Yorkshire Dales by John Lee New Naturalist series

Published by Harper Collins Hard back [£60.00] and Soft back [£35.00]

Pages 368 ISBN 978 0 00 750370 4

This is a book every Yorkshire person should add to his collection as it covers such a big area of the county as well as a section in Cumbria. And this is what you call timing with the launch of this book coinciding with the increase of the park being given the go ahead by the government days before the book’s release! The author also managed to cover the extended areas in the last chapter and I was just in one of the areas [Sunbiggin Tarn] a few days ago looking for a Rough legged Buzzard! The book is very much a New Naturalist covering a range of subjects with a full chapter on birds as well as throughout. And this is where the National Parks come into question with the continued destruction of Birds of Prey. Many other species of birds are declining in the park with little attempt to buck the trend! May be the author is too light on the matter but the decline is now in black and white and can be used to fight the corner. Written by a botanist the chapter on the Lady Slipper Orchid stands out as an act of history with its new clones being planted in several areas of the north. I really enjoyed the book but maybe I am biased having been born in the white rose county!