
“Scholars of the Capitalocene, in contrast, attribute these changes [such as anthropogenic global warming] not to humanity as such, but to the capitalist mode of production and its need for infinite growth, its dependence on fossil fuels, and its compulsion of capitalists to seek profit without regard to “external” or long-term consequences.”
Generally, chapter 13 seems at times rather unscientific. For example, while writing about the more historic explanation of why some species appear in Africa but not in Europe, Daltun assigns significance to certain hypotheses that - at least to my knowledge - do not represent the scientific consensus and do not necessarily hold up to academic rigour. The author seems to drift into popular science, citing individuals like Yuval Noah Harari (whose books should be handled with caution, see: https://www.currentaffairs.org/2022/0...). I generally feel that this book really doesn’t need these digressions as all the other chapters are so insightful and would make up a great educational and entertaining story in itself.
While these discussions are interesting and relevant, Daltun concludes his book by stressing that questions about which fauna and flora can be considered native or whether humans are part of nature shouldn’t divert attention from a much more pressing issue. Citing Rachel Carson, we should rather ask ourselves:
“What combination of ecological stances would provide all our native wildlife with the conditions it needs to survive, and thrive, in abundance, as parts of healthy, resilient, self-regulating ecosystems?”
I hope that the space I have given in my review to critique doesn’t distract from the fact that I really loved reading “An Irish Atlantic Rainforest”. Sometimes, if something is nearly perfect in our eyes, the points that we disagree with seem more prominent and bothersome. With that said, I very much recommend reading this timely and important book - as a whole!
This is why I was very excited about Daltun’s book and read it over the course of a few days. I’m giving it a 4/5 rating, and would have loved to give it 5 if not for the perpetuation of a specific narrative that I’ll outline further below.
First of all, the book has reached its main goals with me as a reader: It has significantly advanced my understanding of why Ireland has such a reduced species range and is therefore vulnerable to ecosystem disturbance. And considering my negligible baseline knowledge of ecology and temperate rainforests, I not only experienced the sweet satisfaction of a steep learning curve on these topics, but I’m also completely hooked on the idea of rewilding. I’m thinking of my parent’s garden, joining rewilding groups of volunteers or straight up getting my own plot of land and copy Daltun’s lifework. Also, I now want to visit the Bofickil forest VERY badly (think of the ‘shut up and take my money’ meme). I am deeply convinced that everyone who’s slightly interested in biodiversity and the ecological crisis should read this book as it’s genuinely educational and a fun read.
“An Irish Atlantic Rainforest” is a profoundly captivating read thoughout the chapters dedicated to describing the evolution of the author’s rainforest and ecological processes alongside his own life story (which make up most of the book). However, I really struggled with Daltun’s narrative of how we ended up in such a desolate state of ecological and climate breakdown. He also seems to contradict himself at times. Following the footsteps of people like E. O. Wilson or Jared Diamond, Daltun identifies ‘humans’ as the culprit. While I generally agree, this assertion is analytically vague, or even misleading, and is not helpful and rather problematic in trying to identify leverage points from which the ecological crisis can be overcome. Here are just a few quotes that particularly do not sit well with me:
“As a species, we really are, as E. O. Wilson described us, the ‘planetary killer’, and have been for a lot longer than most of us realise, or probably care to.”
“The idea that we lived in harmony or balance with nature until relatively recently is, sadly, a myth.”
On the meaning of Daltun’s lifework and rainforest:
“In my mind, it’s a handkerchief-scale revolt against the very Anthropocene - the ‘Age of Humans’ - itself, the present epoch in which the human stamp on the planet has become so overwhelming and dominant as to be nothing less than a geological force.”
These statements seem to, on the one hand, balance on the verge of downplaying the role of indigenous communities as stewards of biodiversity (which is highlighted later, thankfully), and, on the other hand, put the current scale of ecological breakdown in the same box as previous cases of human-induced ecosystem deterioration. The sheer magnitude and timeframe of the current crisis just don’t hold up to these narratives, and I also doubt that’s what the author believes in. While ‘half earth’ and rewilding are most valuable ideas when it comes to tackling the biodiversity and climate crises, the human/nature divide is largely superficial. The idea of ‘bad human - good nature’ is reductionist and inspired extremely questionable conservationist policy. If there’s something inherently and genetically ‘bad’ or damaging to the environment about the way us humans think, then why bother trying to change what we’re doing? What’s so frustrating (but also relieving) about his statements in chapter 13 is that he basically refutes them himself later in the book. In chapter 18, he writes:
“Are we completely mad? Any objective analysis (and there’s plenty of it) shows unequivocally that, as a species, we are behaving as if we were. But rather than madness, the principal driver is now very clearly a ferociously aggressive economic system - capitalism - and associated culture that places greatest value on all the wrong things.”
“Our relationship with nature is a broken one, but can be repaired.”
Daltun’s subsequent analysis of why capitalism’s growth imperative is bad for the environment is so crystal clear and on point that I have the urge to scream into the void: “Why Eoghan? Why not like this a bit earlier???” Eventually, such contradictory assertions are probably caused by the author’s conflicted stance on whether humans count as part of nature or not, elaborated on in the last chapter. While the last chapter again changed my perception of the book to the better, I’d like to humbly suggest other readers to follow the line of thought Daltun commences on p. 306 and look into the eco-Marxist and ecofeminist concept of the “Capitalocene”. Wikipedia writes:
“Scholars of the Capitalocene, in contrast, attribute these changes [such as anthropogenic global warming] not to humanity as such, but to the capitalist mode of production and its need for infinite growth, its dependence on fossil fuels, and its compulsion of capitalists to seek profit without regard to “external” or long-term consequences.”
Generally, chapter 13 seems at times rather unscientific. For example, while writing about the more historic explanation of why some species appear in Africa but not in Europe, Daltun assigns significance to certain hypotheses that - at least to my knowledge - do not represent the scientific consensus and do not necessarily hold up to academic rigour. The author seems to drift into popular science, citing individuals like Yuval Noah Harari (whose books should be handled with caution, see: https://www.currentaffairs.org/2022/0...). I generally feel that this book really doesn’t need these digressions as all the other chapters are so insightful and would make up a great educational and entertaining story in itself.
While these discussions are interesting and relevant, Daltun concludes his book by stressing that questions about which fauna and flora can be considered native or whether humans are part of nature shouldn’t divert attention from a much more pressing issue. Citing Rachel Carson, we should rather ask ourselves:
“What combination of ecological stances would provide all our native wildlife with the conditions it needs to survive, and thrive, in abundance, as parts of healthy, resilient, self-regulating ecosystems?”
I hope that the space I have given in my review to critique doesn’t distract from the fact that I really loved reading “An Irish Atlantic Rainforest”. Sometimes, if something is nearly perfect in our eyes, the points that we disagree with seem more prominent and bothersome. With that said, I very much recommend reading this timely and important book - as a whole!
November 21, 2022
A unique, and exceptional book. I’ve been following Eoghan (@irishrainforest) on Twitter since before I knew a book was coming, so I had an idea of what it might contain. An elegy to the natural world, and a profound and urgent plea to restore what has been wilfully lost.
July 16, 2023
Labelling a book "important" is dangerous: it's an automatic turnoff for many people, including myself at times!
However, this one does deserve the label in such an apocalyptic age. In addition to his environmental topics, the writer covers a lot of personal history and the book is better for it. He's also a very good writer of prose.
I read it over a six-month period. About three quarters way through it ran out of steam for me and I set it aside for a while. With reflection I think this happened because he turned to a lecture mode. It's understandable what with, for example, the horrific neglect and mismanagement of the Killarney National Park. Irish people talk the talk with environmental catastrophe but pointing the finger at Amazon deforestration and American climate denial isn't enough anymore. We need to look at ourselves.
Despite the very occasional minor rant, Eoghan Dalton has done just that. His love of nature shines through in this book. Thank God it was lived and written.
December 30, 2024
Eoghan Daltun deserves a lot of praise for writing this book and most importantly, for his commitment to rejuvenating his little pocket of Ireland’s Atlantic Rainforest—which I wasn’t even aware existed before reading. His writing is visceral and engaging, blending vivid descriptions with heartfelt honesty. He comes across as a really relatable, practical, and passionate advocate for nature, with a refreshing belief in letting ecosystems heal themselves with minimal human interference.
What struck me most was the realisation that Ireland, celebrated as the bountiful ‘Emerald Isle,’ is on the brink of ecological and biodiversity collapse. Yet, Eoghan’s success in nurturing a pocket of temperate rainforest on the Beara Peninsula is both inspiring and reassuring. It’s proof that balance with nature is attainable, provided that we work together with nature, and all members of the community (particularly key players like farmers and governmental boards) and spread the clear message - trust the rewilding process.
This book left me deeply informed about Ireland’s natural world —the flora, fauna, and the complex history of human interaction with the land. Eoghan paints a sobering picture of the challenges we face within the context of the global climate crisis, yet his message is anything but pessimistic. Instead, he offers a hopeful, thought-provoking vision for how we can support nature’s regeneration and work towards a more sustainable and symbiotic relationship with nature.
Overall ‘An Irish Atlantic Rainforest’ is an enlightening and uplifting read, and I have come away with a much deeper appreciation of Irelands nature, and the people working to tackle the climate crisis - go on ya boya!!
What struck me most was the realisation that Ireland, celebrated as the bountiful ‘Emerald Isle,’ is on the brink of ecological and biodiversity collapse. Yet, Eoghan’s success in nurturing a pocket of temperate rainforest on the Beara Peninsula is both inspiring and reassuring. It’s proof that balance with nature is attainable, provided that we work together with nature, and all members of the community (particularly key players like farmers and governmental boards) and spread the clear message - trust the rewilding process.
This book left me deeply informed about Ireland’s natural world —the flora, fauna, and the complex history of human interaction with the land. Eoghan paints a sobering picture of the challenges we face within the context of the global climate crisis, yet his message is anything but pessimistic. Instead, he offers a hopeful, thought-provoking vision for how we can support nature’s regeneration and work towards a more sustainable and symbiotic relationship with nature.
Overall ‘An Irish Atlantic Rainforest’ is an enlightening and uplifting read, and I have come away with a much deeper appreciation of Irelands nature, and the people working to tackle the climate crisis - go on ya boya!!
August 31, 2025
Thought-provoking. Extraordinary insights into the ecological history of Ireland, perceptive environmental perspectives, and an interesting personal story. Maddeningly rambling and preachy in parts — could definitely have done with some stronger editing. I felt there was a lack of depth and meaningful engagement when addressing mainstream counter-perspectives or concerns concerns such as food production, and when describing practical aspects of his vision for the future. Descriptions of the forest and the rewilding work he has done there were super interesting. Definitely worth reading.
February 19, 2024
Enjoyed the first half of the book about his early life, finding his plot of land, and early stages of "rewilding" it more than the more lecture-y second half.
March 11, 2025
4.5 stars
Incredibly well researched and well told story of rewilding and reforestation in the southern coast of Ireland. I have followed the author on social media for several years and meant to get around to reading this book, and it was very worthwhile to do so. It’s not just a memoir and it’s not just specific to the Beara Peninsula near Cork, but there are things to be learned about the environment and restoration everywhere here. A person could spend a long time in the footnotes.
Highly recommend reading this book, and even more highly recommend following Eoghan Daltun on social media.
Incredibly well researched and well told story of rewilding and reforestation in the southern coast of Ireland. I have followed the author on social media for several years and meant to get around to reading this book, and it was very worthwhile to do so. It’s not just a memoir and it’s not just specific to the Beara Peninsula near Cork, but there are things to be learned about the environment and restoration everywhere here. A person could spend a long time in the footnotes.
Highly recommend reading this book, and even more highly recommend following Eoghan Daltun on social media.
December 5, 2025
A really great book on rewilding and Irish forests. I was hoping for more detail on the processes of rewilding which was why it lost a star but overall, I did really enjoy the book still.
October 9, 2022
Beautiful writing.
January 7, 2023
Our relationship with nature is a broken one, but it can be repaired.
‘Our species is fully responsible for what is now befalling all non-human life on Earth.’
As scientists presently decide which place will formally mark the start of the Anthropocene, Daltun’s ‘An Irish Atlantic Rainforest’ reminds us that, as humans, we have incredible potential to transform the world for the good or the ill.
Unusually for my reviews, this one begins at the end of Daltun’s journey and the end of the text, where he concluded with his key argument, ‘Quite simply, it is profoundly immoral for us to think and act as if the entire planet were ours alone, and that we don’t have to leave enough wild spaces for the millions of other species that have just as much right to exist as we do.’ The realisation and humble acceptance that our species is just one of the millions which are lucky enough to exist on the planet and not the most essential one, is a central message of the book.
My journey to this book was via ‘Losing Eden’ by Lucy Jones, ‘The Insect Crisis’ by Oliver Milman and ‘Silent Earth’ by Dave Goulson, so it was comforting and reassuring to read similar messages breaking through to a wider audience. On one hand, ‘An Irish Atlantic Rainforest’ is not a ‘climate’ book- and yet, it is. For me, it was about the change in perspective that is needed to live as a part of nature and to respect nature as a living entity.
Nature existed for millions of years, both before and without humans, and will undoubtedly do so again. Despite our existence on the planet, being in geological terms the blink of an eye, our destructive influence on the world has been marked and noticed. Daltun makes the point, early in the text that a connection with this geological timeframe is a vital one. ‘I was beginning to perceive the landscape around me and under me in ecological and geological terms and time frames, rather than just those structured around the narrow window of time that is a human life.’ Through the tactile touching of the soil and strata comes a realisation of our true place in the world and the understanding that by changing our nature of stamping artificiality on the world, we could give nature a chance. ‘Our task is mainly just to stand back and let that happen: no small thing for a species whose success thus far has been so firmly predicated on the control and manipulation of environments.’
Daltun argues that by stepping back and letting go of trying to ‘tame the wilderness’, we can be blessed with blooming ecological diversity and life. ‘We need to learn to be able to let go- and then enjoy nature come flooding back in and do its thing.’
Discovering awe
In truth, the ‘narrative’ aspect of this book, could be seen as potentially clichéd. A family moves from the city to the country and they have their eyes open to the beauty of nature and they aim to protect an area of land and ensure that an ‘Atlantic rainforest’ can breathe again. This would be a very trite reading of the book and one that attempts to minimise the deep, almost genetic memory and connection that we have when we encounter nature.
Daltun connects with a growing zeitgeist- that of experiencing awe when faced with nature and the environment. He states ‘I was in complete awe of the place.’ and describes an encounter with a sparrowhawk, which ‘left me literally ‘enraptored’, and close to tears. It felt like a very personal welcome from another world, and in a sense perhaps it was.’ There are moments in our lives when we do experience awe and wonder and are transformed by it, as we realise that our eyes and minds cannot process what we are experiencing. If you have seen the Grand Canyon, this may be the closest example that I can think of here. You may be able to intellectually cope with its formation over millions of years, but on an emotional front, it is much harder to embrace and fathom. Without these transcendental moments in our lives, we miss out on a connection. For Daltun, it is the proximity to forests which is the focus of the book, ‘In the forest, ecological time, which is only truly measured in scales stretching far beyond our own lives, potentially comes into view, if not quite within full grasp of the mind.’ He acknowledges the healing properties of nature- and notes that forest bathing is medically prescribed. Whenever I felt as if I was carrying the weight of the whole world on my shoulders, within a few steps into the woods I would feel that start to lift, often in the most indescribably powerful way.’ He continues to explore the transformative power of the connection of nature almost as a rebirth, ‘After spending time in the woods, I leave as a different person, recharged to my very core.’
Nature must be permitted to come back
This book is filled with words that try and capture the elusiveness of his journey. Daltun writes about ‘rewilding’ and ‘reverting’ and ‘renewing’ and ‘returning’ and ‘rejuvenation’, as the limits of language make it difficult to describe what the preservation of the temperate rainforest becomes. Preservation itself isn’t the right word- as it suggests interference. What Daltun describes, is almost a preservation through inaction.
He repeatedly acknowledges that he is not promoting a return to some Golden Age, but rather to create opportunities for ‘land sparing’- ‘The real objective is not to back to the past, but forward: to complex, vibrant ecosystems that actually work by themselves and are therefore more resilient in the face of climate breakdown and other shocks coming down the line. As has been said before, the aim of rewilding isn’t to turn the ecological clock back in time, but to allow it to actually start ticking again.’
We are all ecologists now
Daltun intersperses his book with images of human interaction with nature and in this, there is a similarity to the photographer Jonk’s work in ‘Naturalia’, where he visits abandoned human sites around the world, where nature has reclaimed the land and buildings. There is a humbling, haunting beauty in both the images of Jonk and the natural world described by Daltun. ‘How nature can return- and does best- when left alone.’
The practice of humans not leaving nature alone, but instead introducing non-native species creates significant issues for Daltun, as it threatens self-regulating eco-systems. He argues, ‘It may surprise many people to learn that invasive exotic (non-native) species are recognised by ecologists as the second biggest driver of global species extinction.’ He also points out that introducing non-native plants, or larger mammals can have unintended consequences for other elements of the food chain. ‘There is strong evidence that the increasing prevalence of non-native plant species is a major factor driving the current sharp decline of insect populations across the world.’
Good intentions aren’t enough
Daltun explores in depth the complex issues that are created when humans try to interfere, sometimes with good intentions, with what they view as deficits in nature. Perhaps not understanding that if something is not there in the eco- system, then nature has probably not put it there for a reason. He bemoans the introduction of goats and sika deer, ‘Often described by ecologists as ‘desert makers’, they are responsible for helping to push native species across the planet into extinction, with fragile island ecosystems especially vulnerable.’ He supports this point by emphasising that when human activity has impacted the eco-system already, any more interference can prove costly, ‘The most crucial thing to understand about invasive species is that they tend to make most headway in ecosystems which are already heavily compromised by human activities.’
Daltun takes time to unpick the dialogue between farmers, governments and environmentalists, and explores the challenges and cooperation that is possible between these groups. His target appears to be the Government more, which tries to impose and limit nature, while at the same time allowing invasive species to damage what and threaten what remains. ‘That such a situation has been allowed to persist for so long- both sike deer and rhododendron were already recognised as serious problems by the mid-1970s- is a monumental national disgrace.’
The dangers of monoculture plantations are analysed fully in the text- ‘However, despite all the arguments in favour of treating the land gently, there is a rapid and relentless homogenisation taking place throughout the length and breadth of the Irish countryside, with flat monocultural banality the ideal always strived for.’
There is also a warning that easy political soundbite solutions should always be viewed with caution, especially the ideology that if we just plant enough trees, all will be well. ‘Tree-planting is not synonymous with conservation; it is an admission that conservation has failed.’- Oliver Rackham
Daltun suggests instead that a flourishing, diverse, self-reliant ecosystem is the better solution- not just for a political term, but for the generations to come. ‘Nature must be permitted to come back. Society needs it; our rapidly disappearing wildlife desperately needs it.’
Our relationship with nature is a broken one, but it can be repaired.
It is important to note that Daltun does not finish his journey with an arrogant flourish of ‘Look what I achieved and you can too, if you work hard enough.’ In truth, there is no end point to the natural rainforest journey- just perhaps a different steward and guardian at some point. The connections and awareness of time that nature allows is more vital, as it a deep gratitude. Of his own experience, Daltun writes, ‘Restoring a wild natural ecosystem- or, more accurately, removing some of the man-made impediments that were preventing it from restoring itself- has brought deep joy, fulfilment and meaning.’
For more people to experience this deep joy and meaning, he argues that a dramatic cultural shift is required- to one of awe and to one of wonder. ‘Since culture is such a key driver of human behaviour, a profound transformation in our cultural relationship with forests and other natural ecosystems, to one of respect, and indeed reverence, is vital.’
If we continue on the path of treating nature as expendable and as a resource for us to enjoy, then we will continue to be the ‘planetary killers’ as E.O. Wilson describes us. Daltun concludes by arguing that our priorities need to dramatically altered. ‘The human economy is always placed first in our order of priorities…while the natural world is actually treated as expendable…it should be the diametric opposite.’
Without this cultural shift, we could be jeopardising our own future. ‘It is not an exaggeration to say that our own very survival as a species will ultimately largely hinge on whether we can do so- or not.’
‘The essence of nature is wholeness’- Douglas Chadwick
In reading this text, I thought about the journey of the author from Italy, to South Africa to Ireland. I thought about his work as a sculptor and wondered if Michelangelo’s quotation of ‘I saw the Angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.’ could be applied to Daltun’s transformation. I felt there was a spiritual part to this book, which wasn’t based on a religion, but on a discovery- that the work of preserving and setting nature free, changed Daltun more than it changed nature. When he writes, ‘I was privileged to be witness to the most stunning, magical transformation of the land inside,’ it seemed as if nature had transformed the writer as well.
What happens to us when we lose the magic of connecting with nature and choose to not allow ourselves to be transformed?
Will our rooms refuse to transform into forests as in ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ by Maurice Sendak?
And will we always be missing a part of the wholeness that could enrich our lives?
April 21, 2024
Como quitarse una venda de los ojos.
April 5, 2023
A beautiful book that taught me about the forest ecosystems in Ireland through the author's personal story of their own relationship with the land in Ireland and abroad. Absolutely recommend!
October 10, 2024
A brilliant book which really enhanced my recent trip to Ireland, including some visits to some rainforest sites (sadly all in very poor condition due to overgrazing, as explained in this book).
February 23, 2023
Well written and impassioned. Would have liked more about the flora and fauna of his rewilded land. The last few chapters are basically a summary of info and ideas I’ve read in other books eg the work of Suzanne Simard and Yuval Noah Harari.
July 17, 2024
Didn't find the first half of this book to be interesting at all, however I was not reading this for the memoir but more for the discussion of "Rewilding" or ecological restoration. The author is obviously incredibly passionate about the cause which I can recognise and admire. This is an important issue in Ireland specifically and as someone with a background in forestry I was incredibly drawn to this book. It dissapointed.
The author has no academic background in forestry, which is fine, I was not expecting this book to be in any way academic. What isnt fine is the information in this book being misleading at best, and completely incorrect at worst. As well as having shoddy citation throughout. The author appeals to emotion rather than logic while presenting these semi-factual assertations, which further misleads readers with no background knowledge on the subject.
I find that the author comes across as patronising and becomes more unlikable throughout, as many Irish farmers do not have the privilege to allow a piece of land to "rewild" itself, as land is their and their families livelihoods. In my opinion, the issues raised in this book are incredibly important not only for the Irish forestry sector but for the climate change conversation as a whole. I feel that the author simply states the issues and says "human beings bad" instead of actually attempting to suggest feasible ways to tackle the problems that we are facing.
I may have expected too much from a memoir written by a hobbyist, but this book was really such a dissapointment for me.
The author has no academic background in forestry, which is fine, I was not expecting this book to be in any way academic. What isnt fine is the information in this book being misleading at best, and completely incorrect at worst. As well as having shoddy citation throughout. The author appeals to emotion rather than logic while presenting these semi-factual assertations, which further misleads readers with no background knowledge on the subject.
I find that the author comes across as patronising and becomes more unlikable throughout, as many Irish farmers do not have the privilege to allow a piece of land to "rewild" itself, as land is their and their families livelihoods. In my opinion, the issues raised in this book are incredibly important not only for the Irish forestry sector but for the climate change conversation as a whole. I feel that the author simply states the issues and says "human beings bad" instead of actually attempting to suggest feasible ways to tackle the problems that we are facing.
I may have expected too much from a memoir written by a hobbyist, but this book was really such a dissapointment for me.
December 5, 2022
4.2 out of 5. I had been looking forward to reading this book for ages, and I enjoyed it but not enough for a 5 star review. The story of how the author refurbished a cottage in Dublin and reinvented themselves as a stone carver / sculptor is very inspiring, as is the story of purchasing the land in Beara and allowing it regenerate. The writing is lovely. I was expecting more detail about the increase in biodiversity and the species that returned to the patch. There are some great sections about the impact of deer and goats on our woodlands and uplands - an issue that has only come to my attention in the last three or four years. Eoghan talks quite a bit about the downside of actively planting trees and forests - whether it’s Sitka spruce or native trees - compared to natural regeneration. Given the interconnection between the biodiversity crisis and climate breakdown, I wasn’t persuaded by that. With the urgent need to replace concrete with less carbon intensive materials such as wood, I think we are going to have to plant trees on a massive scale and sadly I don’t believe that natural regeneration will fill that gap. That said, maybe there are research findings that will support Eoghan’s approach. If they’re in a follow-up book I will also buy that!
July 27, 2023
Most reviewers have sworn by this book as a masterpiece of the science of climate change and as a must read regarding the imperative of saving the planet; but the book begins, as the title suggests, as a memoir and the first half is Daltun’s personal journey. The second half is where he spends I would suggest too much time on the science. Unless one thinks of the book as a science book, which most readers/reviewers apparently do. I would have liked to have continued to read a memoir. But maybe his life became too complicated with too many other people in it and out of it for him to continue honestly in that vein — too many of those people are still alive and still, presumably, in and around his life. So the science is good, it’s interesting, it’s very educational regarding rewilding, what it is, what it requires. But Daltun is trained as a sculptor and restores sculptures. I would have liked to have read more about that and his personal journey in that profession. In addition, his rewilding required fencing off his property from the wild, whether invasive species or not, he fenced off his property. Query where that activity sits in the scheme of things.
April 5, 2023
Without a doubt, this is my favourite book on rewilding.
It starts off gently with the back story of how Eoghan ended up with a rainforest to restore. Though some folk might be in a rush to get to the main event, I enjoyed this bit.
Then, when you do get there, the section on the rainforest itself is inspirational. The love and passion the writer has for this piece of Ireland shines through his words and makes you fall in love with it too. This is partnered with a beautifully communicated knowledge of the importance of these landscapes, how we have lost them, and what needs to happen next.
The final few chapters talk more generally on the key issues surrounding rewilding and he weaves so many threads together in a way that shows not just knowledge but also a deep wisdom too.
I wish everyone would read this book and take on board what’s being said. We would all be so much richer for it.
It starts off gently with the back story of how Eoghan ended up with a rainforest to restore. Though some folk might be in a rush to get to the main event, I enjoyed this bit.
Then, when you do get there, the section on the rainforest itself is inspirational. The love and passion the writer has for this piece of Ireland shines through his words and makes you fall in love with it too. This is partnered with a beautifully communicated knowledge of the importance of these landscapes, how we have lost them, and what needs to happen next.
The final few chapters talk more generally on the key issues surrounding rewilding and he weaves so many threads together in a way that shows not just knowledge but also a deep wisdom too.
I wish everyone would read this book and take on board what’s being said. We would all be so much richer for it.
December 27, 2023
The rewilding movement in Ireland could use a better front man than Daltun, who is increasingly unlikeable as the book goes on. He's also preying on emotions rather than using facts so when people go to parrot the book, and they do, they aren't parroting the truth. It's been proven the world over that people aren't and don't need to be separate from nature, and yet he bangs on about our destructive eventualities. It's just not true? I had high hopes for this book.
February 2, 2023
I expected to learn from this book and to find it interesting. I didn’t expect it to be so beautifully written and utterly compelling. Fantastic.
July 30, 2023
Review to come.
May 10, 2023
It may just be my relative ignorance, but it feels to me as if the rewinding memoir is still a relatively young genre - one that seems likely to become more densely populated in the next decade or two. For sure, we need more of them, from all different parts of the world, to capture the unity-in-diversity of rich and complex ecosystems.
Daltun's journey takes him from Dublin to Italy, and thence to south west Ireland, with a short detour to a sister rainforest in South Africa. My main reference point is Isabella Tree's Wilding about an estate in southern England. As one might expect from an Irish-English comparison, Eoghan Daltun's book is less pragmatic, less disciplined, more of a discursive ramble, more open to the sublime and the transcendent.
'Think global, act local' was the old 1970s environmental mantra, and Irish Atlantic Rainforest criss-crosses and weaves together these two levels of analysis (even in its title, which might appear at first as an oxymoron, but it's not). Much of what I love about this book is its rootedness in location, its Irishness [disclosure: I'm English, please forgive me]. Daltun has an enviably gentle touch in getting across difficult scientific ideas including complexity, the role and function of diversity, and the nature of non-human intelligence in ecosystems.
Very occasionally the book strays into making specific policy recommendations, and you can almost feel it coming unstuck as it does so. It works best at the level of intuition and feel; not so well at tracing the unintended consequences of legislative interventions.
Rambles, like ecosystems, come in all shapes and sizes. Irish Atlantic Rainforest is not one of those Lawrence Sterne meanders that twists this way and that, and finally, ironically, in on itself (sublime as that can be). It is animated by a single-minded purpose and passion to somersault our approach to the natural world. And it delivers. By the final couple of chapters - strong and sure-footed in their rich ideas - it had me cheering on the cause.
Daltun's journey takes him from Dublin to Italy, and thence to south west Ireland, with a short detour to a sister rainforest in South Africa. My main reference point is Isabella Tree's Wilding about an estate in southern England. As one might expect from an Irish-English comparison, Eoghan Daltun's book is less pragmatic, less disciplined, more of a discursive ramble, more open to the sublime and the transcendent.
'Think global, act local' was the old 1970s environmental mantra, and Irish Atlantic Rainforest criss-crosses and weaves together these two levels of analysis (even in its title, which might appear at first as an oxymoron, but it's not). Much of what I love about this book is its rootedness in location, its Irishness [disclosure: I'm English, please forgive me]. Daltun has an enviably gentle touch in getting across difficult scientific ideas including complexity, the role and function of diversity, and the nature of non-human intelligence in ecosystems.
Very occasionally the book strays into making specific policy recommendations, and you can almost feel it coming unstuck as it does so. It works best at the level of intuition and feel; not so well at tracing the unintended consequences of legislative interventions.
Rambles, like ecosystems, come in all shapes and sizes. Irish Atlantic Rainforest is not one of those Lawrence Sterne meanders that twists this way and that, and finally, ironically, in on itself (sublime as that can be). It is animated by a single-minded purpose and passion to somersault our approach to the natural world. And it delivers. By the final couple of chapters - strong and sure-footed in their rich ideas - it had me cheering on the cause.
June 4, 2025
A fascinating account of one man's rewilding of a small piece of land on the Beara Peninsula in the southwest of Ireland. Eoghan Dalton grew up on a deprived estate in Dublin where almost every sign of nature and greenery had been destroyed by local vandals but he grew up to dedicate his life to restoring ancient beauty, either through working in sculpture restoration or through his renovation of an old cottage in Dublin or - the main focus of the book - restoring and rewilding the Bofickul farm.
The book gives a very detailed account of the ecological science behind rewilding and the history of biodiversity, or more accurately environmental destruction, in Ireland. Dalton also recounts his trial-and-error approach to farming / not farming on his land. First he tries out sheep farming on the mountain sides but eventually switches to a small herd of Dexter cows, an ancient breed native to Ireland. He initially balks when bats take over one of the sheds on his land but soon realizes that their presence is actually helpful to the ecosystem at large as they eat bugs and midgies.
There is a lot of scientific detail in this book that makes it a long read but it is very educational and fascinating if you stick with it. I would have enjoyed the book more if I could have learned a little more about the community that Daltun lived in, how his children responded to growing up in such a beautiful place or the personal insights he gained from becoming a farmer from having grown up in a city. But clearly the main goal Daltun has with the book is education and a call to action. Overall, his argument that we need to let nature heal by returning to its wild state with as little intervention as possible, is a persuasive one. A fascinating story with inspirational insights.
The book gives a very detailed account of the ecological science behind rewilding and the history of biodiversity, or more accurately environmental destruction, in Ireland. Dalton also recounts his trial-and-error approach to farming / not farming on his land. First he tries out sheep farming on the mountain sides but eventually switches to a small herd of Dexter cows, an ancient breed native to Ireland. He initially balks when bats take over one of the sheds on his land but soon realizes that their presence is actually helpful to the ecosystem at large as they eat bugs and midgies.
There is a lot of scientific detail in this book that makes it a long read but it is very educational and fascinating if you stick with it. I would have enjoyed the book more if I could have learned a little more about the community that Daltun lived in, how his children responded to growing up in such a beautiful place or the personal insights he gained from becoming a farmer from having grown up in a city. But clearly the main goal Daltun has with the book is education and a call to action. Overall, his argument that we need to let nature heal by returning to its wild state with as little intervention as possible, is a persuasive one. A fascinating story with inspirational insights.
September 6, 2023
An important book, written with passion and commitment. Daltun, a sculptor, tells of his life in Ireland and Italy, beginning with his labours as a young man in Dublin, where he rebuilds a traditional Irish cottage pretty much by himself. After seven years in Italy studying sculpture, he returns to Ireland and buys a coastal estate on the peninsula of Beara in S.W. Ireland. Passionate about the natural environment, he sets about rewilding his land to return it to a temperate rainforest.
His gradual achievement of his aims are recounted, interspersed with descriptions of the rainforest and its inhabitants, and also with discussion and description of environmental issues in Ireland and globally. Daltun doesn’t pull his punches about the destruction humanity has wreaked on nature, and is particularly interesting about the actions (and inactions) of the Irish government in this respect. Claims by the government of reforestation are shown to be questionable, as involving plantations of foreign coniferous trees that actually damage the environment; also discussed are schemes to pay farmers to destroy environmentally valuable land and replace it with sterile grassland.
I spent a good deal of time in my youth in SW Ireland (1960s and ‘70s), some of it near Bantry Bay, so I found this book reawakened some of my experiences there. It saddened me to read that the beautiful largely unspoiled countryside of those years has now changed.
His gradual achievement of his aims are recounted, interspersed with descriptions of the rainforest and its inhabitants, and also with discussion and description of environmental issues in Ireland and globally. Daltun doesn’t pull his punches about the destruction humanity has wreaked on nature, and is particularly interesting about the actions (and inactions) of the Irish government in this respect. Claims by the government of reforestation are shown to be questionable, as involving plantations of foreign coniferous trees that actually damage the environment; also discussed are schemes to pay farmers to destroy environmentally valuable land and replace it with sterile grassland.
I spent a good deal of time in my youth in SW Ireland (1960s and ‘70s), some of it near Bantry Bay, so I found this book reawakened some of my experiences there. It saddened me to read that the beautiful largely unspoiled countryside of those years has now changed.
November 17, 2025
This book was not bad, but I'm giving it only two stars for a few different reasons.
I'll save you all some time and sum up the book's faults by the author's remark concerning young peoples' campaigning on behalf of environmental issues (useless activism) inspired by the "brilliant Greta Thunberg" (a phrase I've only heard mindless boomer ladies or transgender rights advocates say).
If the goal is to understand environmental politics, then anyone would be much better off reading the following articles (and I encourage the author to read these as well if for some reason he finds this review):
- https://counter-currents.com/2019/11/...
- https://thuletide.wordpress.com/2019/...
Or read Industrial Society & Its Future by Ted K. The audio read by Augustus Invictus is free on YouTube.
Sir David Mackay, Boyan Slat or even Frank Herbert are worth a million Greta Thunbergs.
My original intent behind reading this book was as a sort of preparation for digging into Irish (and the broader post-Celtic) mythology and historical narrative. The unique geography, flora and fauna of the British Isles is a significant part of what gave rise to their distinctive, vibrant, warrior-aristocratic culture, including its artistic & aesthetic traditions, cuisine, fashion & manner, and it seems necessary to understand the ecological parallel in this context. This is also why I purchased "How the Irish Saved Civilization" by Thomas Cahill and "32 Words for Field" by Magan Manchan.
And, I believe, next to solving their current mass immigration crisis, Ireland (actually all of Europe) must reforest and obtain a pristine, sustainable quality to its land, maximizing the country's natural beauty, instilling a healthy relationship with the soil (and other resources) and therefore rediscover and strengthen its roots (cultural & racial identity). It is also imperative for the physical (also mental) health of the people themselves to reorganize their food system to something mostly localized, organic, perhaps even based on a permaculture forest-farming model in order to ensure a robust, stalwart population that has a real connection to their habitat and culture (cuisine is the ultimate basis for any thriving culture). To move in the opposite direction of factory farms & mass production. Likewise it is absolutely necessary to rid the country of the abundant & harmful processed foods, "fast" food, and other degenerative industrial farming practices. It's worth noting that much of the farmland in Ireland is owned by American companies.
Daltun does plenty of things well, and it is a simple, enjoyable read for the most part, but it does at times smack of the same anecdotal corniness, lacking density & to-the-point information, that many new 'scientific' authors (Montgomery, Pollan, etc.) seem to stylize themselves with. I realize the author doesn't call himself a scientist, ecologist, however, and it is his personal story of how this patch of land came into his possession, hence his vision of natural revitalization (which I find admirable). Demographics such as environmentally-minded teens and older folks would probably find this book more charming than a serious student of ecology.
I did find some of the Irish history interesting, as well as the political motives involved, and he does name off many native plant and animal species, providing a good picture of what a healthy, balanced Irish Atlantic rain forest might look like. Daltun draws on one example in particular of the country's efforts to reintroduce a species of eagle back into the environment after its disappearance to shed light on positive changes (or possibilities) in Ireland's ecosystem.
He also notes many times throughout the writing how grazing animals are partly to blame for much of the barren landscape, reduced to bedrock or, at best, empty field.
My own corner of America has the inverse problem: an overabundance of undergrowth tends to crowd out desirable species and will greatly uglify the landscape, rendering it aesthetically displeasing & conducive to ecological imbalance. In particular invasive buckthorn and other durable weeds, popple trees, and intrusive plants take over the natural environment quite rapidly, and host mosquitoes, ticks and other unwanted hazards. Industrial farming is also a massive problem here, introducing agrochemicals to the environment, over tilling, eroding and depriving the soil of carbon and nitrogen due to massive monocrop farming operations and poor crop rotation. It is my belief that this practice also "stresses out" the ecosystem and promotes the flourishing of pests and even bad weather, not to mention literal poison in the air, water and soil. It strips virtually all diversity of plant species, and therefore diversity in the soil, leading to bland, sterile, uninspiring landscapes as opposed to ancient, majestic, forest habitats that enrich an environment with vitality & character, abundant with both resources & wonder.
To close (and by no means is this a complete analysis) I will quickly return to the topic of demographic replacement, which was mentioned earlier in the context of being a related issue to ecological restoration. This is true; there is no denying the reality of this phenomenon, whether you are in favor of it or not. One does not need to look hard at all to find direct problems (violence, rape, distrust, crime in general) of mass immigration. A more salient observation, though, is that state-sponsored human trafficking from the 3rd World is a symptom of much deeper problems regarding cultural, spiritual and racial identity, as ugly as those terms have become by socially-accepted standards.
Ireland is not a large country, and it will be filled up quickly by people who are not, and probably will never be, a mirror of its environment. And the desiccation of the Irish landscape will only accelerate as an indirect result of introducing the social chaos that is mass immigration, combined with over-socialization (favoring modern trends over the classical). The strongest voices advocating for demographic replacement also see the countryside as a potential economic opportunity for new housing development, more strip malls and fast food chains. They prefer urban expansion & consumerism at the expense of beauty & high culture. It is always QUANTITY over QUALITY.
I'll save you all some time and sum up the book's faults by the author's remark concerning young peoples' campaigning on behalf of environmental issues (useless activism) inspired by the "brilliant Greta Thunberg" (a phrase I've only heard mindless boomer ladies or transgender rights advocates say).
If the goal is to understand environmental politics, then anyone would be much better off reading the following articles (and I encourage the author to read these as well if for some reason he finds this review):
- https://counter-currents.com/2019/11/...
- https://thuletide.wordpress.com/2019/...
Or read Industrial Society & Its Future by Ted K. The audio read by Augustus Invictus is free on YouTube.
Sir David Mackay, Boyan Slat or even Frank Herbert are worth a million Greta Thunbergs.
My original intent behind reading this book was as a sort of preparation for digging into Irish (and the broader post-Celtic) mythology and historical narrative. The unique geography, flora and fauna of the British Isles is a significant part of what gave rise to their distinctive, vibrant, warrior-aristocratic culture, including its artistic & aesthetic traditions, cuisine, fashion & manner, and it seems necessary to understand the ecological parallel in this context. This is also why I purchased "How the Irish Saved Civilization" by Thomas Cahill and "32 Words for Field" by Magan Manchan.
And, I believe, next to solving their current mass immigration crisis, Ireland (actually all of Europe) must reforest and obtain a pristine, sustainable quality to its land, maximizing the country's natural beauty, instilling a healthy relationship with the soil (and other resources) and therefore rediscover and strengthen its roots (cultural & racial identity). It is also imperative for the physical (also mental) health of the people themselves to reorganize their food system to something mostly localized, organic, perhaps even based on a permaculture forest-farming model in order to ensure a robust, stalwart population that has a real connection to their habitat and culture (cuisine is the ultimate basis for any thriving culture). To move in the opposite direction of factory farms & mass production. Likewise it is absolutely necessary to rid the country of the abundant & harmful processed foods, "fast" food, and other degenerative industrial farming practices. It's worth noting that much of the farmland in Ireland is owned by American companies.
Daltun does plenty of things well, and it is a simple, enjoyable read for the most part, but it does at times smack of the same anecdotal corniness, lacking density & to-the-point information, that many new 'scientific' authors (Montgomery, Pollan, etc.) seem to stylize themselves with. I realize the author doesn't call himself a scientist, ecologist, however, and it is his personal story of how this patch of land came into his possession, hence his vision of natural revitalization (which I find admirable). Demographics such as environmentally-minded teens and older folks would probably find this book more charming than a serious student of ecology.
I did find some of the Irish history interesting, as well as the political motives involved, and he does name off many native plant and animal species, providing a good picture of what a healthy, balanced Irish Atlantic rain forest might look like. Daltun draws on one example in particular of the country's efforts to reintroduce a species of eagle back into the environment after its disappearance to shed light on positive changes (or possibilities) in Ireland's ecosystem.
He also notes many times throughout the writing how grazing animals are partly to blame for much of the barren landscape, reduced to bedrock or, at best, empty field.
My own corner of America has the inverse problem: an overabundance of undergrowth tends to crowd out desirable species and will greatly uglify the landscape, rendering it aesthetically displeasing & conducive to ecological imbalance. In particular invasive buckthorn and other durable weeds, popple trees, and intrusive plants take over the natural environment quite rapidly, and host mosquitoes, ticks and other unwanted hazards. Industrial farming is also a massive problem here, introducing agrochemicals to the environment, over tilling, eroding and depriving the soil of carbon and nitrogen due to massive monocrop farming operations and poor crop rotation. It is my belief that this practice also "stresses out" the ecosystem and promotes the flourishing of pests and even bad weather, not to mention literal poison in the air, water and soil. It strips virtually all diversity of plant species, and therefore diversity in the soil, leading to bland, sterile, uninspiring landscapes as opposed to ancient, majestic, forest habitats that enrich an environment with vitality & character, abundant with both resources & wonder.
To close (and by no means is this a complete analysis) I will quickly return to the topic of demographic replacement, which was mentioned earlier in the context of being a related issue to ecological restoration. This is true; there is no denying the reality of this phenomenon, whether you are in favor of it or not. One does not need to look hard at all to find direct problems (violence, rape, distrust, crime in general) of mass immigration. A more salient observation, though, is that state-sponsored human trafficking from the 3rd World is a symptom of much deeper problems regarding cultural, spiritual and racial identity, as ugly as those terms have become by socially-accepted standards.
Ireland is not a large country, and it will be filled up quickly by people who are not, and probably will never be, a mirror of its environment. And the desiccation of the Irish landscape will only accelerate as an indirect result of introducing the social chaos that is mass immigration, combined with over-socialization (favoring modern trends over the classical). The strongest voices advocating for demographic replacement also see the countryside as a potential economic opportunity for new housing development, more strip malls and fast food chains. They prefer urban expansion & consumerism at the expense of beauty & high culture. It is always QUANTITY over QUALITY.
May 25, 2024
An enjoyable read, comforting at times, depressing at others. I found Dalton's fascination and love for the natural world shone through in this book, and he describes the mindful joys of being in nature very well. Of course, highlighting the alarming destruction of the natural world at the hands of human beings is never an easy read, but I found it necessary as we absolutely should be giving back, and not looking to exploit Mother Earth at every opportunity, or at every square inch.
I'm not very well informed on biology and ecology, and I found some of the language or some of the lists of various plant/insect/animals species to go over my head a bit, but perhaps others who are well versed on the subject may have found it too simple.
I hope this book will highlight to readers what is natural - self sustaining ecosystems requiring little to now human intervention to flourish, and containing native species - and what isn't, such as monoculture forests, imported animals and perfectly manicured gardens. The results of what the rainforest in Beara 'wanted' to be once all the foreign, human serving species were removed.
I'm not very well informed on biology and ecology, and I found some of the language or some of the lists of various plant/insect/animals species to go over my head a bit, but perhaps others who are well versed on the subject may have found it too simple.
I hope this book will highlight to readers what is natural - self sustaining ecosystems requiring little to now human intervention to flourish, and containing native species - and what isn't, such as monoculture forests, imported animals and perfectly manicured gardens. The results of what the rainforest in Beara 'wanted' to be once all the foreign, human serving species were removed.
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