James Farrell, co-author of ‘Being in Nature – 20 practices to help you flourish in a busy world’, says one of his all time favourite jobs was warden of a Shetland isle. However, it wasn’t without its challenges.
Noss National Nature Reserve, as the isle is called, lies off Shetland – some 500km from either Scotland or Norway. Noss is home to over 100,000 seabirds including gannets, puffins and arctic terns…as well as two wardens who monitor the wildlife and pick up visitors in a speedboat.
At times the work was overwhelming and lonely. Extreme weather sometimes prevented the wardens from getting across to the mainland, or even venturing outside. There were periods when the only contact was the daily radio call to the coastguard. And living in such close proximity to one other colleague required tolerance that James didn’t have initially.
James says “Living an isolated island life was a big test. I needed to learn to be kind, and balance self-sufficiency with close reliance on another human being. Living so closely with the natural world was a real privilege. I began to appreciate the freedom that comes from feeling small in the face of nature. I felt calmer and in company whenever I sat still and observed wildlife. Noss helped me get to know myself, improve my relationships with others, and really deepened my appreciation for nature connection.”
During James’ time there, Noss was visited by famous birder Bill Oddie, who was filming for a TV programme. Bill’s producer then was naturalist and author Stephen Moss, who was kind enough to offer an admirably succinct review of ‘Being in Nature’.
‘A great book – useful and inspiring!’
Stephen Moss
James says “You don’t have to live on a remote island to develop a deep connection with nature. Wherever you live there is likely to be trees or birds outside the window, or in a nearby park. Noticing and reflecting on everyday nature is a gift available to everyone – and it starts with stopping and observing.”
Spring is a great time to get outside amongst the natural world. You can buy ‘Being in Nature’ here, as a companion on your journey to a deeper connection with nature.