A short quote from an article in today's Guardian
" ... (that) British peculiarity: the desire to halt natural succession and keep ecosystems in a state of arrested development.
Heather moorland, a degraded habitat whose recovery conservationists are determined to prevent, is a good example. So is the sheep-cropped turf of many nature reserves. So is coppiced woodland. We manage them furiously, clearing trees and shrubs or preventing trees from growing to their full height, for fear of what they might become if we let go. As a friend of mine asks sarcastically: "How did Nature cope before we came along?" Conservation of this kind has nothing to do with protecting the natural environment. It's a manifestation of another national obsession: gardening."
George Monbiot's article and the comments below are well worth reading - the link is here.
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