11/01/2022

Archive

Dinasour : Rutland ichthyosaur fossil is largest found in UK

“The largest UK example of a predator that roamed the seas at the time of the dinosaurs has been uncovered. The 33ft (10m) long ichthyosaur fossil, which is about 180 million years old, was found at Rutland Water Nature Reserve. Similar in shape to dolphins, the reptiles – known as sea dragons – varied in size from 3 – 82ft (1 – 25m). Anglian Water, which owns the area, said it was now seeking funding to protect and display the...

Plants are finally in the spotlight!

They count, they hunt, they deceive, they communicate, they protect their relatives and they manipulate animals for their own ends.  With “The Green Planet” – a brand new five-part series entirely dedicated to plants and fungi fronted by passionate naturalist Sir David Attenborough – at the  Plantlife charity we are all enormously excited to see the BBC kick off 2022 with a firm focus on plants some twenty-six years after The Private Life Of Plants aired on BBC One. Sir...

Richard Leakey – “the man who saved the animals”

  Richard Leakey: Kenyan conservationist dies aged 77   “Richard Leakey, a world-renowned Kenyan conservationist and fossil hunter has died aged 77. ( on January 4th )  He told his rangers to shoot poachers on sight and organised the spectacular public burning of a huge haul of ivory.  His groundbreaking work contributed to the recognition of Africa as the birthplace of humankind. He also spearheaded campaigns to stop poaching in Kenya, famously burning the country’s stockpile of poached ivory. Kenyan...

New year’s Resolutions: reconnecting with Nature – journaling

Keep a notebook and get drawing Learning to draw the flora and fauna you see can have a major impact on your skills as a naturalist, according to botanical artist Julia Trickey. ( BBC wildlife magazine) “Most of us can identify well-known flowers and trees – but how much detail can we really recall?” asks Julia. “Observational drawing encourages you to look carefully at the world around you, getting into the detail – of flowers, for example: the number of...

Reconnecting with Nature : good reasons to try Birdwatching

As we continue the series of “ways to connect with Nature”, why not consider the amazing hobby that is Birdwatching….. So what’s so good about watching birdlife? PHYSICAL FITNESS. GREAT CARDIO. Speaking of hiking, it’s a great cardiovascular activity. … REDUCES STRESS. … INCREASES MENTAL FITNESS. … MORE BIRDS = LESS DEPRESSION & ANXIETY. … MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION. … IT MAKES YOU A BETTER PERSON. … COMMUNITY. 10. Birds are all around us. No matter where you live, there are...

Our moral compass?

Martin Luther King once said : “ Education without morals, is like a ship without a compass, merely wandering nowhere. “ What is our ‘moral compass’ when it comes to our view of the environment- and therefore undertake our activities? Do we view the environment – our Planet Earth – as simply a pool of resources, there for our use and exploitation? Or do we see our ‘part’ of Nature, so that our humans actions have consequences for other living...

The three wise monkeys 🐒

    The three wise monkeys – a Japanese pictorial maxim, embodying the proverbial principle “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil“. The three monkeys are Mizaru, who sees no evil, covering his eyes Kikazaru, who hears no evil, covering his ears, and Iwazaru, who speaks no evil, covering his mouth.   Do we act or react to environmental issues in the same way ? Are we ignoring what we are doing to Nature? Do we wish for Nature to...

Quote, unquote : the future

The future can no longer be WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN It is WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ? Henri Bergson Henri-Louis Bergson 18 October 1859 – 4 January 1941) was a French philosopher who was influential in the tradition of continental philosophy, especially during the first half of the 20th century until the Second World War. Bergson is known for his arguments that processes of immediate experience and intuition are more significant than abstract rationalism and science for understanding reality. He...

2022 : Why do we need Nature?

Ten Reasons Why Children and Adults Need Vitamin N As we begin a new year – and perhaps think about & plan our New Year’s resolutions – let’s look at why it’s good to reconnect with Nature, and ideally make Nature part of those resolutions. These below is research from Richard Louv, co-founder of Children & Nature Network The more high-tech our lives become, the more nature we need. We have a human right to a meaningful connection to nature,...