#429: Alfred Russel Wallace

A piece in The Conversation in January 2025 looked at the work of Alfred Russel Wallace - someone who one would expect the GCSE Natural History - if it occurs - might 

#428: Launch the GCSE Natural History now!

So say campaigners according to this Guardian piece from the weekend.

It could apparently be delayed until 2030....

The previous Conservative administration had supported creating the GCSE, which would teach pupils how to observe, identify and classify plants and animals.
However, campaigners have claimed the plans had been shelved by Labour because the qualification was seen as a “Tory initiative”.

In response to a letter sent by Mary Colwell, Caroline Lucas and others...

A Department for Education spokesperson said on Saturday: “We are committed to driving high and rising standards in schools and ensuring all pupils benefit from a rich and balanced curriculum that sets them up for work and life.

“Through our National Education Nature Park programme, led by the Natural History Museum, children and young people are inspired to connect with nature and develop their understanding of their own role in climate change.

“The government is currently in the process of considering the next steps for a natural history GCSE.”

Let's see what happens next...

#427: Tree.FM

A tip-off via BlueSky.

Tree.FM will play the sound of a random forest. Good for escaping or relaxing. Click to be taken to another forest if you fancy a change.

People around the world recorded the sounds of their forests, so you can escape into nature, and unwind wherever you are. Take a breath and soak in the forest sounds as they breathe with life and beauty!

And while you are here, why not help to grow what keeps us alive? Climate change and governments are destroying our forests. Let’s leave some trees for our grandchildren to climb and make the steps to restore our planet.

#426: Nice beaver...

There are wild beavers within 15 minutes of my house.... they are active at Sculthorpe Nature Reserve in Norfolk.

As #COP29 draws to a close in Baku, perhaps it is a good moment to be reminded that despite the complex global politics, there are practical things we can do on the ground here in England. & in acting to build resilience to climate change impacts, we can restore Nature too. pic.twitter.com/YdzbeFyvPC

— Tony Juniper (@TonyJuniper) November 22, 2024

These local initiatives are part of the Beavers and Biodiversity Gain Project.

In September 2019, after a successful application to the Green Recovery Challenge Fund, the Trust secured a grant.

The project was in two stages, based at the Sculthorpe Moor Nature Reserve – Norfolk.

• Creation and reintroduction of Beaver area.
• The diversion of flood water from the Wensum to Hempton Moor, south of the Reserve, and enhancing its wetland habitat (reedbed & ponds).

#425: Fieldwork ideas - Mission:Explore

Mission:Explore is a series of books which was produced by a group of people called the Geography Collective. 

I am proud to say that I was one of the co-founders of the project, along with Daniel Raven Ellison after a late night phone call.

Some of the missions lend themselves to being adapted or used directly to guide fieldwork.

Why not track down one of the books and give them a go?

#424: A year of Environmental Lunacy

The NAEE is sharing a Year of Environmental Lunacy. 

There will be a monthly post looking at the full moon which occurs in that year. These have a name which often stems from America and Canada's Indigenous / first nation people, and the world they lived in, but that means they are not always appropriate for the UK.

This project is about suggesting a name which fits with the UK's wildlife.

The first one has just gone up, with Paula Owens suggesting that we call the Wolf Moon (January's full moon - which occurs tomorrow) as the Fox Moon.

NEW Blog series :: Environmental Lunacy Project - UK NAEE https://t.co/cYbi32Rd3m

— NAEE in the UK (@NAEE_UK) January 12, 2025

Delighted to say that I will be contributing one of the monthly posts later in the year.

Check back each month to see a different author suggest an alternative new name for that month's full moon.

#423: Biome Pyramid

 

#422: Ellen Bradley on the importance of the new qualification

A recent post by Ellen Bradley.

Our education system is failing. Failing to give young people the chance to understand the nature on their doorstep. Failing to give society the foundational knowledge needed to care for and protect the natural world. 

The Natural History GCSE is a unique and hugely exciting opportunity to level the playing field, to give generations of people the chance to discover more about their surroundings.

#421: Natural History Reading List #22: 'Homecoming'

'Homecoming' is the latest book by nature writer Melissa Harrison. 

It is a chunky almanac-cum-diary which can be filled in over the course of a year, but started at any time.

After an introduction into the importance of engaging with the natural world, and the benefits to be gained by doing that, the book includes a monthly summary of what can be seen in nature and the weather.

This is followed by a diary type set of page where observations can be recorded, and a set of tick boxes of typical wildlife interactions that you might have in that particular month. There are note pages and other things.

While you should of course support your local bookseller, if you are on a budget, this is currently half price on Amazon.

My copy was published by W and N

It was purchased from Topping Books in Ely. Support your local 

Hardback, 320pp

ISBN: 978-1399618779

#420: The National Trust's Annual Review for 2024

This has been getting a lot of coverage in the news: the charity's annual review.

Each year the Weather and Wildlife Review looks back on how weather has impacted wildlife through the seasons at the places the National Trust looks after.

One in six species in the UK are currently threatened with extinction and we're seeing the impact that the climate crisis is having on both common and rare species.

The review shows that our changing climate has led to the slow loss of predictable weather patterns and how traditional seasonal shifts are causing chaos and confusion for wildlife and people.

The incremental shifts we’re experiencing in terms of our seasons extending may not feel like much in a 12-month period, but over a decade the changes are extremely significant.

Ben McCarthy: National Trust Head of Nature Conservation and Restoration Ecology

With 2024 declared the world’s hottest year on record, it signals a red alert for nature. As global temperatures rise, scientists have previously said that the UK is likely to experience a wetter climate. That reality is now playing out in real time, impacting landscapes, nature and the places we look after. 

Following record-breaking warm years in 2022 and 2023, 2024 was mild and very wet by comparison, with unsettled weather dominating forecasts across the UK in the past 12 months.

2024 has seen record-breaking warm and wet months as well as temperatures see-sawing from one extreme to the other within a matter of days. 

Storms, flooding and multi-hazard weather events bringing snow, rain and wind simultaneously in different pockets of the country have caused destruction and disruption. Unusual sightings in the natural world from across the year also act as warning beacons for what’s happening to our wildlife and seasons. 

#419: Slow Ways: Walking in field margins

Often when walking in the countryside, a footpath will take you to a road and then expect you to walk along the road for a while to connect up to the next available footpath and continue with your journey. 

There are also paths which have not been used for a while, or have been deliberately (or accidentally) blocked by landowners for various reasons.

Some years ago, a deadline was set for footpaths to be recorded otherwise the right to use them would be lost.

This Guardian article outlines the 

During the COVID19 pandemic and lockdowns, one of the highlights of my day was when I closed my work laptop and went for a walk on a permissive path which completed a circular walk around my village, for my daily exercise. I did this for about a year.

On this (Boxing) day of walks, some good walking/access news—
c. 40,000 miles of historic rights-of-way in England & Wales have been reprieved from deletion from the “definitive map” of such paths.

Great work @ramblers.org.uk & other campaigners on this.https://t.co/yUTKXfUUCt

— Robert Macfarlane (@RobGMacfarlane) December 26, 2024

Good to contribute to @Matthew_Wright's @LBC show on better walking access to avoid dangerous roads with you @emilymnorton.

Agreed with your points, including the need for better driving!

We at @SlowWaysUK are working to find good ways where they exist! https://t.co/xbXYivQaqq

— Dan Raven-Ellison (@DanRavenEllison) December 27, 2024