Bees, and Celebrating Good News

She talks, too, of the importance of supporting the eco-system and how our well-being and prosperity as a nation depends on nature, and she sounds sincere: if she is given the opportunity to implement what she advocates, much good will be achieved. Hopefully, this is the start of a range of measures to help the environment, including banning certain pesticides and even banning badger culls, for there are many ways in which farming can work in co-operation with nature, rather than in opposition to it. [caption id="attachment_2751" align="alignright" width="331"] Bee on Devil's Bit Scabious[/caption] Meanwhile, rather than celebrating an initiative that is more than just a placebo to “green do-gooders”, many of the environmental activists have reacted with criticism and sarcasm, mocking the suggestion – tucked into the proposal - that lawns should be mowed less often as part of the new effort to help bees. I know from my own experience that letting grass grow longer helps wildlife tremendously, and so I understand and support the idea; I was sorry, looking at the reaction on Twitter, that so many people who should know better preferred to denigrate it, and to ignore or deplore the key points of the Government’s new strategy rather than giving it credit. It is not perfect, but it is a start, and there may be much more that is helpful to wildlife to come. I write often about politics and world happenings, and sometimes I am critical as I see false values and vested interest overriding common sense and the greater good. I try, however, always to be fair, and to encourage independence and discerning thought in my readers. It is easy to fall into the trap or habit of automatic negativity, and I believe I have seen this in some of the public responses to the Truss ideas today. There is much to celebrate as the government acknowledges the importance of helping nature, and does something about it, and I give thankful credit to those who have brought it about. Meanwhile, the scheme applies just to England, and I hope very much that something similar will be adopted in my home land of Wales. This is a beautiful country, but nature needs help, and farmers here need to learn.   [byline]]]>