Category Archives: flooding

Food or Floods?

So much has been written about the recent flooding, that I have resisted the temptation to jump in with size 12 boots; not least because, so far, we have escaped the worst of it in the south-west. However, I read … Continue reading

Posted in deregulation, Dieter Helm, farming, flooding, Kerry McCarthy, Liz Truss | Tagged , , , , | 19 Comments

plus ça change plus c’est la même chose

Just in case you were thinking that under the new Common Agricultural Policy, following its lengthy and expensive “reform” process, that there are more requirements on farmers to deliver public goods for their extremely generous payments (paid for by taxpayers … Continue reading

Posted in Defra, flooding, Maize, soils, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Somerset Levels Update: Reflections on Flooding

It’s not just “You forgot the birds” who have been attacking RSPB recently. Earlier this year, they were blamed by a number of people, for causing the flooding in the Somerset Levels and Moors. Christopher Booker, in the Telegraph, was … Continue reading

Posted in agriculture, flooding, Maize, Natural England, RSPB, Somerset Levels, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Paterson promises the world to Levels Farmers – they want the Sun too.

Owen Paterson, the Scarlet Pimpernel of the Cabinet, has been missing for months. Where has he been? Not in the limelight. But he popped up yesterday in the West Country to promise the world to the Farmers of the Somerset … Continue reading

Posted in CLA, farming, flooding, NFU, Owen Paterson, Somerset Levels | Tagged , , , | 15 Comments

The Supergrass that betrays real Environmental Goods

I was intrigued by this headline in Farmers Weekly (where else?) – “£2.5M boost for grass that helps prevent floods“. What can it be? A panacea for all our flooding problems – is it superabsorbent? Is it a climate change … Continue reading

Posted in agricultural pests, agriculture, ecosystem services, flooding, grasslands, Neonicotinoids, public goods, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Lost in the drainage Maize

I wrote this blog twice yesterday but both times wordpress refused to publish it. I’m trying again – third time lucky. I now know the reason it crashed. I was trying to copy a map from a pdf and upload … Continue reading

Posted in agriculture, deregulation, Dredging, Environment Agency, farming, flooding, Owen Paterson | Tagged , , , , , | 32 Comments

Planting Trees in the Uplands? There’s an idea….

I was so excited at the thought of OPatz going to live in the woods, foraging for mushrooms and curing  badger hams , that I forgot to check what was actually said earlier this week, in relation to flooding and … Continue reading

Posted in flooding, Forestry, Forestry Commission, Owen Paterson, rewilding, uplands | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Owen Paterson embraces Re-wilding.

Thanks to Phil Brewin (@waterlevels) for the photo of flooding on the Somerset Levels. It was only a couple of months ago, that Owen Paterson gave his most significant speech since he became Environment Secretary, to the Tory’s favourite Think … Continue reading

Posted in badgers, flooding, Forestry, George Monbiot, Owen Paterson, rewilding, uplands | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Welcome to your new job Mr Sells

Andrew Sells starts as Chairman of Natural England on Monday (20th). If we could wave our magic wands and appear in his office that morning, what would we suggest to him as his top priorities? Some might suggest the Badger … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Sells, badgers, biodiversity offsetting, Common Agricultural Policy, flooding, Matt Ridley, Owen Paterson | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Floods and SUDS

As the flood waters recede they reveal that the “Greenest Government Ever”‘s environmental credentials have finally all been washed away. The idea of Sustainable (Urban) Drainage Schemes, or SUDS has been around for a long time. I can remember arguing … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Sells, flooding, Floodplains, greenspace, mental health, Owen Paterson, SUDS | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments