People are giving up buying expensive ad-filled magazines to switch to one or two quality publications of evergreen content to read again, or gift to others. High printing costs means many magazines are switching to online (paywall) content. The Countryman almost reached its 100th birthday (before folding due to rising costs) and one major publisher (which prints People’s Friend) recently closed six titles, due to falling subscriptions.
British Wildlife was launched back in 1989 and still going strong, as it has low overheads. Ideal for people who are passionate about our natural world, each issue (published 8 times a year) has 84 information-packed pages. Note the latest issue reports on ‘humane removal’ of mink, but the project will involve shooting minks in the head (often by untrained people) – saving endangered water voles is a complicated issue but it can be done, without minks being made scapegoats.
If planting to attract wildlife, learn how to make you garden safe for pets (includes indoor plants to avoid). Avoid facing indoor foliage to gardens, to help stop birds flying into windows.
Sample articles are:
- The wildlife of London churchyards
- Identifying British ladybirds
- Restoring mountain woodland in The Cairngorms
- Conservation of the basking shark
- Southwest conservation of lichens
- The early lives of red deer
The magazine was founded when there were few publications that focused on the natural world. Wanting to offer a publication that appealed not to just naturalists but anyone interested in conservation, the magazine was born.
a magazine to explore nature & ecology
Resurgence & Ecologist Magazine is a beautiful publication that has been edited for over 30 years on a Devon kitchen table by its founder, ecological writer and former Jain monk Satish Kumar. It offers environmental essays, poetry, art and veggie recipes (you can download a free copy). And join local meet-ups to discuss each bi-monthly issue (download a free info pack). Or join the Resurgence Trust for access to print or digital copies. Sample articles are:
- Learning about wolves in Canada
- The case against AI digital technology
- Celebating passions for trees & folk songs
- Meeting young fashion designers in Helsinki
- How to process feelings about climate change
- How ancient yoga texts can teach us ‘right action’
- Caroline Lucas reviews a book on climate change
a beautiful magazine on nature & gardening
Bloom is a wonderful magazine on nature and gardening, which contributes 1% of sales to a nature charity each month. Printed with eco inks and green energy, you can contribute £3 and they send a copy to someone less able to pay. An example latest issue has articles on:
- French Catholic nuns in nature
- Growing foliage for gardens & vases
- Planting hanging baskets with style
- Rain-saving ideas
- Choosing trees with staying power
- Foraging nuts
- How football is going green
- Are national parks failing nature
- Herbal healing for communities
- Designing a zero-waste garden
- Top 10 nature podcasts
a pioneering ecological gardening magazine
Permaculture is a pioneering quarterly magazine with a range of articles on no-dig gardening, food forests, clean energy, regenerative agriculture, upcycling projects and natural building. It also writes on transition towns (which need no oil) and ecovillages. Plus full reviews of books and useful tools! Sample articles include:
- Could you survive on weeds?!
- The healing world of mountain vegetables
- How community connections boost our health
- Urban rooftop architecture in small spaces
- An unstoppable Somerset Transition Town
- Redesigning politicas to represent nature
- Regenerating our kelp forests & reefs
- A community garden in a Bradford backyard
- 25 years of living off the grid
a free online ecological magazine
Wicked Leeks is a free online magazine from Riverford organic box scheme, with back issues that you can read. The latest issue features eco-entrepreneur Deborah Meaden. Sample articles of the last few magazines are:
- Chatting with ecological gardener Poppy Okotcha
- What’s next for rewilding?
- Why fairness in food culture matters
- Mental health & farming
- Food waste in the fields