Introducing environmental conservation for the 21st century—one that reframes how we think about invasive species and champions nature’s biodiversity and capacity for change
For a long time, veteran environmental journalist Fred Pearce thought in stark terms about invasive species: they were the evil interlopers spoiling pristine “natural” ecosystems. Most conservationists and environmentalists share this view. But what if the traditional view of ecology is wrong—what if true environmentalists should be applauding the invaders?
In The New Wild, Pearce travels across 6 continents to rethink conservation and restoration in the 21st century, offering a paradigm-shifting exploration of the “new ecologists” who believe invasive species aren’t a scourge but a sign of nature’s strength. Rather than fighting a losing battle to protect what we imagine to be pristine, we need to encourage nature’s rebirth by celebrating the species that are most able to adapt.
 
In an era in which humans have affected every inch of the planet through globalization and climate change, there are no undisturbed ecosystems—and most are a mixture of native and alien who get along just fine. But by embracing the new ecology, we can help nature regenerate. To be an environmentalist in the 21st century means embracing nature’s wildness and capacity for change.