2 minutes with… Richard Nairn

In his stirring new book Future Wild, nature writer and ecologist Richard Nairn takes us on a journey across Ireland to meet the dedicated individuals fighting to restore the country’s vanishing wilderness. Speaking from his decades of experience in conservation, Nairn shares both sobering truths about habitat loss and inspiring stories of successful restoration projects that prove nature can rebound when given a chance. For our next ‘2 minutes with’ we caught up with the author himself to find out more.

You have said that your books often start as short pieces from your daily writing. Where would you say most of the “pieces” for this book come from?  

I keep a daily journal of all my nature observations and the comings and goings in my farm.  Along with the work of other naturalists that I meet, these notes provide me with much inspiration and I build up a lot of material over the years that eventually weaves its way into a book.  

The book has some shocking finds but is ultimately hopeful and positive. Can you talk to us about this aspect of the book? 

My new book ‘Future Wild’ gives an overview of the shocking loss of wild places and species that have disappeared from Ireland.  However, there are people all over the country who are working to restore some of the damage that we have done to nature through our modern lifestyles and land uses.  The recently enacted Nature Restoration Law provides a new impetus to ramp up this restoration work to a landscape scale so that Ireland’s wildlife and wild places are saved for everyone’s benefit.  

What advice would you give to an aspiring nature writer? 

I would suggest that any aspiring nature writer should spend as much time as possible exploring natural areas from the mountains to the sea. Learn to identify plants and animals and make notes as you go. Read as much as possible about the processes that power the natural world and from the work of other nature writers you will get inspiration and ideas on how to present your writing.  Be patient and determined and you will get there eventually.

Is there another event you are looking forward to at DBF24?

I hope to attend the event entitled ‘The Magic of an Irish Rainforest’ where the author Eoghan Daltun will be discussing his new book with another nature writer Pádraic Fogarty.   

Join Richard Nairn and Donal Magner on Sunday 10 November at 11:00am in The Printworks, Dublin Castle, as they discuss with journalist and author Sylvia Thompson how we can be more sustainable, and restore our rich and diverse forests. Book here.

Future Wild is published by New Island and available to buy here.

Why Forest? Why Wood? The Case for Multipurpose Forestry in an Uncertain Climate by Donal Magner is published by The Lilliput Press and is available to buy here.

This event is part of Science Week 2024 supported by Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland.