Category Archives: Uncategorized

New additions to Defra Board will not upset Truss’s plans to cut Natural England or Environment Agency

Posted on November 16, 2015 by Miles King

Reading through the excellent CIEEM monthly policy briefing email, I noticed that Natural England Chair Andrew Sells and Environment Agency chair Sir Phillip Dilley, had recently joined the Defra Board in ex-officio capacities. Defra Board, in case you were wondering, … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrew Sells, Defra, Liz Truss, lobbying, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The Dorset Steam Fair

Posted on September 6, 2015 by Miles King

  It was our annual visit to the Great Dorset Steam Fair yesterday. We’ve been going on and off, for the past 16 or 17 years. It’s undoubtedly the strangest festival I’ve ever been to – though I didn’t really … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Kids Company sheds little light in what Government thinks Civil Society is for

Posted on August 6, 2015 by Miles King

      Yesterday brought the very sad and alarming news that Kids Company had closed, due to lack of funding. It appears that the last straw was when a private philanthropist who withdrew a £3m donation on hearing that … Continue reading →

Posted in Charities campaigning, Charities Commission, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

The unforgotten Hawthorn

Posted on August 5, 2015 by Miles King

Last week our neighbourhood lost one of its oldest members. Its loss will have gone un-noticed by many, perhaps most; perhaps a few will have rejoiced in its passing. I thought I would write something in the way of a … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Rampisham Down planning permission called in for Public Inquiry

Posted on June 30, 2015 by Miles King

Good news today from the Department for Communities and Local Government. New Secretary of State Greg Clark has decided that West Dorset District Council’s extraordinary decision to give planning permission for a 50ha solar farm on a Site of Special … Continue reading →

Posted in public inquiries, Rampisham Down, Solar Farms, SSSis, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 15 Comments

The State of Europe’s Nature

Posted on May 22, 2015 by Miles King

  Today is International Biodiversity Day. Instead of being out and about enjoying biodiversity (or nature as I prefer to call it), I’m sitting at my computer writing this. Does that make any sense? How is biodiversity nature doing in … Continue reading →

Posted in Birds Directive, Common Agricultural Policy, European Commission, European environment policy, Habitats Directive, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Which is the biggest threat to sheep – Dogs or Lynx?

Posted on May 19, 2015 by Miles King

It’s understandable why sheep farmers and their organisations should be worried about the reintroduction of Apex Predators such as Wolf and Lynx. Recent proposals to reintroduce Lynx have met with stiff opposition from the likes of the National Sheep Association, … Continue reading →

Posted in dogs, lynx, National Sheep Association, rewilding, Uncategorized, wolves | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Two Years of A New Nature Blog

Posted on May 12, 2015 by Miles King

I’m celebrating two years (yesterday) since I started writing this blog. This isn’t the first blog I have written though, as I started in October 2010 when I was working for The Grasslands Trust. That one lasted just under two … Continue reading →

Posted in blogging, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 14 Comments

Some initial thoughts on what may happen to Nature under the new Government.

Posted on May 9, 2015 by Miles King

  After the shock that arrived about 130 yesterday morning when it became clear that the exit poll was right and all the polls had been wrong (or rather had not picked up that the undecideds would vote Tory), I … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015 election, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 17 Comments

The Dog Poo Bag Deposit Mystery

Posted on May 8, 2015 by Miles King

There’s a house on the corner of our road which doesn’t seem to be occupied, or at least only occasionally. The hedges grow out over the pavement and there’s an old hawthorn – much of which is dead, which is … Continue reading →

Posted in dog poo, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 12 Comments