Category Archives: Biodiversity
Ash update a positive spin
It was no surprise to the scientific community when Secretary of State Owen Paterson announced on Friday that “It will not be possible to eradicate ash dieback” but members of the public and tree enthusiasts may well be shocked at … Continue reading
Importation of Ash trees is now banned in the UK
The subject of tree health within the UK is now gaining a heightened media profile and increased governmental attention, but is it too late for our beloved woodlands? The Ash tree ban has captured the nation’s attention and a segment … Continue reading
The partners in crime that could solve the case…
One of the strongest ecological structuring forces the world has ever known, that has influenced the genetic make-up of every organism on earth, is that of the partnership between parasite and host. The term parasite may evoke images of tapeworms … Continue reading
New UK Biodiversity Science Committee Formed
On 19 September 2012, the inaugural meeting of the UK Biodiversity Science Committee (UK BSC), formed partly as a result of discussion at a meeting hosted by the BES in November 2011, was held at the Royal Society. The UK … Continue reading
Citizens across the globe call for greater protection of biodiversity
Results of an ambitious world-wide consultation gathering public opinions on biodiversity policy issues have been published this week. The World Wide Views on Biodiversity (WWViews on Biodiversity) initiative, detailed in a blog post in May, gathered 3,000 citizens from 25 … Continue reading
The Tipping Point – our not so Frozen Planet
It has been a year since Sir David Attenborough and the BBC set awed us with the fantastic delights and drastic plights of our ‘Frozen Plant’. Despite the attention given to global warming facts, the vital role of the poles … Continue reading
Talk of the bees … “And Granny said in earnest ‘You’ve got to talk to your bees’”
Britain’s biodiversity may not be abundantly obvious in our everyday lives, nor may it immediately appear as splendid as an image of a tropical rainforest. One staggering example is that of our nation’s bees, of which there are over 260 … Continue reading
New POSTnote encapsulates land sharing vs land sparing debate
A POSTnote from the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology ‘Balancing Nature and Agriculture’ published online this week outlines the ongoing debate over land sparing versus land sharing in sustainable management of agricultural land for biodiversity conservation. Much biodiversity is … Continue reading
1 in 5 invertebrate species threatened with extinction
That is the shocking headline from a report by the IUCN, IUCN Species Survival Commission and the Zoological Society of London, due to be presented at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Jeju, tomorrow (7th September). ‘Spineless: Status and Trends … Continue reading
Environmental Stewardship Delivers Ecosystem Services Underpinning Food Security
The relationship between agriculture and ecosystem services is a strong one. Farming can contribute to critical services including food security and economic growth, maintenance of cultural landscapes, rural employment and (when managed correctly) provision of valuable habitat for a significant … Continue reading