Mark Avery is working hard…

Mark Avery is working hard for someone else right now – today’s blog will appear later in the day. Blogging for Nature is my book of blogs from my RSPB days.  It contains 143 blogs out of over 700 which I wrote during my last two years as the RSPB’s Conservation Director.  The last blog…

Big Society and forestry and farming

Forestry came up in the debate in which I participated at the Game Fair. Remember the Government was heading towards a consultation on its Big Society/Small Government plans to sell off or hive off some of the forest estate to communities and businesses when it scrapped the consultation and promised to think again, and along…

Red tape or sense?

Those at the Game Fair who were baying for the removal of government-imposed red tape may just pause for thought now that Eric Pickles’s Department aims to remove much of the red tape that protects the beauty of the countryside to allow development to proceed more easily and to put economic growth ahead of protecting…

Songbird Survival

I did say that the Game Fair might keep this blog going for ages! In one of his very amusing and entertaining, though not convincing, rants, Robin Page voiced the views that Songbird Survival was a very good organisation and that it was obvious that sparrowhawks and other predators were part of the reason for…

Bird Fair – gentle reminder

Having enjoyed the Game Fair, and I really do, I can now look forward to the Bird Fair. I have just ordered a 3-day ticket and I’ll be looking forward to seeing lots of friends and colleagues over those three days, 19-21 August at Rutland Water.  Will I see you there? And would you like…