Richard Villar – Medium

Richard Villar

The Foxglove’s Secret Life: Ecology, Myth, and Medicine

My land is covered with foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea) right now. They are impossible to miss. I once regarded them as plants to avoid…

Jul 10

The Foxglove’s Secret Life: Ecology, Myth, and Medicine

Jul 10

The cuckoo — a remarkable creature

While clearing bracken, I heard a cuckoo — its call sparked a reflection on its decline, mystery, and deep cultural and ecological meaning.

Jun 15

The cuckoo — a remarkable creature

Jun 15

Bracken in the Lake District: Pest, Ally, or Both?

Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) is one of the world’s most successful and ancient plants, with a fossil record extending back more than 55…

Jun 2

Bracken in the Lake District: Pest, Ally, or Both?

Jun 2

The enigmatic hawthorn

Introduction

May 18

The enigmatic hawthorn

May 18

The Power of Trees — a visit to Kew Gardens

Botanical art at Kew sparked fresh thoughts on trees, conifers, climate, and why artists may be nature’s best storytellers.

Apr 14

The Power of Trees — a visit to Kew Gardens

Apr 14

Never ignore a holly

The tree looked lonely, growing from the base of a crag high above the Lakeland town of Ambleside. It was a female holly (Ilex aquifolium)…

Apr 6

Never ignore a holly

Apr 6

Badgers — I am starting to like them

What is it about badgers? I know I am supposed to love the animals and offer them protection and space. Yet somehow they appear to have an…

Mar 23

Badgers — I am starting to like them

Mar 23

Ups and downs of chainsaws

The other day I received my chainsaw certification. I am now licensed to chop. Yet somehow, I feel uncomfortable. First, I am not sure I…

Feb 26

Ups and downs of chainsaws

Feb 26

The Hidden Ecology of Dry-Stone Walls

Introduction

Feb 12

The Hidden Ecology of Dry-Stone Walls

Feb 12

A Fungus on a Fallen Tree

“I can smell them,” said my companion as we walked purposefully across my land in the UK’s Lake District.

Jan 20

A Fungus on a Fallen Tree

Jan 20

Richard Villar

Richard Villar

Richard Villar is a travel writer, doctor, mountaineer, committed environmentalist, and rewilder. He is widely sought as a public speaker.

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