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Wild Fell
- Fighting for Nature on a Lake District Hill Farm
- Narrated by: Lee Schofield
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
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Wild Fell
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Summary
Brought to you by Penguin.
In 2015, England's last and loneliest golden eagle died in an unmarked spot among the remote eastern fells of the Lake District. It was a tragic day for the nation's wildlife, but the fight to restore the landscape had already begun.
Lee Schofield, ecologist and site manager for RSPB Haweswater, is leading efforts to breathe life back into two hill farms and their 30 square kilometres of sprawling upland habitat. The farms sit at the edge of the region's largest reservoir, beneath which lie the remains of a submerged village. The area's history has been a turbulent one for both its people and its wildlife, leaving its habitats in tatters.
In the search for inspiration, Lee sought out England's rarest mountain flower and travelled from the wild fells of Norway to the pristine meadows of the Alps. Informed, too, by the local land, its history and the people who have shaped it, Lee and his team have remeandered a straightened river and are repairing damaged wetlands, meadows and woods. Each year, the landscape is becoming richer, wilder and better able to withstand the shocks of a changing climate.
But in the contested landscape of the Lake District, change is not always welcomed, and success relies on finding a balance between rewilding and respecting cherished farming traditions. This is not only a story of nature in recovery, it is also the story of Lee's personal connection to place and the highs and lows of working for nature amid fierce opposition.
Wild Fell is a call to recognise that the solutions for a richer world lie at our feet; by focusing on flowers, we can rebuild landscapes fit for eagles again. A landscape of flowers is a landscape of hope.
What listeners say about Wild Fell
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Richtee
- 15-01-23
Inspiring
A fascinating and informative book. Everyone needs to read this book to learn of a future, not just for the Lake District, but elsewhere too, that could be so much more diverse, nature rich and exciting. We live amongst an obstinate majority of officials and landowners, who are fearful of change and have a complete lack of understanding of how and why we should push for a better, nature rich environment. If this change does not come soon, we all face a very difficult future on this earth. I only hope that this example and the others out there prove there is a better way and a good compromise for all.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 27-08-22
Just wonderful
A truly delightful personal account of the many adventures, characters, challenges, lessons and successes that now shape Wild Haweswater. A book that fills me with hope for a future that includes water, wildlife, carbon and beauty :) with descriptions of flowers and birds that bring the hills to life and are just enchanting. A great listen, highly recommended
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- JC
- 27-10-22
Fantastic Insight
Thoroughly enjoyable insight to the realities of restoring nature. Up against the lobby of hill farmers stuck in their ridiculous ways. Lee makes fantastic work of just talking sense in a situation where many many people would not have his calm and diplomatic manor. Great insight not into just into farming or rewilding, but just enjoying nature.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 12-11-22
Brilliant Nature Writing
To sum up the complexities of current day farming and wildlife conservation in one book (while still being a highly enjoyable read) is no mean feat! I'm not a fan of waffley prose and much more interested in solid stories and real people, yet this book still immerses you in beautiful upland habitats and the wildlife which inhabits them. A very nice balance.
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- Seayeaitch
- 03-07-23
Excellent!
A slow start, I almost gave up, but perseverance got the better of me; for some years I have been a sleeping member of the RSPB and having spent my formative years in Cumberland and Westmorland plus a career in Agriculture and work in Norway I was interested in comparing his findings, it was certainly worth perseverance, Lee Schofield describes fully the progress and development of this quiet corner of the Lakes the trials and tribulations of trying to bring about change, I greatly enjoyed his descriptions not just of the successes but also how he learned to work with with at times hostile partners, a great read / listen.
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- K m.
- 27-05-22
Wonderful, inspiring and giving hope
This is a factual book but it’s very heartfelt.
I strongly recommend it. Informative, interesting, lovely relationships between humans and with nature
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Lizzy h
- 17-04-22
Nature friendly Lakeland farming
A narrative exploring how nature friendly farming could transform the present landscape in the Lakes.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 10-11-22
inspiring on many levels
Schofield grew as a person in order to halt devastation to wildlife in one corner of the Lake District
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- R
- 13-06-23
Unexpectedly excellent!
As a landscape architect I started reading this book almost out of duty and with no expectations, I soon found myself completely drawn in by the surprisingly good prose (considering this is effectively a work diary by an ecologist). I am now listening all over again and relishing the book even more second time around. I’ve just been to walk the fells he describes including Naddle Farm, which brought the whole thing to life. I really hope the book gets a wide audience, the subject matter is so important. Congratulations to everyone connected to this project. Also, it’s beautifully read and a great listen.
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- M Dean
- 27-08-22
Fantastic book
A great overview of an attempt to bring conservation and farming into harmony. Zoomed in details bring Hawswater to life. Overviews of other projects in the Uk and abroad act as inspiration for author and reader. The author reports a well balanced example of the tensions between modern farming and conservation. Insightful for those of us with no foot in either camp.
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1 person found this helpful