Feeling somewhat ambivelous. Wandered across some lovely chalk grassland being grazed by the local farms sheep. In the back of my mind is the way that John Muir campaigned very strongly against this type of grazing in the US. We didnt have John Muir in the UK. The highest level of protected landscape here is IUCN level is IV (there are a few tiny offshore level 1a areas). Our National Parks are level V due to the significant shaping from human hand. Without this shaping the South Downs would be a dense, dark wild wood. We created the chalk grassland sites and coppice areas. The wildlife adapted to our changes and grew with us as we settled and became farmers and land managers. Now it depends on these processes. The beautiful rich fragrant grasses and herbs, the myriad insects, beautiful moths and butterflies, the soaring hunters high on the wing. All rely on the management of the former woodlands that we cleared. The very grazing John Muir disliked has created a species rich habitat where, in the best examples, more than 40 species can be found in a single square metre. The rich patchwork of habitats in the UK is in its own way a special place. Nothing is simple in nature and flexible thinking is required to ensure the protection of the wild things. Now and in the future.
Posted on: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 20:23:36 +0000
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