We have to be grateful for George Monbiot for highlighting the conservation industry's failure to come up with any coherent approach to uplands policy. He has the knack of making people question their dearly held but not deeply considered attitudes. His latest article is on the Lake District and its being put forward for World Heritage status. As he says the wildlife in the lakes could be so much better but any improvement is held back by land management that will not look beyond sheep farming.
The horror of this is that 'cultural landscapes' is being set up as a measure for the health of our landscapes whereas it could be interpreted as almost anything at all - grouse moor, quarry, slum streets, even one day surely a business park, a slag heap or a shopping precinct in a recession.
People claim the Lakes are beautiful as they are. But will more nature make them less so? Of course not. It can only improve the place.
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