The Northern Eco

Nature based solutions for the coast Plus an appeal is launched to keep an important bog boggy as the fight goes on to protect one of the region's wildest moors

Issue number 172 is out! Includes an exclusive report for you on the controversial wind farm proposal at Hope Moor as well as:
💦 Major new investor at Yorkshire Water

📆 Dates for your diaries

If you enjoy, please do subscribe and join our merry band thenortherneco.substack.com/p/nature-bas...

Can you help Yorkshire’s ‘cathedral of nature conservation’? Yorkshire Wildlife Trust launches appeal to secure future of its oldest, reserve

Appeal launched to help a bog reman boggy in the face of climate threat @yorkswildlife.bsky.social thenortherneco.substack.com/p/can-you-he...

£180,000 scheme to protect homes from flooding Residents in Whitby will be supported from the effects of flooding and ‘extreme water levels’ with the grant to upgrade properties.

The Yorkshire Regional Flood and Coastal Committee Local Levy’s grant funding will be used for measures such as flood barriers, flood doors, air brick covers and non-return valves to waste pipes to reduce the impact of flooding on properties. thenortherneco.substack.com/p/180000-sch...

Money agreed for 'innovative nature-based' coastal erosion work Approval for £100,000 coastal erosion project near Scarborough Sea Life Centre

The money agreed will be to 'manage erosion in the area, support natural ground conditions, and encourage the establishment of vegetation' thenortherneco.substack.com/p/money-agre...

Extinction Rebellion hosts free film night The activist group is showing the film Power Station in Harrogate on Saturday

An invitation to a free film screening this weekend if you happen to be in the area. (Harrogate, North Yorks) @xruk-actions.bsky.social thenortherneco.substack.com/p/extinction...

Shameful record of fly-tipping revealed North East region shows highest fly-tipping rates per population in England outside of London

Shocking new figures analysed here thenortherneco.substack.com/p/shameful-r...

Fracking plan sent back for local decision Government sends Scarborough gas rig decision back to North Yorkshire Council Slug

The anticipated guidance on whether this proposal constitutes fracking will not be forthcoming now that local planners grapple with the final decision. thenortherneco.substack.com/p/fracking-p...

The REAL cause of the moors wildfire While a camp fire may have ignited the devastating blaze, the true cause should be attributed to the climate crisis say campaigners

Putting up advisory warning signs just won’t address the root cause of fires like the one which burned for 40 days across a protected moorland in North Yorkshire thenortherneco.substack.com/p/the-real-c...

Success for pesticide campaigners Campaigners from Leicester Friends of the Earth have been celebrating after their local council agreed to stop spraying herbicide in and around children’s play area

It may have taken five years of campaigning but finally, one city’s playgrounds are free of the pesticide glyphosate. Congratulations to the dogged campaigners! @foeeurope.bsky.social thenortherneco.substack.com/p/success-fo...

£12m budget puts Dales in 'strong position' Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority in “strong and confident” financial position after job loss fears

Unusual to hear a public authority welcome its financial position but, positive news from the boss of the @yorkshiredales.org.uk thenortherneco.substack.com/p/12m-budget...

Action to bring hope to Hope Moor Campaigners from North Yorkshire and County Durham unite to fight massive infrastructure wind farm plan

A packed village hall public meeting saw residents galvanise for action against a massive wind farm plan on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales with bigger turbines than any of those seen locally before. thenortherneco.substack.com/p/action-to-...

Fire and flood risks identified at planned battery site East Rounton BESS plans have “fundamental deficiencies” and should be rejected, says expert

Independent expert hired by campaigners finds issues with proposed battery site thenortherneco.substack.com/p/fire-and-f...

Some welcome news from across the pond for a change www.msn.com/en-gb/health...

Are your Eyes on the Skies? Charity calls for public help to ensure the Yorkshire Dales National Park is a haven for wildlife

Charity @friendsofthedales.bsky.social calls on the public to help prevent more raptor deaths thenortherneco.substack.com/p/are-your-e...

Good news for River Swale's bathing water campaign Save Our Swale's application for Designated Bathing Water Status (DBWS) has progressed

The @saveourswale.bsky.social campaigners have worked so hard for this! Great to be able to share their good news this morning thenortherneco.substack.com/p/good-news-... @sascampaigns.bsky.social

Stop burning trees say climate campaigners Climate campaigners condemn new Government subsidies for tree burning at Lynemouth Power Station in Northumberland

Converted from coal to biomass in 2018, Lynemouth burns up to 1.5 million tonnes of wood every year. The UK’s 2nd biggest such power station also sources wood from Drax’s pellet mills in British Columbia. thenortherneco.substack.com/p/stop-burni... @stopburningtrees.bsky.social

“Barking mad” to build solar farms on good agricultural land So says a North Yorkshire councillor during talks on plans for a huge green energy development

No-one wants solar panels on land near them but we all need the clean electricity that will be produced. Unlikely that the language used here helps anyone consider the issue calmly but it seems the debate is now boiling over as decision day gets closer. thenortherneco.substack.com/p/barking-ma...

Youth campaigners take action over pesticide use The fight to prevent local authorities using glyphosate in public spaces moves on thanks to young nature campaigners mobilising action

To those people who say that younger people don't get involved in politics - here you go. They do! And they want environmental action thenortherneco.substack.com/p/youth-camp...

Hospital's permission for 1,000 solar panels Scarborough Hospital solar plan 'could save more than 72,638kg CO2 a year'

Why not do this on all hospitals? A major plan for this large North Yorkshire hospital passes the 1st hurdle with permission thenortherneco.substack.com/p/hospitals-...

Companies either weather climate risk now or pay for it later Last year, extreme weather didn’t just shatter records; it wiped more than $320 billion from the global economy, a sum larger than the annual GDP of countries like Finland and Chile.

Companies either weather climate risk now or pay for it later reut.rs/4qVrV4p

If you haven't caught up with it yet - our edition 167 is out and includes @raptorpersuk.bsky.social, @highseasalliance.bsky.social and more. We'd love for you to join us! thenortherneco.substack.com/p/from-sky-d...

Yorkshire Water under fire for above-inflation price increase “Higher bills, polluted rivers, failing customer service"

From April, average household water bills in Yorkshire are set to rise by 5.6 per cent - around £2.80 a month. thenortherneco.substack.com/p/yorkshire-... @saveourswale.bsky.social, @sascampaigns.bsky.social

Youth voices call on UK government to ratify the High Seas Treaty A network of 16-35-year-olds from across the UK are urging action on their future ocean inheritance

20 youth groups from across the UK have written to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, urging immediate action to protect the ocean by ratifying the High Seas Treaty. #oceans #highseas thenortherneco.substack.com/p/youth-voic...

Fund planned for North Yorkshire businesses affected by extreme weather More than £43,000 of a previous fund for flood victims remains unspent.

The new fund could expand to include other extreme weather events such as the wildfires which devastated a large area last year thenortherneco.substack.com/p/fund-plann...

Trial due to start for gamekeeper Racster Dingwall accused of conspiracy to kill a Hen Harrier The trial begins at York Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 29th January 2026 for gamekeeper Racster Dingwall, accused of conspiracy to kill a Hen Harrier on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales …

Trial due to start tomorrow for gamekeeper Racster Dingwall accused of conspiracy to kill a Hen Harrier raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/01/28/t...

Government calls in North Yorkshire 'fracking' decision Government delays decision on controversial gas rig plan near Scarborough

Just hours after campaigners accuse the local authorities of being undemocratic, the Government steps in and postpones the decision #fracking #gas thenortherneco.substack.com/p/government...

Councillors advised to swerve fracking protesters with early arrival Concerns have been raised about a council ‘undermining democracy’ ahead of a major planning meeting to decide on proposals for a gas drilling rig near Scarborough

Officers accused of undermining democracy with their advice to elected representatives which means protestors might not be seen or heard thenortherneco.substack.com/p/councillor...

Borders council asked to ban use of controversial weedkiller Scottish Borders Council is being asked to ban its use of a controversial weedkiller.

Good to see another council considering a ban - meeting tomorrow (Thurs)
www.bordertelegraph.com/news/2579936...

'Turning ambition and hope linked to climate action into real steps' Plus all the eco news from North Yorkshire and the North East

📣 An exciting day today at The Northern Eco - a new writer for this new year! @tom-s-bray.bsky.social joins the team to bring subscribers a monthly look at reducing carbon emissions.

thenortherneco.substack.com/p/turning-am...

Billboard placed in central Leeds bearing the text "I can't breathe" Drax Biomass Chokes Black Lives.

Activists hack central Leeds billboard to expose Drax pollution
www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026...