Having been blogging and trying to raise awareness about landslips for the last four years, it was great to get some wider coverage in the last week.

First I was asked to speak about landslips with Craig Dalzell on Common Weal’s policy podcast (see here).  I am convener of Common Weal’s Care Reform Group but my (voluntary) work for them has been all about care and I had never talked to them about land-use  – the podcast was Craig’s idea).

Then I was interviewed by Vicky Allan as part of a two page feature she wrote in the Sunday Herald  (see here).

Both interviews have helped clarify my thinking. It is becoming increasingly obvious that we need to follow the continental example, identify slopes at risk of landslips and then plant trees on those that threaten human infrastructure whether roads, railways, houses or powerlines.  There need to be engineering solutions too, of course, but tree planting would be a quick and affordable preventive solution – as Vicky Allan concluded at the end of her piece.