I WAS ASKED to take aerial photos of a friend’s lakeside woodland in rural Longford. I drove as far as I could down a country lane before climbing the gate into the forest.
There were hazel, birch and gnarled oaks overhanging the path and not just living trees — rich woodland habitats have lots of rotting stumps and branches supporting tonnes of biodiversity.
I came to a clearing overlooking the lake where the grass had been flattened by wild campers and prepared the drone. The hum of the blades startled something in the undergrowth and a red squirrel darted up a tree.
The aerial footage revealed a rolling assortment of colours: greys, browns and every shade of green swaying gently in the autumn sunshine – a forest made entirely of native trees. I almost failed to notice the buzzard swooping down to strike the drone. I zig zagged at the …