In this jam-packed episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis and Wem are joined by ecologist Tilly Tilbrook to unpack the truth behind the controversial Planning and Infrastructure Bill and its implications for UK wildlife. Tilly brings decades of ecological fieldwork, policy experience, and field stories—from dormice in torpor to Pringles-tube water voles—to help listeners understand what’s really happening on the ground. The episode explores what ‘protected species’ legally means, how ecology impacts (or doesn’t) the planning process, and the ripple effects of changes to legislation. With clarity, humour, and urgency, Tilly shares why conservation matters, how Forest School leaders can connect children to real local data, and why the narrative around bats, tunnels, and housebuilding needs serious rethinking. A vital listen for anyone who works outdoors, loves wildlife, or wants to understand the deeper systems shaping our landscapes.

🎧 Chapter Timings:
00:00 – Dormice, water voles, and squirrel heists: Tilly's journey into ecology
03:39 – Favourite animal encounters and what ecologists actually do on-site
10:03 – What species are protected in the UK—and how?
14:18 – Legal definitions of protection, licenses, and enforcement challenges
21:40 – Have protections worked? Otters, pesticides, mink, and water voles
30:48 – The “bat tunnel” myth and scapegoating conservation
35:57 – What the Planning and Infrastructure Bill really proposes
38:08 – Mitigation hierarchy vs “cash to trash”: skipping straight to offsetting
43:46 – Campaigns, lobbying, and the hope for changes in the House of Lords
46:41 – What Forest Schools can do to support local habitats
49:37 – Bug hotels, dead hedges, and the truth about “eco” gardening gear

🌲 Keywords: Planning and Infrastructure Bill, protected species, UK wildlife law, ecologist role, Forest School habitats, biodiversity, environmental justice, mitigation hierarchy, nature connection, citizen science, conservation careers, water voles, dormice, bats, squirrels, offsetting, habitat creation, bug hotels, environmental education

🔖 Hashtags:
#ForestSchool #OutdoorEducation #EcologyExplained #WildlifeProtection #NatureConservation #PlanningBill #EnvironmentalJustice #ChildLedLearning #HabitatCreation #BugHotelTruth #NatureRecovery #UKWildlife #ForestSchoolPodcast #BatsNotScapegoats #ScruffyGardens

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