A GREAT NATURALIST

Over the years, there have been several naturalists whose works I greatly admire. Unsurprisingly, Sir David Attenborough is of course one as are Gerald Durrell, Gilbert White, Edwin Lees, Dr Norman Hickin for example  but another, so familiar to our TV screens and mainstream media, is Chris Packham.

Packham is not afraid to take on the anti-nature lobbyists – those who would destroy our world by denying climate change, banning those who protest about the tragedy of Palestine and Gaza or who generally promote overconsumption to fill their bulging pockets. His talents are certainly sharpened by autism, another subject dear to my heart because the other Dr Betts (my daughter Leone) is currently studying it to gain a formal qualification to teach autistic children.

Like myself (my earliest memory is being stung by a bee I had picked up when I was still crawling around before I could walk – it fascinated me rather than putting me off) and many of us who have a deep and abiding love and fascination for the natural world, Packham has had an intense interest in nature since early childhood.

Spring Watch and other TV appearances have made Chris Packham a household name and the range of his knowledge is breathtaking. The latest good news is that the BBC has announced a new series to be hosted by him, starting next year. It will be called Evolution and will relate how the animals we see and know today have arisen from millions of generations. Each hour long episode will trace a single example animal. Peacocks, bats and kangaroos, all of which have evolved extraordinary features, have been mentioned as topics. Do keep a look-out for it.

To end this note with a quote from Packham with which we at Betts very much agree:

“Like many other people, I’m asking a significant part of the population to change its mind and habits a bit more quickly than feels comfortable. Humans, as we know, are remarkable animals. We’re intelligent, adaptable, creative, imaginative, innovative. We’re brilliant in many ways – but we’re not very good at changing our minds.”

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Betts Ecology try to emulate prominent naturalists in our work caring for and appropriately managing habitats, protecting and promoting biodiversity. Hopefully we can convince some by putting effort into converting those who over-urbanise our country, deny climate change and destroy nature.