Climate breakdown, pollution, invasive non-native species and disease all played a part but the single most important factor was intensive agriculture. It may come as a surprise to that room of angry farmers but Lee's now one of their staunchest defenders. No one person and no one organisation can bring about the necessary change, but Schofield is doing more than most, and the vision he paints, of a fecund, collaborative, ecologically and economically sustainable future, is worth swallowing some pride for on both sides. The ranks of farmers willing to embrace or at least consider change swell year on year, and Lee is supported by a thriving local conservation community. From golden eagles, to the submerging of villages for the construction of the reservoir, to the Corpse Road, this serves as a monument to the history of the area, though its raison d'etre is the story of Schofield and his team at the RSPB as they attempt to recover the area to its former glory.

There’s a conflict between the desire for the National Park to be a place of natural beauty and the needs of farmers to make a living. I’m no expert on the challenges on either side, they are deep seated and long in the forming, but I would like to understand more, hence the reading pattern. Author and photographer Amy takes us behind the scenes of her award-winning Lakeland Book of the Year Forty Farmsthat takes readers behind the scenes of 40 Cumbrian farms. With anecdotes from the project, insights into how farmers are managing in an increasingly d ifficult economic climate and the highs and lows of Lakeland farm life, Amy will also talk about how she captured some of her iconic farming shots. Wild Felldocumentsa powerful journey through a bruised, beloved English landscape, expertly toldfrom Lee’s unique perspective. Sensitive,full of empathyand charged with a fierce, solution-based vision for a restorative, productive future alongside the natural world.I felt utterly compelled by his wise, deft prose, and am so grateful this book has been written. Aremarkabledebut.”Ratty’s return. Fourth article in Shadow Species series focuses on water voles. Cumbria Life/Sept 2020. Version also available as a WildHaweswater post This book is subtitled “Fighting for nature in a Lake District hill farm” – while I find the word “fight” to be a bit over-combative, having read the book, it’s certainly a struggle. The farming community is a loyal group and having outsiders come in was never going to be an easy journey. The book outlines those challenges, but also the inspirational successes that can be achieved when you work with people. This book is everything we need to hear right now in what are quite frankly worrying times for nature in Great Britain. This book really is hope, it's hope because it tells a story not just of what could be, but of what is actually coming to be at the wonderful place that is Wild Haweswater. CSI Lake District. Article focusing on the theft of one of England’s rarest mountain flowers. BBC Wildlife Magazine/Feb 2020 It was a tragic day for the nation's wildlife when England's last and loneliest golden eagle died in an unmarked spot among the remote eastern fells of the Lake District., but the fight to restore the landscape had already begun.

Exmoor rewilding. Guest blog for Mark Avery about the controversy around a vision for nature recovery in Exmoor National Park. markavery.info/16 Nov 2020 In 2015, England's last and loneliest golden eagle died in an unmarked spot among the remote eastern fells of the Lake District. It was a tragic day for the nation's wildlife, but the fight to restore the landscape had already begun. It is the same rugged Lake District, beautiful and still accessible. The shape of the mountains is the same but it's got more trees and wildlife in it. We're seeing red kites returning and the critical thing is having sheep on enclosed land rather than wandering all over the place," Lee says.

Nature Room 101 with Dr Amy Jane Beer & Lee Schofield. A light-hearted chat about nature for the Into The Wild Podcast with Ryan Dalton and Nadia Shaikh. Podcast/August 2023 Endangered plant species thefts on the rise, conservationists warn. Interviewed to talk about the theft of pyramidal bugle from its only location in the wild in England. The Telegraph/Feb 2020 Wild Fell documents a powerful journey through a bruised, beloved English landscape, expertly told from Lee's unique perspective. Sensitive, full of empathy and charged with a fierce, solution-based vision for a restorative, productive future alongside the natural world. I felt utterly compelled by his wise, deft prose, and am so grateful this book has been written. A remarkable debut. Sophie Pavelle A poetic journey of restoring nature in an iconic landscape. Wild Fell informs and inspires. Jake Fiennes

A poetic journey of restoring nature in an iconic landscape. Wild Fell informs and inspires. -- Jake Fiennes The R-word can be alienating’: How Haweswater rewilding project aims to benefit all. Interviewed by Ben Martynoga about the increase in employment at Haweswater for the Guardian. Guardian/March 2023 National Parks, Beauty & Riches. Guest blog for Mark Avery following the launch of UK National Parks in 100 Seconds film. markavery.info/12 Feb 2022A passionate, haunting yet optimistic account of the battle to heal a damaged landscape and restore nature to a corner of the Lake District.” A Future For The Lakes: What if nature had time to recover? Article with visualisations for Inkcap Journal, published Feb 2022. www.inkcapjournal.co.uk/a-future-for-the-lakes/ Achieving any sort of change on the Mardale and Bampton Commons has been immensely difficult because of the various commoners associations and their tendency towards inertia; believing that what has been the situation for the past 70 years, is what has always been there. Beavers, Farming & Beyond! with Lee Schofield. Interviewed by Sophie Pavelle and Eva Bishop for the Beaver Trust’s Lodge Cast. Podcast/March 2023