environmental commentator
An invite to the far east meant an opportunity to head north to garner ‘field intel’ on what’s going on ‘out there’. Mainly in pictures, as the word content would take up too much space. [as ever, there’s more than reported] 9am pitstop An old contact from Scotland, previously a rural surveyor at SNH (now … Continue reading Nor’west by east field intel
I am an unaffiliated commentator/moderator so I wasn’t sure if this was the sort of gig for me to argue against the House in an Oxford Union-style debate in a room of agricultural lawyers and surveyors. In the end, I thought it a worthy experiment to see if I could walk in the shoes of … Continue reading Walking in the shoes of other views
The big wide open skies of East Anglia greeted me with birds of prey, wet peaty fields and sea fret on my latest ‘field intel’ trip garnering information as to what’s going on ‘out there’ in the flat lands of the east. Harrier Bridge Stepping onto previous farmland and now marshland, demonstrates how much potential … Continue reading Marsh harriers and wet fields
In a short two-part conversation with Professor Sir Charles Godfray, Part 2 is about land use, farming, food, sharing/sparing and trade-offs. Part 1 is about the role of scientists as honest brokers/advocates and scientific research around environmental issues. This is a lightly edited version from a transcript of a recording from our meeting in Oxford in January 2023 and … Continue reading Godfray interview – part 2 – land use issues
A short two-part conversation with Professor Sir Charles Godfray. Part 1 is about the role of scientists as honest brokers/advocates and scientific research around environmental issues. Part 2 is about land use, farming, food, sharing/sparing and trade-offs. (The two parts are not mutually exclusive) This is a lightly edited version from a transcript of a … Continue reading A conversation with Professor Sir Charles Godfray
“Why not come over to Ireland to participate in our ‘Changing Landscapes’ conference and summer school”. And so I headed west – while diverting on the way to garner some relevant field intel. Rocky terrain I probably overinvest in ‘field intel’. To visit people on their own turf helps glean information as to what they … Continue reading Wild Atlantic way thinking
Oh, to the bright lights of London for conversations about the environment! It’s where people live, environmental organisations have their offices, books are launched, and rural government civil servants work. Plus a trip along the Marches uncovers more environmental intel. A melting pot of an urbanising nation who have long disengaged with the land, food … Continue reading Piccadilly Marches
‘The environment in which managers do their job is being transformed: this new landscape rewards some skills more and some less than in the past‘. A line from an article in a magazine last year which resonates with many of today’s rural and environmental issues. ‘If we want things to stay as they are, things … Continue reading an uncertain superhero
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
Conservation comes in many forms – from parkland to farmland to moorland and, marshland forestland – a COP15 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 COP in COP out conservation