Wild Future: How We Can Have Hope For Nature in the 21st Century

Wild Future: How We Can Have Hope For Nature in the 21st Century

Sponsored by Hen Harrier Action

We are increasingly assailed by bleak news about British nature; that we are among the most wildlife-depleted countries on Earth; that we have lost 73 million breeding birds in the last 40 years; that our national parks - the so-called 'crown jewels' in our land - are in desperately poor shape: 94% is judged in an unfavourable condition. How and where do we find hope in all this?

Mark Cocker outlines how the world of nature action has radically changed this century: in part because of a Dutch historian Frans Vera and his immensely erudite if difficult study of European woods (published in 2000).

In part it is because of the great champion of Nature's rights the late Polly Higgins.

These two extraordinary figures have changed the world of environmental action. Mark Cocker will explore their thoughts and ideas. And particularly focus on their implications for this region - for our moors, grouse and hen harriers - and how these islands could be more diverse, more complex and an important beacon for Nature restoration.

About Mark Cocker

Mark Cocker is a multi-award-winning author and naturalist who writes and broadcasts on wildlife in a variety of national media. His latest book The Nature of Seeing (2026) is a celebration and exploration of the act of looking: how it shapes both the world and ourselves. His 13 other books include A Claxton Diary: Further Field Notes from a Small Planet (2019) which won the East Anglian Book of the Year Award and Crow Country which was shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize and won the New Angle Prize. In 2025 he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

Important Information

• Prices: BCA Members £8.83, Non-Members £14.25 (prices include booking fee).
• Tickets include a complimentary glass of wine or cold soft drink (The Cafe at the Cavern will not be open, but additional cold soft drinks and wine will be available for purchase).
• Please bring your BCA Membership Card on the night as these will be checked on the door.
• Doors open at 6pm for a 6:30pm start.

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