We’re in the midst of a bit of a heat wave here, but even after several weeks of temperatures hovering around 30C and no rain the fields are still looking remarkably lush. The scrape has dried out, but the grass is still damp and ditches flowing. Butterflies have now joined the dragonflies and little egrets … More New photos – June 2018
Wow. We’ve had several weeks of warm weather down in the South West and things have changed dramatically. Most obvious is that both fields are now host to huge numbers of dragonflies and damselflies. Every step sends rattling bolts of electric blue or green in all directions. Hawkers and chasers dash up from the grass … More Summer scrape
What a difference a couple of weeks of sun makes. At the end of April the land still seemed to be in Winter mode, with icy winds and short grass. Now, in mid-May the change as been startling, with the Levels taking on a lush, almost subtropical feel. The wildlife is making a return too. … More May on the meadow
It’s been a busy time down on the marshes. After about a year of off-and-on I finally managed to get a contractor to come and dig a scrape. Never mind that it coincided with the coldest day of the year and a brief snow storm – the results are impressive. The scrape – basically a … More Digging a scrape, barn owls and voles
On the day it has been reported that a man has tragically lost a finger to an attack by a wild boar, I am re-posting this blog from 2013. 2013 – Last week I was down in the Forest of Dean, conducting research for a project on rewilding. As part of this I am visiting … More Risk and wild boar
In November 2016 the Scottish Government officially recognised what we have long known – that beavers are a native species in Scotland and that those which have been reintroduced – whether intentionally or not – should be allowed to stay. In December 2017 the UK’s Secretary of State for the environment Michael Gove issued a … More Beavers are finally being accepted in Britain, now we should welcome the wild boar.
I was down at one of the fields the other day, and as I was stomping back through the grass, cursing the person who stole my camera trap, I almost trod on a hare. Springing out from beneath my feet it dashed off to the other side of the field, tall and brown and elegant. … More Mad about hares
As mentioned, I’ve recently acquired another 12 acres in the Levels. It’s really beautiful, and appears to have been largely cut for hay and grazed. It’s more sheltered and private than the first patch, and with more variety of trees and plant life. Crucially too the field is already a little more uneven, with ruts … More Pictures of new land
Sep 2017 – I’m delighted to announce that my little rewilding project is expanding! I’ve just acquired another two fields, just a couple of kilometers away from my other land. Obviously I would have loved them to be right next door, but they are still in the same landscape and will fulfill the same function … More Project expanding!
Aug 2016 – I’ve bought a field. Yup that’s right, a whole field, with four sides. I’m officially a land owner. And I’m going to try and turn it into a little nature reserve through a gentle process of rewilding. It’s very exciting. I don’t want to draw too much attention to myself, so I … More I’m starting my own little rewilding project – and I’m very excited.
