The title of this book, How to Value a Skylark: The Countryside in a Time of Change, sets out two themes which run throughout the text. There is firstly an increasing understanding that all is not well with the countryside and nature in Britain; and secondly that we urgently need to think carefully about how we value green space, landscape, and nature. The central questions in the book therefore are: What do we expect from the countryside? and How do we find a balance which will have public support?
However, the book is by no means another tale of woe, which looks back to a vanishing countryside. The author explores how we begin to move to towards a rational public debate on finding a balance. The health benefits of access to the landscape were made very clear during the pandemic and policy makers are now struggling to catch up with public demand for access to the outdoors.
The book takes a step-by-step approach in describing the mounting pressures which are now being placed on the land, beginning with a chapter on agriculture, food security and trends in the public awareness of food in general. The aim of the book is to provide readers with a basis to keep pace with the rapidly changing policy, trends in thinking, and the surge of environmental initiatives.
Additional chapters discuss trees in the landscape; the likely impacts of climate change; how we maintain a viable and sustainable rural economy and at the same time make space for nature. All the countywide changes have taken place against a background of a remorseless decline in biodiversity across Britain. News reports continue to point out that the UK is one of the most nature depleted counties in the world. The public are aware of this and not happy that we are responding quickly or adequately. These options available are not clear cut. Changing climate and the determination of government to reach a net zero target for carbon emissions by 2050 further increases the pressure.
Many questions are posed and also suggestions as to how to achieve a balanced outcome. Change is inevitable and there are opportunities, if only we can decide what we expect from our landscape. There is an ethical and moral dimension here, well summed by the question: how do you value a bluebell wood, or perhaps a skylark?
The text is illustrated by colour images throughout and is supported by comprehensive notes on sources. There is useful index.