Dear Editor,

The Countryside does not just make itself. If we let Nature just take its course, everything will not just be fine. These are two statements that are obvious and even some of the more extreme Rewilders would agree with them, at least on a good day.

It is obvious to anyone that without managing the land we would, for example, starve.

Therefore, it should not be too much of a leap for the Great British Public to understand that in order to manage the land we also need to manage predation. Take the obvious example of managing deer, a population that can rapidly get out of control without culling by man.

Managing predation is not all bad for God’s creatures on Earth. In fact, endangered species are kept going by sound management

Take the example of the curlew which is a ground-nesting bird that requires considerable help from humans just to survive, with predation emanating from badgers on the ground and gulls and corvids from the sky. The capercaillie is another bird under threat which – another fact – has had its nests pilfered by pine martens over recent years.

I find it odd that the campaigners for corvids and gulls, as well as raptor fans, when asked about the capercaillie and curlew, fail to mention gulls and corvids, and will not ever talk about pine martens with even the slightest hint of negativity. It is as if facts are relegated by subjectivity – one of the signs of poor science or an inferior education. After all, any child can propagandise in the playground. It takes sensible adults to recognise facts and to effect reasonable solutions and policies.

With the British Government currently basing its policy too often on polls and the volume of campaigners, might it not be the time for them – since they are so unpopular – to restore science to its rightful place in the Countryside? To silence the propagandists and embarrass those subjective ‘scientists’ who are on the dime of animal rightists and other silly dreamers?

Let’s have the Government go back to basics before Labour’s subjective lunatics take the helm, likely as it is they will be propped up by Liberal Democrats. Enshrine in law the need for a Countryside science test based on two facts:

The Countryside does not just make itself. If we let Nature just take its course, everything will not just be fine.

Then perhaps we stand a chance of surviving in this world alongside curlews, capercaillies and even the occasional, well-placed pine marten.

Yours faithfully,

Charlie Somerton