#655: Storm Shaun or Storm Timmy?

I've had a busy summer of Aardman related things.

I've been to Bristol where there was a special exhibition at the MShed, marking 50 years of Aardman.

I also saw another exhibition at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, and the one at the Young V&A in Bethnal Green.

There's now a chance to vote for either Shaun or Timmy to be added to the new list of storm names for 2026-27 which will be announced in September. They have teamed up with the MetOffice. Go to one of their social channels to vote.

• Voting closes at 11:00 am on Friday 21 August 2026
• Members of the public can vote for either Shaun or Timmy
• The vote relates specifically to which Aardman character will be added to this year’s storm names list
• The result of the public vote will be announced on Friday 21 August and included in the 2026/27 storm names list

Predictably some people are saying this is inappropriate as these storms may cause damage and even lead to fatalities...  others that we'll soon have sponsored storms... others say it's a bit of fun and raises awareness of why storms are named.

The Met Office say:

Storm naming is an important public safety tool, helping people notice, remember and discuss severe weather when it has the potential to cause significant impacts. By working with Aardman, the Met Office hopes to reach new audiences and encourage conversations about severe weather preparedness in an engaging and accessible way.

The announcement also forms part of Aardman's 50th anniversary celebrations and comes ahead of the release of  Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom, which arrives in UK cinemas on the 18th of September.

As a sustainability ambassador and one of Britain's most recognisable animated characters, Shaun has long been associated with themes of nature and the environment, making him a natural fit for a campaign focused on weather awareness and preparedness.

Met Office Head of Warnings and Guidance, Holly Clements, said: "Naming storms helps our weather warnings reach more people and encourages the public to take notice when severe weather is approaching. This collaboration with Aardman gives us a fantastic opportunity to engage new audiences and explain why storm naming matters, helping people understand the risks severe weather can bring and the actions they can take to stay safe."

Hopefully we won't reach 'S' in the alphabet next year....

#654: Landgulls

An article in The Guardian on urban gulls.

Gulls are birds which have grown to live with us, and which we both tolerate but also encourage through the way that we interact with them. They have been called "rats with wings".

Instead of sea cliffs, gulls find nests on the side of tall buildings, which mimic them.

Instead of hunting for food, we supply them with a steady stream of waste food because of our convenience lifestyle and overflowing rubbish bins.

Gulls learn how to steal, and there are lots of videos which show them opening automatic doors into shops and then coming out with packets of food.

To find out a great deal more, I recommend that you read the book 'Landfill' by Tim Dee.

#653: Getting down to earth

Great Soils is a web page developed by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), the independent, impartial public body that unlocks success in British agriculture.

They have developed a soil health scorecard with videos to help.

Image: Alan Parkinson, shared on Flickr under CC license.

#652: Stone Curlew habitats and new housing

This story from the BBC News had a headline which at first glance is the wrong way round surely...

It's since been changed.

Stone curlews are a protected species. I have seen them in the wild in a field which is part of a Norfolk Wildlife Trust reserve.

I've visited Weeting Heath and seen the bird in the fields at the reserve. It's eye always draws the eye... it's a beautiful bird.

#651: Protection for forest warrens and lodges

Rare rabbit warrens and lodges in Thetford Forest - on the Norfolk/Suffolk border recently gained protected status.

#650: Basecamp Lyngby

Via LinkedIn I came across this development.

Basecamp Lyngby is described as a housing and multi-use development.

It is located in Denmark.

It's an interesting example of how housing could be designed to incorporate nature, and provide opportunities for residents or users to have access to nature in their daily life.

Image source: https://kragh-berglund.com/public-space/skovbrynet-basecamp/

It's described as a place where design, convenience, and sustainability coexist harmoniously and boasts about its positives:

• Intergenerational Living: This unique complex brings together students, doctoral candidates, and seniors, fostering a vibrant and diverse community.
• Waste Minimisation and Reuse: The building extensively uses recycled materials, particularly in its facade. These materials not only promote sustainability but can also be reused repeatedly, embodying the principles of a circular economy.
• Recycled Air Systems: The heating and ventilation system utilizes recycled air, significantly reducing energy consumption and waste. This system captures and reuses 90% of the energy from extracted air to heat fresh air, enhancing energy efficiency.
• Rainwater Harvesting: The complex includes rainwater storage facilities that collect and store rainwater for various uses, such as natural irrigation, thereby reducing the burden on the sewage system and conserving water.

There is plenty more that could be done to ensure that modern buildings are more creative, and pay closer attention to nature.

#649: Natural History Reading List #28 - 'The Story of Nature'

This is an academic and lengthy read, and a heavy dense book by Jeremy Mynott.

I have been reading it slowly for the last year or so, one chapter at a time.

This review has some useful details.

We talk about ‘nature’ all the time, but what exactly is it? Does nature include physical processes such as rocks and rivers, as well as life? Is humankind part of nature or is there now a clear separation between the artificial and the natural? And if the latter, when did that divorce take place? Nature has a deep history, and what we think about it today may be different from how it was viewed in the past (there have been changes in perception even in my own lifetime). Who invented nature anyway?

There's another useful review of the book here.

It explores some of the early relationships that people had with nature and how those relationships have changed. I was interested in the chapter on cave paintings for example, and the relationship that we had with nature in those times.

Introduction:

What is ‘nature’? Has it always meant the same thing? Are we a part of it?…This is a huge subject, of course, and it would be impossible to write a comprehensive and systematic account of it in a book of this length — or indeed any length. But…stories offer a different way of finding routes through such a vast, varied and difficult terrain and my story is only one among many possible ways of tackling this theme.

#648: Sea, Land and City - The Crown Estate

Sea Land and City is a new documentary, supported by The Crown Estate.

Series such as David Attenborough’s Wild Isles have made audiences aware that the UK is one the most nature depleted countries on earth, but what can we do about that?

With The Crown Estate’s diverse portfolio which includes urban centres, rural land, the seabed and much of the coastline, the connection between these ecosystems needs to be at the heart of how we approach nature recovery for the UK.

That’s why we are thrilled to have supported a new adventure and documentary, ‘Sea, Land and City’, alongside Triodos Bank and distributed by Waterbear, to spotlight powerful nature positive solutions across South-West England. The documentary was premiered at the Blue Earth Summit in October 2024 following months of filming.

Produced by Wonderoom, the documentary aims to generate public awareness and business support for under-represented nature-based solutions that are at the heart of what it will take to turn our nature-depleted country around and restore our connection to nature.

From tripling the size of the UK’s temperate rainforest, to restoring the South Coasts’ lost sea grass and kelp forests, to growing access to regenerative food in a changing climate — the documentary features some of the most exciting projects with the potential to lead big impact. The team, led by Mairead Cahill, Founder of Wonderoom, trekked, climbed, wade and foraged their way through the region to meet exceptional projects and the people behind them, giving the audience a direct and intimate experience of nature restoration in action.

Our Head of Nature and Environment for Marine, Caroline Price, joins Mairead in Dorset to discuss how The Crown Estate is working in partnership with a range of organisations under The Studland Bay Marine Partnership to support nature recovery in the region through the use of eco-moorings.

View the film on Waterbear - free account necessary. 

Plenty of other interesting films on there which may be relevant to Natural History.

Here's the trailer.

#647: Mary Oliver

The poetry of Mary Oliver has come up a few times in recent weeks.

This poem was mentioned a few times.

Are you familiar with her work?

What other poems are potentially relevant for a perspective on the natural world?

#646: Field Studies Council Virtual courses

The Field Studies Council has made a lot of free online courses available. These explore a range of habitats and types of animals. These are two of the focus areas of the proposed subject content which are currently out for consultation until early September.

Some of these would be of potential value for teachers who want to upskill themselves and prepare to potentially teach aspects of natural history with which they are not familiar.

#645: The RMetS Consultation on the GCSE Natural History

The RMetS has shared their thoughts on the GCSE Natural History ahead of the closing of the consultation on the proposed subject content.

Although the draft revised science and geography subject contents are not expected to be published within the consultation period of this GCSE, we anticipate that climate change education will be strengthened in both subject areas. 

Therefore, it is important that that Natural History GCSE builds on, rather than duplicates, learning in those subjects.

To this end, we recommend that the Natural History GCSE subject content should specifically develop systematic understanding of the interactions between weather, climate and climate change and the natural world, through an understanding of:

• How climate determines biomes.
• The interaction of extreme weather (including extremes of rainfall and temperature) and weather-related hazards (such as floods, droughts and fires) with habitats and species.
• The impact of current and projected climate change as well as climate mitigation solutions with habitats and species and how negative impacts can be reduced or avoided.
• The role of the natural world in the climate system, including the role of nature-based solutions (adaptation and mitigation) to climate change.

It is also important to clearly delineate the natural processes that controlled the interrelationship between weather, climate and climate change and the natural world before the Anthropocene, and the more recent human ones.

We support the inclusion of fieldwork and observation in the proposed content and recommend that this includes simple weather observations or measurements.

We support the broad range of data skills included but recommend that wider skills such as critical evaluation are also included.

#644: Shooting Times journal article

Via my Google Alert for GCSE Natural History.

It will be inter­est­ing to see what the uptake might be. Will it be mostly teen­agers who already have an interest in nature, want­ing to know more, or new­comers hop­ing for an easy course? There are gen­er­a­tions of fam­il­ies spend­ing little time out­side their imme­di­ate sur­round­ings. From my own exper­i­ence, I am con­cerned to see so many people whose primary con­tact with nature is via tele­vi­sion doc­u­ment­ar­ies, their views on envir­on­mental issues shaped by mis­in­formed presenters and social media influ­en­cers.

Per­haps some of us can fill the gap and offer to help with the field­work aspects of the new course. Field­s­ports are the ori­ginal form of nat­ural his­tory in prac­tice, so per­haps the onus is on us to engage pro­act­ively with local schools rather than moan­ing from afar should the antis take over the nar­rat­ive.

The article quotes someone from the British Association of Shooting and Conservation (BASC) - a friend of mine Paula worked for them over 40 years ago... the article asks some of the questions that many others will also be asking.

#643: The Path More Travelled

A cross posting from my Geo Library blog project - what do you mean you haven't visited? There's over 700 books that would be of interest to geographers.

'Absorbing and exhilarating . . . This book will literally expand your horizons' MICHAEL PALIN
'A panoptic, deeply researched and compelling history of our nation' PATRICK BARKHAM

This was the book I finished at the beginning of the summer break.

It's a chunky tome from Nicholas Crane which sits alongside his earlier book on the making of the landscape of Britain.

It explores the origin of the paths and tracks that run through England, from their first makings as the landscape was populated with the first arrivals. 

The paths firmed up with foot traffic and created a network of paths connecting settlements as they developed. Horses expanded the network, and trade turned them into roads. They were joined by trains and canals and then the car changed everything.

It's scholarly and accessible and full of incident and detail, taking you through the thickets of ancient woodland and out to the development of motorways and the current issues we face travelling through the countryside, including past struggles to gain access to open access land.

Details from the publisher:

In The Path More Travelled, acclaimed geographer and travel writer Nicholas Crane explores the hidden history of Britain's coast-to-coast web of footpaths, from the icy Cairngorms to the banks of the Severn (where he discovers footprints left over 7,000 years ago). 

Witty, wide-ranging and passionate, this is an enchanting call to rediscover and protect the lifeblood of our landscapes.

My copy was published by W&N in 2026

Hardback, 432pp

ISBN:  978-1399605816

If you want to hear more about the book, Nicholas Crane is doing a series of events around the country, including a talk in King's Lynn at the Town Hall.

Your best option if you live in the East of England is to come along to our Christmas social event on Tuesday the 8th of December.

It will be hosted by Norwich School.

Nick will have a focus on the ancient footpaths of East Anglia as well, given the location of the talk, and the fact he was born in Cringleford - a few miles from where my daughter lives - and grew up in the area.

My ticket is booked, so I will see you there and may even help you get some sausage rolls and brownies once the talk is over. We usually have mulled wine on arrival as well...

#642: Wildfires

Wildfires are breaking out across Europe.

It's not clear whether most of them started by natural causes.

A report from the House of Lords.

Wildfires are a natural phenomenon and an essential process in some ecosystems. However, around the world climate change, demographic changes and shifts in land use are altering their frequency and severity.

In the UK, natural wildfires, for example those sparked following lightning strikes, are rare and most wildfires are the result of human action. The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), which represents fire and rescue services (FRS) across the UK (44 in England, three in Wales and one each in Scotland and Northern Ireland), notes that most wildfires nationally originate from human activity such as:

• littering (from improper disposal of a cigarette to dropping litter such as reflective items and glass bottles that then start a fire)
• unattended fires (campfires, bonfires and barbecues left unattended or not fully extinguished)
• deliberate fire-setting
• controlled burning used to manage land that then gets out of control

There is no single definition of what constitutes a wildfire in the UK, with different definitions used by government agencies, the media and FRS. 

The UK government used to define a wildfire as any “unplanned and uncontrolled fire(s) in the natural environment”, but now defines the term to mean an “uncontrolled fire that burns vegetation, such as grass, heather, woodland, crops and scrubland”.

The NFCC maintains that not all outdoor fires are wildfires. Instead, it defines a wildfire as “any uncontrolled vegetation fire which requires a decision, or action, regarding suppression”. In addition, the NFCC specifies that a wildfire will meet one or more of the following criteria:

• involves a geographical area of at least one hectare (10,000 square metres)
• has a sustained flame length of more than 1.5 metres
• requires a committed resource of at least four FRS appliances/resources
• requires resources to be committed for at least six hours
• presents a serious threat to life, environment, property and infrastructure

One of the most heartbreaking ones, was relatively local to me, and an area I know well: Dunwich Heath which borders Minsmere RSPB reserve.

A fundraiser shows the depth of feeling for this landscape.

"This beautiful purple landscape, once filled with the sound of warblers and skylarks and people enjoying a walk through the heather, is now unrecognisable."

Hilary McGrady, director-general of the National Trust

#641: Losing front gardens

This Conversation article revisits a theme which has been the focus for some fieldwork in the past in Ely. I've blogged about that separately.

People have tended to pave over front gardens and drop the kerb to create off-road parking... which then restricts the available on-road parking, which encourages more people to do the same.

Many modern housing developments prioritise off road parking.

This is increasing urban temperatures as the surfaces absorb and retain more heat, and the lack of vegetation reduces biodiversity.

I have a front garden laid to lawn with some pots by the front door. This makes it low maintenance but retains some elements of green space and a permeable surface for rainfall.

The article references an RHS report from 2025 on the loss of gardening spaces and the inequality of access.

This report found:

• The average domestic garden is 244 square metres – that’s nine tenths of a tennis court.
• 19 million trees can be found in Great Britain’s domestic gardens and 50.5 million across all cultivated green space - six times more than London’s entire urban forest.
• Just 0.15% of domestic garden is artificial lawn but this still accounts for 7.5million square metres while artificial grass across all cultivated green space stands at 18million square metres - more than six times the size of the City of London
• More than a third (35%) of domestic gardens comprises lawn, with 25.8% under trees and 11% as flower beds.
• 42% of domestic garden space is paved over (55% of front garden space and 36% of back garden space), reducing gardens potential to cool, capture pollution, support biodiversity, carbon sequestration and storage, and restricting rainwater absorption by the soil and exacerbating flooding.

To maximise the benefits of cultivated green space and protect them for the future the RHS is urging:

• Policymakers to guarantee “Space to Grow” in all housing and urban planning, so every household has access to a garden
• Homeowners to consider robust planting and permeable paving for front garden driveways to help mitigate flood risk and promote the cooling potential of gardens as well as support biodiversity
• Local councils to ensure diversity in tree planting, prioritising those species that will respond best to climate change
• Developers to design gardens with water channelling, capture and storage facilities to help future proof them

Gardening is certainly a popular activity, both to do but also to go to see. There were massive queues in the local area where I live due to the RHS Sandringham Show: an expansion on the previous Sandringham Flower Show.

#640: Greenlightenment

Another post which came from my Google Alert for "GCSE Natural History"

For the last week, Steve Backshall has been presenting his Wild Heligan event at the 'Lost' Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall.

This Cornish Times article explains how he and Tim Smit (creator of the Eden Project) are calling for a "greenlightenment".

Sir Tim said: “The launch of the government consultation is a seismic moment for British education and we must recognise that a deep understanding of the natural world is fundamental to humanity’s future.
For too long, natural history has been seen by some as a folly – the domain of tweed-jacketed professors hoarding specimens in glass cases – but the reality is that so many of the problems in our education system can be solved by putting natural history at the centre of the curriculum. We need young people to realise that natural history is for everyone, not just the privileged few, and that nature surrounds us wherever we live. It is our responsibility to equip the next generation with the tools to protect nature so it doesn’t become history.”

#639: Consultation response submitted

I've submitted my personal response to the consultation on the GCSE Natural History's proposed subject content. The RGS will be submitting a response - as will the GA and other related organisations.

One of the core aims of the natural history GCSE is for students to acquire deep knowledge of the species and habitats that make up the natural world in the UK, as well as how these species and habitats interact with one another.

The subject content seeks to enable students to gain a profound understanding of the distinct features and uniqueness of the natural world in the UK. Students will learn about the characteristics of the main wildlife groupings, which will enable them to identify species they may see in their natural habitats. This focus on species and habitats – and the specific requirements contained within the proposed subject content – will ensure students gain excellent breadth and depth of knowledge of a range of key elements of the natural world.

Studying human interaction with nature is essential for educating students about fostering a sustainable and responsible relationship with the natural world. This knowledge is crucial for supporting and conserving habitats and species. The content focuses on understanding the effects of a range of human activities on wildlife and habitats, and exploring how different conservation and habitat‑management methods can preserve and enhance biodiversity.

Through development of the subject content, we have heard clearly that fieldwork is integral to the study of natural history. It plays a key role in providing students with practical experience to support the knowledge they have been taught and the skills they would need to take most advantage of their time outdoors. For this reason, we are proposing an ambitious fieldwork requirement of 20 hours, which goes further than other GCSEs, and will allow students to fully consolidate and extend their learning beyond the classroom.

Within this requirement, we have been mindful of potential delivery challenges for schools. We have therefore used the metric of ‘hours’ (which contrasts with metrics used for fieldwork in other subjects, such as GCSE geography) to make clear that the requirement can be structured flexibly across the duration of the course, including during regular timetabled lessons. Specifications must allow schools to choose locations for fieldwork based on their own local contexts and circumstances, as long as students are able to meet specification requirements. While schools may consider locations in their local areas and further afield, we also encourage schools to consider using school grounds as a location for fieldwork study.

The proposed subject content requires students to understand how climate change – both natural processes and human‑accelerated factors – affects habitats, species and ecological relationships. While climate change is not the primary focus of the qualification, students will be able to build on learning in other subjects and apply this knowledge to the study of the natural world, including how species respond to changing environmental conditions.

Some elements of my submission were outlined on a Substack post.

A few points I referred to:

• there’s no mention of GIS and mapping, which is vital for plotting species distributions and habitats and monitoring changes in those over time
• there are 17 elements to the fieldwork suggestions - is this too many, and are all of them realistic in a school context?
• 20 hours of fieldwork sounds like a lot… but it isn’t across the length of the course itself - more fieldwork time is needed
• ecologists and others who work in the field will often use a notebook where observations and other materials are kept - should a field journal (kept across the length of the course) be a possible method of assessment (in the same way as other subjects allow a portfolio of work
• are the chosen habitats and species appropriate, and what will students do with the knowledge they have of identifying particular species?
• how can the subject be made more inclusive in nature?

Kit Marie Rackley has shared their position on this as well.

#638: Bill Oddie RIP

Bill Oddie was a broadcaster - I remember him in 'The Goodies' - Ecky Thump, giant Dougal, Cat on the BT Tower et al... 

He was also a bird-watcher and naturalist and presenter on Springwatch.

#637: Tree of the Year 2026

The Woodland Trust is once again inviting votes for the Tree of the Year.

For the Woodland Trust, trees are really important.

A tree may be a village’s oldest inhabitant, a much-loved local landmark, a place to meet, play or exercise, or a gardener’s pride and joy. Whatever their story, Tree of the Year aims to highlight and appreciate how vital trees are for our landscapes and our lives.

Trees clean our air, cool our streets, reduce flooding, support wildlife and boost our health and wellbeing. This year’s Tree of the Year contest is celebrating the trees that have gone the extra mile, surviving an array of challenges and still standing strong against the odds. These extraordinary trees are icons in their communities, clinging on despite extreme growing conditions, disease, lightning strikes and even cannonball fire! Each one is remarkable to look at and has an even more remarkable story behind it.

The team has shortlisted 10 trees and you can vote for your favourite before the 29th of September.

I've voted for mine...

#636: Alexander von Humboldt

Another in a series of posts on people who one would probably be worth discussing with students as part of the final course, because of their contributions to Natural History.

It remains to be seen whether this will actually form part of the final specification.

Alexander von Humboldt should have a place on any such list.

There is a very useful book on the life and work of von Humboldt by Andrea Wulf: a biography published in 2015 which won several awards. 

It outlines his pioneering work in a range of sciences, including the creation of 

Here's a short video from the Smithsonian which talks about his ideas, some of which were contemporaneous with other figures.

His first major expedition to South America began in 1799. It would last five years and what he 'discovered' and described there was to kick start his career.

.

& one from TED Education...

Von Humboldt was also credited with some of the early examples of infographics, which he developed.