Julia Hailes MBE

Sustainability Pioneer

No more Wilding Weekends – but Wilding is on the Rise…(jun25)

Have you ever seen a hedgehog, a hare or a barn owl? Heard the song of a nightingale or the unmistakable call of a cuckoo? Have you stood in a summer meadow and listened to the hum of insects? Many people haven’t. And what’s worse – many don’t realise what’s missing. These sights and sounds […]

What do you do with dog poo? (Jun25)

I was walking with a friend not long ago when she casually lobbed two dog poo bags into the hedge. My first thought was: Can I just ignore that and keep chatting? But of course I couldn’t. “Are you going to come back and collect those?” I asked, rather tentatively.“No,” she said. “They’re biodegradable. So […]

René Haller – an inspirational man (Mar25)

René Haller transformed a lifeless quarry into a vibrant, flourishing ecosystem. This blog explores his groundbreaking work on the Kenyan coast and how it led to the creation of the Haller Foundation. Together with René, the foundation has expanded his innovative ideas and principles, bringing them to communities around the quarry and across other parts […]

How René Haller became a Wilding Pioneer – in Africa (Mar25)

René Haller transformed the barren landscape on the Kenyan coast from quarrying to a thriving eco-system. This is the first of two blogs about him and the organisation he inspired – The Haller Foundation.  Click here for the second blog – René Haller – An Inspirational Man. THE HOUSE OF EDEN Perhaps, Renée’s extraordinary life […]

Visiting the rainforests might save them! (Mar25)

I’m not someone who buries their head in the sand—or in this case, the trees—but I can’t stand to hear about the world’s forests being obliterated. Especially the rainforests. They are beautiful, wild, untamed, brimming with life in a way that no human creation could ever be. And yet, we treat them like an infinite […]

The Pantanal changed my life (Nov24)

Have you ever been to the Pantanal in Brazil? I have. It was spectacular. But it was also life-changing. It was 1983. I stood gazing over a magnificent rainforest stretching into the distance overwhelmed by how wonderful it was. I’m not religious at all but for me, this was spiritual. But then I heard the […]

Wilding Weekend – June 2024

Full steam ahead for our third Wilding Weekend. It will be on 15th and 16th June in sunny West Dorset, near Beaminster! Opening hours will be 10.30am to 4.30pm. The garden is wild. Come and have a look. We have wildflower meadows, a cascade of ponds, insect homes, a medieval walkway, a bat-egg (!), mown […]

Wilding Weekend 2024 (Apr24 Update)

Full steam ahead for our third Wilding Weekend. It will be on 15th and 16th June in sunny West Dorset, near Beaminster! Opening hours will be 10.30am to 4.30pm. The garden is wild. Come and have a look. We have wildflower meadows, a cascade of ponds, insect homes, a medieval walkway, a bat-egg (!), mown […]

Saving frogs and forests in Ghana (mar24)

Do you love frogs? You’re not alone. I love them too. Last week, I met an inspiring man – Dr Caleb Ofori-Boeteng – who has made it his life’s mission to champion the cause of frogs in Ghana. We were in London at an event organised by Rainforest Trust UK which is supporting him and his work. […]

To burn or not to burn (Mar24)

Are fires the best way of getting rid of garden waste or clearing landscapes? I believe that the answer is generally ‘no’! But garden bonfires are ubiquitous and even conservation bodies are using burning as part of their land management plans – for example burning the brash from hedge-laying or trimming and site clearance of […]