Ep. 006: Restoring the Wild: Rewilding Britain with Prof Alastair Driver

This episode was the culmination of a wonderful day with Alastair Driver, the Director of Rewilding Britain and a very wise man. Alastair talks with us about the history and vision of the charity, the challenges within the current government system (as well as the potential solutions) and some of the successes they’ve had in influencing policy. Alastair was also kind enough to share his reflections on our project and we describe our first step to ‘wilding’ our 80 acres. Finally, listen out for references to BBC’s The Archers, baby vomit and sad tidings about the spinach!

Your Hosts

• Tom Constable: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-constable/
• Chloe Constable: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloe-constable-24155821b/

Our Guest

Alastair Driver is an accomplished conservationist and environmental advocate known for his significant contributions to rewilding and habitat restoration in the United Kingdom. He serves as the Director of Rewilding Britain, a leading organisation dedicated to the promotion and implementation of rewilding principles across Britain's landscapes. Through his leadership, Rewilding Britain has been instrumental in raising awareness about the importance of rewilding and influencing policy and land management decisions that support rewilding efforts.

With a background in environmental science and ecology, Alastair has spent his career at the forefront of conservation efforts. He is an Honorary Professor of Applied Environmental Management at the University of Exeter and was the National Conservation Manager for the Environment Agency (2002 - 2016), before his appointment as Director of Rewilding Britain in 2017. His work has encompassed a wide range of initiatives, from habitat restoration and species conservation to promoting more sustainable land management practices.

Grange Project Contact & Social Media

• Email: hello@grangeproject.co.uk
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grange.project/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/grangeproject
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GrangeProject
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-constable/

Listen out for:

[00:00:20] Introduction to the episode.

[00:01:35] Update on the Grange Project; first ‘wilding’ intervention on the land, visits from podcast listeners, neighbours sharing sustainably grown food and the less said about the spinach the better.

[00:05:50] Introduction to Alastair Driver, our guest for this week and Director of Rewilding Britain

[00:06:19] Alastair joins us and gives a quick summary of his background and his reflections on the Grange Project, he reckons we’re only 15/10 crazy.

[00:11:40] We learn more about Rewilding Britain; when it was formed, the Rewilding Network, how the charity has developed and some of the influence it holds.

[00:16:25] Alastair reflects on some of the challenges of our current system of government and how it’s failing to address the upcoming challenges associated with climate change and biodiversity loss, but equally the role Rewilding Britain has held in influencing policy shifts.

[00:22:00] We discuss the need for a cross-party parliamentary agreement and co-ordinated policy change around food production, land use, energy and education.

[00:28:32] We talked about future of land use within the UK and the report that Rewilding Britain are currently preparing in response to the 30x30 target.

[00:32:08] Alasdair identifies what he’d want listeners to take from the conversation including rewilding gardens and the value of engaging with Rewilding Britain and rewilding sites across the country.

[00:34:17] Chloe and Tom reflect on the importance of Rewilding Britain and the value of petitions.

Keen for more:

Websites:

https://www.rewildingbritain.org.uk Rewilding Britain aims to tackle the climate emergency and extinction crisis, reconnect people with the natural world and to help communities thrive through rewilding. They have a mission to achieve large-scale restoration of nature across Britain, through their Rewilding Network and in influencing Policy and Practice.