Dumfriesshire is where I grew up as a child fishing for salmon on a farm filled with curlews, oyster catchers and lapwings.
I remember one day out fishing and seeing six red squirrels in the same trees. I'm living in England now and when I recently went back to the farm it was bereft of all these things. It is sad to see so much depletion of nature in such a short period.
In fact I've just realised I was at school with the author (Paddy) about 30 years ago, which is why his writing seems so familiar.
Hopefully we can work out a formula where society allows for farmers to get paid a decent living while making space for more nature before even more is lost.