The best of contemporary nature writing from the winners of the second international Nature Chronicles Prize.

Founded in 2020 to mark the global pandemic and serve those who witnessed it, The Nature Chronicles Prize is an international, English-language, biennial literary award for unique, essay-length non-fiction that responds to the time we are in and the natural world as it is. The prize is also a memorial to Prudence Scott, a lifelong nature diarist who died in 2019. Contained within this volume are the outstanding shortlisted entries for the second iteration of the prize.

These winning works address the feelings of responsibility, anxiety and hope that come with living at this time on this planet, and celebrate the species we share the earth with – from insects to blue whales. Together, the essays represent the freshest, most exciting contemporary nature writing by emerging and established authors.

The anthology is introduced by nature writer Marchelle Farrell, winner of the 2021 Nan Shepherd prize for nature writing.