Biologist Michel Leboeuf is once again a finalist for the Hubert-Reeves Prize for popular science!

The nominees for the Quebec’s Hubert-Reeves prize have been announced and we are thrilled to see Les chants perdus de la nature by Michel Leboeuf has made the short-list. Great Plains Press will publish the English translation, Lost Songs of Nature, this June.

Below, find our media release for Lost Songs Of Nature and reach out to our marketing director, Angeline, to arrange any interviews at marketing@greatplainspress.ca

Media Release

Biologist Michel LeBoeuf Explores the Disconnect of Humans and Nature Through Our Senses

This is an invitation to listen, to discover and rediscover the planet’s ecosystems—its forests, marshes, swamps, bogs and shorelines. 

February 25, 2025 – Lost Songs of Nature is a nonfiction book by biologist and writer Michel Leboeuf. As the Editor-in-chief of the journal Nature sauvage for ten years, Michel has published some fifteen works and has earned two Hubert-Reeves awards, which honour the best popular science book in Quebec. Great Plains Press acquired rights to bring you an English translation of Lost Songs of Nature as part of their Spring 2025 season. 

Drowned out by airplanes, cars, construction and other sound polluters, we often forget what nature actually sounds like. The birds, bodies of water, even the rustling trees and their importance are looked over. Translated by Neil Macmillan, Lost Songs of Nature delves into how different organisms connect with the environment through their own symphony. Referring to a vast number of  species from across eastern North America, Leboeuf demonstrates how these symphonies can be altered through human interaction.

“As birdwatchers and nature lovers already know, there is a profound relationship between humans and Mother Earth,” says Catharina de Bakker, editorial director. “We’re thrilled to present Michel Leboeuf’s work exploring this theme to English-language readers. A scientist and nature writer, Leboeuf has written a meticulously researched and powerfully lyric elegy to humanity’s increasing disconnect from nature.” 

“We know our readers share this passion and will be drawn to Lost Songs Of Nature, a text that is both well-researched while remaining accessible to all. We hope that readers across North America share this call to save nature’s symphony,” says Mel Marginet, publisher.

By explaining acoustic ecology through descriptive imagery and sounds, readers will find this book fascinating and approachable. The French to English translation of Lost Songs of Nature will extend Michel’s research to a broader audience. As a result, bringing attention to the sounds we often ignore and more importantly, how we can preserve them.

Lost Songs of Nature is available for pre-order now across North America!