A week ago I reposted an article from Laura Richardson's blog on good conservation news. It seems that today a piece of such news was encouraged as part of the national conversation. In the news this evening, research from Vincent Wildlife Trust showing an increase in population of European polecats (Mustela putorius) in Britain was highlighted to … Continue reading Conservation in the news
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bl610FkoG7k I came across this interview of the environmental historian William Cronon by chance but it is certainly worth watching if you have an hour to spare. Cronon is one of the 'big names' in environmental history, the son of an historian and a 'creation' of the University of Wisconsin, Madison which is the institution … Continue reading Reflections on the Life and Work of an Environmental Historian
This morning, just as I was heading off to a brushcutter course down the road at the Rural Skills Centre here in Cirencester, I felt a pain in my back that has put me out of action for the rest of the day. Having sought advice I have been undertaking various exercises and I’m on … Continue reading My own case of ‘Nature Deficit Disorder’
This blog post from Laura Richardson helps us to remember that there are many good stories out there in the conservation world – one just has to find them and publicise them. Laura is providing a great service in compiling these together and I look forward to following her ‘monthly updates’ of good news.
It’s easy to get down about the natural world with so many species and habitats needing help, but here is a feature I hope to be repeating at least monthly to remind everyone that the work does pay off.
Microbeads are tiny beads of non-biodegradable plastics which are often used in skin care products. These easily end up in our oceans and cause harm when fish mistake them for food, filling them up until they stop eating. The good news is that these little demon beads have been banned in the US! Hopefully the UK and other countries will follow suit.
The UK government is designating a second phase of 23 new Marine Conservation Zones(MCZs). These areas help vulnerable species and habitats time and space to recover – so that’s definitely something to celebrate!
A 68,000-hectare rainforest reserve has been established in the Malaysian state of…
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The title for this post may seem a little confusing and all encompassing. That's because I've just returned from an event that challenged my view about where the great and the good of the farming industry think that farming is heading. Straddling the line between conservation and farming means that I at least try to attend a … Continue reading Peter Kendall, AHDB, Flexitarianism and the future of farming
Several storms have resulted in widespread flooding across the UK over the past couple of months, with Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Yorkshire and parts of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland among the worst affected. Cities such as Leeds and York were forced to a standstill. We certainly can’t control the weather and climate change is … Continue reading How to prevent future flooding: it’s not a case of nature v people
Over the Christmas period I spent a good deal of time walking on my family’s farm on the Essex coast, thinking about the future and looking at the challenge of managing habitats and maintaining a healthy balance of wildlife on the farm moving forward. I trawled through the latest countryside stewardship options (we have been in … Continue reading Wildlife on Farms: Why should we care?
With delayed Basic Payment, pitiful profits, environmental pressures and uncertainty over our future in Europe the stresses faced by farmers are broad and significant. It was therefore brilliant to see such optimism and pragmatism by delegates at the Oxford Real Farming Conference (ORFC) where I spent my Wednesday and Thursday this week. There are two … Continue reading My perspective on the Oxford Real Farming Conference 2016. Why there is a need for two farming conferences at the same time in the same city.
