Winter Storms and Fallen Giants

During the recent storms with strong winds and heavy rain, buildings weren’t alone in being damaged. Many large trees, some very old, have been blown over and uprooted by the extreme winds. Although wind is a natural phenomenon, areas in the lowlands that rarely experience winds have been exposed to an intensity of wind notContinue reading “Winter Storms and Fallen Giants”

The Knepp Estate

Most people don’t walk through kilometres of scrubby pasture on a regular basis but Tom Forward does since he is an ecologist at the Knepp Estate in West Sussex, home to an ambitious “wilding” project which has received a large amount of media attention in recent years due to the rare and unusual species turningContinue reading “The Knepp Estate”

Britain’s Native Grasslands

I think there is a lack of appreciation in the UK for its native grasslands despite them being a semi-natural habitat like woodland. Unlike woodland, grasslands are perceived to be unnatural areas created and maintained by people for agricultural interests. However, more and more evidence shows that our woodlands are not as wild as wasContinue reading “Britain’s Native Grasslands”

“Rewilding”: A Conservation Renaissance

The term “rewilding” has become a controversial topic over the past few years. The National Farmers Union is worried it will destroy the very fabric of the countryside. While many conservationists argue it needs to be done in order to restore Britain’s lost wildlife. But what is it and what will it do to theContinue reading ““Rewilding”: A Conservation Renaissance”