Vicki Hird MSc FRES

Welcome! You are invited to join the global launch of the Earth Rover Program and the release of our inaugural report, which explores how a new scientific concept, ‘soilsmology’, is shaking up our und... We are delighted to invite you to the global launch of the Earth Rover Program and the release of our inaugural report, ‘Soilsmology: Transforming our Understanding of Soil’, which explores how an eme...

Last chance to register for our webinar on the Earth Rover Program, starting at 14.00 GMT. Intro by the brilliant Kate Raworth, then explanations of the concept and the science by some of our scientists and technicians. Register to obtain link. Hope to see you there
us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Underwhelmed: The Wildlife Trusts’ response to the Environmental Improvement Plan | The Wildlife Trusts Read our response to the much-anticipated new Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP).

Underwhelmed:
@the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social
’ response to the Environmental Improvement Plan - covering farming, planning etc. There is some commitment there for good stuff but budget and anti nature rhetoric elsewhere fails
www.wildlifetrusts.org/news/underwh...

In short term yes.. Money making

Barking mad

Many people think about cold in Northern Europe if the Atlantic Ocean current system #AMOC fails. But that wouldn’t be the only problem for Europe by far.
This new study shows that severe drought is another one. 🌊

Cop30 live: standoff over inclusion of fossil fuel phaseout in final text escalates Following a dramatic fire yesterday, the climate summit is due to finish this evening, but disagreements over the final text look difficult to resolve

#Cop30 live: standoff over inclusion of fossil fuel phaseout in final text escalates

- Following a dramatic fire yesterday, the climate summit is meant to finish this evening, but disagreements over the final text look difficult to resolve

#climatecrisis
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...

😏

Bug charity warns of 'alarming' insect decline in new survey The invertebrate charity Bugslife says new figures show the number of flying insects has more than halved in the past five years.

#BIodiversity - in a parlous state across these isles

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Why supermarkets are putting key industry at ‘financial risk’ More than two thirds of farmers believe the buying relationship between themselves and retailers has deteriorated

Why supermarkets are putting key industry at ‘financial risk’ - new
@riverford.bsky.social survey of farmers showing why we need stronger, joined up regulation www.independent.co.uk/news/busines...

Hope all ok. I am really keen to get the links between junk food/ ill health/ environmental/nature impact)/farm livelihoods understood better. Diet changes need to be far more than about cheap meat but it needs far better food industry governance, not individual actions.

I’d do this…

www.bbc.com/audio/play/m...

We're really looking forward to this talk from Serian Sumner this Friday. Join us online or in person, with a book signing & drinks reception afterwards.
@waspwoman.bsky.social Reserve your seat now! bookwhen.com/oxfordbiodiv...
@ecioxford.bsky.social @biology.ox.ac.uk @oxfordgeography.bsky.social

Rising global consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) poses a major threat to health, researchers warn

u.afp.com/Snrf

More than 300 big agriculture lobbyists took part in Cop30, investigation finds Lobbyists representing industry responsible for a quarter to a third of global emissions participated in key talks at the UN climate summit More than 300 industrial agriculture lobbyists have participated at this year’s UN climate talks taking place in the Brazilian Amazon, where the industry is the leading cause of deforestation, a new investigation has found. The number of lobbyists representing the interests of industrial cattle farming, commodity grains and pesticides is up 14% on last year’s summit in Baku – and larger than the delegation of the world’s 10th largest economy, Canada, which brought 220 delegates to Cop30 in Belém, according to the joint investigation by DeSmog and the Guardian. Continue reading...

More than 300 big agriculture lobbyists took part in Cop30, investigation finds

Why forests and farming are critical climate solutions in Southeast Asia A recent report highlights the hotspots of emissions in Southeast Asia and reveals a roadmap for the most impactful solutions.

Did you know that over *half* of the GHG emissions from Southeast Asia come from deforestation & agriculture?

We can't solve climate change without taking these seriously.

drawdown.org/insights/why...

So many animals use leaf litter. Its like gold dust as @deborahmeaden.bsky.social says!

Very much worth reading from @georgemonbiot.bsky.social on the epistemic or knowledge crisis we have

Hoverfly larvae on leaf litter

Hoverfly

PSA! leaf litter on your lawn can house thousands of babies🧐 - some hoverfly babies (larvae) i spotted earlier today. (plus old hoverfly pic for info)
Don't put leaf litter in the bin- it's a precious, nutrient-filled habitat..Pile it up, compost it or just leave it... 😁🌿🍁🍂

Meta-analysis shows that planting nitrogen-fixing species increases soil organic carbon stock - Nature Ecology & Evolution This meta-analysis finds that planting nitrogen-fixing species increases soil carbon compared with non-nitrogen-fixing species. Using nitrogen-fixing species for forestation, agriculture and land rege...

Just published in
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
Nitrogen-fixing species increases #soil organic #carbon stock: Meta-analysis
doi.org/10.1038/s415...

Free:
rdcu.be/eHxXI

#SoilOrganicMatter #SoilOrganicCarbon #sequestration #carbonsequestration #agriculture #global #landuse
#Fertilisers #nitrogen

Deregulation - the dark path to poison in your lungs, excrement in your rivers, carcinogens in your food.

A growing movement in Brussels is spreading the message that asking business to follow rules leads to economic death. They're working hard to destroy EU environmental + chemical protections.

YouTube video by The Wildlife Trusts Rot Property: house hunting in deadwood

fabulous film on housing 😄
@WildlifeTrusts

Rot Property: house hunting in deadwood youtu.be/BiPQwJbeC3Y?... via
@YouTube

Loved doing this podcast and attending the @#agroforestryshow

England curriculum should focus less on exams and more on life skills, finds review Experts say pupils should spend less time in exam halls and more time on activities like life skills, sport and work experience

New school curriculum for England includes a focus on climate change and sustainability and media literacy, i.e. recognising disinformation

Good!

#climatecrisis
www.theguardian.com/education/20...

The frustrating thing is
a. We've known this for years but havent managed to reverse it and
b. The farm industry reps defend it, as their members get ever lower prices and poor deals, even those trying to do right thing for welfare, health, nature.. They need better reps and new better markets.

A flyer for a food research survey put out by TABLE, the Wellcome Trust and the Centre for Food Policy. The text says "Are you a food researcher or knowledge generator?We want to hear from you to help shape research within the UK and the EU! Take our survey to share your views on how research funding can better facilitate climate and health goals via food system transformation. Results are anonymous and will inform Wellcome Trust's research strategy for the next few years."

Do you research food, food systems or a topic related to food?

TABLE & @foodpolicycitysg.bsky.social in partnership with @wellcometrust.bsky.social, have launched a new survey to learn what you want from food research, what you need from funders, & key topics.

Take the survey here: buff.ly/ROPrwTY

Please join the Planning & Infrastructure Bill campaign.

Sounds boring but it has to be one of the most envoronmentally damaging planning bills of all time

@sussexwildlife.bsky.social
@cpresussex.bsky.social
@sussexornitholo.bsky.social

sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/news/an-urge...

Feeding sugar water to a hungry bumblebee.. She was moving so slowly☺️

📢 40+ NGOs have written to the PM urging him to uphold the Aarhus Convention – the cornerstone of environmental justice

The Convention protects your right to:
✅ Access environmental information
✅ Have a say in decisions that affect nature
✅ Seek environmental justice affordably

Insider whistleblowers accuse industry of relentless drive towards cheap and processed meat The report claims public heath and the UK's food security have been 'deprioritised' as supermarkets go in pursuit of sales of 'cheaper and more highly processed' meat and dairy products

In a new report released today by @insidetrackuk.bsky.social, UK food industry insiders expose how companies’ and supermarkets’ commercial strategies on #MeatAndDairy are at odds with their public commitments on health, sustainability and animal welfare.
www.thegrocer.co.uk/news/insider...

'Identifying the safe operating space for food systems'

Highly relevant new paper by Sofie te Wierik et al. in Nature Food www.nature.com/articles/s43...

The paper shows: i) food systems are the single-largest pressure across Earth system processes, ii) all food system boundaries are transgressed