Get Your Boots On

A couple of years ago I had the idea to write a book aimed at young people just like me. Something I would have wanted to read when I was just starting out. A book that would encourage more people to engage with the wildlife on their doorstep, to see how fantastic nature is, and in turn want to protect the wildlife that they fall in love with.

It is mind blowing that on the 3rd July 2019 ‘Get Your Boots On’ will be released.

From the beginning I wanted the book to be packed full of information, helpful hints and photographs. Not something you had to read from front to back but a guide you just picked up when you wanted inspiration. I asked lots of people for advice, from people who work with wildlife in one way or another, people who spend time with wildlife as a hobby, people who make it their life to protect wildlife, as well as young people the same age, older or younger than me.

There were times when I didn’t think the book would become anything more than pages and pages of notes tucked into a folder in my bedroom, there were times when I was told how hard it is to get a book published and metaphorically patted on the head and told to forget the idea, but as every word of encouragement came in, as each contribution came back and more words came spilling out on to the page, I became more determined that I was actually going to get this finished.

The publishers received from me the words and my photos, together with a rough idea of how I wanted the layout. As soon as a few sample pages came back to me I was astounded. I never imaging seeing my photos and words looking so fantastically laid out.

It’s been what seems like a very long journey, umming and ahing over particular photographs, changing words here and there, rewriting sections that after consideration didn’t fit any more.

I’m really looking forward to revealing more about the content as July gets closer and if the book inspires just one extra person to become excited about nature and wildlife then I’ll be happy.

Get Your Boots On is available for Pre-order from
https://divedup.com/shop/get-your-boots-on/

ISBN 978-1-909455-22-1

£14.95

Amazon or you could ask your local bookshop to order it in for you.

Description
Young wildlife champion Alex White is on a quest to get more people out enjoying nature. In this inspirational book, he and a host of well-known contributors reveal what got them into wildlife in the first place – now they want you to Get Your Boots On. They offer tales of encouragement for anyone who wants to get closer to nature and indispensable advice to those who would like to get more involved or even build a career out of their passion for wildlife. Illustrated throughout by Alex’s stunning photographs, this book will appeal to young and old alike. It suggests: when and where to get out there; what to go looking for; how to do it; what to take… and a host of other tips. Practical advice for getting closer to nature. Encouragement from those who have lived it.

Reviews of Get Your Boots On
‘This fabulous and important book. It’s good, it’s inspirational and – critically – it’s heartening’— Chris Packham.

‘Alex is prominent as a standard-bearer for [a] new generation of wildlife champions… he is giving hope and inspiration to young people across this nation that despite all the challenges we face, it is still possible to make this world a better place for humans and wildlife’— Dominic Dyer, CEO Badger Trust & British Wildlife Advocate Born Free Foundation

Author
Alex White is a wildlife photographer and blogger. Since the age of ten, he has won a number of photography competitions. He has appeared on panels and spoken to audiences about his love of wildlife, from small local gatherings to BBC TV’s Springwatch Unsprung. Alex is passionate about British wildlife — in particular mammals — and keen to show other people how to find amazing wildlife on their doorstep. His blog Appleton Wildlife Diaries is a finalist in the UK Blog Awards 2019.

UK Blog Awards: Nature and Wildlife

You can vote for my blog here 

VOTE HERE

I’m really pleased to get through to the second stage of the UK blog awards.

This year they have included the category: Nature & Wildlife.

I’m up against some amazing blogs and people I admire, but I would be really grateful for a vote 

Thank you!

30 Days Wild

I am taking part in 30 Days Wild again.

Come and have a look at what I've been up to in the first week

https://appletonwildlifediary.wordpress.com/2017/06/07/look-under-a-stone-or-log-day-7/

State of Nature in Oxfordshire 2017

A couple of months ago I was lucky enough to be asked to do a presentation at the Launch Event of The State of Nature in Oxfordshire 2017.
We decided that rather than doing a presentation on the day that I would make a film in advance, that way I could put in some film clips of wildlife that I had taken on my local patch to show people how wonderful Oxfordshire’s wildlife is and also I wasn’t sure whether I would be able to take the afternoon off school.

You can see the film on my Wordpress website

https://appletonwildlifediary.wordpress.com/2017/03/23/state-of-nature-in-oxfordshire-2017/

The launch took place on 21st March at Blenheim Palace, with the first speaker being Professor David MacDonald, Director of WildCRU. Professor MacDonald spoke about how research in to wildlife is only the beginning, it is the partnerships between the researchers, landowners, farmers, volunteers and conservation management that will make a positive outcome for nature.

It was interesting to hear that a lot of Oxfordshire’s countryside is farmland and we have little actual ‘wild’ spaces.
The next speaker was Graham Scholey, technical adviser for the Environment agency. Then followed the film I had made for the event. Big thanks to my sister for filming me.The next two speakers were Martin Layer, the Planning and Estates Manager for Smiths Bletchington and Dr Judy Webb. Both spoke about nature reserves that I knew little or nothing about. Which made me think that if someone like me who regularly visits local nature reserves and seeks out wildlife hadn’t heard of these reserves then how do we promote nature reserves to the general public.

Perhaps that is an idea for future blogs – to visit all the nature reserves in Oxfordshire and blog about them.
Emma Marsh, regional directer for the RSPB, spoke last and summed up the general gist of the report.
The report not only outlines the loses and the gains in Oxfordshire’s biodiversity but also a call to action plan that involves the following key points

• Urgently create larger and more connected high quality habitats
• Find financially viable ways to help farmers manage land to benefit nature.
• Improve practical support for communities
• Ensure better planning for blue and green infrastructure
• Put sustainable development that invests in nature at the heart of local decision-making
• Increase access to green space and volunteering
• Develop more collaborations within our strong and diverse sector
• Continue to improve the methodology for monitoring the state of nature.

The few points that I picked up on during the event was that Nature, Politics and Money are all interlinked, fragmentation is a huge problem and sadly, like other conferences I have been to, the under 25’s are under represented.
It was a real privilege to be involved in the launch and my final words from the film are:

I would like to see much more education on nature in schools. How can we care about something we know nothing about and therefore have no connection to?

I would like to see all MP’s of every party pledge for the Environment and overall no matter whether you are an individual or head of a multi million pound company, an MP or a planning officer I would like to ask you to have a little more consideration for nature.
We only get one chance at this; hopefully it is not too late to change the State of Nature to a positive.

You can read the full report at http://www.wildoxfordshire.org.uk/stateofnature/