Nature isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. But today the majority of the world’s population lives in some form of urban environment. And by 2050, two-thirds of humanity will live in towns and cities.
Studies have shown that a daily walk in the woods can improve our health and happiness, that those who can observe a natural scene through a hospital window will recover faster. The sound of birds, the smell of tree oils, the presence of free-flowing water – these are all vital to our wellbeing. So as the human footprint of brick, concrete and metal expands, how do we protect our connection to the natural world?
In Wild Cities, Chris Fitch leads us around the world in search of answers, visiting pioneering cities and meeting the people working at the forefront of this issue. From the tiny urban forests in Tokyo and the star-rich skies of Flagstaff, to the meandering river of Munich and lions prowling through gardens in Nairobi, this is a globe-spanning look at how to bring nature into the places we live – and how to create the wild cities of the future.
Review
EARLY PRAISE FOR WILD CITIES
‘The battle for stabilising our planet will be won or lost in cities. Chris Fitch’s beautiful book is a joyride through the ingenious nature-based solutions for urban life and infrastructure that are showing the way. ‘Wild Cities’ is a mind-shifting, heart-lifting glimpse into the healthy, sustainable, calm and beautiful cities that could be ours if we open our eyes to the possibilities and pull together for change’
Isabella Tree
‘Illuminating, evocative and inspirational. If you live in a big city, this book will make you look at it in a completely new way’
Sinclair McKay
'An inspiring and essential guide to reconnecting urban life with the wildness we all need for a thriving future'
Alastair Humphreys
About the Author
Chris Fitch was born in Westminster, before spending his childhood in the tropical South Pacific rainforests of the Solomon Islands. After graduating from Royal Holloway University of London with a BA in Geography, he worked in wide variety of media roles, including as a correspondent for Monocle 24 global radio. He later became senior staff writer at Geographical (the official magazine of the Royal Geographical Society) reporting from some of the most remote parts of the planet, learning first-hand about the world’s biggest problems, from climate change to species extinctions.
His first book, Atlas of Untamed Places, was published in 2017, and nominated for an Edward Stanford Travel Writing Award. In 2019, he began writing for international brands such as Lonely Planet and The Atlantic, as well as completing his third book, Subterranea, published in 2020. He has lived in a wide variety of countries, including New Zealand, South Korea, and Brazil, and is now based in Portugal.
