End of Day 4 progress on the wildlife pond in Bedfordshire James talks us through the progress at the end of week one of this wildlife pond project. For more on wildlife creation projects please contact james@james-gillies.com

Perfectly working pond overflow on a wildlife pond we created last year. The pond is working perfectly, the inlet and overflow ensures the pond levels are kept so that the pond works exactly as designed and the banks don't become water-logged. For consultation and pond creation please contact James

This week I was asked by a client with a small farm about the posibility of 're-wilding' - the short answer is re-wilding is only effective on a large scale. James explains more here... Contact james@james-gillies.com to discuss your land plans, big or small!

Drones had received a bad press lately largely due to mis-use around airports however their usage in a land management capacity cannot be understated. Being able to survey large sections of land without disturbing the natural environment is invaluable, as is being able to access areas such as rooves without using ladders or cherry-pickers. Topographic […]

Ash dieback is a fungal disease affecting the common ash tree (Fraxinus Excelsior) and other Fraxinus species. It is caused by a fungus called Hymenoscyphus Fraxinus which is native to eastern Asia. The disease is now sadly widespread throughout Europe where it has been observed damaging ash trees for over 25 years. It was first […]

Wildflower Meadows for Wildlife. Inside Your Meadow. Meadows are wonderful, evolving entities. The first year of any meadow it has a huge array of beautiful annuals for colour, however your subsequent years are always a fantastic surprise as to what you will get. Different flowers will germinate in different years all dependant on the condition […]

All fields have boundaries, often these are the least productive parts of any field, where the cost of managing far exceeds the rewards. Field margins are, however, very important habitats for wildlife. Many key species in the UK are in sharp decline due to agricultural practices. Field margins represent important havens for an array of […]

Why Meadow Habitats are imperative for Biodiversity   A meadow is a crucial habitat which could comprise over 150 different species of flower and grass that support a myriad of insects from bees and beetles to grasshoppers and butterflies, which in turn support many small animals and birds. A meadow could contain up to 40 […]

The Hungry Gap - Helping Wildlife During the Barren Months The Hungry gap is basically the period of time between the last of the winter crops being harvested and the emergence of the new spring plants, which happens to usually coincide with the beginning of the mating season for many farmland bird species. It is […]

Bio Diversity Offsetting – How both land owners and nature are benefiting... Biodiversity Ofsetting.. sounds a bit scary doesn’t it?! Sounds really like something that big developers and huge government organisations do.. How could you as an individual land owner help..? Anyone who has some land and falls within certain designated areas can benefit from […]

Rewilding.. Nature innovation by going back to Britain's wild origins In the most basic of terms ‘rewilding’ is the practice of returning vast swathes of countryside and natural habitat to how nature intended; including the reintroduction of long lost species that would have once called that landscape home. Rewilding is returning the countryside back to […]

Summer 2018.. Its hot.. Its dry and we aren't the only ones struggling! Water shortages affect wildlife and long spells of hot weather can make this worse, damaging habitats from moorland and woodland – and everything in-between. Drought threatens the survival of birds, mammals, invertebrates, amphibians and plants. Climate change predictions suggest that there will […]

Nature's Amazing and Beautiful Mimics  Is it a wasp? Is it a bee? Actually, it might be a hoverfly! The humble Hoverfly’s only defence against predators is it impressive speed. So, several species have evolved to resemble wasps and bees. Birds are wary of them thinking that they may possess a sting.  Hoverflies often fool […]