Blog

The Habitat Aid blog is set in Somerset. The blog tries to introduce some of the issues surrounding our natural environment as understood by a non ecologist. You’ll also find some practical “how to” guides. It’s written by Nick Mann, who runs Habitat Aid. Nick is an increasingly curmudgeonly bald middle-aged bloke of familiar type.

Filter by

Sowing Wildflowers Onto Grass
February 23, 2020
Preparation and seeding grass areas like lawns or pasture with wildflower seed. How to improve the chances of success!
- Read more
Coming To Terms With Flooding
February 22, 2020
The vox pops from flood zones this week have been heart breaking. Being in Somerset we've had friends who have experienced being flooded out in the...
- flooding
- Read more
The Problem With Chlorinated Chicken
February 5, 2020
Why we should all fight for high food standards. They're good for our farmers, good for consumers, and good for the environment.
- Read more
Hedgelaying for Wildlife
January 13, 2020
I love a bit of hedgelaying. I'm too old/knackered/incompetent to do very much, but it's a good workout and - more importantly - it's good for wil...
- hedges
- Hookgate Cottage
- Read more
Wildflower Meadows in Spring
December 17, 2019
As the rain carries on lashing down I thought it might be fun to post some photos of our wildflower meadows in spring. Something to look forward t...
- meadows
- Read more
Trees For Votes
November 17, 2019
You can only be encouraged by the tree planting bidding war going on between our politicians at the moment, I suppose. 30 million trees, 60 millio...
- trees and woodland
- Read more
The Flooding In Yorkshire
November 12, 2019
In the years I've been writing this blog I've written about flooding several times. I think it's a really important issue - and not just because I...
- Digressions
- flooding
- Read more
The Need To Give : A Crisis in Environmental Philanthropy
October 27, 2019
Nearly 2/3 of people in the UK earning over £250,000 gave nothing to charity last year (Source: HMRC, cited in The Times). Of those who did, the a...
- biodiversity
- Read more
A Trip to Japan
October 16, 2019
We've just got back from a wonderful trip to Japan*. Among the rugby and the sightseeing and the hiking we were caught in typhoon Hagibis last wee...
- Read more
Conservation And Conservatism
August 25, 2019
There was an article in the Sunday Times this morning by Eric Kaufmann which partly articulated something which has been troubling me for a while....
- Digressions
- Read more
The Garden Jungle (Dave Goulson)
July 28, 2019
I don't think I've written a book review since third form, but felt moved to write briefly about Dave Goulson's The Garden Jungle. Spoiler alert...
- biodiversity
- gardens
- Read more
Wildflowers In Your Garden
June 27, 2019
Malva moschata Do you want a patch of wildflowers in your garden? The right answer! I think they can look lovely; some are long flowering to...
- gardens
- Read more