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 HostsTom Constable: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-constable/Chloe Constable: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloe-constable-24155821b/<br/>Our GuestAlastair 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 MediaEmail: hello@grangeproject.co.ukInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/grange.project/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/group....s/grangeprojectYouTu https://www.youtube.com/@GrangeProjectLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-constable/<br/>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