Four years ago, Alastair Driver was made director of Rewilding Britain, a charity with a mission to shake up conservation in the UK. Rewilding, in theory, is to restore land and let nature take back control. Once he got started, he fell in love with conservation all over again. Alastair’s goal is to make the concept mainstream. So far, he’s moving in the right direction. “The British government is including rewilding in future farming policy,” he says.
If anyone knows what’s good for Britain’s wild spaces, it’s Alastair. His father was a country naturalist, so the natural world played a big role in his life from an early age. After studying ecology at university, he went on to become a conservation officer for the Thames Water Authority, where he spent 34 years preserving rivers and wetlands. Then, in 2002, Alistair took charge of the Environment Agency, shaping national policy and strategy until 2016.
Now, he believes rewilding is the next step for nature restoration in the UK and it needs to happen on a much larger scale. As such, Alastair spends most of his time travelling around the UK, meeting with landowners, advising them about the advantages of rewilding their land, and offering practical tips for getting started. In just four years, he’s seen a massive uptake in interest. In the early days, Alastair would literally ring around his contact list to get people involved; now, he can hardly cope with emails and calls coming his way. Part of this change is a symptom of the bigger environmental challenges facing mankind. “People are more aware of climate change and the biodiversity crisis,” he says.
Towards the end of 2020, with Alastair’s continuous efforts, the Rewilding Network was launched, a platform where farmers and landowners can connect, share ideas, and seek expert advice. Currently, just over 200, 000 acres of land are being rewilded through the network. For Alastair, it’s a huge step in the right direction.
4. What is Alastair’s goal in Rewilding?
A.To regain his interest in conservation. |
B.To force the government to make policies. |
C.To get the idea recognized by most people. |
D.To advertise the charity for more donations. |
5. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?
A.What Alastair studied in the past. |
B.When Alastair started conservation. |
C.How Alastair’s father influences him. |
D.Why Alastair knows much about nature. |
6. Why does people’s attitude towards rewilding change?
A.Alastair puts efforts to promote rewilding. |
B.Alastair has faith in the value of rewilding. |
C.People face fewer environmental challenges. |
D.People are taught measures to rewild the land. |
7. What can we learn from Alastair’s story?
A.Don’t judge a book by its cover. |
B.Birds of a feather flock together. |
C.A devoted soul can achieve his goal. |
D.A man becomes learned by asking questions. |