On the Marsh, Simon Barnes
When writer Simon Barnes heard a Cetti's warbler sing out as he turned up to look at a house for sale, he knew immediately that he had found his new home. The fact that his garden backed onto an area of marshy land only increased the possibilities, but there was always the fear that it might end up in the wrong hands and be lost to development or intensive farming. His wife saw through the delicate negotiations for the purchase. Once they'd bought it, they began to manage it as a conservation area, working with the Wildlife Trust to ensure it became as appealing as possible to all species. For their son Eddie, who has Down's syndrome, it became a place of calm and inspiration.
In On The Marsh, we see how nature can always bring surprises, and share in the triumphs as new animals - Chinese water deer, otters and hedgehogs - arrive, and watch as the number of species of bird tops 100 and keeps on growing. As the seasons go by, there are moments of triumph when not one but two marsh harrier families use the marsh as a hunting ground, but also disappointments as chemical run-off from neighbouring farmland creates a nettles monoculture in newly turned earth.
A review by Calyx at Suffolk Libraries
“Without the wild world we are less than ourselves.”
"In 2012, just before the London Olympics, Simon Barnes, acclaimed journalist and former sportswriter, bought a house and 5 acres of marshland in the south-east of Norfolk – On the Marsh is an account of the year that followed, as him and his family turn the land into a conservation area, collaborating with the Wildlife Trust.
"This endearing, gentle and yet powerfully written autobiography highlights the importance of the marshes of Norfolk and Suffolk. We experience the joy as new animals arrive on the marsh, including a pair of marsh harriers, and the disappointment when chemical run-off from neighbouring farmland creates a nettles monoculture in newly turned earth. And yet, through it all, the new land perseveres."
About the author
Simon Barnes is the author of several books including How to be a Bad Birdwatcher, Ten Million Aliens and Rewild Yourself: 23 Spellbinding Ways to Make Nature More Visible
A former sportswriter and wildlife columnist for The Times, He is also a council member of the World Land Trust, a patron of Save the Rhino and honorary vice-president of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust.
He lives in Norfolk, on the near Loddon.
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Wild Reads is a partnership project between Suffolk Libraries and Suffolk Wildlife Trust to promote our connection between the natural world and the written word.
Wild Reads aims to give everyone the opportunity to enjoy the very best nature writing. The aim is to help inspire and ignite a love of nature in readers through the lenses of a wide variety of writers.
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