https://www.publish.csiro.au/book/7705/

Editors: Stephen Garnett, Peter Latch, David Lindenmayer & John Woinarski

CSIRO publishing

ISBN 9781486307418

AU $59.95

Anyone involved in conservation work is all too familiar with the sea of discouraging realities among which one tries to stay afloat: ongoing species extinctions, global warming, lack of adequate funding and political commitment, to name a few. Hope is needed, and this is exactly what “Recovering Australia’s Threatened Species – A book of Hope” offers to the reader.

The premise is simple: share specific examples of conservation success stories. Approximately 30 stories are each a succinct chapter. The chapters strike a great balance between an engaging, short and sharp overview and sufficient detail of project specificities. This is aided by a snapshot at the start of every story: dot points on what the problem was, management actions undertaken and specific reasons the outcome was success. Add to that photos, graphs or figures featuring most chapters, and the result is a well-structured and very reader-friendly book.

Some chapters are more exceptionally written than others, but all are good. This slight variability is due to each chapter being authored by a different person, presumably with direct involvement in the specific project. As with any good science book, a reference list concludes every chapter, should the reader be interested. There is a diversity of success stories, from whales to birds to flowers, so there is a story to appeal to every reader and mood. The range of examples means that as a reader you are likely to learn something new. I personally found it interesting and insightful to understand some of the intricacies of specific projects.

While the book focuses mostly on single-species success stories, there are instances of ecosystem conservation, such as the Macquarie Island example. Ideally, I would have liked to see more examples of ecological community level conservation and above, but perhaps that is beyond the focus of this book.

Despite the focus on success stories, the book is not an attempt at stubborn optimism. It recognises that success is often a relevant term in conservation, frequently requiring an ongoing commitment. A common thread across the examples and the take-home message are clear. There are several ingredients required to produce a conservation success story. These can be summarised as: thorough science-informed planning, appropriate funding for the life of the project and long-term commitment of relevant people. People wise, cohesiveness and competency of project working groups, as well as meaningful engagement of stakeholders, including the community, are emphasised.

Overall, the book’s approachable and engaging style means it will appeal to a wide range of audiences, from seasoned conservationists to those with a general interest. Hence, it would also make a great gift to any conservationist in your life (including yourself!). As each chapter is a separate conservation story, it allows for very flexible reading –a chapter alone is sufficient when you need a quick optimism boost but you’re busy doing your bit for the world.

In conclusion, the book of hope delivers its premise and offers valuable insights into the conservation success recipe.

Reviewed by Tamara Veki