Longlists Announced for the 2026 Wainwright Prizes for Nature and Conservation Writing

By Charlotte Walker | Posted: 15th July 2026 | Updated: 4th August 2026

The Wainwright Prizes, celebrating the very best in nature and conservation writing, have today unveiled its longlists across five categories, along with the independent judging panels who will decide which titles go through to the next round.

From over 350 submissions, a total of 68 books have been longlisted across this year's Wainwright Prize categories: Nature Writing, Conservation Writing and the three Children's Prizes - Fiction, Non-Fiction and Picture Books.

The Illustrative Books Category will proceed straight to a shortlist rather than a longlist this year as judges elected to spotlight the outstanding books that represent the very best of contemporary nature illustration, storytelling and publishing.

The number of children's submissions rose by over 25% compared with last year. That surge demonstrates the appetite for nature writing. It's not just adult readers turning to the natural world for perspective and escape. Families and young readers are increasingly drawn to stories about the the world around us.

The judging panels reflect the breadth, creativity and urgency of nature and conservation writing. Across the six categories, this year's judges include authors, illustrators, scientists, campaigners, broadcasters and thought leaders drawn from environmental journalism, conservation, literature, education and the creative industries.

The shortlists for The Wainwright Prizes will be announced on the 5th August, with the winners announced on the 17th September at an event held at Elmley Nature Reserve. Beyond the six category winners, two of the books will be singled out on the night as the overall Wainwright Prize winners for 2026: one for adult writing and one for children's writing from among the category winners.

Henry Bird, journalist for The Times, returning judge and ambassador for the 2026 campaign will be hosting the winners event in September. Speaking about the prize he said: “It's a real privilege to be joining the Wainwright Prizes this year as ambassador, host and returning judge. As many of us swelter under record temperatures and the rise of AI continues, the longlisted books are a reminder of the vital need for in-depth, unique writing that examines and interrogates our relationship with the natural world. Their pages hum with wonder, curiosity and urgency, and I can't wait to celebrate these remarkable authors and share their stories with readers over the coming months."