#613: Merlin app helping conservation efforts

I've mentioned the Merlin ID app before on the blog. It will be a very useful resource for all those teaching the GCSE Natural History.

The Guardian had an article this weekend on the value of the app for identifying species which are threatened.

#612: Heal the Land

Heal the Land is a new film which was showcased at an RGS Summer film night.

From the website:

Heal the Land is a compelling, inspiring and hopeful film about the transformation of a former intensive dairy farm in Somerset into a thriving new place for nature and people.

This beautiful 25-minute documentary, filmed entirely at the Heal Somerset site during 2024, is a journey of drama, discovery and insight into the start of this rewilding journey. 

The film features astonishing new arrivals, a remarkable array of wildlife and insightful commentary from experts and the Heal team. Above all, it shows the extraordinary resilience of nature and how quickly wildlife comes back if we give it space and allow it to thrive. With England currently one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth, the challenge to restore biodiversity and kickstart nature recovery has never been more urgent.

The trailer is shown below:

#611: Deer Stalkers needed

Via my Google Alert.

The Daily Telegraph has connected the new specification with a conservation need. There are millions of deer in the countrysde, and when there are too many and they aren't managed this can lead to damage to trees, hedgerows and habitat for birds. There is a suggestion that more young people should be trained in deer management methods.

Charles Smith-Jones, of the Brit­ish Deer Soci­ety, said: “The interest is out there, and it’s a ques­tion of devel­op­ing the enthu­si­asms, and then cre­at­ing the oppor­tun­it­ies.”

He noted that there was a new nat­ural his­tory GCSE, which might help raise aware­ness, adding: 

“I hope the GCSE goes bey­ond ‘isn’t wild­life lovely’ and looks at the real­it­ies of con­ser­va­tion, and what we need to do to main­tain a bal­ance of deer in the coun­tryside.”

It's an interesting perspective... I wonder whether the final subject content and specification will allow for such discussions to take place.

#610: Wild Future - RSPB

The RSPB's magazine is a good resource for Natural History. It would be worth having an RSPB subscription for the geography department. This would

The RSPB were one of the original supporters of the GCSE Natural History and may be planning some support for schools that are offering the qualification.

It would be nice to think that schools offering the qualification would perhaps be able to take their group of GCSE Natural History students to their local RSPB reserve for a reduced (or free) entry fee perhaps?

 This could also work for other organisations working in the same sort of area.

#609: Traffic noise and baby birds...

We know that traffic noise causes harm to human health.

It increases stress levels, and the associated air pollution affects air quality.

This piece from April 2024 explains how it also damages nature and forces birds to sing louder.

Noise from traffic stunts the growth of baby birds.

Image: Alan Parkinson, shared on Flickr under CC license

#608: Peatland restoration

Some years ago, I worked with a researcher to translate their work into the classroom. 

It was written for the RGS-IBG's From the Field project.

The work looked at how peat moorlands recovered after fires. There have been a number of fires in the Peak District and such fires are becoming more common with high temperatures and drought conditions.

Aims

Once a heathland ecosystem has been damaged by fire, it can take many years to become re-established. Like any area of vegetation, relationships become established between the plants and the animals that inhabit them, and across the trophic levels that make up the network ecology.

Rose’s work is to explore the mechanisms for the restoration of pollination, and the extent to which this has been successful over time. As an area recovers from fire, it will also move through the stages of plant succession: a process which will have been arrested by the fire.

This is essential if the ecosystem is going to recover. The restored heathland network tends to have a different structure to the ancient heathland, with fewer interactions between the plants, bees and parasites that live on the bees.

The work was funded by Goldsmiths Company.

#607: Sand Dunes

I've previously posted about Bill Sutherland's Conservation Concepts videos.

This one on Sand Dunes was filmed at Holkham beach.

Format and contents of the video:

• How wind speed affects sand movement and accumulation 
• The role of pioneer plants in trapping and stabilising sand 
• How marram grass structures and strengthens dunes through rhizome networks 
• The succession of dunes from bare sand to woodland 
• The effects of human disturbance and coastal management 
• How natural dynamics — storms, floods, and fencing — continue to shape dune systems today

Thanks to Jake Fiennes of the Holkham Estate for making this possible and explaining the history.

This is a place that we used to visit for many years when I was Head of Geography at a school in King's Lynn.

I am developing a resource on the Holkham Estate for possible use as a case study by teachers, including reference to their WONDER strategy.

#606: Stephen Collins on Beaver reintroduction

A super cartoon from Stephen Collins who has a lovely style and tackles cultural and everyday issues in a creative way.

Prints can also be purchased from his shop.

Check out Instagram and other locations to find his work.

Copyright: Stephen Collins.

#605: Natural History for Wales?

A member of the Welsh Senedd has called for the GCSE Natural History to be introduced in Wales.

Lindsay Whittle, the Plaid Cymru MS for Blaenau Gwent, Caerffili and Rhymni, raised the issue during questions to the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Education, Anna Brychan, in the Senedd.

#604: QuickGIS

Andy Funnell has done a great job of collating a whole range of GIS tools into one place "for busy teachers" - and others.

It's called QuickGIS and is a Wordpress site that he has put together for the benefit of everyone.

Maps are shown in a series of categories.

A quick browse reveals some useful ones for teachers of all key stages. The 'Environment and Resources' tab for example takes you to various viewers and maps to explore ecosystems.

This ecoregions map is new to me, for example.

#603: Visions of Nature at the Natural History Museum

I've mentioned this place quite a few times in the past. 

As well as potential visits by students who are completing the course, they also run CPD events. 

There are also exhibitions and activities such as the VR experience: 'Visions of Nature' - only until October 2026 so ending before it will be of use to teachers for the GCSE Natural History.

Discover how our decisions today can influence the natural world a hundred years from now in this interactive, mixed-reality experience.

Put on your headset and be transported a century into the future to meet the virtual plants and animals that are thriving. They’ll scuttle, swim and soar around as you journey across the globe learning about their survival.

Along the way, you’ll experience eight different ecosystems, from harmonious highlands to resilient rainforests, and even down to the depths of the Arctic Ocean. As you interact with the wildlife, you’ll see how human intervention and scientific ingenuity has helped these species and habitats recover.

You’ll leave feeling inspired, knowing that the actions we take today will help build a better tomorrow.

#602: Hitting the library

We now have the proposed subject content for the GCSE Natural History and you have some time to respond to the consultation to give your opinions. Please do... it's cheaper than buying books.

Don't forget to head off to your local library. It's vital to support it so that it doesn't go the way of many others and disappear. My main library is the Millennium Library at the Forum in Norwich.

However, this closed in April 2026 for a £1.3 million refurbishment and complete re-organisation. It reopens in mid-July 2026. I look forward to seeing what has been done there. There was a very large Natural History section in the library stretching for quite a while.

In the meantime, I headed for the library at Wells-next-the-Sea, which is a small one, and operates as as unmanned library for much of the week. I found these two books which look like being very interesting amd appropriate for the collation of materials and ideas and images that will have to take place fairly quickly once content is approved and we move onto draft specifications....

If they prove to be vital to have a physical copy of, there will perhaps be a budget provided for the development of the new specification and a library of books can be built up - some for teachers to refer to, and some for students to be inspired by.

Image: Alan Parkinson

#601: Nature Discovery Week - 29th June - 3rd July

Nature Discovery Week is going to take place at the end of June.

It's organised through the National Education Nature Park.

#600: Spoonbill Cam

“By making the best use of technology, we are able to bring unseen nature directly into people’s homes, allowing them to witness the secret lives of some of our most iconic wetland birds. Following a wide range of species through the breeding season promises to provide truly compelling viewing.”

Jake Fiennes

Holkham Estate, and the work of Jake Fiennes (as featured in his book 'Land Healer') will be the focus for a resource that I'm planning as part of a suite of resources to support teachers when the draft specification launches.

The estate has a range of habitats and some of those have webcams to track the wildlife.

This one is a first: a spoonbill cam.

#599: SISI Invasive Species Images

If you are after images of invasive species, the SISI Flickr page has plenty for you to use.

They cover a few plant species, and also some work to control mink and other animals as well.

It is likely that the impact of invasive species on a range of environments will form part of the investigative work of the new specification as it is an example of where humans and nature overlap.

Invasive species can often cause problems for ecosystems, competing with local species or even damaging properties in the case of Japanese knotweed or out competing the natural residents e.g. red squirrels.

What invasive species might students be introduced to in the new specification?

Here's perhaps one of the most famous pieces of music about invasive species. A classic from early Genesis, with Peter Gabriel on vocals.

#598: Biodiversity Heritage Library - an amazing resource

The Biodiversity Heritage Library was featured in The Guardian yesterday.

There is a very large Flickr library of images which are scanned from the original documents and arranged in albums. These are from expeditions such as Erebus, and into the Antarctic.

There are some excellent images from historical manuscripts.

As well as published biodiversity literature and journals, there are letters, illustrations, climate records, field diaries, ecosystem profiles, distribution records and manuscripts containing the original collecting stories of a particular species or detailing voyages of discovery.

The story was linked to a suggestion that AI might help save endangered plants.

Check the website of the library for more details.

What are your favourite albums in the collection?

#597: More responses to the proposed subject content

I've been keeping an eye on the response to the confirmation that the GCSE Natural History will go ahead, and the publication of proposed subject content for the awarding bodies to work with after a period of consultation.

Steve Backshall was involved in the publicity around the launch and said...

"I’ve spent my life exploring the furthest reaches of the globe – from ocean depths to mountain summits – and the natural world never stops surprising me. That sense of discovery is something every young person deserves to feel, and this GCSE could be the thing that sparks it.

Getting students outside for real fieldwork – studying everything from urban parks to coastal salt marshes – is exactly how you build a genuine connection with nature. That hands-on experience isn’t just brilliant for the soul, it builds the kind of scientific and analytical skills that will serve them well in future life.

We’re asking this generation to confront some of the biggest challenges humanity has ever faced – biodiversity loss, climate change, species extinction. This qualification gives them the knowledge and the tools to not just understand those challenges, but to be part of the solution."

It's described in The Manc as a "landmark moment for education".

Elena Lengthorn appeared in the local paper.

Elena Lengthorn, University Lead Mentor for PGCE Geography at the University of Worcester, who has played a key role in shaping the qualification as part of national advisory panels, said: "This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape a qualification that could transform how young people engage with the natural world.

"This qualification will not only deepen understanding of the natural world but also develop practical and analytical skills that are essential for the fast-growing green economy."

There's also been a welcome from the Wildlife Trusts. Their Head of Health and Education, Dom Higgins is quoted in this piece.

He says:

There is a biodiversity layer that lives in and on the human body, including the gut, skin and airways. We are learning more and more every day that health is linked to surroundings – and so to the ecological health of what's around us. The first thousand days of human life – when the brain and body are most rapidly developing – are crucial.’

Being outdoors in nature stimulates changes in our bodies – the "feel-good" chemicals start to fire – specifically increasing the production of endorphins, dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin.

There is also that very 'human' factor in terms of triggering memories. Experiencing beauty in nature can trigger a sense of "wonder". This emotional response grounds us in the present moment, making experiences feel more significant and memorable.


He also provides some good examples of how educators can re-connect young people with nature.

‘Listen to and then use children's interests to link to nature. They're into gaming? Ask what they have built in Minecraft or Roblox; bring the conversation round to nature.’

‘They're into football? Ask how they wind down after a match; what's the place like where they play – can they see trees? Ever spent time with them after a match? Try it!’

‘Find the links to what you are teaching that day,’ he says. ‘There are science, maths and stories out there; relive history through the rings in trees, count the bugs and flowers in squares of grass, hear a story and recreate it outside, talk about different religions' views of nature and the importance of caring for it.’

Where possible, a whole-school approach can secure parent and carer permission for local off-site walks, cutting administrative burdens and including families in decision-making and activities, if they are able to.

Higgins concludes: ‘You would be amazed where you can create nature in school grounds where there is none. Get in touch with your local Wildlife Trust to see what can be done.’

#596: Thoughts on the proposed subject content

Last Friday saw the document that we had been waiting for for a long time: proposed subject content for the GCSE Natural History.

I've been looking through it to make a sort of 'to do' list ahead of the next stage of the process and have scribbled all over a copy of the document below - and started collating some comments for the consultation.

There's still a lot of thinking to do.

There are some other perspectives from a Labour MP for example...

This piece from Seirian Summer in Phys.org / The Conversation made some interesting points.

The education system has done little to nurture curiosity and understanding of nature in real life.

They like the ecology aspects:

This curriculum serves the field of ecology pretty well. Students will learn to identify native species found in grasslands, woodlands, urban and marine environments. They will learn about the dynamic relationships between species and the implications of human influence (including climate change) for habitats, ecosystems and species. This helps equip the next generation as effective stewards of the natural world, and it complements other subjects such as biology and geography.

On the idea of plant blindness"

We have become a nature-blind society: "plant blindness" is a term used to describe how we fail to see the most common wildlife (plants) under our noses. We need to relearn the innate ability we all had as toddlers to notice the tiny creatures beneath our feet or the fractal patterns emanating through sunlit leaves.

On the 20 hours of fieldwork that the course requires, they say it's not enough - GCSE PE includes 45 hours of practical time... (which may not take place outside of course).

Twenty hours is an average of 15 minutes a week over a two-year GCSE. Hardly time to step outside, let alone find something that catches your eye, make notes about its appearance and behavior, then find the right identification key to name it. In a time-stressed world, noticing nature—really observing it closely, not just ticking species off a list—offers an excuse to slow down, be mindful and spark your curiosity.

They also mention something that I think should form part of the assessment: a nature journal, with observations, leaves and other related ephemera, sketches, sound recordings, images and drawings and clippings from newspapers and other sources, plus tickets of places visited and events attended.

A short course on nature journalling may be an option for teachers, providing guidance on fieldwork observation, recording and methods used in ecology. There are 17 bullet points in that section of the proposed content.

More to come over the next year...

#595: Greening the Curriculum

"It's not good enough that sustainability is restricted to a few subjects and that most of our teachers and lecturers don’t know enough about it. Our education system must teach the truth and prepare us for the future, because we are the future."

Teach the Future – A youth led campaign sponsored by the NUS

Produced by OCR as part of the preparations for the development of the new qualification.

Greening the Curriculum.

#594: UK Species

The Natural History Museum has a page on the UK's species.

The museum is working on bringing all of the standard reference names for all species of flora and fauna in the UK, together in one place.

Over 70,000 species of animals, plants, fungi and single-celled organisms are found in the UK.

A SEARCH function is available for this inventory.