Ag & Wildlife Coordinator on a Lancs Estate, former Cumbria NE adviser. now supporting wildflowers and waders. Welsh. Harper Graduate. Fieldsports enthusiast.
The North
Joined March 2012
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Liam Williams retweeted
Proper naturalistic grazing is almost impossible in a rewilded area under about 150,000 acres. There are peer reviewed studies that back this up. We could very easily increase the productivity of the uplands with naturalistic grazing carried out by....wait for it...the people who have managed this land for countless generations.
Hi Matt. Draining of moorland and devastating overgrazing by sheep are what got us into this mess, as well as utterly impoverishing the nature of our uplands. We badly need a new way.
In my article I have suggested rewetting the uplands everywhere we can, which obviously reduces the risk and severity of wildfires; and the continuous removal of fuel by the grazing and browsing of hardy native cattle and ponies (especially ponies, which specifically eat dry material).
Continuing with the scorched earth approach practiced for the last century is just not the way forward.
Liam Williams retweeted
Don’t waste your breath Rob… the people of the uplands are literally the last people they ever listen to… it’s where they practiced for managing the British Empire
They ALWAYS know better than us
Proper naturalistic grazing is almost impossible in a rewilded area under about 150,000 acres. There are peer reviewed studies that back this up. We could very easily increase the productivity of the uplands with naturalistic grazing carried out by....wait for it...the people who have managed this land for countless generations.
All the habitat works and the oystercatchers pick the rubble in the farmyard 5yd from the entrance. Funky little birds @waderquest @ForWaders
Liam Williams retweeted
Hey Dartmoor enthusiasts! If you are really interested in conserving our native livestock and equines, why not support the work of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust ? rbst.org.uk/product/donate/
Interesting day at #solwaywildlands to see bison and beaver woodland project. Different land management to the normal day job, good luck and let’s see results in a few years before comments! @NENorthWest @ForestryEngland
Liam Williams retweeted
No, we need better quality, better funded access that is available to all, not low quality access everywhere that creates more issues than it solves.
#worldcurlewday let’s not forget about all our waders. Some scapes and wetlands added to our grasslands last few winters paying dividends for curlew, redshank, snipe and lapwing chicks @CurlewAction
Liam Williams retweeted
If only a small % of people who voted for the reintroduction of species supported our endangered current species we could be assured of a rich ecosystem. However, complacency means we live in Europes most nature depleted environments. We need our countries in the UK & Ireland to be fit for nature. Whilst some of these species may play a role, they are not the sole solution. Whilst we wait for the brown bear please help us fix us freshwater habitats wildtrout.org/shop/donations
Liam Williams retweeted
If we are to halt & reverse decline of the Curlew then difficult subjects must be tackled, including the high density of predators we have across the country - including foxes, crows & badgers. All wonderful creatures as well, but too many is a big issue for ground nesting birds.
Curlew Action were part of an expert panel which gave a briefing to parliamentarians on the importance of the recently launched UK Curlew Action Plan. See my blog on what was said... @CHinchliffMP @CurlewCountry curlewaction.org/parliamenta…
Liam Williams retweeted
Well said Tony. I'll certainly point out positive messaging when I see it. Here in Wales we're increasing protections on some of the curlew's principal predators. It has now become illegal to remove CC from a curlew nesting area, as it's contrary to GL004 if there are no eggs/chicks already present. We are now in a scenario where we can only remove CC when it's a) too late, and even more concerning b) being early nesters, when they already have dependents back at the nest, leaving them to die a prolonged and miserable death. In NRW's and WG eye's this is progress.
Liam Williams retweeted
Well this is rubbish
@ForestryEngland have embedded the peat map of doom into their maps
And this is how bad data gets passed down & makes even simple jobs much harder
Just because @NaturalEngland couldn’t accept they had issues with their map, so didn’t deal with it last year
ALT A screenshot of the peat map layer in the forestry commissions online map
From helicopters restoring peat to bodged drainage causing headaches. Thankfully spring is coming and the curlew are back
Liam Williams retweeted
Now that I have retired, I can I can finish off where I left off making comments about about Landguard Nature Reserve, without the threat of being put on a disciplinary by my employer for misuse of social media, subjective on my previous employers part. 1/2
Liam Williams retweeted
Why would government that actively hates nature even care? We will definitely have much less protected for nature in 2030 than we even do now unless a pro-nature party or coalition takes over soon. Only those farms and estates & nature charities that have enough spare resources will be able to deliver anything for nature. Times are very bleak for nature and will get worse under this Government
Great to get out on the tops, even if Fog made life difficult. Some grouse seem, some grouse for the pot, two tired dogs
Brilliant week in Shetland, amazing seeing the history of the place alongside the birdlife.
More amazed (and torn) as to the size of turbines built onto hagged peatland, a sign of things to come for upland areas? I do hope not
Don’t get my wilder than this chap. Fishing hill lochs still 23.30 is some experience #60degreesnorth
Liam Williams retweeted
Yes, your dog. Your sweet, non-aggressive and curious dog is a threat to wildlife - and so are you.
This message is almost completely absent from outdoor recreation messaging, and instead the public is told that farmers and gamekeepers are the real problem.
Lapwing chicks enjoying the wader scrapes, mud providing plenty of bugs. Fingers crossed the dog walkers keep to the path and on leads in the sunshine. Hopefully get some ringed this week now big enough!
Barbel getting Randy on the ribble this morning. Some crackers tailing throughout the shallows @RibbleTrust