#558: A new image of Earth from Space

Via Artemis II.

#557: Beetles

How to identify beetles?

A guide is here.

ID guides for major species which may be mentioned in the specification will be important. Some teachers who are teaching the new specifications may not be 

#556: RSPB - a fieldtrip option, and citizen science opportunity

The RSPB is one of the supporters of the new GCSE in Natural History. 

A list has been blogged previously showing the original supporting organisations. 

The connections which are made clear when the draft subject content emerges for consultation will be helpful in providing a steer for the approach that has been taken.

There are quite a few RSPB reserves around the country.

It is one of the largest conservation organisations in the country, and has many members. They have also been particularly critical in the last six months of changes in government policy around planning, which was a rare foray into this sort of campaigning work.

They also have a role in education, and could well provide a useful option for schools needing local fieldwork opportunities, or training, or perhaps to provide a role for certain students. 

There may well be some ornithological experts amongst the student body of any school - although the Merlin ID app is a useful alternative to actually recognising bird song.

RSPB reserves welcome visitors of course, and they also have an Educational 

The RSPB website is here.

RSPB members can access reserves and car parks. It is a good value membership given the number of reserves that can be visited.

#555: Changing banknotes

I've mentioned some of the wildlife that features on coins and bank notes previously.

Many countries feature wildlife on bank notes as part of the nation's heritage and culture.

Now we may get more wildlife on our bank notes.

Following a consultation. 44,000 people had their say on what themes and images they'd like to see on their notes.

60% of people picked nature as their preferred theme, and so the Bank of England are making a big change.

This suggestion has not gone down well with the Daily Telegraph.

Here's the announcement from the Bank of England.

#554: River Glaven

What is your local river? Can you get out to it to do fieldwork easily?

What fieldwork would be appropriate for the GCSE Natural History?

One river that I have completed fieldwork on most recently is the River Glaven.

This is a fairly short river which flows through North Norfolk.

Rising from tiny chalk headwaters in lower Bodham and Baconsthorpe, the River Glaven flows for approximately 17 km. Its main course begins just below Selbrigg Pond, where three tributaries combine at the outfall. From there, the river winds through wooded hills of glacial debris, traverses lush countryside, and meanders through picturesque flint villages, before meeting the sea behind Blakeney Point.

Image: Selbrigg Pond, where the Glaven comes to life.

I have followed the river for most of that route.

At Letheringsett mill there is a useful stretch where fieldwork can be carried out.

Image: Letheringsett

The River Glaven faces challenges from abstraction, climate change and development. These pressures affect water levels and temperatures, ultimately impacting the wildlife and communities that depend on this precious chalk stream.

The river has a Conservation Group.

Images by Alan Parkinson.

#553: RGS CPD on Biodiversity

As we move to the next stage of the development of the new GCSE Natural History, there will be a need for teachers to receive CPD in a wide range of new skills and knowledge. This sort of event will be particularly helpful.

How do we protect nature in a rapidly changing world?

Join us on Tuesday 17 March to hear leading conservation scientists and researchers discuss how we can safeguard biodiversity for the future.

• Professor Nathalie Seddon – Professor of Biodiversity (University of Oxford)
• Dr Liana Chua – Social anthropologist and Associate Professor in Malay World Studies (University of Cambridge)
• Dr Joshua Elves-Powell – Associate Lecturer in Biodiversity Conservation and Ecology (UCL) and National Geographic Explorer

Chaired by Martine Croxall (BBC News)

Be part of an important conversation on conservation, climate and the future of our natural world.

Book here - very reasonably priced.

#552: The John Clare Countryside Project

This was on the local news magazine programme tonight.

John Clare was a poet who was influenced by nature and the outside world.

The artist in residence Kathryn Parsons was interviewed.

The project is expanding.

An excellent booklet which provides details of the project

Download the booklet here (PDF download)

You can also download a set of Education resources.

The 2015 film By Our Selves (Andrew Kötting), featuring Toby Jones, traced Clare’s walk. Other fans of Clare’s work include Patrick Stewart and Damon Albarn.

#551: World Frog Day - March 20th

One possible additional focus for teachers is to mention or highlight some of the specific days during the year which are linked to specific species of wildlife.

Here's one for you:

March 20th is World Frog Day.

Use the Amphibian Ark website, which has a range of resources.

#550: Threatened rock art

The Vingen Quarry in Norway has a range of threatened rock art.

This Guardian article from 2024 explores the reason why such sites should be protected.

Rock art falls into the category of "representations of the natural world".

#549: New Natural History Centre at Heligan

Details are here:

A NEW educational hub dedicated to championing the cause of nature has opened at a tourist attraction in Cornwall.

The Centre for Nature Futures at the Lost Gardens of Heligan, near Mevagissey, was launched in front of an invited audience of educationalists and business people.

Speeches were given by Heligan co-founder Sir Tim Smit, Heligan chief executive David Harland, head of Nature Futures Dan Ryan and Mary Colwell, a conservationist and naturalist who has led a campaign to introduce a natural history GCSE to the national curriculum.

#548: Remote and face to face - the support we'll need

When the specification is (finally) released, along with SAMs and other support materials and guidance there will be a year or so to prepare teachers to teach the new specification. 

This will require them to upskill themselves (and I include myself in that).

Official and 'unofficial' support and textbooks and other material will start to appear, and the various organisations who have been involved so far will no doubt have their own idea.

There are already some organisations offering free online training - here are a few examples from November 2023 for example, from different organisations... they will of course be offering many more in the years to come...

On 16th Nov at 1:45pm, tune into our next STEM Live lesson, 'How to Classify a Sea Monster', brought to you by @LinneanSociety.

Here you'll learn how to study life in the wild, name living organisms and even draw imaginary creatures!

Sign up here: https://t.co/QgnSkAKaDv pic.twitter.com/5wqw1qw48q

— STEMLiveLessons (@STEMLiveLessons) October 24, 2023

Ever wondered what life is like on a historic estate? Join us @unisouthampton to hear from the team at Beaulieu Estate.

📍Southampton, 8 November 👉 https://t.co/W5TjyAusuK pic.twitter.com/GV4iIph7tI

— Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) (@RGS_IBG) October 26, 2023

What do you think will be the most useful types of support that teachers and schools that decide to offer the new specification will need to be provided with - whether by the awarding body or external bodies including publishers, subject associations, charities etc.

#547: Horizon

Horizon was Barry Lopez' penultimate book, and a substantial piece of work which showed his particular love of the world, and his way of describing it. 

There is a review of the book here, by Robert MacFarlane.

MacFarlane met Barry a number of times, and has written about this, and there are videos available on YouTube of them discussing Barry's life and work.

Horizon remains one of the finest descriptions of the slow change that has taken place within the life times of those of us over the age of 50. Communicating the likely changes that will take place in the next 50 years while remaining positive is the difficult thing...

#546: RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch

This takes place this coming weekend.

Make sure that you take part in this huge citizen science event. Just give up an hour of your weekend to sit there with a cup of tea and see which birds land in your garden.

At the time of posting around 400 000 people / families have registered to take part.

Come and join us!

#545: Natural History Reading List #24: 'Shifting Sands'

The subtitle of the book is 'A Human History of the Sahara' and the author has personal experience of living in the region, whose name comes from some local terms.

It's one of the best books I read last year.

The indigenous populations would never use the term 'Sahara', as they refer to smaller sub-regions with which they are familiar. They will generally have quite specialist knowledge of particular areas and the routes between trading posts.

They used words that described the empty, dangerous, inhospitable nature of the region, some of which were then appropriated for the actual place names for desert areas

There is also plenty of insight. Jay Owens' book 'Dust' has previously explored the many geographical aspects that can be obtained from exploring the desert sands.

A large part of the desert is made of hamada or desert pavement, or stony ground, and sand dunes are relatively rare.

The Natural History of deserts will not be a main area of the GCSE Natural History, which will focus particularly on UK based ecosystems and nature, but the way that nature can survive and people can thrive in such challenging environments is worth exploring. 

The other aspect of the book is that the desert hasn't always been a desert - it used to be woodland, but climate change resulted in a change in the landscape of the whole region.

This book has been really fascinating and increased my knowledge of deserts a great deal. It is the additional human context which has made all the difference, and the way that it is put together is authentic and authoritative.

There is plenty on the desert as it is today, and its challenges.

My copy was published by Profile Books in 2025.

Hardback,  374pp

ISBN: 987-1-788166454

An audiobook preview is here. Those with Spotify Premium can listen to the book too.

This area is one where once again indigenous knowledge is coming to the fore.

#544: 3-30-300

A framework for nature I came across via a map activity shared by Bob Lang.

It's an evidence-based guideline for how to integrate nature into cities so people actually benefit from trees and green spaces.

The rule of thumb provides clear criteria for the minimum provision of urban trees in our urban communities by setting the following three minimum requirements:

• 3 mature trees from every home
• 30 percent tree canopy cover in every neighbourhood
• 300 metres from the nearest high-quality public park or other green space

Simple. Measurable. Backed by research showing that proximity to nature reduces stress, improves mood, and has genuine health benefits.

How does your neighbourhood score on this measure?

I can see a great many more than 3 mature trees frm my home and am less than 100 metres from green spaces. 

Not sure of the overall tree canopy cover, but it's fairly high... 

Image: Holkham Meals - Alan Parkinson - shared on Flickr under CC license.

#543: Local case study suggestions: Wendling Beck, Norfolk

Wendling Beck is in Norfolk - my home county. It has undergone some regeneration recently. This video explores this idea of regenerating riparian environments.

#542: Natural History GCSE - why offer it?

There was a consultation before the long hiatus in the development of the GCSE Specification which will need to be approved by OFQUAL and go to consultation again.

These were some of the responses to the questionnaire back then...

I wonder whether these have changed in the intervening years...

#541: Nature - by Royal appointment

Catherine: the Princess of Wales has shared the 4th in a series of videos as part of her personal journey with cancer, and sharing the power of Nature. 

It is called Mother Nature.

Here are the 4 videos so far:

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Winter

#540: A thorny problem

Kenya's Samburu county has marginal land which is prone to desertification. 

To try to keep it in place, they decided to introduce a thorny tree called mathenge (also known as mesquite).

This article looks at what happened next.

Mathenge was planted... and got a little out of control.

#539: Wild London - New Year's Day

Why not welcome 2026 in with the calming tones of Sir David Attenborough.

1st of January, BBC One at 6.30pm - Wild London

Description from the BBC.

After a life spent travelling the globe, the world’s most famous naturalist turns his attention closer to home to explore the wildlife of England’s iconic capital. Having lived in London for 75 years, Sir David has an intimate knowledge of the city’s natural history, and there's no better guide to introduce us to its most spectacular wildlife secrets.

London is considered the greenest major city in the world, with a surprising variety of animal dramas playing out in the most unexpected places. Whether it’s herds of deer invading gardens, pigeons commuting by tube, snakes slithering along Regent's Canal, parakeets raiding green spaces, or seagulls learning new ways to make a killing in the city, Sir David reveals the incredible wild encounters to be experienced across his hometown.

Sir David celebrates the extraordinary ways in which animals are adapting to survive in the urban jungle, whether it be the fortunes of a pair of peregrines nesting on the Houses of Parliament as their chicks attempt their first flight, or a family of foxes living in the heart of Tottenham struggling to get to grips with fierce rivals and dangerous streets. He is inspired as he learns how people across the capital are ensuring some of Britain’s most-loved species can continue to call London home, and he even joins efforts to bring back animals that have disappeared from the city.

Captured over his centennial year, this personal and poignant film is a timely insight into how cities can become homes for wildlife as well as ourselves.