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Now in its seventh year, The Wainwright Prize for UK Nature Writing is awarded annually to the book which most successfully inspires readers to explore the outdoors and to nurture a respect for the natural world. Named after much-loved nature writer Alfred Wainwright, this year’s prize has been extended to include a second category for books about global conservation and climate change. In the midst of a global pandemic, coupled with the ongoing climate crisis, the prize feels more timely than ever as we are all recognising the restorative role that nature plays and how urgently we need to protect it. 

The Wainwright Prize are honoured to have Jon Tremaine as this year’s featured artist.

The Wainwright Prize for UK nature writing:
The book should be narrative driven with a subject that must be related to nature, the outdoors or travel writing (not guidebooks) covering Great Britain and Northern Ireland as a central theme.

The Wainwright Prize for writing on global conservation:
The books in this category will reflect efforts in or, studies relating to conservation or climate change as it affects nature and the outdoors. They should be narrative driven and could be global in scope.

The prizes will be awarded to the work which best reflects Wainwright’s core values and are a celebration of the outdoors or a warning over the dangers to it across the globe. Last year’s winner was Underland by Robert Macfarlane (Hamish Hamilton).

A £5,000 prize fund will be shared and presented to the authors of the winning books.The Wainwright Prize is awarded in association with the National Trust.