As the weather is warming up, the patrols are starting to get busy. My personal tally over the last three evenings is around 250 🐸, including a good number of newts.

A very easy, and fulfilling, way to help nature...

Nature security assessment on global biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and national security This strategic assessment explores how global biodiversity loss and the collapse of critical ecosystems could affect the UK’s resilience, security and prosperity.

An across-government technical assessment published today recognises that "nature is the foundation of national security" and that "every critical ecosystem is on a pathway to collapse". A rational response to this would be to get very serious about nature recovery.
www.gov.uk/government/p...

And also very noisy!

It is all too easy to regard new monitoring tech as the solution to environmental problems

All they do is expose in greater detail our degradation of the Earth

We need to use on that information to spur action - don’t just observe, act

#PastureforLife, #FloodplainMeadowsPartnership, #FinanceEarth, #NaturalEngland, #SoilAssociation, #SoilAssociatuinExchange, #JamesBullock, #UKCEH, #NatureFriendlyFarmingNetwork, #NationalLandscapesAssociation

Supporting Farmers to Access Funding for Grassland Restoration A new free toolkit has been created to increase farmers' understanding of nature markets and their potential to support grassland restoration.

www.plantlife.org.uk/our-work/sup...

Great to see the result of an idea that I pulled together through #BigChalk come to fruition. Well done to #Plantlife for agreeing to run the project and getting it through in collaboration with a great set of partners.

Yes! Hilary McGrady and the National Trust are right. Nature isn't a blocker to development - it's fundamental to a healthy, thriving economy.

The Chancellor must stop bat-bashing and instead embrace people's love of nature and the economic opportunity that it brings.🌳

A new-build block of flats against a blue sky

First-time buyers are forced to choose homes in nature-poor areas 🥀

Far too often, affordable = low access to nature 🏠

This leaves younger homebuyers at higher risk of health issues including depression & anxiety❗

Planning reforms must integrate parks & nature into developments👇

buff.ly/NVWciBu

Boundaries/Ymylon YouTube video by Campaign for National Parks

I'm no filmmaker nor film editor (especially) but with some much appreciated support from @campaign4parks.bsky.social I was able to take my first little baby steps.

A short film featuring lovely landscapes and some of my wise friends:

Boundaries/Ymylon

www.youtube.com/watch?v=64hg...

Citizen Science Coordinator (Chalk Streams) We are seeking a motivated professional with experience in recruiting, coordinating and facilitating volunteer activities for citizen scientists to conduct research and monitoring effectively, safely ...

‼️JOB VACANCY ‼️

Become a Citizen Science Coordinator with the Chilterns Chalk Streams Project! 

Two weeks until we close! ⌛

Deadline: 30 June 2025

Better planning needs real solutions, not blame games  - News - Bat Conservation Trust The government’s rhetoric is pushing for deregulation at the expense of nature.

🦇We are deeply concerned by the government’s latest rhetoric, which wrongly blames bats for slowing house building and infrastructure projects.

Better planning needs real solutions, not blame games. BCT's thoughts on this here: www.bats.org.uk/news/2025/03...

#bats #planning

We are looking for a casual catering assistant to join our team.
To apply please send your CV and a cover letter to grant.wilson@growcooklearn.co.uk

Duty Manager - College Lake | Berks Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust The Duty Manager will support the vision by providing a positive experience to visitors of College Lake and increasing the engagement of people with nature.

We're hiring!

We're looking for a Duty Manager to support our mission by providing a positive experience to visitors of College Lake and increasing people's engagement with nature.

For more information, and to apply, click the link below.

Clive Lewis Climate and Nature bill Second Reading speech Dystopian Future 24 01 25 YouTube video by Clive Lewis

I spoke in support of the Climate and Nature Bill. In this clip from my speech, I explain that the climate and nature crises are here right now, and we need more decisive action now, too.

youtu.be/L9dSHElg7Vo

🔔Vacancy reminder 🔔

Applications for our (RBOR) Nature and Greenspaces Officer are closing in next Sunday. help nature recover by working with stakeholders on a series of projects that take action for nature.

To find out more and apply: https://buff.ly/3DFFlh9

An important thread...

A food apocalypse is coming

There is a lot of talk about ‘food security’…

So I wrote this (and it got a sexed up headline :-)

unherd.com/2024/12/a-fo...

...and won't meet Defra's 30by30 criteria. Expanding beyond SSSIs means that around 6-9% is about right. Defra are in the right ballpark but for the wrong reasons. Knowing which sites fall short is important so that we can do something about them. We still have a long way to go in 5 short years...

My blog with Leo Fisher looking at where 30by30 is one year on from Defra's first publication on 30by30 in England. @wclnews.bsky.social(3.1%)and Defra (7.1%)differ in what they count. The reality - both are too restrictive.

national-landscapes.org.uk/news/deliver...

Another brilliant Farming in Protected Landscapes funded project! #naturefriendlyfarming #farmingfornature #fipl #farminginprotectedlandscapes @wclnews.bsky.social

National Landscapes - 'Furthering the purpose' explained - planning that supports nature, climate and communities

Legal changes require planning authorities to take a more active role in conserving and enhancing National Landscapes. To support planning teams National Landscapes we've developed a briefing to explain what's changed.
ow.ly/hhbV50Ui3AG
📷 Neville Stanikk

Farming Transition all at sea – but where’s the Captain? | The Wildlife Trusts With yet another announcement from UK Government to add to farmers increasing concerns, Barnaby Coupe, senior land use policy manager, reflects on what the budget changes mean for nature.

On news @DefraGovUK paused capital grants for which support farmer #agroforestry #hedges #rivers etc
@WildlifeTrusts call on Government to set out clarity & certainty on future support for farmers to transition to nature-friendly farming practices.
Blog
www.wildlifetrusts.org/blog/barnaby...

Thanks. Will be good to see your new analysis when it comes out...

@charliegold.bsky.social do you have a link to that work?

So right, but if the teams get cut, that will be lost because you need people on the ground to do the work needed to raise resources.

This has the potential to seriously set back the great work that individual National Landscape teams are doing...

Defra cuts pose ‘existential threat’ to England’s most beautiful areas Exclusive: National landscapes’ chiefs say environment secretary has given no budget assurances and they are to expect cuts Proposed cuts to England’s most beautiful landscapes pose an “existential threat”, the managers of the National Landscapes…

Defra cuts pose ‘existential threat’ to England’s most beautiful areas

🌿 Thread: DEFRA confirms ‘mirror’ agreements to avoid gaps in environmental rewards, but why is this even necessary? Let’s unpack the history and urgency of reforming Higher Tier environmental schemes. 👇

Please share! Fascinating #climatejob as Senior Sustainability Consultant with @mikebernerslee.bsky.social and team at Small World. STEM at masters/PhD level, with quantitative analysis and carbon accounting experience.
Hybrid in Lancaster, UK, apply by 9 Dec
www.sw-consulting.co.uk/job-opportun...