In the latest episode of the Countryslide podcast the GWCT's Dr Alastair Leake and director of Schöffel Country Marcus Janssen joined Richard Prideaux and Callum McInerney-Riley to discuss the launch of the 2026 Schöffel Countryside Awards in partnership with the GWCT.
Explaining why the Awards were more than simply a recognition of conservation best practice, Alastair highlighted how they act as a guide and stimulus for others to adopt the GWCT's three-legged stool model of farming and land management. Marcus Janssen echoed this, pointing out that in celebrating the "unsung heroes" of nature recovery, the Awards act as a mechanism for communicating the complex story of modern conservation to a wider audience.
Marcus and Alastair appearing on CountrySlide follows in the wake of a host of leading figures in British nature conservation who have guest-starred on the show. Some of these include GWCT CEO Nick von Westenholz, farm cluster champions Megan Lock and Lizzie Grayson, Shaun Leonard from the Wild Trout Trust and the Daily Telegraph's environment correspondent Patrick Galbraith.
Richard Negus, hedgelayer, author and Countryslide presenter said, "Alastair and Marcus were superb guests. They persuaded us that these awards are not only just recognition for the winners, but will also become a benchmark, by which conservation success is judged. Our dedicated listenership is growing. Thousands download our episodes each week and many tell us traditional media doesn't represent the working countryside. My only regret is I actually missed being a part of this interview. I was giving a talk to a WI group about hedgerows at the time! I suppose that is real country life isn't it?"
To listen to the episode visit the Countryslide website.