FREE THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTRYSIDE PDF Oliver Rackham | 448 pages | 01 Aug 2001 | Orion Publishing Co | 9781842124406 | English | London, United Kingdom The History of the Countryside by Dr Oliver Rackham | Waterstones Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Want to Read saving…. Want to Read Currently Reading Read. Other editions. Enlarge cover. Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Open Preview See a Problem? Details if other :. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page. Fields, highways, hedgerows, fens, marshes, rivers, heaths, coasts, woods, and wood pastures: this tribute to the endlessly changing character of Britain's countryside illustrates how it developed over the centuries. Going right up to the present day, and including both natural and man-made features, it demonstrates the sometimes subtle, sometimes radical ways in which peo Fields, highways, hedgerows, fens, marshes, rivers, heaths, coasts, woods, and wood pastures: this tribute to the endlessly changing character of Britain's countryside illustrates how it developed over the centuries. Going right up to the present day, and including both natural and man-made features, it demonstrates the sometimes subtle, sometimes radical ways in which people, flora, fauna, climate, soils, and other physical conditions have played a role in shaping the landscape. Get A Copy. Paperbackpages. Published December 31st by Phoenix first published September 17th More Details Original Title. Other Editions 6. Friend Reviews. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about The History of the Countrysideplease sign up. Be the first to ask a question about The History of the Countryside. Lists with This Book. Community Reviews. Showing Average rating 4. Rating details. More filters. Sort order. Dec 15, Sam rated it it was amazing Shelves: popular- scienceecologyearth-scienceproper-books. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it very informative as well as easy to read and extremely well written. Well researched and Rackham has a obvious and keen personal interest as well as a professional one and his enthusiasm comes through in his writing. This is a very accessible book even to those with only a passing interest in and knowledge of the countryside. View 1 comment. May 19, Steffie M. A bit dry and tedious, but also fascinating and eye opening. Even though this is about the English Countryside, I find myself looking at the trees and other flora around the city and province a little more closely! Nov 21, dragonhelmuk rated it it was amazing. Rackham is basically the greatest environmental geographer the world has ever seen. The book is dense and takes ages, but what you see when you look at the countryside, especially trees and fields will be completely altered. This book tells you most of what you will need to know about the British countryside. His chapters on woodland, grassland and animals are particularly strong but otherwise most important are: Woodland, coppiced pollarded and suckered natural woodlandplantations imported Rackham is basically the greatest environmental geographer the world has ever seen. Also animal extinctions and reintroductions. A more important question is - why did it not grow back? This would have been an immense undertaking. Trees are hard to cut down and harder still to stop from growing The History of the Countryside. Sustained cattle grazing stumps can kill a woodland, stopping any new trees growing, but The History of the Countryside there really have been enough livestock for this? Woodland does not burn easily, and a tree-truk with a circumference of more than 10 inches is almost fireproof. Parks are conspicuously absent from Anglo Saxon, though common in medieval perambulations. This began before the Domesday book, in which thrity-five parks are recorded. The Anglo-Saxon word derhage, is ambiguous -- it normally means a hedge for keeping deer out or a devise for catching them -- but Ongar is thesite of one of the only two Domesday parks in Esserx, well known in later centuries as Ongar Grteat Park. The Norman fashion for parks therefore began to penetrate England just before the Conquest. There are not only actual beasts but beasts heraldic and metaphorical; anyone wishing to infer bears from the place-name Barham kent should ask himself whether he would likewise infer lions from Lyonshall The History of the Countryside. Even when the animals are real, they die out in remote places; the last survivors are not clesly observed and may be misidentified how many readers can swear to the difference between a wolf and an Alsation dog? Animals on the verge of extinction become the theme of romance The History of the Countryside song in which fact is confused with fiction. Dec 05, Simon rated it it was amazing. One of my absolute favourite books, read three times. Tells the story of how any and every aspect of the countryside has been shaped by humankind. Fascinating on three levels: 1. For the story of the countryside. The countryside concerned is the British, and mainly English countryside - and mainly the Eastern part of that, but Rackham has travelled to the US and Europe and draws out some of The History of the Countryside parallels The History of the Countryside too. For the transparent reporting of what is known, what is conjecture, and what is g One of my absolute favourite books, read three times. For the transparent reporting of what is known, what is conjecture, and what is guesswork. Shows how an amazing range of sources, from tree rings to Anglo-Saxon charters; Luftwaffe reconnaissance photos to field visits, go into making good science. For the inferred story of the writer. It's hard The History of the Countryside to wonder about the life that was spent to gather and craft the knowledge in the book. Beautiful, clear English throughout, empowering the reader at every turn, yet just often enough a dry comment to engage and charm. Sep 03, Andrew Staples rated it it was amazing Shelves: archaeologyhistory. Very few academic books win literary awards. Rackham is a master of his field. He's knowledgeable, opinionated, passionate and very entertaining. One of my all-time favourite books. It covers the history of Britain's landscape from the end of the last ice age, noting native species, introduced species and The History of the Countryside species, both flora and fauna, and the effects of human interve Very few academic books win literary awards. It covers the history of Britain's landscape from the end of the last ice age, noting native species, introduced species The History of the Countryside extinct species, both flora and fauna, and the effects of human intervention. Rackham seeks not only to inform, but to dispel commonly held myths. He's at his very best when it comes to trees and woodlands - his speciality - both the scope of the work is truly impressive. Oct 21, Jim Jones rated it it was amazing Shelves: ecology-conservation. A refernce tome I'm always coming back to. Sep 04, Imogen rated it it The History of the Countryside amazing. Rick F. Jamie rated it really liked it Sep 05, Lee Raye rated it it was amazing Feb 02, Quietuus rated it it was amazing The History of the Countryside 01, Mark Green rated it really liked it Mar 16, Malcolm Pinch rated it really liked it Jan 29, Rup Morgan rated it really liked it Jan 19, Derek Chambers rated it it was amazing Oct 20, Heather Hulse rated it it was amazing Sep 28, Nick Boldrini rated it really liked it Dec 10, Matthew rated it really liked it Jun 14, Kelly rated it liked it May 08, BoredOnaTrain rated it really liked it Mar 04, Chris Michaelides rated it it was amazing Apr 14, Peter Bradley rated it it was amazing Sep 19, Martin Edwards rated it liked it Oct 16, Ellie rated it it was amazing Feb 04, Simon Boggis rated it it was amazing Aug 09, The History of the Countryside (Oliver Rackham) - review Oliver RackhamOBEFBA 17 October — 12 February was an academic at the University of Cambridge who studied the ecology, management and development of the British countrysideespecially trees, woodlands and wood pasture. He conducted research in the Department of Botany from to and toand the Plant Breeding Institute of Cambridge from to He transferred The History of the Countryside the Department of Geography from tolatterly as Professor, and was appointed Honorary Professor of Historical ecology in the Department of Plant Sciences in and Honorary Director of the Cambridge Centre for Landscape and People in Rackham also worked as a tutor in the Kingcombe Centre in Dorsetteaching about the history of woodlands. He was associated with Corpus Christi College from his student days. Rackham was a prolific historical ecologist whose prime interest was the function, history, and management of British woodlands. He kept a series of notebooks, which he began during his youth and continued until his death, in which he recorded observations on plants seen in his home surroundings and on his travels, in addition to information about The History of the Countryside weather and his college duties. His book Ancient Woodland, its History, Vegetation and Uses in England led to the recognition of such areas by the Forestry Commission and in planning legislation. It also helped to The History of the Countryside forestry industry views about woodland conservation. The Woodland Trust became a larger woodland owner to ensure conservation. In he published The History of the Countrysideregarded as The History of the Countryside greatest achievement and described as "a magisterial page account of the British landscape from prehistory to the present day, with chapters on aspects ranging The History of the Countryside woodland and hedgerows to marshes and the sea.