environmental commentator
I could hardly believe what I was seeing. From a public highway, three young hen harriers were riding the breeze over the ridge of bracken bordering onto heather. The story behind them is perhaps even harder to believe. I’ll get to why but first, let’s wind back in time for some context. A Naturalist’s Sketch … Continue reading Raptor’s return
“The pastime he is enjoying may include simply resting in the open-air in the peace of the countryside” – so said the Master of the Rolls, in the Court of Appeal on the 31st July 2023 re wild camping on Dartmoor. I welcome this decision – though as ever, devil’s in the detail or the … Continue reading Open air recreation
What do an umbrella, forage harvester and wild flower meadow have in common? The answer is delivering more nature through improved soil biology, land for ‘wild nature’ and habitat for pollinators – all via ‘agri-tech’ innovation. So, further to my 90sec vlog, I’ll unpack my thinking below. Feel free to comment below! Climate shade We … Continue reading Agri-tech 4 nature
(first published in The Times, 16th August 2014 as a Nature Notebook) Always look slowly over the edge of a bridge. I’ve done it all my life — perhaps all anglers do. As I peer at the water a big fat brown trout is still under the bridge. Neither sunlight nor I are his friends … Continue reading When nature feeds you must know when to look
I met with Professor Tim Benton in a tiny cafe at Victoria station, London. I was on my way to Kent from Wales to talk with farmers, whereas Tim was between high-level meetings. Neither of us knew quite what was about to unfold, nor how pertinent today, three years on, the overarching contents of this … Continue reading the Benton interview
Conservation comes in many forms – from parkland to farmland to moorland and, marshland forestland – a COP update. “To present a balanced picture of my philosophy as a naturalist, I must attempt to turn you into a fanatical wildfowler” Peter Scott (from his autobiography ‘The Eye of the Wind’) Cop15 targets The environment is … Continue reading Mobilising conservation
Being eyeballed by dragonflies patrolling tree-lined rivers and watching hen harriers hunting over heather moorland, brought small joys on my recent field intel trip north. North by north west My reason for heading north from the hills of Wales was an invitation to fish a river in Sutherland. But what a distance! But what an … Continue reading Walking with dragonflies
I’m getting unbridled joy from my new purchase, a pair of second hand binoculars, which I bought to reward myself after undertaking a tough session of environmental dialogue brokering in Brussels. Hardware harm Using binoculars can be a badge. I’m a nature watcher. I’m a hunter. Though of course you can be both (I wrote … Continue reading Rose-tinted glasses
The flash of sparrowhawk wings alerted me to the raptor’s presence in my woodland. I then notice feathers, the headless corpse of a song thrush. I hesitate. Will the hawk return its kill? In the hushed post-raptor air of tension, I pick up the body, still warm to the touch. Shall I leave it to … Continue reading Why I ate a songbird
When travelling on some highways, you can feel hemmed in. That’s because of the fencing erected to prevent wildlife from colliding with humans. In other areas, wildlife helps itself to unprotected spaces. Biodiversity Intactness Index In another country, way down in the southern hemisphere, Namibian wildlife roams free over highways. Not in protected areas, but … Continue reading Hunting bio-intactness