100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿

Thanks for supporting our 100% NZ-owned independent bookstore ❤️ Overnight NZ-wide Delivery 🚀

The Lost Elms: A Love Letter to Our Vanished Trees – and the Fight to Save Them

The stunning new nature book from the 'unofficial poet laureate of our woodlands'
Brief Description
Guardian 'Book of the day' Winner of the Richard Jefferies Award for Nature Writing Shortlisted for the 2025 Highland Book Prize ---- For millennia, elms shaped our landscape and our folklore; then they started dying. Few young people have seen a mature elm tree. They once... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2799
Pre-order
Releases 4th August 2026 (Approx. Date) Pre-order  "The Lost Elms: A Love Letter to Our Vanished Trees – and the Fight to Save Them" now to secure your copy from our first shipment

Found a better price? Request a price match

This iconic tree once covered great swathes of Europe and North America; now all but a handful have been wiped out by Dutch Elm Disease. This is the story of our attempt to save the elm, and how its legacy lives on in our mythology and folklore.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description
Guardian 'Book of the day' Winner of the Richard Jefferies Award for Nature Writing Shortlisted for the 2025 Highland Book Prize ---- For millennia, elms shaped our landscape and our folklore; then they started dying. Few young people have seen a mature elm tree. They once covered great swathes of Europe and North America, but Dutch elm disease has since killed hundreds of millions worldwide, forever altering our landscapes. The Lost Elms is a love letter to our nearly vanished elms and a rallying cry for their long, slow fight back. It tells the gripping story of the scientists desperately trying to halt the disease's relentless progress, and shares the latest research uncovering the intricate links between elms and other species. Woven throughout is a deeply lyrical look at the tree's central place in our history, mythology, poetry and folklore. Crucially, there is hope. Recent breakthroughs reveal elms to be more resilient than we ever imagined. The Lost Elms shows how the strength of this noble tree can offer positive lessons for the future—lessons which one day might help us save other disappearing species.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781035412341

Publisher: Headline Publishing Group

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 23 April 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Wildfire

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 24.0mm

Width: 126.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 214g

Pages: 304

About the Author

Mandy Haggith lives in a remnant of ancient rainforest in northwest Scotland and spent 20 years as a forest activist, from award-winning local campaigns in Scotland all the way to the United Nations. She is now an honorary research fellow and lecturer in creative writing at the University of the Highlands and Islands. She is the author of Paper Trails: From Trees to Trash - The True Cost of Paper, five novels and six poetry collections, and editor of the tree poem anthology, Into the Forest.

More from Uncategorised

View all
  • Gift Wrap
    Transform any book into the perfect gift with Book Hero's premium gift wrap! Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or simply surprising a loved one, our gift wrap adds an extra layer of excitement to your thoughtful gesture. Features: Elegant Design: Our gift wrap features a timeless design that complements any book, making it ideal for birthdays, holidays, or any...
    From Free
    (3)
  • Shadows of Navarre (Fourth Wing) Bookmark
    Rebecca Yarros reignited the romantasy genre with the release of Fourth Wing (2023), the first book in her Empyrean series. Centered around 20-year-old dragon-rider recruit Violet Sorrengail, the series defies traditional fantasy tropes by offering readers a female hero who is both formidable and deeply human.
    Miscellaneous print
    $795
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Shadows of Navarre (Fourth Wing) Midi Lined Hardcover Journal
    Rebecca Yarros reignited the romantasy genre with the release of Fourth Wing (2023), the first book in her Empyrean series. Centered around 20-year-old dragon-rider recruit Violet Sorrengail, the series defies traditional fantasy tropes by offering readers a female hero who is both formidable and deeply human.
    Hardback
    $3295
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Kara-ori (Japanese Kimono) Bookmark
    Showcasing silk dyed with beni (the pigment extracted from safflower petals) and lacquered in gold, this kimono design dates to the Edo period (1615–1868), when it was used as a costume for the theatrical style known as Noh. Kara-ori refers specifically to the exquisitely embroidered women's kimono that traditional Noh theatre was known for.
    Miscellaneous print
    $795
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Dazzas Cooked
    This book is a celebration of Darren’s biggest hits, the recipes that put Ashby Pies on the map. Inside Dazza’s Cooked you will find chapters including: – Pies: beef cheek and cheese, roast lamb and rosemary, smoked fish pie.– Corner Bakery: bacon, beer and cheese scones, cinnamon buns, apple turnovers.– Snacks: sticky chicken nibbles, fish crudo, lamb ribs.– Meat: pork...
    Hardback
    $4499
    Elsewhere:
    $4999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Magic of Wicked (Wicked Collection) Bookmark
    Miscellaneous print
    $750
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Kim A Journey Between Worlds
    Born Māori (Ngātikahungunu), raised Pakeha, Kim Rangiaonui Logan's father was commander in D Company, 8th Māori Battalion, but returned from war a damaged man, unable to cope with his children. But this is no misery memoir. Kim climbed away, literally - Everest, Aorangi Mt Cook, anywhere, to love and contentment, and in the process reconnected with his Whakapapa. Now living...
    Paperback
    $5500
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • What We Did to Survive
    A vacation in paradise turns deadly when four teens' sailing charter hits stormy seas in this propulsive new thriller from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Megan Lally! What We Did to Survive follows Hannah, who can't wait to spend spring break with her best friend, Emmy, and her family. A week at a resort in Mexico is...
    Paperback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Meeting Place
    Paperback
    $4400
    Elsewhere:
    $4999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Australia Wall Map Laminated Paper Handy Map 745 x 620
    Wall map of Australia featuring Hema's customary mapping detail including National Parks, major road networks, and distances. Single-sided map in four sizes and your choice of finish from unlaminated, laminated (encapsulation) and laminated paper. Available in three finishes and four sizes as follows:  Finish Laminated paper - mass-produced by a third-party printer Laminated encapsulated - high quality produced by Hema Maps Photo...
    Paperback
    $3995
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Clearance
    Combat Medicine Operations Manual
    Since the discovery and widespread use of penicillin in the Second World War, which was a major turning point in 20th century combat medicine, there have been enormous changes in surgical and nursing techniques enabling frontline medical teams to save soldiers’ lives and alleviate suffering on the battlefield. The Korean War saw the first use of helicopters to airlift wounded...
    Hardback
    $4699
    Elsewhere:
    $4999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Klimt, The Kiss (Special Editions) Bookmark
    The Kiss (1907-1908), the Gustav Klimt painting reproduced here, represents the pinnacle of his "golden phase." Oil and gold leaf combine to create shapes and colours reminiscent of the Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau styles. The lustrous palette and intricate patterns make the work a great masterpiece of the period.
    Miscellaneous print
    $795
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.