"As one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, Britain has a long way to go. Somerset’s super nature reserve is a great start; but it must also be an opportunity to change the way we regard and manage the countryside for the 21st century." (Stephen Moss, Observer Comment,  22 May 22)

A conversation with birder, award-winning author, bird tour leader, BAFTA award-winning television producer, a stalwart of the British Birdfair, President of the Somerset Wildlife Trust, teacher of an MA in Travel and Nature Writing at Bath Spa University -  and journalist - Stephen Moss. 

Stephen and I have been talking about having a chat for a podcast for a while but when I heard last week that Natural Egland and the government had declared a new 'super National Nature Reserve' on the Somerset Levels - which is right on Stephen's doorstep - and moments later read an Observer Comment piece online written by him on this exact same subject ( that quote at the start of this podcast came from that piece) - well, the stars had surely aligned! Just days later we met up at the RSPB's Ham Wall reserve - part of The Somerset Wetlands National Nature Reserve, famed for its huge wintering starling flocks and for being the first reserve in climate-change Britain where three previously vagrant heron species - great white egret, cattle egret, and little bittern - have all bred. 

So what is a 'super national nature reserve', what function should sites like this have in terms of conservation, public access, and public good, do conservation organisations develop wetland sites like Ham Wall because they're powerless to halt climate change, and will I be able to edit a recording where we were constantly interrupting ourselves to look at Marsh Harriers and Bitterns? 

I'll give it a go...

• Stephen Moss Website and Twitter feed
• Observer Comment This ‘super reserve’ is not just for the birds (Stephen Moss
• Government press-release New ‘super’ National Nature Reserve created to protect rare wildlife (19 May 22)
• RSPB Reserves Ham Wall

For more audio - and blogs -  on wildlife, animal rights, and the environment, please go to offtheleash.substack.com