The Wainwright Prize

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The Wainwright Prize

Stories that connect people & planet 🌱

01/10/2026

GIVEAWAY!

We’ve teamed up with Elmley Nature Reserve to give one lucky winner a one-night stay for two in a Shepherd’s Hut or Cabin, including a wildlife tour of the reserve.

And that’s not all. The winner will also receive a bundle of nature books and x2 tickets to next year’s Wainwright Prize ceremony.

TO ENTER:
1️⃣ Follow The Wainwright Prizes & Elmley Nature Reserve
2️⃣ Like this post
3️⃣ Tag a friend (each tag = 1 extra entry)

UK only. Giveaway closes 22.10.26. Full T&C’s on our linktree.

30/09/2026

“At the end of the day, we’re the ones who are really endangered. The natural world will get on very nicely without us.”

We chatted with after her book, The Book of Birds, won the 2026 Wainwright Prize Book of the Year.

Created in collaboration with , across 49 bird species, Robert’s writing and Jackie’s paintings come together to create something that goes beyond a traditional field guide. Rather than simply asking readers to identify birds, the book seeks to deepen our connection with them.

It is also the winner of the 2026 Wainwright Prize for Illustrative Books.

🔗 You can read the full interview on our website.

30/09/2026

For the second year running, our beautiful Wainwright Prize trophies have been handcarved by artist Liam Barclay. Building on the 2025 trophy, Liam has created a new layout for the reclaimed oak ‘book cover’, hand-carving 3D textures inspired by mountains, flowing rivers and bird feathers.

The ‘book pages’ have also evolved, using ash veneers, steamed and bent to create the impression of pages partially opened and fluttering in the wind.

And then there’s the miniature forest: each tiny tree has been turned on a lathe and textured with a Dremel, using sustainably sourced offcuts from a variety of native UK hardwoods including oak, ash, elm, walnut, beech and spalted birch.

Following the evolution of the Prize in 2025, it felt only right that the trophies should continue that journey too, using natural materials, sustainably sourced offcuts and the work of a local artist to create something completely individual.

One of a kind, made to be kept, treasured and celebrated.

29/09/2026

“These are all small actions, but if we all take them, they have this massive accumulative effect.”

We chatted with , after her book, ‘The Danger of Small Things’, won the 2026 Children’s Wainwright Prize for Fiction.

Her book is a moving story that reminds us not to overlook the small, seemingly insignificant things around us. Through its exploration of nature, connection and change, the book invites young readers to consider how even the smallest moments can have a lasting impact.

28/09/2026

What nature book would you press into someone’s hands? There are so many incredible books that can change the way we see the natural world. So at this year’s Wainwright Prize ceremony, we asked some of our shortlisted authors and illustrators which one they’d recommend.

It’s a lovely way to discover a few new reads, but also to hear what has inspired the people behind this year’s exceptional books.

28/09/2026

“The reason I do the work that I do is because I found woodlands to be places of solace and adventure, and where I really wanted to be as a kid, and I’ve never lost that feeling.”

We caught up with Luke Barley, after his book, ‘Ancient’, won the 2026 Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing,

Ancient is a thoughtful journey into Britain’s ancient woodlands, exploring the extraordinary habitats they support and the deep, often overlooked relationship between forests and people. Luke considers what it means to restore these precious landscapes, and why their future matters.

.books

25/09/2026

We caught up with some of the shortlistees of the Wainwright Prize before the ceremony began to chat about how it felt to be nominated and what the prize meant to them.

From the acknowledgment for how important nature writing is, to being able to share the moment with other people who care passionately about the natural world, it was such a special event.

Congratulations to all our shortlisted authors and illustrators, who created such incredible books for us to learn, enjoy and share.

24/09/2026

“I think it’s good for us to be even-handed about the less picturesque or photogenic aspects of nature. They deserve to be saved too.”

We caught up with , after her book, ‘The Savage Landscape’, won the 2026 Wainwright Prize for Conservation Writing.

In her book, Cal travels through some of the world’s most remote and remarkable landscapes. Along the way, she questions the idea of untouched wilderness and explores the complex, enduring relationship between people and the places we call wild.

22/09/2026

A few memories from the 2026 Wainwright Prize. 🌿

From the first arrivals to the final celebrations, it was wonderful to celebrate this year’s shortlisted books, authors and illustrators at Elmley Nature Reserve.

These are just a few of the moments that made the event so memorable – from conversations about the books and the natural world, to celebrating our winners, catching up with old friends and making new ones. Even the appearance of reserve pup, Poppy!

It’s a privilege to champion the hard work of so many incredible individuals, and it’s heartwarming to share a space with passionate, like-minded folk. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who joined us, supported the Prize and helped bring another year of stories that connect people and planet to life.

21/09/2026

We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Joe Harkness, whose book, Neurodivergent, by Nature, was shortlisted for the 2026 Wainwright Prize for Conservation Writing.

Joe’s work explored the powerful connections between neurodiversity, nature and conservation, bringing a deeply personal perspective to questions of who gets to experience, understand and care for the natural world. Through his writing, he encouraged us to look differently at both nature and ourselves, and to recognise the value of different ways of seeing and being in the world.

We were honoured to celebrate Joe and his work as part of this year’s Wainwright Prize, and our thoughts are with his family, friends and all those who knew and loved him.

💚

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