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A new post, “How Natural England’s Green Infrastructure Framework can help create better places to live” has just been published on the Natural England blog. The pandemic showed how important nature is to our health and wellbeing, but also how many people do not have access to high quality green space close to home. The Green Infrastructure Framework released today will help us achieve this … You’re getting this email because you subscribed to updates from the Natural England blog. |
Hi. It's me in that hole. I've just had my 75th birthday, so what am I doing standing in a hole wearing a swim suit and wellies in October? (UTube video not included here yet) Trying to catch your attention, that's what! Your attention to the effects of climate change, which will be so important, particularly for my children and grandchildren's generation . We can all do our bit to try to alleviate the effects, particularly ones we can already see. I live in Somerset, one of the areas most likely to be severely affected . Our project concerns the Somerset Levels, a large part of the county generally at or below sea level. You probably remember the pictures on the news a few years back when the Levels were flooded and whole communities had to leave their homes. Animals got stranded, roads had to be closed -it was a real disaster. Our local village school has been flooded twice in the recent past. This is predicted to become a more common event from now on due to climate change. Somerset has less tree cover than most counties in England; In the past a lot of the trees have been removed from the hills surrounding the Levels to make room for farmland. Trees hold rainwater and release it slowly over time so replanting trees above the Levels will help to reduce flooding. Trees also capture and store carbon dioxide and this also combats climate change. Our small local charity was formed when 9 acres of farmland and mature woodland came up for sale on a ridge above the Levels. During 2020, in spite of the pandemic, we raised £60K , mainly from the local community, to buy the land. Our willing volunteers, including the top two classes from our local school, have already planted 500 trees and shrubs on the farmland and the local community has enjoyed the wildflower meadow that has developed alongside them. This winter we have obtained another grant for a further 400 trees and shrubs, with guards and stakes, , to plant later in the season.
The weather was kind to us and our trees this summer as the early rain allowed them to establish their roots and we didn't need to water. Very few trees didn't grow. However, next year may not be so obliging, so for minimal outlay we have constructed a rainwater capture apparatus. We now have 3.5m3 water in large tanks. However, we need a means to get it from the tanks to the trees. Various ideas are being considered, but they will all cost money. Our boundaries in the woodland are currently not marked, though we have identified where they are from our documents. We need to mark them clearly and to protect saplings growing in the wood from being browsed by deer. As the woodland is on the steep slope to the Levels on the north this will not be easy!
We have no income other than that obtained by fundraising so that is why we are very much hoping you will support us now! Thank you for your attention
Interesting in light of the pending Climate Conference in Glasgow
A new post, “Rewilding the Marches Mosses – Britain’s third largest raised bog” has just been published on the Natural England blog.
By Dr. Joan Daniels, MBE, Natural England’s Marches Mosses BogLIFE Project Officer, at Fenn’s, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses National Nature Reserve. For 30 years, I have been lucky enough to lead Natural England/Natural Resources Wales rewilding of the centre of …
Read the new post: https://naturalengland.blog.gov.uk/2021/10/25/rewilding-the-marches-mosses-britains-third-largest-raised-bog/
We are getting somewhat overwhelmed by initiatives to cope with Climate Change. About time too you might think. I have been watching the series of programmes on TV called " Earth Shot" and it took me some time to find out what it was all about. ( https://earthshotprize.org ) I found out eventually that it was an initiative started a year ago to find new ways of responding to all aspects of the damage we are collectively causing to the Earth. The BBC web site is currently giving a good introduction to it I eventually found!
All this made me repeat much of an earlier post about our local situation which is no bad thing!
However this post is just looking at Somerset responses to probably our biggest climate change threat namely flooding.Where we live is about 50 metres above sea level and there are predictions of future sea levels which would put us on the new coast line!
This possibility has led to serious efforts to respond. You can see how seriously by visiting the web site set up to focus our local attention to the potential consequences:
https://www.adaptingthelevels.com/about
I hope you will see why I have gone to the trouble to tell you all about it!
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I'm half way through my birthday book called Silent Earth written by Dave Goulson and it made me think immediately of Rachel Carson and her book Silent Spring which had made a big impression on me a few years ago!
He introduces the book with a dramatic sub title "Averting the Insect Apocalypse "
Chapter 2 starts with a quote from EO Wilson American Biologist "If all mankind were to disappear the world would regenerate back to the rich state that existed 10,000 years ago. If insects were to vanish the environment would collapse into chaos"
Chapter 6 quotes Wilson again " Destroying rainforest for economic gain is like burning a Renaissance painting to cook a meal "
Protecting and restoring meadows and grasslands is essential to the fight against climate change. Grasslands sequester carbon, enhance biodiversity and contribute hugely to the beauty of our natural environment. Tell the UK government to make meadows a priority at the COP26 climate conference.
In November of this year, world leaders will meet at COP26 in Glasgow to discuss the single most pressing issue facing the planet - climate change.
Species-rich grasslands offer ways of reducing the impact of greenhouse gases that cause climate change. Protecting and enhancing grasslands, savannahs, plains, heaths, steppes and meadows must be part of both the discussions and the outcomes of COP26.
Despite their crucial importance, in the last 100 years, the UK alone has lost 97% of its meadows and other species-rich grasslands. Grassland maintenance and restoration are critical to delivering the Government’s commitments to net zero emissions, nature’s recovery and sustainable food production. Farmers and other land managers are amongst the key stakeholders to unlocking this solution, to benefit all, but they need support to do so. There is a huge leadership opportunity here.
Wild flowers , plants and fungi are the life support for all our wildlife and their colour and character light up our landscapes. But without our help , this priceless natural heritage is in danger of being lost.
From the open spaces of our nature reserves to the corridors of government , we work nationally and internationally to raise their profile, celebrate their beauty, and to protect their future.
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I fully support this campaign by Plantlife.
Close to where we live in Somerset there are two meadows designated as Local Wildlife Sites and they both qualify as priceless natural heritage but are vulnerable to housing development!!!
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Hi David,
Caroline Lucas MP and Kate Raworth, author of Doughnut Economics, are teaming up for an online event next week Thursday 2 September to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Lorax. They will be joined by Richard Benwell, CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link, to explore how our obsession with economic growth (biggering) is destroying nature - and what we can do about it.
We'll be asking:
🌎What does the economy have to do with saving nature and restoring biodiversity?
🌎What does The Lorax teach us about how we run our economy and what needs to change?
🌎Where does nature fit into Doughnut Economics?
And there'll be time for you to ask your questions and contribute ideas during the event too!
As Greta Thunberg told world leaders in 2019: “We are in the beginning of mass extinction, and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth”. Now is the time for governments to act.
Are you coming? |
As Greens we know that the endless pursuit of economic growth is destroying our planet and accelerating rampant inequality. That's why we are asking you to sign a petition demanding that the government moves towards a Wellbeing Economy, putting people and planet first. We need 100,000 signatures for it to be debated in Parliament -- can you put your name down? |
See you there!
-- Green Team 💚 |
I visited the wood this morning to check its progress.
Probably 90% of the new trees planted earlier this year are growing in their plastic guards, based on a quick survey. some are growing well and out of their guards others are looking alive but not showing much growth and a few are looking dead.
I counted several Ragwort plants growing well and some thistles too. So maybe we need to control those. Of course as the new trees grow they will do the controlling for us. But in the area left as grass for perhaps hay making there will be a concern.
I'll add some photos soon.
The news reports are full of comments and summaries of the content of the IPCC report on climate change.
You can find the IPCC report on this link:
https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/
We all have to make our own minds up and then consider what we can do and that will be difficult!
Comment from the BBC today!
Human activity is changing the climate in unprecedented and sometimes irreversible ways, a major UN scientific report has said.
The landmark study warns of increasingly extreme heatwaves, droughts and flooding, and a key temperature limit being broken in just over a decade.
The report "is a code red for humanity", says the UN chief.
But scientists say a catastrophe can be avoided if the world acts fast.
There is hope that deep cuts in emissions of greenhouse gases could stabilise rising temperatures.
Echoing the scientists' findings, UN Secretary General António Guterres said: "If we combine forces now, we can avert climate catastrophe. But, as today's report makes clear, there is no time for delay and no room for excuses. I count on government leaders and all stakeholders to ensure COP26 is a success."
The sober assessment from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a group of scientists whose work is endorsed by the world's governments.
It leads a series of reports that will be published over coming months and is the first major review of the science of climate change since 2013. Its release comes less than three months before a key climate summit in Glasgow known as COP26.
In strong, confident tones, the IPCC's document says "it is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, oceans and land".
Photos of trees have been lost! Will try again!
Peter Goodenough - Curry Woods Conservation Trust
Comments on the progress of our newly planted wood
Oak showing Lammas growth
Some trees will busily grow all summer and in most seasons keep on producing fresh leaves and shoots. Others such as oak and horse chestnut tend to produce a first flush of leaves and then, around June, stop growing. Their fresh shoots produce sugars that are stored for the winter, but if the weather is dryish no further new growth is made. However, if the weather is wet the trees suddenly start into new growth again, giving a spring like fresh green hue to the oak woods. This traditionally occurred around late July and early August and was known as Lammas Growth because it was close to Lammas Day. This day - 1st August - was a traditional day of celebration dating back many centuries when blessings were sought for the harvest. The word Lammas was derived from the Anglo Saxon Hlafmaesse which roughly translated means leaf mass. The very first ripe cereal grains were collected and bread baked from them, then crumbs from the loaf were sprinkled in the corner of barns to bring luck for the coming season. In our rather dry area Lammas Growth is rare but this year they could not wait for Lammas Day, they burst into new growth in early July - so they only briefly paused in their growth. This is good news for the Curry Woods as the newly planted oaks will not only produce plentiful new shoots and leaves but below ground the roots will be expanding through the damp soil much more easily than if it had been a dry summer. As roots push their way through the soil using hydrostatic pressure, dry weather baulks their progress in two ways, firstly hard dry soil is much more resistant to small roots and secondly the roots cannot take on board enough water to grow and expand. All root growth depends on the simple physics principle that liquids cannot be compressed - so hydrostatic pressure is very powerful in pushing through solids and gases, both of which compress. That is why roots are like JCB earth moving machines (other makes are available) as both rely on hydrostatic pressure to move solid material like soil. Roots grow by their cells dividing and the new cells filling with water and pushing aside the soil. This is so much easier when the soil is wet and roots grow fast as they experience little resistance. This opens up many tiny channels in the soil and in the winter much more rain is absorbed by the soil than without trees - which is why our trees will play an important part in the future in retaining flood water that would otherwise run off towards the village!
Rowan, grows throughout the season
A story in the Guardian! This could be important!
The European Court of Justice ordered the release of its bogus glyphosate studies to the public.
A new analysis of more than 50 previously secret, corporate-backed scientific studies is raising troubling questions about a history of regulatory reliance on such research in assessing the safety of the widely used weedkilling chemical known as glyphosate, the key ingredient in the popular Roundup herbicide.
In a 187-page report released on Friday, researchers from the Institute of Cancer Research at the Medical University of Vienna in Austria said a thorough review of 53 safety studies submitted to regulators by large chemical companies showed that most do not comply with modern international standards for scientific rigor, and lack the types of tests most able to detect cancer risks.
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A new post, “Nature-based Solutions for Climate Change at the Landscape Scale: a new £12.5m pilot programme” has just been published on the Natural England blog. Natural habitats, such as peatlands, forests, saltmarsh and grasslands contain large amounts of carbon and will play an important part in reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions. There are two aspects to this: stopping emissions from damaged habitats and starting … Read the new post: https://naturalengland.blog.gov.uk/2021/07/23/nature-based-solutions-for-climate-change-at-the-landscape-scale-a-new-12-5m-pilot-programme/ You’re getting this email because you subscribed to updates from the Natural England blog. |
Nature knows best when it comes to survival and self-governance.
We can give it a helping hand by creating the right conditions – by removing dykes and dams to free up rivers, by reducing active management of wildlife populations, by allowing natural forest regeneration, and by reintroducing species that have disappeared as a result of man’s actions.
Then we should step back and let nature manage itself.
Somerset Wildlife Trust is very concerned with this issue since much of the "Levels" have been used for years for the extraction of peat often close to nature reserves. A first reading of the latest publication by Natural England is encouraging and can be read on the Gov web site on this link:
https://naturalengland.blog.gov.uk/2021/07/07/peatland-discovery-grant-launched-to-support-the-next-waves-of-peatland-restoration/
OPAL news!
We had our first meeting of this new gathering of local groups who are all interested in outdoor activities.
I'm waiting for a note of our discussions and comments. About 20 local groups were present covering a very wide range of interests. I was representing our local group of the Somerset Wildlife Trust.
More soon I hope
Update! No news so far, the meeting was I considered a success in attracting so many interested parties but I have not so far even received a list of the parties present. An ominous indication that as I expected problems in coordinating and leading such a group and communicating with them all would be a problem!
Messages in Facebook : Orchids of the UK.
Every year we wait to see our usual crop of wild Orchids in gardens and local meadows and they havent let us down again. This year we have seen two quite rare White Pyramidal's
There are many interesting reports concerning Orchids in the UK but this one is exceptional!!
I am writing to invite you or a representative of your group/organisation to attend the first meeting of a new local networking group:
OPAL – Outdoor Pursuits Around Langport
"The purpose of OPAL is to form a group dedicated to developing and promoting outdoor pursuits in the Langport area for the benefit of residents, visitors and the local economy.
The area is clearly emerging as a centre for outdoor activities in the county and beyond.
This first meeting will
· focus on introducing each organisation and the activities it offers
· suggestions of other organisations to include
· agree terms of reference
· share information
· collect organisations meeting and event dates to produce a calendar for publication on local websites and digital board etc.
· arrangements for next meeting – host and date
Please find a draft Terms of Reference attached.
Please could you let me know if you will attending this meeting or if a representative from your organisation/group will be attending."
I have offered to attend mainly to find out what this is all about!? I am representing our local Wildlife Group but I have a range of interests if I get a chance to raise them!!
A big problem is the idea that catastrophic losses can be offset - which often they cannot. Whilst there are great opportunities to get developers and business to reinvest in biodiversity this should not be an excuse for irreparable damage. Landscape heritage is also not replaceable or capable of being 'offset' - so ancient woods, ancient hedges, veteran trees, traditional unimproved grasslands etc cannot be compensated for. The other real worry with this is the incentive for consultants to offer (for a good-sized fee) offset solutions which are essentially pie-in-the-sky and incapable of realistic delivery and not transparent in terms of their long-term outcomes. This appeals to developers, to politicians, and to planning inspectors since it justifies damaging developments but with a clear conscience - greenwash. We need to engage business and others in genuine commitment to sustainable ecological and heritage solutions. Finally, losses at a particular locale cannot be genuinely offset by actions displaced to another site - ecological systems & local communities simply do not operate in that way. We require more genuinely visionary and pragmatic solutions.
Comments welcome!