Author Archives: Miles King

About Miles King

UK conservation professional, writing about nature, politics, life. All views are my own and not my employers. I don't write on behalf of anybody else.

New Facebook page for memories of Simon King

Posted on September 8, 2013 by Miles King

With the funeral rapidly approaching on Thursday, I have now created a facebook page for everyone to post their memories of my brother Simon. The link, as far as I can tell (being a FB newbie) is here . Thanks … Continue reading →

Return to “Any Room for Scrub?”

Posted on September 4, 2013 by Miles King

While I may be painted by some as a reactionary fighting against the forces of progress (in the form of the re-wilding movement), I have been thinking about this stuff for quite a long time. Reading George Monbiot’s rant about … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, biodiversity, Common Agricultural Policy, ecosystem services, farming, George Monbiot, grazing, management, rewilding, scrub, self-willed land, uplands | Tagged Cumbria, England, English Nature, European Union, Fell, Foot and Mouth Disease, George Monbiot, Habitat, Heath, juniper, Lake District, overgrazing, Park, rewilding, scrub, Wordsworth | 6 Comments

Feral by George Monbiot – a review

Posted on September 3, 2013 by Miles King

The Feral Shore I have promised myself, and some of you, that I would write a review of Feral by George Monbiot. I enjoyed the book, at least in parts. Although I will try and refrain from Ad hominem criticism … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, animism, anti conservation rhetoric, anti-environmental rhetoric, biodiversity, carbon storage, climate change, Common Agricultural Policy, Cultural Cringe, Downland, ecosystem services, environmental policy, farming, forest elephant, George Monbiot, invasive species, management, Mesolithic, neoliberalism, rewilding, self-willed land, soils, straight tusked elephant | Tagged Feral, George, George Monbiot, Mark Avery, Monbiot, re-wilding, Straight Tusked Elephant, Trophic Cascade, Yellowstone National Park | 15 Comments

Barberries and Badgers

Posted on August 28, 2013 by Miles King

Amid all the hysteria and anger around the Badger Cull, which has now commenced, I might be accused of jumping on the bandwagon. Well OK, maybe, though I have done work in the past on the badger issue, researching and … Continue reading →

Posted in agricultural pests, agriculture, badgers, barberry, biodiversity, environmental policy, farming, invasive species, Owen Paterson | Tagged Agriculture, badger, badger cull, Barberry, Berberis, Britain, farming, Iran, Middle East, Puccinia, Shrub, Wildlife Trusts | 3 Comments

A Tribute to Simon King from Bob Hornegold

Posted on August 27, 2013 by Miles King

My friend, Simon King It must have been about twelve years ago that I first met Simon, I was an Area Bailiff for RMC Angling and I had been asked by Ian Welch (the then Boss) to check a … Continue reading →

Posted in Simon King | Tagged Carp, Carp fishing, Fish, Fishers Green, Kevin Wilkinson, Kings Aquatic and Reptile World, Mirror Carp, River Lea, Simon, Simon King | 4 Comments

Simon King 1961 – 2013

Posted on August 26, 2013 by Miles King

Simon with a 32lb Mirror Carp he caught in Hertfordshire. My older brother Simon King died yesterday. Simon was 52 and had been suffering from lung cancer. In the end it took him very quickly and he was in no … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Camden, Kings Aquatic and Reptile World, Simon King | 31 Comments

What are we paying for?

Posted on August 23, 2013 by Miles King

So it seems that having successfully killed off the valiant attempts to get the Common Agricultural Policy reformed so it provides Public Goods for Public Money, The National Farmers Union is now campaigning to to ensure that the UK government … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, biodiversity, carbon storage, Common Agricultural Policy, ecosystem services, environmental policy, Owen Paterson, public goods | Tagged Agri-Environment Schemes, Modulation | 14 Comments

Write to Chloe Smith

Posted on August 22, 2013 by Miles King

I got an email from 38 Degrees – I think I must have joined in with one of their e-campaigns – possibly the Forestry one. The email was about the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Chloe Smith, Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill, Transparency of Lobbying, Voluntary Sector. | 4 Comments

Bloggers Block

Posted on August 20, 2013 by Miles King

Dear Reader, you might have been wondering why there have been no new blogs since the 5th August. I have been on an unscheduled blog break – I may have Bloggers Block. Work has intervened, in a good way … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer, Downland, George Monbiot | Tagged Blog, Blogging, Box Hill, cancer, chalk downland, Feral, George, George Monbiot, Laura Lynch, London | 3 Comments

The Elephant in the Room

Posted on August 5, 2013 by Miles King

my first cartoon ever! and possibly my last. I haven’t posted much this week as work and personal life have intervened. But I have been doing a lot of thinking. I’m still struggling with the idea of Self-willed Land. I … Continue reading →

Posted in anti conservation rhetoric, biodiversity, forest elephant, George Monbiot, invasive species, Life of Brian, management, Mesolithic, rewilding, self-willed land, straight tusked elephant | Tagged African elephant, African forest elephant, Asian elephant, Biology, Elephant, Elephantidae, George Monbiot, habitat management, Nki National Park, re-wilding, rewilding | 10 Comments

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