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Nigel Gerke's avatar

I've stayed at your cottage along with my partner Teresa. I think it was last June.

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Nigel Gerke's avatar

Thank you for writing so clearly about the countryside, for the observant among us there is a depressing amount of habitat and species loss. My farming neighbours tell me there were Curlews in the fields next our house in Carmarthenshire before 'improvement'. I don't know when I last heard a Curlew in this part of Wales so was delighted to spend last week in the Cairngorms where good management has encouraged large numbers of Curlew, Oyster catchers and Lapwing.

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Richard Fleming's avatar

Hi and thank you. I have a feeling that I have come across your name somewhere before. Is that possible?

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Deborah Gaudin's avatar

I have just finished the brilliant book Trespass by Nick Hayes which is a series of walks through the countryside by one of the founders of Right to Roam. He goes in depth to the themes you address here. You are a great warrior for our biosphere and I admire your work and dedication

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Richard Fleming's avatar

Hi Deborah. You may well be amused to hear that when Trespass came out three different friends who know me well gave me copies of it that Christmas!

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eel botherer's avatar

Congratulations, a brilliant outcome Richard and your fortitude on social media from the onslaught of idiots is to be admired

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Richard Fleming's avatar

Thank you. I think during the campaign - when I was sending information from Russia gleaned via informants to desk officers at Defra and at the Environment Agency - I think the 'onslaught of idiots' enabled me to pass on, via replies on Twitter, much important information about what was actually going on in Russia because Defra staff were following the debate. I think Glevum and Elver Dave. the dreadful Igor and the rest of them were a negative asset as far as UK Glass Eels was concerned. Let's hope elvering can continue in some form in order to restock other rivers, and that we can get our rivers back to health.

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Richard Gorodecky's avatar

Congratulations on the eels and another great read.

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