Sir David Attenborough is calling on the public to help reverse butterfly declines by taking part in the world’s largest butterfly survey. The Big Butterfly Count encourages people to spot and record 18 species of common butterflies and two day-flying moths during three weeks of high summer. Have you recorded yet?
A recent map from NASA shows cloud cover over the earth. This shows an average of a satellite’s cloud observations between July 2002 and April 2015. You can just about make out the UK – under all that cloud. NASA says that typically 67% of Earth’s surface is covered by clouds, especially the case over the oceans, with less…
c/o The Guardian, here is a letter that “ten leading UK charities concerned with protection of the environment” sent to the Prime Minister late last month. The authors say they … “are writing to raise a major concern. On the basis of the decisions made by your ministers in the first period of this government, we have concluded that…
Butterfly Conservation has over 30 Nature Reserves, all havens for butterflies, moths and other wildlife. Volunteers manage most of the reserves and everyone is welcome to join in with the events and work parties on these interesting sites. Most reserves are open to visitors at all times, and many are designated Open Countryside, or have…
As we note on our blog, the UN says that the total number of people will probably grow from 7.3 billion today, to 9.7 billion in 2050. Over 50% of global population growth between now and 2050 is expected to occur in Africa. Of the additional 2.4 billion people projected to be added to the global population…
The RSPB has launched a campaign to encourage spend a night outside in a bid to ‘reconnect children with nature’. It is asking people to sleep outside this weekend to get closer to nature as part of its Big Wild Sleepout. RSPB thinks that children these days have too little contact with the natural world and wildlife, and…
The next Transition Network international conference takes place in Devon from September 18th-20th. This will explore Transition as an important worldwide grassroots activist network, focused on finding local solutions to global issues, and the new stories that are emerging from this shift. Hundreds of Transitioners from across 30+ countries are expected to attend and many…
The Royal Society of Biology [RSB] hopes you do because then you’ll be able to take part in its national poll to find the nation’s favourite insect. Its website says: “Insects are vital for human life on earth but are often overlooked. There are over 20,000 insect species found in the UK, but which…
On Thursday 6 and Friday 7 August, Martineau Gardens is hosting an outdoor production of Hamlet by Folksy Theatre; it starts at 1830. The production will be filled with live folk music and visitors are welcome to bring picnics, blankets and folding chairs. Clearly, when Hamlet says: “Fie on’t! ah fie! ’tis an unweeded garden, that grows…
Project Dirt asks: do you live in Redditch? If so, you can join Sustrans volunteers to celebrate the National Cycle Network’s 20th birthday with a ride and picnic in Redditch, starting from the Arrow Park Visitor Centre. Here is a map. And you can read more about the 20 year cycle network celebrations if you…