Year of the Dove campaign explained

  Year of the Dove is a campaign which concludes in May 2022which aims to; Spotlight the plight of the Turtle Dove across their range via a global publicity campaign. Pressurise and lobby decision-makers to change and reinforce legal protection across the flyway and beyond. Which bird is mentioned in the bible more than any other? Answer Turtle Dove over 50 times! I find it amazing and heart-warming that these wonderful birds have been celebrated as part of our cultural...

City of Glasgow praised for its urban heritage – “Gotham feeling”

Welcome to Batman’s Hometown. Wait, Is That Glasgow? GLASGOW—There is a dingy, narrow alleyway around the back of the Horseshoe Bar here that looks like a place where something unpleasant could happen. It is also one of the reasons Scotland’s biggest city has landed a recurring role as Batman’s hometown. With its mix of neoclassical archaeology and what are being described  as “crimy” back streets, location scouts have noted Glasgow similarities to Gotham City, hometown to The Batman. Notably, Glasgow...

Canada : A walk in the park just what the doctor ordered

    A new program in Canada gives doctors the option of prescribing national park visits   A walk in the park may be just what the doctor ordered. Comment : Great concept- begs the question “should we charge entry fee for National Parks in the first place ?  A new program launched last month in Canada gives some doctors the option of providing patients with a free annual pass to the country’s national parks as part of an effort...

“Just add water” – Lake Eyre, Australia, is back

Water Giver of new life Lake Eyre begins filling with water – much to delight of tourists, businesses   Few rivers in the world remain as untamed and free-flowing as those that run through the ancient landscape of the Lake Eyre Basin. Recent generous rainfall over Australia’s inland Channel Country is breathing new life into ecosystems and it’s getting graziers and businesses excited for a big year ahead. Red dirt country has transformed into lush green expanses, cobbled with patterns...

Celebrating all things botany

The BSBI is for everyone who is interested in the flora of Britain and Ireland. We trace our origins back to 1836, when the society was founded as the Botanical Society of London. We are now one of the world’s largest contributors of biological records: our data inform scientific research and underpin evidence-based conservation. Find out more about BSBI’s Policy on Nature Conservation. From our earliest days we have welcomed both professional and amateur members: BSBI remains the biggest and...

Marine champion great loss

from The Marine Biological Association Sir Crispin Tickell, MBA President, 1990 to 2001 Sir Crispin Tickell, a career diplomat and environmentalist who led the MBA from 1990 to 2001, passed away on January 25th 2022 aged 91. Professor Mike Whitfield MBA director from 1987 – 1999 noted that Sir Crispin was a “strong and energetic leader”. A full obituary can be found here. From the Guardian newspaper: Sir Crispin Tickell… When  John Major was desperate for a big idea to...

Climate change reaches top of the world. Yes – Everest!

From MOUNTAIN RESEARCH INITIATIVE / university of Maine Human-Induced Climate Change Impacts the Highest Reaches of the Planet—Mount Everest Melting and sublimation on Mount Everest’s highest glacier due to human-induced climate change have reached the point that several decades of accumulation are being lost annually now that ice has been exposed, according to a University of Maine-led international research team that analyzed data from the world’s highest ice core and highest automatic weather stations. The extreme sensitivity of the high-altitude...

Mountain snow and ice disappearing – FAST!

From Mountain Research Initiative Decline in Mountain Snow and Ice May Be Faster Than Anticipated  “Enhanced mountain warming coupled with reduced elevation dependency of precipitation may deplete stores of mountain snow and ice more rapidly than previously thought, new research conducted by the MRI’s Elevation-Dependent Climate Change Working Group has found. Mountains hold most of the world’s snow and ice outside of polar regions and play an essential role in supplying water to meet the needs of both fragile ecosystems...

Birdlife International celebrating 100 years

Has it it really been 100 years ….. “ A century ago, visionary conservationists concerned about the plight of the world’s birds and the wider environment came together to form an international movement.  “  At midday on 20 June 1922, a group gathered at the London home of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Robert Horne – then MP for Glasgow. United by their passion for birds, the group decided that co-ordinated international action was the answer to the various...

Pangolin – most trafficked animal!

  They are unique They are amazingly beautiful They are the planet’s most “trafficked” wild species….. Say hello to a tiny tank that’s being exploited Pangolins are uniquely covered in tough, overlapping scales. These mammals eat ants and termites using an extraordinarily long, sticky tongue, and are able to quickly roll themselves up into a tight ball when they feel threatened. Eight different pangolin species can be found across Asia and Africa. Poaching for illegal wildlife trade and habitat loss...

Australian fires: Indigenous peoples were experts; British colonialists got it wrong

Long before British invasion of southeast Australia in 1788, Indigenous people managed Australia’s flammable vegetation with “cultural burning” practices. These involved frequent, low-intensity fires which led to a fine-grained vegetation mosaic comprising grassy areas and scattered trees. World-first research confirms Australia’s forests became catastrophic fire risk after British Invasion…  The Conversation this week reveals its research Australia’s forests now carry far more flammable fuel than before British invasion, research by The Conversation shows, revealing the catastrophic risk created by non-Indigenous bushfire...

Endangered birds – mostly bad, but some good news

An update from Birdlife about IUCN RED LIST OF ENDANGERED SPECIES In December: Asia’s big forest birds bear the brunt of hunting and habitat loss, while the heat is on for species on the front line of climate chaos. Meanwhile, rousing recoveries show us the way forward in this year’s Red List update. Now : BirdLife has released its yearly update to birds on the IUCN Red List of threatened species: the result of months of hard work from our science...