Fourth birthday

Mark 18 Comments

This blog is four years old today.

There have been over 2111 blog posts and over 26,000 comments in that time.

This blog is an independent voice for nature, primarily in England, but in the UK, the EU and the world.  Apart from Guest Blogs, every word of it is written by Mark Avery.  It’s called Standing up for Nature – and that’s what it tries to do.

Here are some of the views that inform this blog:

  1. birds of prey are lovely birds, though no lovelier than many others, and shouldn’t be illegally shot, trapped or poisoned by commercial interests
  2. bovine TB is a terrible disease and something should be done about it – that might have to include killing badgers but I’m not convinced by that at the moment and if only politicians and the NFU had pulled out their fingers years ago then we probably would already have a vaccine
  3. hundreds of millions of pounds of taxpayers money should go to the farming community but we should expect them to be a bit grateful, but more importantly, to deliver lots of public goods in return for the payments (and that’s what Defra is for)
  4. wildlife NGOs need to speak out and use their memberships to engineer political change because most of wildlife’s problems derive from over-consumption by people
  5. the coalition government was pretty hopeless for our natural environment, and especially hopeless on wildlife issues, but there is little sign that a Labour government would be much better
  6. lead isn’t good for you, or for wildlife, and should be replaced by non-toxic shot
  7. there are too many wildlife NGOs and that dilutes nature’s voice
  8. if enough of us raise our voices then we can make a difference – I am an optimist
  9. we need more marine protected areas around the UK coast and in the UK Overseas territories and in the world
  10. the right regulation is a ‘good thing’ and we need more of it as markets and exhortation don’t work very well
  11. biofuels that take up lots of land are an abomination
  12. renewable energy is needed, but even more we need ways equitably to reduce consumption rather than meet demand
  13. linnets are my least favourite bird but I love them all really
  14. nature does have an economic value but its spiritual value is so much higher
  15. the natural world is fascinating – much more interesting than anything else
  16. the UK should remain a part of the EU even though the EU is a bit rubbish at lots of things – getting out would be worse
  17. reintroductions are, generally speaking, a really good way quickly to enhance our conservation impacts – but only if we choose the right ones
  18. one day I will learn to recognise plants – but I’m not sure I will be much happier for all that
  19. you will all buy ‘Inglorious‘ when it is published at the end of July
  20. we will win in the end

 

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18 Replies to “Fourth birthday”

  2. Thank you Mark, and congratulations. You have informed and educated me so much in the last four years. Here’s to many more!

  4. Happy birthday and thanks for being a much needed voice of sanity. Don’t underestimate the positive impact you are having on the morale on those working in the conservation sector. The only thing you are wrong about is plants.

  5. Happy Birthday! What an incredibly interesting set of ideas. I can’t say I agree with all of them but in the main I think you are on the money! I hope those who often disagree with you read this.

  6. Happy Birthday, many happy returns AND your list should be adopted as environmental policy by ALL political parties.

  7. here, here Mr Avery. Just hope you are right about number 20. You certainly are about the others!

  8. Here’s hoping you had a glorious blog birthday Mark

    Here’s to many many more glorious blog posts and here’s to the publication of ‘inglorious’ and to many ‘moor’ birthdays ….

    M Parry: No.20 – where there’s a will there’s a way? As for the others, in the main but not all and here’s to progress for conservation benefit.

  9. Despite your repeated assurances I’m still convinced there must be an army of ‘Mark Averys’ writing this blog, toiling away in the early hours while their fiercely intelligent creator ambles around Stanwick enjoying the weather… long may you and your army keep producing this remarkable and inspirational blog, and long may you keep everyone on their toes and looking over their shoulders! And as for 20, we’ll never know if we don’t try.

  10. Many happy returns.
    A great blog. Enlightening and with a dash of humour. I look forward to the next four years.

  11. Well done Mark, I enjoy the fact that you have your own view on things and also you are a serious defender of wildlife.Yes we will win in the end but it will be a long way down the road,lots of issues that have changed in the past have taken several decades of fighting to get a result.

  13. Well done Mark. In my travels around the landscape and conservation sectors people frequently mention your blog in conversation, all positive comments; clearly you’re well read by many people active in the profession. The number of likes and comments, lovely as these things are, gives a first impression of readership that hugely underestimates the true figure.

    But you’re wrong about lovely linnets. ‘Tis Wood Pigeons that are Most Evil.

  14. Brilliant work Mark. Please keep on being a pain in the neck to all those who seek to harm our wildlife.

  15. Happy birthday! I enjoy your blog, but I strongly disagree with you about the Linnets.

  16. Congrats! You may be interested in a feature on influential people for wildlife, appearing in a certain wildlife mag’s May issue.

    Re your point 7 – I must ask you sometime which NGOs you’d merge, or lose altogether!

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