My field of dreams

Even managing the smallest of acreages for wildlife, by carefully considering what you plant and when, can make a massive difference to all sorts of flora and fauna, advocates Simon Lester

- Simon Lester

THIS spring, as I walked around the field behind our home on the Dorset/Somerset border, I was excited-very excited. I have toads in places where they have never been before and barn owls in my nesting box.

As a retired gamekeeper, I have mixed views about the current trend for 'rewilding' Instead, I think it's far better to 'farm Nature', by putting in place the many requirements that flora and fauna need to thrive. After 40 years of looking after land and manipulating habitats essentially to increase numbers of wild game birds-I am well aware of the immense benefits that this management brings to wildlife. However, there are gaps in this approach and a lack of continuity that breaks the lifecycle of many creatures, as well as crops that only fulfil part of their needs for a short period. In so many cases, Nature is in conflict with other land uses, such as agriculture, as he who pays the piper calls the tune.

My last two keepering jobs were Holkham in north Norfolk and Langholm in south-west Scotland both massive and marvellous privately owned estates that are rich in wildlife, but not without their issues. Therefore, when we moved to the West Country six years ago, my wife, Paula, knew I would go stir crazy if I had no land to play with. Fortunately, we bought a lovely property, in a small hamlet near Sherborne, with a 32-acre paddock.