Mike Shewring

Rachel Reeves clears planning blockage amid ‘good relationship’ with developer Exclusive: Chancellor says 20,000 homes were being held up due to ‘some snails that are a protected species or something’

Further ecological illiteracy from #Labour . People need homes but they also need healthy biodiverse ecosystems - healthy planet healthy people. Shame #Labour can’t see this. These things can’t be mutually exclusive. They must do better! www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Personally I hope this doesn’t take off as well as Movember or dry Jan

I've just seen him again in his home-range. Now 10 yrs and 5 months old since hatching, and just over 10 years since ringing. Incredible that small 11g birds like Marsh Tits can live for over a decade, whereas small rodents/shrews of similar size live less than 2 yrs.

So excited to see this essay finally out after months of hard work behind the scenes.

Here, we ponder what if we redesigned the economy so that it's regenerative and serves all life, rather than shareholder profits?

circularbioeconomyalliance.org/wp-content/u...

YouTube video by Bill Sutherland's Conservation Concepts How embedding tests into conservation practive transforms effectiveness

Hugh Possingham, one of the worlds most respected conservationists, describing how embedding simple tests into practice helps deliver learning and effective conservation. Without testing there is little learning and we don’t know if effective. youtu.be/qcQvYTldF_0?...

The #PragmaticClimateReset is a two part-essay calling for a reset in our approach to climate action. Part I shows why narratives trumpeting the failure of efforts to date are wrong. Part II says that, nevertheless, the climate community now needs to change its approach. 1/n

Only photo I got

#peat

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Forest‐to‐Bog Restoration on Carbon Sequestration, Water Chemistry, and Biodiversity in Irish and British Peatlands A forest-to-bog restoration site in Co. Fermanagh, N. Ireland, 4 years after clear-felling, conifer removal, and cell bunding (surface bunds joined to form watertight cells to retain shallow water an...

New review on Forest to bog restoration - wires.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.... . A useful and timely summary.

Strong agree with the statement that the evidence is spatially biased to Scotland!

Looks like that water vole missed the target.

Scientists no Longer Find Twitter Professionally Useful, and have Switched to Bluesky Synopsis. Social media has become widely used by the scientific community for a variety of professional uses, including networking and public outreach. For

Hey everybody! @drjuliawester.bsky.social and I have a new paper!

We surveyed over 800 scientists, science communicators, and science educators who use social media.

Conclusion: Scientists no longer find Twitter useful or pleasant, and many have switched to Bluesky! 🧪🌎🦑

doi.org/10.1093/icb/...

Factcheck: Trump’s climate report includes more than 100 false or misleading claims

NEW – Factcheck: Trump’s climate report includes more than 100 false or misleading claims | @ayeshatandon.carbonbrief.org @leohickman.carbonbrief.org @ceciliakeating.carbonbrief.org @rtmcswee.carbonbrief.org @tomoprater.carbonbrief.org

Read here: buff.ly/AvcB7Aw

"Incidentally, although women have always played a major role in natural history, only 8% of birds named after people are named after women." #womeninscience #envhist #museums #naturalhistory

Four sheep in a foggy heath

Some absolutely stunning views for peat depth surveys today. Now that’s what I call a gorgeous Welsh summer!

Air pollution filters help scientists produce first UK wildlife survey using eDNA Social media post led to discovery that samplers measuring toxic particles in air can also detect fragments of DNA

This is so exciting. Very proud of my husband Dr Andrew Brown, who is an air quality scientist but has teamed up zoologists in the UK and Canada to undertake this important work.
#interdisciplinary 🧪
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

If you know researchers with expertise in forestry/agro forestry please share this permanent lectureship @bangoruniversity.bsky.social. The quality of life in north wales is fabulous: great colleagues & a stunning location.
jobs.bangor.ac.uk/details.php....

Osmundia regalis growing at the base of a willow

Osmundia regalis

Nice to see a population of Royal Fern in full swing during some lowland peatland surveys near Swansea today. A very unassuming site when you first get to it but it hides some great features and nearly 4m of peat in places

Tourist discovers ‘extinct’ jellyfish while rock-pooling in Outer Hebrides Thistle-shaped Depastrum cyathiforme was last seen in France in 1976, but has now been found on South Uist

Lovely story from the brilliant @britishwildlife.bsky.social magazine. This mag is endlessly fascinating – recommend if you're not a subscriber already. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

For anyone interested in wild bees (bumblebees and solitary bees), I'm leading a 'get to know your bees' day at The Globe, Hay-on-Wye, on Sunday 3rd August with @clancic.bsky.social.

It should be a great day ☺️ See the flyer for further info and booking.

Can’t beat a bit of Nightjar wing clapping. This is indicating probable breeding at this location. Along with the bit of ‘purring’ call you can hear as as well.

More info on the acoustic ecology and monitoring of Nightjar by @btobirds.bsky.social here www.bto.org/our-work/new...

A collie looking at a peatland ecologist in a drain in a molinia dominated blanket bog in south wales

It was Indy’s first field day back on peatland e-collie-gist duty after his foot injury. One very happy dog. He also spent some time supervising @mikeshewring.bsky.social to make sure Mike’s work was up to Indy’s high standards

An ecologist surveying peatland drains

Jean Cors Van Damme

(Cors is Welsh for bog so this is in fact a very well thought out and excellent joke, trust me)

Thanks to @mikeshewring.bsky.social for the photo of this very normal approach to surveying peat drains

Can’t beat a bit of Rob Brydon Karaoke

It’s be been a heathy few days. Lovely to find an emperor moth caterpillar and Cowberry (lots) on the Blorenge.

Nightjar at Beacon hill. Lovely to find two second broods. Some great heathland restoration at this site from Natural Resources Wales.

www.bto.org/our-work/new...

#rejectionistherule

The labyrinth spider

The funnel shaped web of the labyrinth spider

Not as much of a heatwave this week but I did stumble on this Agelena labyrinthica (labyrinth spider) on my peatland survey travels at Cwmparc. Seemed to be the only one around, and at 530m that’s the highest elevation I’ve ever found one at, so that’s interesting.

Current heatwave ‘likely to kill almost 600 people in England and Wales’ Surge in deaths would not be occurring without human-caused global heating, scientists say as analysis published

Current heatwave expected to kill almost 600 people in England and Wales - analysis

- The spike in deaths would not be occurring without human-caused global heating, scientists say, with the elderly most at risk

#climatecrisis
Story by me
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

NEW JOB in #ornithology and #conservation managing two major restoration projects for #islands important for #seabirds: buff.ly/yfl1Vo2

Lovely to be on Bluesky!
We are Exmoor National Park
Come explore us! 💚🌳🐎🦌🌊🏵️💚