Time to tell Paul Lister to go…
Now that the BBC’s six-part elegy of Paul Lister and his controversial species re-introduction scheme at Allade in Sutherland has ran its course in Scotland I’m amazed to see it is being networked on BBC2. There was recently a Natural History programme on BBC2 on Alladale, material that was obviously taken from the 6-part series - it looks like the production company involved is getting its moneys worth. However, despite all the free publicity I can’t help feel that the series, The Real Monarch of the Glen, has raised more questions than answers.
The real issue at Alladale of course,and one that the television series didn’t tackle properly, is Lister’s determination to build a 3metre tall, 35 mile long electrified fence around his estate, ostensibly to keep wolves and bears inside. The reality, and one that was clearly articulated in the television series, is that Lister wants to keep the public out so that he can charge for access.
Even a multi-millionaire like Lister has to make his project pay and the BBC’s portrayal of him was of a very frustrated businessman who wasn’t too sure what the priorities at Alladale were. Was he a philanthropic naturalist, driven by a desire to hear the howl of wolves in the Scottish highlands again, or a failed businessman, desperate to turn an ailing, degraded estate into a profitable leisure facility for the nouveau riche?
One thing became amusingly clear – don’t book at week at AlladaleLodge if you don’t like venison!
During one rather embarrassing encounter with his chef he first of all claimed the portions that were being served were too big. “Cut them down in size, to save money,” he ordered. He followed up that command by pointing out that venison came free on Alladale. He told his poor chef to forget about lamb and beef and serve only venison – venison curry, venison mince, venison lasagne, venison bolognese. The chef looked as though he was about to burst into tears.
Man management is clearly not Lister’s strong point and again, the television series showed a steady evacuation of staff. In an earlier episode some local girls worked night and day to open a huntin’ fishing’ shooting’ type shop in Ardgay. The day before the opening Lister turned up and moved all the furniture and fittings around. The girls, like the chef, looked ready to cry…
Worryingly, Lister portrayed a very clear contempt for what he labels red tape. In effect, what he was talking about was anything that ran counter to his plans. He is obviously a highly impulsive individual, makes decisions without thinking them through, and doesn’t like anything to stand in his way. Time after time he voiced his frustration at “bureaucracy” and “officialdom” and was less than complimentary, on several occasions, about Highland Council. I found this interesting.
If I was going to have to apply for planning permission to build a 35 mile long electrified fence than I think I might try and keep Highland Council sweet. Such reasoning, however, doesn’t appear to be in Lister’s makeup.
Ultimately I don’t think this series has done Lister any favours, other than give his plans massive exposure and publicity. Unfortunately, there are many who will grasp Lister’s ideas as a way of curbing public access and I’ve no doubt that many naturalists will support him on the basis that they believe there should be areas in the highlands set aside solely for wildlife conservation. That’s another argument entirely, but my concern is that Lister displays nothing but contempt for the access provisions of the Land Reform Act , the law of the land.
Another concern is more wide ranging and I can’t help but wonder how the television company that made this series managed to get away with riding roughshod over the BBC’s own producer guidelines, a set of rules that demand there should be equal exposure to all sides of the argument. This series, like the Natural World programme that went out earlier in the year, was nothing less than a hymn for Paul Lister, with very few opposing voices. One or two landowners voiced slight concern, I had a cameo protest role despite being interviewed for over 45 minutes and I know that the film crew interviewed an eminent naturalist who clearly articulated why Lister’s re-introduction programme was not a good idea. He never appeared at all.
However, as I mentioned earlier, it could be that this television series will work against Lister’s aims. I’m fairly ambivalent about his plans to reintroduce once indiginous species but I am very opposed to his fencing plans. And such plans, I believe, will be his downfall.
Lister’s manager at Alladale, Hugh Fullerton Smith, is making an appearance at the Mountaineering Council of Scotland AGM next weekend. I can’t manage myself, I’ll be working, but I hope the assorted mountaineers and hillwalkers tell him in short short measure that an electrified fence around a 35,000 acre estate is simply not acceptable in Scotland. Indeed, I hope they go further and ask him to pass on the message that individuals like Lister, who has no respect for the Land Refortm Act and its access provisions, and obviously no respect for other hill users, are not wanted in Scotland.
August 31st, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Hi Cameron,
I wonder why no one points out that Lister has got his numbers wrong let alone every thing else. Lets take the fact that an average Yellowstone wolf pack uses 350 square miles for its territory. So 640 acres to the square mile means he needs, 224,000 acres for one wolf pack. He would of course say he is only having a few animals, but it shows there is not the land mass on his estate, and fencing it of is wrong. It is obscene to allow predators in a caged area `with prey - let alone illegal. Why is he seen as a conservationist with plans like that?
August 31st, 2008 at 10:29 pm
As someone who lives south of the border but who enjoys the Scottish wilderness I do have my concerns. I only watched one episode and Lister seems to act as a spoilt child with more money than sense. If he gets his way more of Scotland will be fenced in and the public fenced out!
September 1st, 2008 at 4:12 pm
The guy is damaged goods, out of touch with the world the rest of us inhabit. How can you get through to someone who is used to having his own way from birth.
On a practical level does he intend to arrange permanent patrols of the 35 mile fence like an Afgani airbase as I am sure there will be an inspired few who might choose to extend the perimeter with wirecutters.
What am I saying - that would be criminal damage.
September 1st, 2008 at 10:49 pm
Thinking on figures again. The numbers I used where from the latest Backpacker magazine talking with some expert on wolfs etc. I looked up some other stuff and 300- 350 miles is there figure.
I see the Mountaineering Council of Scotland have used 350 Kilometres in there statement. It matters if figures are going to be quoted to rebuke Lister that they are the same. I wonder now what are the true size of a wolf pack territory. The case against him needs to get some experts on wolf / bear matters to provide accurate facts.
September 2nd, 2008 at 9:00 am
I only saw one or two episodes, and I was reminded of that program years ago about Gerald Ratner starting a health club or something similar, and which was a complete fiasco. No sense of the real world.
The shop in Ardgay (was it?) seemed doomed to failure. If anybody happens to be passing it would interesting to know if it is busy . Ardgay didn’t look like a hive of consumerism. It’s failure might be a dose of reality for all involved.
To be fair to the BBC, they’re very good at catering to the British desire for wildlife. They also do very good cuurent affairs programs, but one can undestand why they wouldn’t want to mix the two. Likeable misguided millionaire mixed with wildlife - perfect (unfortunately). A bit like the unusual Johnny Kingdom (”Look at that lovely pair of badgers……bugger, I’ve just fallen down a hole”).
A link to a place where we can object would be useful.
John
September 2nd, 2008 at 11:45 am
John,
Afraid I don’t know of any such links. The official organisations that represent walkers and climbers can’t really do too much until Lister applies for planning permission for the BIG fence. I would hope then that the MCof S and the Ramblers will go in with all guns blazing. Meanwhile, I suggest walkers and climbers and those who don’t want access curbed in the way Lister proposes should write to him at Alladale Lodge, Ardgay, Bonar Bridge, Easter Ross, Scotland, and tell him exactly what you think of his misguided plans.
September 8th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
Sounds like they are starting to “comprimise” Stalag petting zoo is now down to 11000 acres according to their man who addressed the MCoS. Thats enough to hide the celebrities and other overwealty misanthropes away from the People. It’s a blatant attempt to make a premium product, a no go zone in an advanced Northern European democracy with freedom to travel.
If Lister can do it, they all can. Yes show him the door.
As for the fence - unless they were to restrict it to low level sites, it will be vandalised - quite legally. You cannot prosecute wind and snow for criminal damage.
September 12th, 2008 at 9:53 am
Folks,
I’ve just recently returned from myself from Yellowstone where I spent a few enjoyable days watching the Druid wolf pack interacting with grizzly bear, bison, antelope and coyote. The question of the area required for a sustainable wolf pack is highly dependent on a) the size of the pack, b) the quality/type of the habitat and c) the availability of suitable prey. Take a look at the radio-collar tracking maps of wolf pack ranges for Yellowstone (see http://www.nps.gov/yell/naturescience/wolves.htm) and you’ll see pack territories of markedly varying size. 250,000 acres is actually the size mentioned by David Macdonald from Oxford University and for that Alladale needs to expand greatly to include neighbouring estates.
I guess nobody really knows how much land a wolf pack would need in Scotland, but they’d have an interesting effect on red deer numbers and ..er.. sheep. Plus there needs to be several packs, not just one, to maintain a genetically healthy population. The paper by Nilsen et al (2006) “Wolf reintroduction in Scotland: public attitudes and consequences for red deer management” Jo Royal Soc. gives the figures. However, the habitat needs to be right, and then the prey, and then we might consider wolf reintroduction. Trees for Life are talking much longer time scales than at Alladale. This topic is being discussed next week at Findhorn at a conference organised by TfL and the Wildland Network (see http://www.wildland-network.org.uk/) if you’re interested in following the debate.
Back to the fence then… it’s a tricky one. Personally I’d like to see a demonstration project of how Scotland’s flora and fauna might fare were it put back into place before we chopped, shot, grazed and ploughed our way across it, but as a mountaineer (of sorts) I do have strong reservations about the big fence and what that means for access and the view. Maybe a compromise is a carefully designed and located “permeable” fence with airlock style access points for those of us who want to go into the enclosure unguided? I’ve spent many days and nights in wolf and bear country in the States, Alaska, Greenland and Siberia and it certainly adds something to the whole experience knowing you are not necessarily at the top of the food chain.
Briefly back to Yellowstone if I may… I was struck whilst there by the striking similarity between the Lamar valley (home of the Druid pack) and Glen Derry and Glenfeshie in the Cairngorm. Sure, the Lamar valley is bigger, but the terrain and the mosaic of grassland, river, patchy trees, forest and open mountain landscape was remarkably similar. Clearly we do have good wolf country, rather it is our attitudes toward this animal that are the problem.
Ta!
Steve
September 12th, 2008 at 10:08 am
Steve,
Many thanks for that considered response. During the recent filming of the Paul Lister television series a very prominent naturalist was interviewed and he stated that introducing wolves to Alladale would nothing short of cruelty to animals, because the estate was so badly degraded. Unfortunately the producers decided not to show that interview.
I think that correlates with your comments and if are going to take wolf re-introductions seriously the plan has to be carried out over a much longer timescale. Paul Lister’s problem appears to be that he wants to tempt people to see wolves at Alladale now - he wants the turnstiles to start ticking and making money.
September 12th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Aye, TV and the rest of the media are prone to “filtering” messages as befits the story they want to tell, be it for artistic or political reasons. I once spent an hour being filmed and interviewed for the 6 o’clock news about nuclear waste disposal. I gave them chapter and verse along with some pretty novel ideas about siting, and all they used was about 10 seconds of me saying “a deep hole in the ground” somewhere.
I’m sure Paul Lister is impatient to see progress at Alladale for economic reasons (he is a businessman after all and needs to turn a profit to support the estate and its workers), but beyond the fence, both physically and metaphorically, it simply won’t happen that quickly. A great deal of groundwork has to be done before wolves are ever reintroduced into the wild proper, where they are not fenced in. Look at how long its taken for beaver reintroductions to get anywhere near a reality, and they’re comparatively innocuous viewed alongside wolves.
Ta!
Steve