Dr J. Casperd

September 2025 Policy News New Government guidance to curb pesticides marks good news for bees! Photo by Terence Voller on Unsplash. UK A win for bees at last! The government’s new guidance on p…

It's that time! Catch our September #PolicyNews up on our website now: besconservationsig.wordpress.com/2025/10/13/s...

This month we have a feature on how #BlueCarbon can be harnessed to turn the tide on climate change. Read about this and more #PolicyUpdates on our blog now!

Major city may have to evacuate as water supplies run low Tehran is not alone. Cape Town in South Africa narrowly avoided taps running dry eight years ago. Even London, known for its rain, is at risk.

#Water shortages could lead to evacuation of major cities in Tehran. But this is likely to be a global issue in the future. news.sky.com/story/the-co...

Today I will be engaging in discussions around the management of lowland agricultural #peat in light of the Environment Improvement Plan 2025. Insightful talks from Katherine Birdsall of the #EnvironmentAgency and Ian Moodie from #ADA regarding #LAPWDP & #LAPSIP

An image for International Jaguar Day featuring a circular photograph of a jaguar against a dark green background. The jaguar, displaying its distinctive spotted coat pattern, is shown in its natural habitat among green foliage. The image has gold text reading "INTERNATIONAL JAGUAR DAY" at the top. Below the circular photo is text describing Mesoamerica's role as a wildlife corridor, mentioning various species including the jaguar. The IPBES logo appears in the bottom right corner. The color scheme uses gold and green tones throughout the design.

Did you know? 🐆 Jaguars, symbols of Mesoamerican biodiversity, are listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List, with their population decreasing due to habitat loss, poaching & illegal trade.

On #InternationalJaguarDay, let's highlight their plight and the need to protect this iconic species.

Officials on alert as major dam climbs toward maximum capacity amid downpours: 'A strong buffer for … water supply' "Marks a significant milestone."

So many obvious parallels here with the UK. Nature based solutions #NbS & additional #water storage are needed. www.yahoo.com/news/article...

Interesting day at #Nattergal’s #WildFen with #NatureBroking
discussing #carboncredits and the environmental services provided by rewetting #peat. Lovely to see cattle egret, marsh harrier & fieldfare. #rewilding

Jonathon is proud of his potatoes; and rightly so, they are delicious but it is not an economical farm business opportunity. He gets around £100 profit from the supermarket chain for each crate of spuds. This is turned into around £5k profit by the chip chop.

Harper Adams University students investigating what is the problem with peat? These soils when exposed or tilled, dry and degraded emit a significant proportion of #GHG’s from #agriculture. Continued production from these soils is not possible due to the UK Government’s commitment to #carbon #NetZero 🙅 by 2030.

Travelling on peat is interesting! It is either bumpy or, when wet, not possible…continued land-use requires continuous water resource management.

What are the business options for Jonathon’s farm? Continued production on rehydrated #peat - #paludiculture or #naturalcapital - or #renewable energy.

Our @harperadamsuni.bsky.social #Zoology students are working with Fenland Soil to kickstart the transgenerational conversation around #paludiculture
Jonathon, the last of 500 #potato farmers in the #Fens explained to them how conventional farming on >90% SOC soils was not sustainable.

Winter on #farm #nature and indicators of good soil heath on an #organic farm in #Shropshire

South Africa is right to put debt, climate and inequality at the heart of G20 The host of the high-level meeting must not be swayed from its priorities, which are in line with the evidence from research.

This will be the first meeting of the G20 leaders to be held in Africa, and the first that a member state - the US - has declined to attend

go.nature.com/47TtN6I

A decisive day starting here at #COP30. Deeply grateful to all people close to the fire who stopped it quickly, and stayed focused. Also, that many countries, including mine, wrote this letter. And just sending all good hopes to those at the core of negotiations!!
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Slime moulds | Wildlife Watch Slime moulds are SUPER WEIRD! For years they were thought to be fungi but they’re actually something different.

Always fascinating fungi finds here! Wonder if this one is a slime mould, however. Wolf's milk? Lycogala epidendrum. www.wildlifewatch.org.uk/wildlife-zon...

Great talk this morning for our @harperadamsuni.bsky.social
students with Grainne from NaturesSAFE www.natures-safe.com A fantastic collaborative effort cryopreserving the tissue of endangered species across the globe. #wildlife #extinction #cloning #naturerecovery

When your @harperadamsuni.bsky.social #Zoology student creates a beautiful bouquet of #Autumn leaves in thanks for providing them with the opportunity to become an @prideinstem.bsky.social #ClimateChange Ambassador to create content around #peat #GHG emissions with @fenlandsoil.bsky.social

Jeremy Moody of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers speaking @harperadamsuni.bsky.social ‘There is no agriculture policy’ - #farmers need to take things into their own hands. #agriculture #paludiculture #BPS #SFI #inheritancetax

Interesting #fungi at Holme Fen today.

The reality is that #food is too cheap. Producing #nutrient rich food which supports ecosystem services and a resilient nature rich landscape costs money. We need to value food more in our personal budgets and work to reform #farming culture. #foodsecurity #regenerativefarming #animalwelfare

UTTERLY SURREAL LOW ANGLE GLACIER SLIDE!! 😮😱

On Saturday at 11:00 am, a 2 km-long, 25 m-high, and 150-200 m in width section detached off the Ismoil Somoni Glacier (Tajikistan) and slid down the gorge! 🧊🌊

asiaplustj.info/en/node/354309
📽️ via @volcaholic1

A red pored boletes in n a forest

A gorgeous Neoboletus luridiformis - Scarletina Bolete seen in the Wyre Forest today #FungiFriends #ukwildlife

a drainage ditch in farmland in the Fens, Cambridgeshire, UK

the uncharted importance of 600,000km of ditches in the UK as a source/sink of greenhouse gases (GHG)

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

#farmland #ecology 🧪

Today in Co. Wicklow #SAC I was hopeful that I might see the Irish Dipper. These enigmatic birds are indicators of good water quality. Sadly there was little wildlife to be seen. Some hooded crows, mostly thrush and a red deer. www.ucc.ie/en/dippers/d...

CPD ON #Irish cutover lowland #peat bogs. Barriers and enablers on wetter degraded peat with @greenrestorationie.bsky.social #farm #agriculture

Ahead of the EU Council meeting on 23.10.2025, more than 2,000 scientists urge EU Heads of States & Governments to take ambitious decisions for the 2040 targets! With many colleagues, glad to be part of it. @greifswaldmoor.bsky.social doi.org/10.5281/zeno...

Slightly traumatised by the level of #peat extraction still evident in #Ireland for #horticulture and personal use @iucn-uk-peat.bsky.social

Even though commercial production of #peat ceased in #Ireland in 2023. Peat briquettes are still being sold on #ebay
www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...

Harmonia axyridis huddling for shelter around a damp window. #ladybird

It’s #WorldMigratoryBirdDay! 🌍

Every year, migratory birds take on seriously epic journeys.

From our UK coasts and wetlands, to the forests of West Africa, we’re working to protect and restore the habitats they rely on along their routes.

Read more: www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happen...

Fantastic opportunity to work in the field of #primatology.

What Jane Goodall showed me about hope I find it hard to believe Jane Goodall is gone. She was more than an icon to me. She was a friend, a mentor, and someone whose presence—whether with presidents, students, or my own children—felt like…

[COMMENTARY]

Mongabay’s founder and CEO Rhett Ayers Butler reflects on his 13-year friendship with Jane Goodall, recalling her warmth, humor, and ability to make every interaction—from late-night talks to moments with his children—feel personal and meaningful.

** The views expressed are author's.

Tawny Frogmouth (Podargus strigoides): 53cm (21in). This is a species of frogmouth native to the Australian mainland & Tasmania. It is a big-headed, stocky bird, often mistaken for an owl due to nocturnal habits & similar colouring. Fantastic image taken by David Ashley in Perth, Western Australia.

Travelling by #train is my preferred method of transportation. I also enjoy traveling by #bus & #tram - but unless you live in a #city it’s not sustainable ( #time & #money ). Today because my car is in for repair I am improving my #carbon footprint but it’s is taking twice the time & cost.