environmental commentator
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
“/ disruptor /: a person or thing that prevents something, especially a system, process, or event, from continuing as usual or as expected”. Some creative thoughts for 2025 : click those pics+ for links AGM (active game management) Being invited to address a Scottish wildlife manager‘s AGM gave me an opportunity to explore some topics … Continue reading Creative disruption
“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
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
Chopping wood this week made me think about parallels on writing my blog to reflect the past year while looking forward to the next year (2022). Celebrate what’s been learned. Acknowledge the knotty stuff. Not take for granted any sweet spots. Reading the grain to cleave out workable pragmatic solutions. All of which, not surprisingly, … Continue reading Green axe challenge
My trip north to northern fields, moors, forests, streets and COP26’s Green Zone is mainly in pictorial form. There’s much to glean from between the lines: beyond the pic, click the link Updale An old friend puts me up for the night in Swaledale. We talk about curlews and 30 years working in land. I … Continue reading COP, field and moor
A steep hillside opposite my home office is sprouting with young trees. Bracken race Fighting to get away from native prehistoric bracken, avoid the odd deer, an experiment is unfolding. Public grant aided, carbon paid-up, charity funded, ‘feel-good‘ rights (listen from 40min) cashed in, volunteers on call all coming together in an innovative project. Money … Continue reading Silvo-agro-carbo-tree