After a winter of relative dormancy while much of the natural world slumbers, our senses kick into high gear as the warmer months progress. The explosion of life and activity means there are many amazing sights, sounds and smells for us to take in. But while most species grab our attention via one or perhaps two of those senses, the scots pine manages to tantalise all three.
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The UK’s insect populations are declining at alarming rates and the next government must put in place plans to monitor and reduce the use and toxicity of pesticides before it is too late, wildlife experts say.
In recent years, concerns have been raised over earthworm populations, which have fallen by a third in the past 25 years. A citizen science project that monitors flying insects in the UK, meanwhile, found a 60% decline between 2004 and 2021. The overall trajectory, as government monitoring figures show, has been downwards since the 1970s. Yet despite the evidence of the harmful effect of pesticides on our insect population, governmental action has been slow, and experts are concerned that the UK is failing to monitor pesticide use correctly. “There is an almost complete lack of effective monitoring of pesticide use in UK agriculture,” said Nick Mole, the policy officer at Pesticide Action Network UK. “What little we do have is incomplete, out of date and on such a broad scale as to be virtually meaningless. We are in a nature crisis. Scotland is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, with one in nine species threatened with extinction.
Our Trees and woods: at the heart of nature recovery in Scotland report shows the central role that Scotland's woods and trees should play in recovering nature. A new report studying nature recovery in Scotland, carried out by the Woodland Trust has shown that the central reservation of the A9 road has become a beacon for rewilding.
Sean Cooch @Newscooch
This is what happens when nature is given a chance; #Carrifran Wildwood. Scotland, southern uplands. This isn’t the dawn chorus but 11am. Listen to the birdsong. It’s nature recovery amongst an otherwise sheep hammered uplands landscape. Michał Filipiak @MichaelFilipiak
#WorldBeeDay Bee nutritional ecology is not as simple and straightforward as we often assume. Did you know that trees, including wind-pollinated species, and grasses are important sources of nutrients for wild bees? Mike Hudema @MikeHudema
The majority of earth's scientists now believe we are headed for at least 2.5°C of warming. We're in a climate emergency. No time to wait. #ActOnClimate #climate #energy #renewables #go100re Juliet Wilson @craftygreenpoet
Beautiful cherry blossoms at #Edinburgh's Lauriston Castle today. Hadn 't realised there was an official cherry blossom viewing there today, lots of people enjoying the trees! Trees for Life @treesforlifeuk
33 years ago, almost to the day, the first Trees for Life volunteers started restoring Glen Affric's forest. Since then, thousands more have made the journey, leaving both people and nature renewed. Thanks to @ForestryLS for their continued support of our work in the glen A radical politics rooted in nature is spreading – and the establishment doesn’t like it. From right to roam to anger over polluted rivers, a new breed of activists is pushing back against environmental destruction.
Scotland’s forests have grown to levels that haven’t been seen in almost a millennium. This incredible forest coverage represents nearly 18% of all Scotland’s territory, while last century it was only 6%.
Argaty Red Kites @argatyredkites
On Tue 14th May we host a screening of The Bough Breaks, the stunning new film by @MouseholeFilms It explores both the work of Alan Watson Featherstone to restore the ancient Caledonian forest & rewilding as a means of saving our broken planet. 2 forests in Scotland named among the most lush in the UK: Ariundle Oakwood and Taynish National Nature Reserve.
European Commission @EU_Commission
By 2030, we want to plant three billion additional trees. With our Forest Strategy, we are taking action to protect and restore forests while ensuring they are managed more sustainably. You can be part of this effort by using the 'MapMyTree' app. #EUGreenDeal #3BillionTrees European Commission announced this week the 10-year plan to reduce the use of chemical pesticides by 50%, plant 3bn trees by 2030 and reverse the decline in pollinators 10% of agricultural areas will be transformed into “high-diversity landscapes”
'Planting a tree is hope in action’: the people regenerating urban habitats and growing community
Planting apples, cherries, damsons, gages - and a mulberry - in Lauriston Farm orchard.
Andrew Spratt @andrewsp2009
A positive #ThenAndNow for a change. Carrifran 1999 and 2022. Landscape scale habitat restoration. (Scotland had forests i.e. All the trees in Fife were felled in the the early 1500s to build the Great Michael warship) Trees for Life @treesforlifeuk
Gaelic and trees are bound together. 1,500 years ago, Gaels developed a tree alphabet as a way of remembering letters. A for ailm (elm), B for beith (birch), C for coll (hazel). Writer Roddy Maclean takes a closer look at hazel's place in folklore The five forests in Scotland ranked among the UK's best to visit: Loch Ard Forest, Coille na Glas Letire, Galloway Forest Park, Ariundle Oakwood National Nature Reserve and Glen Affric.
Trees provide innumerable benefits to the world, from food to shelter to oxygen, but researchers have now found their dramatic rebound in the eastern US has delivered a stunning feat – the curtailing of the soaring temperatures caused by the climate crisis
Edinburgh Agroecology Coop @CoopEdinburgh
After tomorrow's Wassailing, there are more Community Orchard events coming up: a fruit tree pruning workshop (Monday 5th) and more fruit tree planting (Saturday 10th). These are open to all & no need to book. Details on our calendar: https://lauristonfarm.scot/events/ #NorthEdinburgh Less than 2% of the original Caledonian pinewood survive, much of it in scattered fragments.
The Scots pine is the only tree named after Scotland, and only grows naturally in the Scottish Highlands, where it is the largest and longest-lived tree in the Caledonian forest. This remarkable tree forms the “backbone” of the forest ecosystem on which many other species depend. The habitat is globally unique, and one of the richest in Scotland, home to some of Scotland’s most iconic wildlife – including capercaillie, crested tit, red squirrel and wildcat The Scots pine can live for at least 500 years, with those more than three centuries old being known as “Granny pines”. Such ancient trees are very different from the tall, straight Scots pine you might see in a plantation where they are grown for timber – they have many branches, and often lots of dead wood which supports rare insects and other creatures. The Scots pine is a national symbol Ben Goldsmith
Wolf spotted in woods on the outskirts of Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, probably the most densely populated, highly developed, intensively farmed country in Europe. Is there widespread panic? Are they reaching for their guns? No. They’re delighted. |
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