The woods are lovely dark and deep

But I have promises to keep

And miles to go before I sleep

And miles to go before I sleep.



So ends Robert Frost’s wonderful poem, ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’. A quiet and introspective poem, written at the winter solstice, the shortest evening of the year.



As we too at ELF are reflective this time of year, we think on the promises made to the communities we work with, to do what we can to assist them in their efforts to protect the nature they love, more often, with miles to go. It’s been a busy year with some good wins for nature and their communities, human and non-human. More on that.



It’s been a year of two halves for ELF. The first half of the year getting to know our new CEO, Rachel Youngman, who as many of you know, sadly died in July after a short illness. To say Rachel’s death took our breath away, is an understatement. The second half of the year, we got on without Rachel. But time doesn’t stand still and we have now recruited a new CEO. More on that exciting news next year.



Likewise, the work at ELF has been in two halves. At the national level things look bleak. With the Planning and Infrastructure Bill set to become law, despite serious campaigning by nature groups, we are going to lose the certainty of rigorous nature assessment for our most important and protected nature sites. Judicial review is under attack, as we see stages removed from some forms of national planning. Aarhus costs protection and Aarhus also under threat.



In my other ELF world, rights for rivers and nature is more hopeful. The work for the Ouse River, advising a local group on the rights for the river. The Ouse, my local river running through to the sea, having its rights and that of the catchment recognised. Our local Council in February this year, declaring that they would champion and support the principles of the Charter. Now a growing wellspring of similar motions being passed by local authorities, ELF in the thick of it, advising local councillors taking up the baton of river rights motions. We have also advised recently on rights for an ancient yew tree in Crowhurst, the Council having now passed a motion citing rights for the tree. Where one leads, others will surely follow.



The passion with which I bear witness to this new way of thinking our relationship with the natural world does inspire hope. Despite the gloomy national picture. In the wise words of Robert Macfarlane, “despair is a luxury”. Truly grassroots, the rights of nature movement, seems to bypass the disunity of the national landscape. May it continue to do so into the years beyond.



Emma Montlake
Co-Director, ELF