Professor Dave Goulson is a leading UK conservationist, known especially for his work on bee behaviour, ecology and conservation, but also a lot more.
He’s also a celebrated author, and his most recent book, Eat the Planet Well, (Penguin Books, 2026) has been shortlisted for the Wainwright Prize for Conservation Writing.
This book explores ‘how modern food production harms both human health and the environment’. He had originally included a chapter on game shooting and hunting, but his editors decided not to include it. His publisher apparently thought it was ‘a bit peripheral to the main message’ and Dave suspects the publisher also thought ‘it was a bit controversial and might upset some people’.
Rather than letting the chapter go to waste, Dave has uploaded a YouTube video where he sits and reads the unpublished chapter from his laptop.
As you’d expect of someone with such impeccable credentials, it’s very good. But what’s probably the most powerful is his measured, quiet delivery.
Well worth a watch if you’ve got a spare 22 minutes.
Raptor Persecution UK 
What a shame the chapter on shooting and hunting is too distasteful fo the publisher. Cowardly back covering going on again presumably…I will be watching (and sharing) this YT vid however. Sounds very interesting.
Predictably, the tweed disease are posting the usual fictions in the comments.
I was impressed with the overwhelming support in the comments…
I find it hard to understand that many shooters own dogs and/or horses that they adore, yet have absolutely no empathy towards wildlife and the birds that they shoot, there is a real disconnect there
perhaps its a function of power. Dogs are quintessentially adoring and subservient to their owner; they follow them around and obey every command (when trained). Horses likewise carry their owner around on their back, offering an experience of control/mastery over a powerful animal, as well as a position literally above other people.
A cat not so much. A bird – well, the only way to experience power and control over a bird is to kill it.
re your final paragraph, those with backyard fowl, and falconers especially, would not agree with you.
“A bird – well, the only way to experience power and control over a bird is to kill it.”
Really? Something of an overstatement, I think. The Corvidae and Psittacidae are famously highly intelligent and especially loyal to individuals, and we have had long (working and non-working) relationships with some other bird families….
No so bird-brained as some might think:-)
Maybe, but I have witnessed some appalling acts of cruelty to both dogs and horses from the ‘country sports’ crowd:-(
One unfortunate error, around the 11min mark. The claim that Golden Eagles were extinct in Britain by 1850.
Slip of the tongue?
“By 1850 the golden eagle was extinct in England and Wales, surviving in small numbers in the remote Highlands of Scotland.”
https://www.rewildingbritain.org.uk/why-rewild/reintroductions-key-species/key-species/golden-eagle
“In the 19th century, the Golden Eagle was intensely persecuted by sheep farmers, game preservers and collectors in Britain and Ireland, and became extinct in England, Wales and Ireland…
(…referring to Scotland) The Golden Eagle did not, however, follow the White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla into extinction.”
https://docs.wind-watch.org/Scotland-Dennis-1984-golden-eagles.pdf
A “slip of the tongue” is highly probable. Nevertheless, the liars like nothing more than to jump on such slips. We can’t afford to provide them with any ammunition.
“The Golden Eagle population reached its low point during the 1870s when only 80 eyries were known to be used regularly and another 20 irregularly (Baxter and Rintoul 1953, from Holloway 1996).
I have stated often on this site that I am a hunter, but opposed to driven shooting. What I kill I, and my friends, eat. This chapter is very good and I agree with much that is written. What is particularly pleasing is the reasoned way it is written; no hysterical hyperbole. But I would point out that by saying grouse are ‘reared’ implies they are captive bred; they are not, you cannot rear grouse. But I understand what he is trying to say. Also he slightly defeats his own argument when it comes to deer. He starts by conflating stalking with other shooting and then ends with recommending we should eat more venison, which we should. I ate a delicious fillet of muntjac the other night. We must get over the Bambi syndrome. I was saddened that this chapter was not included for, as I hunter, I found little to object to. I shall buy the book.
And finally to Coop above: please desist on the Tweed disease. I don’t call vegans Tofu eating sandal wearing infections!
I’ll willingly “desist”……when those who defile our natural heritage on a daily basis “desist” from their warped pastime.
I’ll “desist”….when supporters of wildlife abuse “desist” from making death threats to to those who expose the truth regarding their activities.
I’ll “desist”…. when their representative bodies “desist” from lying through their teeth in the gutter press, regarding the management regimes indertaken by conservation NGOs
I’ll “desist”…. when those who shower our countryside with tonne upon tonne of lead every year “desist”.
I’ll “desist”…. when the criminals who delight in setting packs of dogs on wild animals “desist” from such degenerate behaviour.
I’ll “desist”….when every snare, every poisoned bait, every stink pit, every pole trap, etc are finally removed from our countryside.
I’ll “desist”….when those who post foul, depraved comments on anti-social media, about decent, courageous people like the lady who runs this site “desist”.
I’ll “desist”….when those who claim to represent rural communities “desist” from such fraudulent claims.
“Disease” is putting it mildly.
And furthermore, Mr Kester….
There is only one person here with the authority and right to advise me on my choice of words…..
And it sure as hell ain’t you.
Actually, I do agree that the field sports issue is peripheral to the big issue if food and diet and might have distracted from the main message. That big food has managed to achieve the first decline in life expectancy since records began is a pretty massive messy. The obesity crisis is no accident – many , many millions have been spent on the advertising to get us here.
It is sad that the publishers have excluded this chapter. It is something that needs more air time and here was an opportunity especially as the book is short listed for the Wainwright Prize
An excellent piece Dave. Im a little saddened that the comments here appear to descending down the facebook adversarial mud slinging route.
I wondered where we can purchase Dave Goulsons book
Type it into your search engine and plenty of options appear.
Where can we purchase Daves book>