This is the 3rd book in my 'Reading The Seasons 'not-really-a-challenge'.
"Across a Waking Land; A 1,000 mile walk through a British Spring" by Roger Morgan-Grenville. (It came up on the library website when I put in 'Spring' even though it's not in the main title - I'm glad it did)
Fed up with bleak headlines of biodiversity loss, acclaimed nature writer Roger Morgan-Grenville sets out on a 1,000-mile walk through a British spring to see whether there are reasons to be hopeful about the natural world. His aim is to match the pace at which the oak leaves emerge, roughly 20 miles north each day.
This was a really good read. Roger Morgan-Grenville's plan was to walk for eight weeks roughly up the middle of the country starting from his home area by the coast of the New Forest and taking in as many different types of countryside and farming areas as possible looking at how things have changed are are changing for better or worse. He had arranged to meet various people involved with conservation and farming.
I found it so interesting, especially his notes on the research done regarding the way that the countryside is managed - for good and bad.
One of his notes says.............
"Britain doesn't need farmers, because the food sector isn't critically important to the UK"' a senior treasury advisor said in 2021 . The man who stated this was a Dr Tim Leunig.
When I googled it I found in one account he said it not in 2021 but in 2020 before Covid , and it was in an email leaked to the Daily Mail. Either way it seems a crazy thing to say.
The author had quite a lot to say about dog owners who hang their bags of dog poo on hedges for the "Poo Fairy" to collect and did you know that feeding a large dog for a year produces the same level of emissions as 6,000 miles in a large car and 3.2 million more people became pet owners during covid lockdowns.
Worth reading for all the good information and ideas for things that can be done to help biodiversity.
Sounds an interesting book. I was interested in the oak leaves developing as you go further north. There is no sign of anything on my potted oaks yet. Fingers crossed they are still alive.
ReplyDeleteNo leaves yet here either
DeleteThis book sounds like a fascinating read. I'd never really considered the environmental impact of all those new pet owners in 2020! People were saying "it's good that we have fewer emissions from cars and planes because nobody is travelling" - but these dogs obviously offset some of that benefit... This book is available online withe the "Libby"app, so I've just borrowed it. Thanks for the recommendation
ReplyDeleteThe book has bits I can use in several posts - very useful!
DeleteWhat a fascinating book, thank you, Sue. I am going to look for it. xx
ReplyDeleteIt was a really interesting read
DeleteThanks for the review. I have just checked my library website, available and, for once, no queue. I am glad to say that recently I have encountered far fewer poo bags along the lanes where I pick litter. Rather oddly, I have come across several more abandoned walking boots, a big increase in the number of energy drink cans, but not nearly as many alcohol bottles! (I have been doing this litter pick for over a decade. The nature of local litter has definitely changed - unfortunately, my brain retains such silly details.)
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy the book. How very odd to find walking boots. How did people carry on without them?
DeleteWow-what an interesting book. I had heard the one about farming recently but the pet owner facts are quite frightening in terms of pollution. I’m at my Readers’ Group at the library today so must see if I can order that book. Catriona
ReplyDeleteThere are dozens of dogs in this village - I see them all go by!
DeleteLovely illustration on the front of that book. And lovely new header - a magnolia?
ReplyDeleteYes Magnolia, it's petals are mostly on the ground now after several windy days but the leaves are beginning to show
DeleteThat sounds like a really good book, and yes a lot of people in our town think that the 'poo-bag collection fairy' will follow them along the riverside walks and tidy up their left offerings.
ReplyDeleteIt's not good, and neither is that quote about us not needing farmers for food production. If anything all the current world troubles show us that we need them even more. Old fashioned farms rotating crops and animals and farmer our small country in the way our ancestors used to.
I was quite off dogs even before reading this book - far too many in this village! - luckily most have responsible owners
DeleteThis looks right up my street. We are dog owners but I'll never understand people who bag up dog poo and hang it from hedges and trees - totally thoughtless towards the environment.
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
In the book he sees them on all his over 800 mile walk - really horrible
DeleteThe book sounds outstanding. I will look for it. Lately, dog owners in my town seem more considerate about picking-up after their dogs. A few years ago a soccer field was littered with poo and the town had to hire landscapers to clean-up before soccer season could begin. Totally irresponsible and disgusting. The statement about farming is truly off-the-wall. Good that the author countered.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I read it - lots of information about farming and bird life across the country
DeleteThanks for the heads up Sue
ReplyDeleteI'll add it to my reading list. Arilx
Hope you enjoy it
DeleteIt's interesting that a few authors are being brave enough to start to mention the pet problem. No government is. It is baffling that we humans are being urged to eat less meat to save the planet while the number of pets increases without limit and it is fed to them instead.
ReplyDeleteWe live in a crazy world!
DeleteOh. Ok. Lets turn all dog owners into pariahs now. It’s not as if there isn’t enough division and animosity in society already.
ReplyDeleteTouched a nerve there Anon? - do you have a name?
DeletePet owners can be some of the most selfish people in society. Cat owners don't care if their cat is pooing in someone's vegetable patch, nor do they care about the wildlife their cat kills for fun. Dog owners quite often don't clear up after their pets and let them off lead to distress and disturb livestock and wildlife. That's all before we get to the carbon footprint of pet food, pet toys/clothing, and pet waste.
DeleteThat sounds like a fascinating book. Like your other commentators I find the quote about not needing farmers quite extraordinary - has this individual so little grasp of where his food comes from before ending up in his home delivery? It reminds me of the so-called environmentalists who welcome covering agricultural land with solar panels, but then complain about loss of biodiversity, without joining up the dots.
ReplyDeleteI bet that was a really good read.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
So...I had to wander off to have a read about Dr Tim. He's an economist. Fascinating that he held such an opinion let alone said it outright. I wonder if he feels the same way post-Brexit?
ReplyDeleteIt sounds a good book. I am still livid about the "Britain doesn't need farmers" comment. We're an island - that makes us very vulnerable should - God forbid - we should be involved in another war or the EU decides an embargo is a good idea.
ReplyDeleteOh that does sound like a really good book . I agree that that's a crazy thing to say!
ReplyDelete