I’m generally unimpressed by the standard of service delivered by public bodies such as government departments and agencies. And I am generally in favour of us, the public, holding their feet to the fire to ensure better behaviour. The Health and Safety Executive has never impressed me and that is why I was immediately interested…
Author: Mark
Born Bristol, UK
Educated: Cleeve House School Bristol, Bristol Grammar School and Downing College Cambridge
Ph.D. University of Aberdeen, Winter activity of pipistrelle bats.
NERC post-doctoral Research Fellow, Edward Grey Institute, Oxford University
Former Conservation Director of the RSPB, 1989-2011
Stuart Butchart FRS
BirdLife International’s Chief Scientist, Dr Stuart Butchart, has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. This appears to be the first time a scientist working in a wildlife NGO has had this honour and it reflects well on both Dr Butchart himself and the overall science of the BirdLife family. The…
Moorland burning for upland management is exposing millions to unsafe air pollution levels – Leeds University/RSPB
Moorland burning for upland management is exposing millions to unsafe air pollution levels In the UK, moorland burning, which is widely used to support recreational shooting, releases small particles of pollution, known as ‘particulate pollution’, which pose a serious health risk when inhaled New research shows prescribed burning led to on average more than…
Sunday book review – Wildlife of Middlewick Ranges edited by Russell Leavett
Little did I think that after reviewing the CNHS’s 70th anniversary book (click here) I’d be revisiting them again so soon but this book, describing the wildlife of Middlewick Ranges is now rather topical. In the recent Wild Justice report (authored by Kiera Chapman, Malcom Tait and Rob Davies – click here), Middlewick Ranges is…
Sunday book review – Whale by Asha de Vos
Who doesn’t like whales? If you’ve seen whales I would guess that the memory remains strong in your mind and that it brings you pleasure. I’ve seen a few whales in my time, from Iceland to the Azores, and off the Pacific coasts of the USA and of Australia. I’m really glad that I’ve seen…
Exmoor’s eagles
Exmoor is an upland area of almost no value in terms of food production – that’s why the recently produced England Land Use Framework – click here – had it shaded as an area for above average land use change. Exmoor is also a National Park. If we can’t put hook-beaked biodiversity back in a…
Natural England, Knepp and storks
On Wednesday morning, the BBC Radio 4 Today programme aired a short chat (click here – in the last five minutes of the programme) about White Storks between Tony Juniper, the Chair of Natural England and Isabella Tree, author, rewilder and leading light in the Knepp project. I guess this was scheduled because even Today…
Wild Justice’s latest report – Unprotected Nature
The two most important recent reports on the operation of the SSSI mechanism in the UK have been published by Wild Justice, which is a bit odd when you think about what that means about the rest of the wildlife conservation movement. The first, A Site for Sore SSSIs – click here, demonstrated that English…
Eagle Rock Ranch to Receive Colorado Leopold Conservation Award
Eagle Rock Ranch of Park County has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Colorado Leopold Conservation Award®. The award honors ranchers, farmers and forestland owners who go above and beyond in their management of soil health, water quality and wildlife habitat on working land. Dave and Jeannie Gottenborg are cattle ranchers and owners…
Wexford Ranches to Receive Texas Leopold Conservation Award
The Wexford Ranches of South and West Texas are the recipient of the 2026 Texas Leopold Conservation Award®. Leopold Conservation Awards honor ranchers, farmers, and forestland owners who go above and beyond in their management of soil health, water quality and wildlife habitat on working land. The O’Connor family will be presented with the award…