If I was to ask the average person on the street who Beatrix Potter was, I suspect they’d tell me about their favorite of her many delightful illustrated books for children (with odds in favor that it was The Tale of Peter Rabbit). However should I ask if the person knew about her work in natural history and conservation, particularly her dedication to the preservation of England’s Lake District, I may not find them quite as well informed about this aspect of her life – unless, of course – they had visited that heart-breakingly lovely jewel among England’s natural treasures.
In his new book The Women Who Saved the English Countryside, Prof. Matthew Kelly presents his readers with profiles of the lives and works of four remarkable women – Octavia Hill, Pauline Dower, Sylvia Sayer, and the aforementioned Ms. Potter – who we may all offer thanks to today for the passion and perseverance they invested in preserving such beloved urban greenspace and wild natural areas as the commons of London, Northumberland, Dartmoor, and of course the Lake District.
I must admit that with the exception of Ms. Potter, I cannot claim a familiarity with the accomplishments of these women, however as a copy of Prof. Kelly’s book has recently reached me, this is a deficiency in my knowledge that shall soon be put right.
