By Lee Schofield

Lee Schofield, Senior Site Manager for the RSPB at Haweswater in the Lake District, will talk about the work the RSPB are carrying out in partnership with United Utilities to restore a mosaic of upland habitats covering 30 square kilometres. The initiative is finding a way to balance ecological restoration with hill farming, helping wildlife to flourish alongside sustainable livestock production.

Lee’s book, Wild Fell: Fighting for Nature on a Lake District Hill Farm, which won the prestigious Richard Jefferies Award, provides an account of his experiences at Haweswater over the past decade. A major focus of the book is to raise awareness of the importance of diverse plant life as the foundation for healthy, functioning ecosystems. A landscape of flowers is a landscape of hope.