Whittled Away: Ireland's Vanishing Nature

by Pádraic Fogarty

‘Ireland’s heritage is being steadily whittled away by human exploitation, pollution and other aspects of modern development. This could represent a serious loss to the nation.’

Irish Government Report, June 1969

Nature in Ireland is disappearing at an alarming rate. Overfishing, industrial-scale farming and pollution have decimated wildlife habitats and populations. In a single lifetime, vast shoals of herring, rivers bursting with salmon, and bogs alive with flocks of curlew and geese have all become folk memories. Coastal and rural communities are struggling to survive; the foundations of our tourism and agricultural sectors are being undermined. The lack of political engagement frequently sees the state in the European Court of Justice for environmental issues. Pádraic Fogarty authoritatively charts how this grim failure to manage our natural resources has impoverished our country.

But all is not he also reveals possibilities for the future, describing how we can fill our seas with fish, farm in tune with nature, and create forests that benefit both people and wildlife. He makes a persuasive case for the return of long-lost species like wild boar, cranes and wolves, showing how the interests of the country and its nature can be reconciled.

A provocative call to arms, Whittled Away presents an alternative path that could lead us all to a brighter future.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Nature, Irish Literature, Ireland, Environment

379 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 1, 2017

Reviews

[Eithne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly fascinating and well written however at times repetitive and long winded. I would have appreciated more sub sections within chapters. If you want to learn about the Irish environment then this is the book.

[Brian Gormley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an important and informative book for anybody interested in Ireland’s natural history. Over 7 chapters, Padraic Fogarty sets out how the biodiversity of Ireland’s fish, animals, birds, and plant life are deteriorating as a result of poor government policy, short-sightedness, greed and stupidity (my words not his!). At times I wondered if the author might be overly pessimistic, but all the facts are backed up by references and literature. As example after example of the destruction of landscapes and habitats are listed, it had the potential to be quite a demoralizing book. However, the book is rescued by the author’s passion and obvious love for the Irish environment and landscape. There are some lovely descriptions of nature, and the final 8th chapter sets out some positive developments and proposals that could undo some of the damage done. The book deserves a bigger audience.

[Orla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel this is a book I will come back to with more a more specific eye. It's incredibly detailed, and covers such a broad sweep of the Irish environmental context that it is almost textbook like, but with an approachable style. While I don't agree of with every answer Fogarty reaches, I do believe he is asking vitally important questions.

[Paul Halloran · Rating 3 out of 5]

An informative read about the current state of wildlife in Ireland and the actions/inactions of our government in causing the biodiversity crisis. However it is anything but a light read and at times overly doomy and repetitive.

[SM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Should be on everyone's reading list

[Anthony O'Reilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read. Every politician in our country should read this and do something. Give our wildlife priority instead of doing nothing.

[Shauna Gargan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely informative and interesting. I read this for some reason when I was about ten, and I found it a little hard to follow but that's mostly down to the fact that I was ten.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I put off reading this book for a long time because I didn’t want to read yet another depressing narrative about the state of Ireland’s biodiversity. But then I did read it and I’m so glad I did. The information about biodiversity in this book especially about marine ecology and fish is fascinating and I learnt loads from reading it. This is a brilliant book - so well written. In every chapter there is a positive message about what we can do to improve the situation for biodiversity. Even though the book is laying out tough facts it’s well worth the read if you care about Ireland’s biodiversity and it has a message of hope.