Women are the world’s great unsung conservationists, often outpacing men in their knowledge and nurturing of domestic and wild plants and animals, and it is thanks to them that many species survive while men sometimes turn to idling, gambling and drinking, according to a new United Nations book. The book, Women and the Environment published by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) highlights the key role women play, especially in developing countries where they are the farmers, the feeders and the carers in their communities, relying on an intimate understanding of nature to fulfil their many and varied roles.