Last week I was out with our Welsh team on the Lleyn Peninsula at Cilan Head. We were lucky with the weather and managed a great walk across the coastal heath. At one point, in cracking light, we saw two raven, two chough, two buzzards and a peregrine all in the same frame. Within minutes we were walking across a chamomile lawn, wondering whether to wade into a heathland pool in search of pillwort (one of us did) and then spotting three-lobed watercrowfoot - three heathland plant specialities which brought back memories of a previous life. I am delighted that the RSPB and Plantlife are working hand-in-hand with farmers at Cilan Head to benefit heathland wildlife.
Days like that that help you fall in love with nature all over again.
And that's what we want people to do - have fantastic experiences to help them fall in love with wildlife. The more people that love nature, the more they'll want to understand it, care for it and stand up for it when it's in trouble. A simple message and one that is at the heart of our conservation mission. And this is also the message that the IUCN have tried to get across in their new video shown at the Congress in Korea last week. Have a watch and see if it works for you.
But the harsh reality is that if there is less nature around, then there is less chance you'll bump into it. And if you don't make that connection, how can you fall in love? So, where we can we need more nature, closer to people. And we're doing our bit at places like Wallasea, where we, with partners like Crossrail, are restoring c800 hectares for wildlife and people to enjoy.
So, my message for the week: get out and fall in love again.
I know the camp site at the tip of the Lleyn quite well; one is asked to bring old pottery for the great mural on the toilet wall that Gareth is creating; there are always flocks of 20-30 Chough circling.
Martin some time ago I decided that nature had survived for countless millenia without mankind and the problem was our industrial society and reforming that............... there are thousands of "nice" volunteers on little patches of reserves but can you get them to take on the big issues; like fighting Big Oil with demos on their forecourts or ensuring that society is just so that we do not trash it for greed ? The Arctic is almost ice free news out today... ?