1. In the southern Cambrian Mountains, in central Wales, there’s a Terrestrial Dead Zone of around 300 km². It’s composed of degraded blanket mires, entirely dominated by a coarse grass called Molinia, in which other lifeforms, such as birds and insects, are scarcely to be found.
@GeorgeMonbiot At least use it’s welsh name Elenydd . Doesn’t look like the uplands dessert you suggest ? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
@GeorgeMonbiot What's permaculture's perspective on regenerating / rewilding and possibly reforesting these environments? What would a permaculture rewilding strategy look like for these environments? @Permaculture_uk @geofflawton_ @GrowFoodPlants
@GeorgeMonbiot How would you go about rewilding this George, if it's now in a "new equilibrium"?
@GeorgeMonbiot I knew this area well in 1980, did two theses on changes in stocking and reclamation c 60s onwards and would agree with your analysis about the cause of ecological decline. But the CM are not an AONB, they were a candidate NP but resistance from farmers prevented designation 1/3
@GeorgeMonbiot @GeorgeMonbiot how has Frans Vera's theories and associated projects (e.g. Knepp) augmented your view on rewilding in Britain, if it has at all, considering feral was very heavy on restoring rainforest? Do you buy into those theories and models?
@GeorgeMonbiot When I show people my photos of the Brecon Beacons they say "wow that looks like Mars" - which tells me a lot about the state of the ecology in the region.
@GeorgeMonbiot Get sheep cattle and Carneddau ponies to graze it .
@GeorgeMonbiot There are time's. Not frequent when you want to hug George.
@GeorgeMonbiot Remember me telling you about ammonia pollution, mainly from animal manure. That's thought to be the factor in Molinia domination. Molinia is a natural component of bog vegetation. It's the dominance bit which is the problem.
@GeorgeMonbiot Hi George - Whilst it's true that Molinia caerulea - Purple Moor Grass - has become problematical because of factors tipping it towards dominance, there are a number of scarce species associated with it, some detailed below.