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Category Archives: self-willed land
Conservation and Re-wilding: the film
The Linnean Society filmed the debate I had with George Monbiot in November, discussing the pros and cons of Re-wilding and Conservation. The film, which was professionally made and edited, is now available to watch here . I haven’t seen … Continue reading
Babies and Bathwater
Non-intervention management ((C) Miles King) I boldly suggested the other day that conservation iconoclast Mark Fisher now agreed with me that stopping human intervention on high value nature sites (such as SSSIs) was not the best way of achieving his … Continue reading
Posted in anti conservation rhetoric, anti-environmental rhetoric, biodiversity, environmental policy, forest elephant, George Monbiot, Mark Fisher, rewilding, Saum, scrub, self-willed land, SSSis, straight tusked elephant, uplands
Tagged Conservation, England, George Monbiot, Mark Fisher, Mike Alexander, re-wilding, Restoration ecology, Site of Special Scientific Interest, SSSI, Sussex Wildlife Trust, Tony Whitbread
2 Comments
Sacrifices, ancient and modern
We like to think we live in such settled, civilised and rational times. It wasn’t so long ago though – up to the 19th Century – that farmers feared the effect of evil spirits on their livestock and made Land … Continue reading
Posted in animism, badgers, churches, farming, self-willed land, spiritual value, Uncategorized
Tagged Badger culling in the United Kingdom, Beltaine, Bonfire Night, Caithness, Church, Golden Bough, Goodman, Goodman's Fields Theatre, Goodmans Fields, Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes Night, Murrain, Self willed Land
9 Comments
Return to “Any Room for Scrub?”
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
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
The Elephant in the Room
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
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The Conservation Cringe
Heard of the Cultural Cringe? As someone who is half English and half Australian I have an inkling of what it is about, a cultural inferiority complex derived from colonial times when “Colonial” culture was looked down on. Gladly those … Continue reading
Self-willed Land and the Conservation Prison
This morning, I enjoyed once again reading George Monbiot on what’s wrong with UK nature conservation – this time on Martin Harper’s blog. George as you would expect barred no holds, and laid into RSPB for culling buzzards, and promoting … Continue reading
Posted in agriculture, animism, biodiversity, churches, environmental policy, George Monbiot, rewilding, self-willed land
Tagged re-wilding
12 Comments
a new nature blog 