Ironic in one way, that colonials from the UK probably cut down most of the giant redwoods in California. I was fascinated to see that these big trees actually create their own weather.

I bought a five acre lough island in the west of Ireland in 2010. Like most of the surrounding landscape, it had been destroyed by sheep farming. Over the years I concentrated on rewilding the island, eventually planting some 2000 native trees, including orchards of fruit trees and an prize winning apiary. Fourteen years later, I can say that the isle has become on of the most beautiful and verdant places one could set eyes upon, evidenced by google earth before and after images. Unbelievably, the locals hated me for my efforts, and tried to sabotage the project by complaining to the local council, making unfounded claims of my attempting to build a house, and even starting rumours of cannabis cultivation, resulting in numerous heated arguments and threats. My meandering point is 'there's nothing as queer as folk', and even rural regeneration projects can be confounded and usurped. To finish on a positive note: Once time and effort has been spent, one need only walk away and let nature do it's thing to see the fruits of your labour. Drone footage of the island is available on my channel.

I have found this subject absolutely absorbing since reading the book you refer to. We definitely should find some space to let the remaining bits of temperate rainforest expand quite a bit more. I think as knowledge of them is becoming more general there is going to be a real public appetite to visit and experience them so its not illogical.

It is essential to bring back this important part of our country, to regenerate and care for out temporate forests. and we can.

I love this channel

This is so interesting to me. But, you could compare results of living with predators in other populated areas. Where I live in Pennsylvania, USA we have predators naturally living amongst us, that include black bear, coyote, bobcat and some have even seen mountain lions (cougars). There are towns every couple of miles with populations between 1000 - 45,000 people. And while we know these animals live here, it is rare to see them and human interaction with them is rare as well. We also are surrounded with farms including dairy and sheep farms, and yes, they can be preyed upon, but there are ways to prevent that, including fencing and guard dogs. These predators mainly hunt deer, rabbit, other small animals and roadkill, and as someone else mentioned are shy and elusive. You will find that it will be a rare and exciting thing to see a lynx run across your pathway.

All we need is more Co2 and global warming. Then Scotland will see lots of trees.

the giant sequoia or as you call them the giant redwood, are in a colder place than most of the UK, they are 6000 feet up or 1828 meters in the mountains and gets below freezing most of the time in the winter. there summers may be slightly warmer but they are still in higher elevation than lower areas of california, and they have been losing their range for millions of years, they used to be all the way in Colorado. The climate appeared to be wetter back then in the American west, maybe it was as wet as current day UK

There is quite a bit of insanity going on when it comes to the ecological debate. As a pragmatist, I think it's patently insane we go out of our way to save every species on the planet. Nature evolves. Nature moves. It changes.

Hundring and naturligtvis prediturs

You should introduce Mountain Lions from North America. They target deer by preference.

This almost seems like a comedy sketch, where at the end you realize the cute little water voles only purpose is to poop everywhere, devastate the plant life, and become food for predators 😳

loved the video planning on visiting from oz in sept/oct and would love to help tree planting if that is good time frame

Let's bring them back, please.

Beech trees are bad?😥

Lots of the fir trees are being removed at the head of the Rhondda around Treherbert and it’s nice to see the open spaces again.

Merlin was an amazing guest so knowledgeable and a great communicator!

Just taken on a piece of land in Wales so am taking notes. There are many ancient woodland in this valley, Rhondda.

Reintroducing wolves would help control the feral deer 🦌 populations

At the rate of imergration its all going to be flattend for them ❤ 🇬🇧

Maybe if it gets hot enough they can have palm trees in Britain .

I got to the bit where your boy said hes a veteran and did tours in Afghanistan and i lost all respect. Sorry but people who were involved with fighting wars of aggression deserve no sympathy. Go back to Afghanistan and make it up to the people whose families you helped murder. Go do your rewilding there, because you owe it to the people. I dont care what position you held, you could be a medic for all i care, you still supported the murder of innocent people. Its a shame cos this was an interesting video too.

A millenial (the man) thinking like a true millenial “creature” (the oak tree), gotta love it 9:00

Are they the same as Nutria? Nutria is invasive species here in Japan

Remove the non native deer and non native trees in the key areas.

Sixteen ancient woodlands were bulldozed through for Boris Johnson’s HS2 train.

I'm an American of high british content. I used to live in England so I know what your landscape is like compared to my native Michigan. Black bear would be an invasive species so that makes no sense. Over 20 countries in the region have brown bear. Get a couple from each country and put them in the least populated areas. A few thousand dead sheep later and you'll realize why the were removed to start with. Good luck.

Bring on the wolves 🐺

It has been over 40 years since I have visited some of those areas mentioned, I forgot how much I loved walking there. I live in Australia now and unlike the UK woodlands and forests it’s just not easy to walk them here as they don’t have woodsmen who look after them. They are too dangerous to walk some of them here you can only go on the well trodden paths which once done you never want to go back again as it’s not as pleasing. The undergrowth is such that it harbours deadly spiders and snakes. It’s full of fallen branches and trees to the point that it’s unsightly. It’s nice to see that many of the rain forests are being nurtured back to health and that there is a proactive approach to helping them to grow like they should have been able too.

It’s kinda funny that until now nobody thought about to reforest Scotland or other areas…. What do you think what happen to areas that u cut all trees for generations? 😅

We need this supported nationally, we need to bring back what we've lost.

in travelling from australia to uk in september for couple months would love to see some beavers is that possible

Ah, the magic of the gulf stream - it mirrors the remarkable characteristics of the Pacific North West.

Not all redwoods will grow to their maximum potential height. They grow as tall as they need to and stop as soon they reach the top of a competing canopy height. They will get exponentially wider with each year.

That's a fantastic idea. I'll tell our council here in nz.

There ARE a lot of conflicting opinionS and thoughtS (plural)

There ARE A FEW (PLURAL)

There ARE over 500000 (plural)

Great to see this project's success so far! I am curious though, are there long term plans to deal with the mink? The fact that the introduction area was vole free implies that minks wiped out the original population and then left when the food dried up. What's to stop minks from re-invading the area now that their favorite food is back?

Thanks

They definitely shade out the native species

❤️❤️❤️

This guy at the 9:00 minute mark - is super dialed into the story. Really listen to his story and interpretation. It reminds me of elements from the movie Avatar. His comment, ‘’we have to start thinking non-human and long-term. Humans think in 2, 5 and 10 years. Beyond 10 years it is irrelevant to us. Instead, we should think long term’’. VERY profound - good story, video and write-up.

Ill keep my Le Chameaus lol.

Im positive we got some here inland in the scottish borders, but they are spread across certain places in the valleys where no one treads very much. Only reason I know about them is I used to be Beater mostly Pheasant but on place high up it was a landscape i have never seen before.

Need to start doing this in east Lothian the dunes are being destroyed at an incredible rate from the recent bad storms. Wonderful idea!

Very well explained! Thank you guys for doing what you do!

You talk about animal agro and the devastation of it yet happy to shill footwear made with materials, such as ‘Metal free goat leather’. Everyone thinks they live consciously until it comes to actually live consciously.

Saw one of these whilst hiking along a river on Dartmoor, scared the life outta me

A very small amount of clay dissolved in water will glue the dunes together and prevent them from erroding.