Talk on the Wild Side Rob Smith

Meet Charlie Burrell, Co-Owner of the Knepp Estate and Chair of Rewilding Britain. Some 20 years ago, Charlie and his wife Isabella Tree decided they needed to take a different approach on their 3,500 acres of land. Their story is famous but where are they now and where do they hope the future is going? You'll have to listen to find out!


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Join Rob Smith as he walks around Scotney Castle and Gardens learning about how the team here are managing the land for nature whilst welcoming 180,000 visitors a year. Rob meets Rebecca Rees, General Manager, Senior Gardener, Andrea Bennet and Richard Newman, Head Ranger to focus on different areas of the estate and learn how they're managed with nature in mind. Scotney manages 788 acres of land with 30 acres just dedicated to formal gardens and 300 acres designated as a SSSI! Well worth a visit if you haven't already been.
Rob also joins a hedgerow laying workshop in Moat Farm, Shadoxhurst as he learns more about the importance of hedgerows for wildlife from Megan Gimber, Key Habitats Officer at People's Trust for Endangered Species and the self-proclaimed Hedgerow Geek! He also talks to many farmers who took part in the workshop to find out why they're changing the way they manage hedgerows on their farms.
Finally, Rob speaks to Amy Fitzmaurice, Kent Wildlife Trust's Human Co-Existence Officer, Matt Phelps, Species Recovery Officer at Sussex Wildlife Trust and others, who introduce the South East Pine Marten Restoration Project. A multi-organisational partnership which is laying the ground-work to the potential reintroduction of Pine Marten in the South East of England. There's a lot that goes into a reintroduction project like this so if you're interested in finding out about pine martens and whether or not you think they will cope in a highly populated region such as a the South East, make sure to have a listen!


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The Government has made legally-binding commitments to end nature declines and they've mandated local councils to propose actions and priorities for their areas through a Local Nature Recovery Strategy. Rob Smith speaks to Liz Milne who is developing the LNRS in Kent (called 'Making Space for Nature') and Emma Loder-Symonds of Nonnington Farms who is already Making Space for Nature on her 3000 acre farm.
Rob also escapes Kent to travel to Rothamsted Research in Hertfordshire and speak to James Clarke about the oldest continually operating agricultural research station in the world founded as far back as 1843. Learn about some of the research that is helping farmers work with nature using some of the longest scientific field experiments in the world.
Finally, Rob heads to Westminster to meet Sir Roger Gale, MP of North Thanet who is another voice in opposition of the Sea Link cable that National Grid wants to run through Sandwich and Pegwell Bay with a converter station in Minster Marshes. Save these internationally important sites by having your voice heard in our Rethink Sea Link campaign!
Making Space for Nature website: https://www.makingspacefornaturekent.org.uk/
Nonnington Farms: https://www.noningtonfarms.co.uk/
LEAF Farming: https://leaf.eco/
Rothamsted Research: https://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/
Sir Roger Gale: https://members.parliament.uk/member/87/contact
Rethink Sea Link Campaign: https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/campaigns/rethink-sea-link
Save Minster Marshes: https://www.minstermarshes.com/

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In this episode of Talk on the Wild Side, we explore the wetlands. First, we visit Elmley Nature Reserve, a private estate owned and managed by Gareth Fulton and his family. The reserve has been managed for nature since the 80's and is now an eco-tourism spot with luxurious private accommodation that brings people close to nature that wouldn't ordinarily visit. Rob also speaks to a volunteer about the reserve's owl population.
In his second interview, Rob talks to Kent Wildlife Trust's first apprentice Bella Sabin-Dawson about eco-anxiety and some of the ways we can all combat that feeling of helplessness. She is just a wonderful young person to listen to. Whilst at the University of Kent, Rob also spoke to Sam Maddison about the ongoing newt monitoring project that the Uni is doing and more.
Finally, Rob meets George Cooper, the founder of the Save Minster Marshes campaign. He's an avid bird lover whose contributions to bird ringing have helped make Minster Marshes a very well-documented site. Rob talks to him about the Save Minster Marshes campaign as well as touching on a more controversial topic - his work as a game-keeper.
Show links
Gareth Fulton LinkedInElmley Nature ReserveBella's blog on being an education and wellbeing apprentice at Kent Wildlife TrustSave Minster Marshes websiteSign the petition
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🦭The 7th episode of Talk on the Wild Side touches on a very important topic. The Sea Link cable National Grid are proposing will run through Sandwich and Pegwell Bay with a converter set to take up 13ha of Minster Marshes. Rob talks to the Kent Wildlife Trust team about what the risks are and what we can do about it.
🏘️Also in this episode, Rob talks to Sustainability Director of Thakeham Group about sustainable development. Is it all it's cracked up to be? You can really hear the passion in Josie Cadwallader-Hughes as she talks about how she is fighting to make development as sustainable as possible.
🚸Finally Rob is at Goat Lees Primary School talking to the teachers and children about some of the ways that the kids are making the school more sustainable. Rob even interviews a few of the kids and all I'm saying is get ready to have tears in your eyes. The next generation is so amazing!
Show Links:
Rethink Sea Link campaign page: https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/campaigns/rethink-sea-link
Jose Cadwallader-Hughes LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcthornewill/
Thakeham Sustainability: https://thakeham.com/sustainability/
Goat Lees Primary School: https://www.goatlees.kent.sch.uk/


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We're choughed to bring you our 6th episode of Talk on the Wild Side, featuring the reintroduction of the red-billed chough to the Kent countryside thanks to a partnership with Kent Wildlife Trust, Wildwood Trust and English Heritage. We speak to Liz Corry, Chough Release Supervisor at Wildwood Trust who knows the first chough to be reintroduced very well and treats Rob to the spectacle of watching them fly over Dover castle.
Rob also joins James Smith from Loddington Farms in Kent. This 5th generation fruit farmer talks about his work transforming the soil underneath the farm and improving the quality and quantity of his harvest by transforming the soil underneath his feat. Join Rob as he tours the farm and sees it for himself.
Finally, Rob meets Emily Mason, Sustainability Coordinator at the University of Kent who recently won a Kent Wildlife Trust, Wilder Kent Award gold medal. Emily gives Rob a tour of the campus and explains how a busy diverse campus life can co-exist with wildlife and work with nature to reduce its carbon impact.
Episode links:
Chough Reintroduction ProjectLiz Corry LinkedInLoddington Farms WebsiteJames Smith LinkedInSustainability Strategy at University of KentEmily Mason LinkedIn
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