The Frightened Face of Nature

  • Happy Easter

    A little sign of spring in full swing. Happy Easter 🌼

  • The Spy Who Loved Nature talk

    The Spy Who Loved Nature talk

    I was very pleased to be asked to give a talk to the CIC, All Things Good and Nice. James invited me, and Eve was kind enough to take my Maxwell Knight slides and put them in the right order so they could be shown on the evening, thank you both. And thank you to…

  • I’ve written a book.

    For years, I’ve been drawn to the same question in different places: what happens when efficiency replaces relationships? Through The Frightened Face of Nature blog, I’ve explored that in our relationships with the natural world. (So did Maxwell Knight). In 2025, like many parents, I watched Adolescence on Netflix. I couldn’t stop thinking about how…

  • A Life with Nature – Wild and Tame.

    By Graham Wellstead. I was 10 years old when I had my first introduction to nature, both wild and tame. It was 1947 just two years after the 39/45 war.  My father who was a reservist, was called back to the colours before the war started with the result that he was one of the…

  • Chelonians and Beyond: The British Chelonia Group Spring Symposium 2026

    On Sunday 22nd March the BCG (British Chelonia Group) holds its Spring Symposium at Homerton College, Cambridge. The day promises, as always, to be fun, with lots of interesting people attending and an excellent programme of events. The emphasis is, understandably, on chelonians (tortoises, terrapins and sea-turtles) but speakers also refer to other aspects of…

  • Micro-conservation: Small Steps to Big Change

    Micro-conservation: Small Steps to Big Change

    Every positive choice we make, every kind and considerate action we take, is a much needed ripple in the pond of our world. This is the heart of micro-conservation – the idea that our smallest habits can join together to create waves of nature-positive environmental change. You’ll already the kind of thing I’m talking about…