According to the BBC more species of rare bird in the UK have increased in number in the past ten years than common species. Is this an impressive result for concerted attempts to help rarer species, or does it just beg the wider question as to whether human intervention is 'right' or 'wrong'?

It's a tough one, but indulging in a bit of parlour philosophy, this author wonders whether our attempts to freeze the ecological status quo are just as unnatural as any of the changes we wreak on the globe. Some species benefit, others lose out – no matter what we do we had a hand in it, and it's not clear how to decide which specific species will be helped or hindered in the name of ecology. But enough of that – it's nice to have more ospreys around!