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 going on out there than reported] 9am pitstop An old contact from Scotland, previously a rural … Continue reading Nor’west by east field intel
Nature Notebook – The Times (first published Dec 2014) The grass has turned brown, folding in tussocks around bare-leafed saplings in my wood. I saw my first woodcock of the year on a late evening walk. It was too dark for colour but some of the best sightings are will-o’-the-wisp figures in darkening woodland: silhouette … Continue reading A woodland detective story in the dying year
A Thunderer published in The Times, Tuesday August 10 2010 – published ad verbum, bar headings, links and postscript below. A thriving countryside needs people as much as it needs a diversity of species and habitat. That’s why most of us in the country welcome the Government’s attempts to encourage affordable housing. Belt and braces … Continue reading “Putting the needs of wildlife before people is just bats”
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
What do stoats and a letter to the Editor of The Times have in common? Both are tricky to ‘catch’ as they are both suspicious of the anything too obvious – whether a trap or correspondence. The trick on the latter is to be pithy. Though this brevity to secure publication tends to bleed out … Continue reading Conservation context
‘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
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