On the Marsh

He does write beautifully, especially of his greatest love our wild birds...On The Marsh is a delightful read. Christopher Hart,Daily MailHow the rewilding of eightacres of Norfolk marshland inspired a family and brought nature even closer to home. When writer Simon Barnes heard a Cettis 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 ofmarshy 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 theyd 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 Downs 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 twomarsh harrier familiesuse the marsh as a hunting ground, but also disappointments as chemical run-off fromneighbouring farmland creates a nettles monoculture in newly turned earth. For anyone who enjoyed books such as Meadowland, or the writing of Stephen Moss, Roger Deakin or Adam Nicolson, this is a vivid and beautifully toldaccount of the wonders that can sometimes be found on our doorsteps, and how nature can transform us all.