Patrick Barkham

I've written Joe Harkness's obituary for the Guardian. I hope it pays good tribute to a wonderful man who was brave, honest and made the world a better place. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

I'm very taken with Nick Hayes' new book, The Medicine Tree. It has fiery arguments, earthy prose and it offers a vision of what positive, modern, inclusive Englishness could be. And it is never, ever boring. Interview here... www.theguardian.com/books/2026/o...

Gorgeous visit to the sunny Lincolnshire coast yesterday to see the latest golf course given back to nature. Credit to @nationaltrust.org.uk for being brave. This is nature as human regen too – fantastic new green infrastructure for Mablethorpe and Sutton-on-Sea. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Surprisingly, Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris didn’t pour themselves a Guinness during their epic signing queue at Epic, Norwich, last night. It was a fabulous Book of Birds evening. Many thanks to the great crowd and to @norwichartscentre.bsky.social for hosting us.

Very much looking forward to celebrating autumn, nature writing & John Clare's poetry in the beautiful setting of Clare Cottage in Helpston on Monday 12 Oct: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/writing-th... Everyone welcome. No writing experience necessary. #johnclare #naturewriting @johnclare.bsky.social

Also going to bang on about more literary legends talking in Norfolk. The Mannington Book Bash is simply the nicest small literary festival. This Fri, I'm interviewing Jackie Morris. On Sat, I'm talking to Norfolk legends Norman Lamb and Delia Smith. Both are brilliant! mannington.co.uk/book-bash/

Going to bang on about this a few more times because it is tomorrow, 24th, in Norwich, and it's a really special treat! Wainwright Prize winners 2026 Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris are talking about their gorgeous BOOK OF BIRDS (I'll be interviewing them) at 7.30pm. Last few tickets left!

There won’t be two more interesting people speaking in Norwich this Thursday!

Can't quite believe I will be interviewing 2x Norfolk legends in the space of a day next weekend – Norman Lamb (brilliant new book about how to fix mental health treatment) and DELIA SMITH (amazing new book about how to fix the world). At the Book Bash. You're invited! mannington.co.uk/book-bash/

My beautiful 1-bed cottage in Wells-next-the-Sea is surprisingly available for most of Oct. The season of geese, sunsets and hot chips! It's a blessed retreat for writing, walking, swimming, bird-watching, sea-watching. Book directly with Lisa for best rates www.glavenvalley.co.uk/holiday-cott...

Rest in peace, Joe Harkness. I was shocked and gutted when I heard the news. He was a generous, inspirational teacher and such an important writer. He was brutally honest, inclusive and funny too. When I interviewed him last summer (below) he was so full of life. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Derek v Derek is a great film – highly recommend it to everyone, farmers and rewilders alike. And I hugely enjoyed talking to Derek and Derek for this feature. As a badge promoting the film says: "I'm with Derek." www.theguardian.com/film/2026/se...

The amazing disappearing woodland target! 🌳 In their 2021 Vision, Dartmoor National Park Authority set a goal to create 2,000 hectares of new broadleaf woodland (image 1). In their reissued 2026 Vision, DNPA have now... deleted any target for creating woodland on Dartmoor! (image 2) 🤪

Will next year see a butterfly slump after this year's lovely year of (relative) abundance? I spoke to Matthew Oates and Richard Fox to find out more. Personally, I'm hopeful. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Norfolkians! This is a HUGE autumn highlight – the star of this year's Reith Lectures, Robert Macfarlane, and wonder-artist Jackie Morris talking about their beautiful Book of Birds at Epic Studios. Sept 24th. (I'll be asking the questions, and I can't wait.) Tickets miraculously still available.

More marathon-running badgers! Great work Nik Shelton, who has a much better badger head than I did, and is raising money for The Wildlife Trust for Beds, Cambs and Northants, one of the most dynamic Wildlife Trusts who are doing fantastic work for local nature. www.justgiving.com/page/nik-she...

Today about 100 people took part in a mass trespass in the Prime Minister’s constituency. There’s a right to roam over just 1% of Makerfield, & today the landowner proved our point for us: putting up fencing & calling the police. @andyburnham.bsky.social - please open the door to the countryside!

We did a thing swla.co.uk/support-us/t...

Lovely exhibition surrounded by autumnal loveliness just outside the window at Knepp. It’s on for the next month if you’re near West Sussex… www.theguardian.com/environment/...

All those released Pheasants don't help.

Norfolkians! This is a HUGE autumn highlight – the star of this year's Reith Lectures, Robert Macfarlane, and wonder-artist Jackie Morris talking about their beautiful Book of Birds at Epic Studios. Sept 24th. (I'll be asking the questions, and I can't wait.) Tickets miraculously still available.

North Sea, Nature Untamed is essential cinematic viewing for anyone who has ever gazed upon the North Sea and wondered why it is so brown?! (Maggi Hambling once told me off for saying so. "It's bronze, darling," she said.) www.theguardian.com/film/2026/se...

Exciting set of large nature restoration and rewilding projects in Northumberland... www.theguardian.com/environment/...

It's not often you can pinpoint real, positive change a journalist has caused. But as Turkmeni sources state, @dpcarrington.bsky.social's persistent and probing coverage of this issue has been critical to a change of policy, with massive implications. Big congrats www.theguardian.com/environment/...

This is unreal. In 2025, water companies in England and Wales reported 8,576 "dry spill" raw sewage discharges (ie, not when "overwhelmed" by rain). Jan-May 2026: 7,280 dry spill raw sewage discharges. When will government get a grip? www.theguardian.com/business/202...

So proud of my Dads self-seeded hay meadow covered so very brilliantly (huge thanks) by @patrickbarkham.bsky.social in the Guardian today. ‘I love it. It’s hope’: the mysterious self-willed wildflower meadow that seeded itself | Biodiversity | The Guardian share.google/rqDHUdpZBXuy...

Entire life commitment. Respect and gratitude. RIP, Paul Brown. “Their warnings captured the attention of the former scientist turned prime minister Margaret Thatcher, but it took a while to interest news editors even at @theguardian.com, as Paul told his successor @fionaharvey.bsky.social”.

And the winner if the Guardian Invertebrate of the Year 2026 is…. Of course there are really 1.3m++ winners and if we don’t save them we are LOSERS! (Sorry came over all Trumpian then 😆) www.theguardian.com/environment/...

"The house represents what we​ ourselves​ would like to be on Earth: permanent, rooted, here for eternity. But​ a camp represents the true reality of things: we’re just passing through" Remembering Roger Deakin today, 20 years since he died.

Sad story about ancient oaks dying in the drought. I know other custodians of these amazing trees (Britain has far more than the rest of Europe combined) who say they've been really struggling in recent summers. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Long, slimey and lethal - what’s not to love? Another strong contender for the Guardian’s Invertebrate of the Year Award 2026 - voting opens later this week. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

I'm answering questions live online about the Guardian's brilliant Invertebrate of the Year contest (Shortlist of 10 being revealed over the next week). Feel free to ask any questions (not hard ones though, I'm not an expert) or share the invertebrate love here! www.theguardian.com/community/li...

Great piece by Ben Goldsmith in one of the most important places for this debate to be heard. spectator.com/article/rewi...

Over the next week, we're revealing the 10 amazing animals shortlisted for Invertebrate of the Year 2026. Then, from a week tomorrow, you'll be able to vote. @chrisgpackham.bsky.social will announce the winner on August 18th. www.theguardian.com/environment/... Woodlouse is a popular opener!

It was a real honour to appear on Martha Kearney's BBCR4 This Natural Life, and lovely to have a programme from Norfolk Wildlife Trust's fantastic Foxley Wood www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

I recommend North Norfolk Festival of Literature & Landscape if anyone fancies a visit to this glorious coast in Oct – I'll be interviewing Nick Crane and Mark Cocker about their new books. Lovely festival, guided nature walks and the BEST time for birds literatureandlandscape.org/events-2026/

Rest in peace Bill Oddie, the first celebrity birder. Interesting obituary here: www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...

Reposting in case anyone missed this tour of the amazing Wakelyns pioneering agroforestry farm and community hub – they are doing well with their fundraiser to become community benefit society but still need more support!

Many congratulations to all those involved with the SAVE WHITEWEBBS campaign. They've won at the High Court. See their Insta post for full details. Many people have worked so hard against all odds. Amazing achievement @savebutterflies.bsky.social @patrickbarkham.bsky.social @malcolmhull.bsky.social

Just seen Bure Valley steam train chugging merrily off through fields of tinder-dry wheat, powered by an open coal fire! WAKE UP government! We need Fire Risk Days with clear rules – temporary bans on disposable BBQs, open fires, steam trains etc. We must adapt. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

Sad to hear of Sam Neill's death. I spent a few days with him in New Zealand back in 2002 on a jammy journalistic assignment to write about his pinot noir. He was witty & down-to-earth, a real gent. Also remember a very fun night out in Queenstown with his staff! www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

What are the early years of a rewilding project really like? I've been lucky enough to spend 4 years following progress at Boothby Wildland and I've written a long read about it here: www.theguardian.com/news/2026/ju...

There's still time to nominate your Invertebrate of the Year 2026 (and here's a little celebration of tardigrade hunting at the fabulous @sangerinstitute.bsky.social ...) www.theguardian.com/environment/...

If you need a writers' retreat, a readers' retreat or just a seaside retreat, amazingly our beautiful tiny cottage in the best place in the world (Wells!) is available for a week from this Friday 10th. Book with Lisa direct for last-minute sunshine-joy-bargain. www.glavenvalley.co.uk/holiday-cott...

🪰🪲🐜 Nominate your invertebrate of the year 🐛🕷️🦐 🪳🐝🦋 We’re asking people from around the world to nominate their favourite spineless species for our third Invertebrate of the Year competition 🦞 🦟🐞 🪱 @patrickbarkham.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/environment/...

I was very pleased the tardigrade/moss piglet/water bear won #invertebrateoftheyear last year. Now what do i nominate this year? Great piece by @patrickbarkham.bsky.social @theguardian.com www.theguardian.com/environment/...

@patrickbarkham.bsky.social explains the genetic work on the British Swallowtail that SBBT has recently published with our partners in Montpellier University. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Nominate your Invertebrate of the Year! We love this at the Guardian and always receive loads of amazing nominations from around the world. Please join in here (I will be reading all submissions and choosing the shortlist of 10) www.theguardian.com/environment/...