The Wainwright Golden Beer Book Prize is awarded annually to the book which most successfully reflects the ethos of renowned nature writer Alfred Wainwright’s work, to inspire readers to explore the outdoors and to nurture a respect for the natural world.

Here are the 12 longlisted books for 2017:

• Love of Country by Madeleine Bunting
• The Otter’s Tale by Simon Cooper
• The Nature of Autumn by Jim Crumley
• Foxes Unearthed by Lucy Jones
• The Running Hare by John Lewis-Stempel
• Where Poppies Blow by John Lewis-Stempel
• A Sky Full of Birds by Matt Merritt
• Wild Kingdom by Stephen Moss
• Fingers in the Sparkle Jar by Chris Packham
• Love, Madness, Fishing by Dexter Petley
• The January Man by Christopher Somerville
• The Wild Other by Clover Stroud

This year’s longlisted books cover studies of otters and of foxes, a celebration of birdwatching, a memoir set against a lifetime of fishing, an account of the relationship that soldiers in WWI had with nature and a study in to the rewilding of Britain’s urban and rural areas.

Chair of judges, Julia Bradbury comments: ‘The books that my fellow judges and I have longlisted capture many different aspects of the natural world whilst displaying the strength and variety in nature writing in the UK today. I’m excited that through this prize, we are helping to celebrate these books and the natural landscapes and creatures that have inspired them.’

Supported by Wainwright Golden Beer and the Wainwright estate and in partnership with the National Trust, the winner will receive a cheque for £5000.

The 2017 shortlist will be announced on 27 June, with the winner to be revealed on 3 August. Find out more about the Wainwright Golden Beer Book Prize here.