“As a boy we had hedgehogs everywhere, ground nesting birds …”
So what has happened? Why are hedgehogs in decline and some of the birds we used to hear so much? To get the answer, you have to listen to somebody who works on the land.
Gareth Wyn Jones works on the family hill farm in Wales, where the land has been cultivated for the past 375 years. The farm currently has 4000 head of ewe and 300 head of cattle.
He says: “We’re all under threat, our way of life is under threat and we need to fight back…. Nobody listens to the people working the land, who have their hands in the soil … TB is causing a massive problem.”
Balance of nature
Gareth is all about keeping the balance of nature right and has some strong opinions, which he isn’t afraid to share, as you’ll learn from this clip from The Game Fair Theatre in 2023, in which he explains the reasons why songbirds and hedgehogs are under such threat. He has little time for government bureaucrats who don’t understand their subjects.
If you’re a fan of informed and lively discussion, then make sure you visit The Game Fair Theatre next summer. In previous years it has hosted big names such as Lord Botham, Nigel Farage, Amanda Owen (The Yorkshire Shepherdess) …
We’ll be announcing the line up for 2024 soon and you can be sure that there will be three days of furious debate and sparkling conversation to look forward to, live on stage.
