CHANDON’s Post

Finding Scotland’s ‘lost’ ice age pinewoods - from a Trees for Life news release.   A new project from Trees for Life and Woodland Trust Scotland aims to discover Scotland’s ‘lost’ native pinewoods – home to wild Scots pines with an ancestry that can be traced back to the end of the last ice age – so they can be saved and restored before it’s too late.   Caledonian pinewoods are globally unique and support rare wildlife including red squirrels, capercaillie and crossbills. Yet less than 2% of the Caledonian forest, which once covered much of the Highlands, survives. Just 84 individual Caledonian pinewoods are now officially recognised, having been last documented more than a quarter of a century ago.   But Woodland Trust Scotland and Trees for Life have become aware of other lost wild pinewoods, and from historical documents and anecdotal reports, more are thought to exist.   The charities have teamed up to identify and save these forgotten pinewoods through the Wild Pine Project, beginning with the western Highlands, where Scots pines form part of Scotland’s rare temperate rainforest.   “Lost pinewoods are at particular risk because they are unrecognised and undocumented. We want to find them, assess their condition, and revive them before they are lost forever,” said Jane Sayers, Wild Pine Project Officer.   “Finding these pinewoods requires a lot of detective work. They are often small and remote, hidden in ravines safe from deer. Pines, or their remains, are often found scattered among birchwood too.”   The Wild Pine Project is identifying lost pine sites by tracing their history through the centuries using historical evidence, including maps which date as far back as the 1500s.   Once potential sites are found, historical, ecological and landscape evidence will help establish whether they are wild or planted, and their health and resilience will be assessed. The charities will then work for the recognition and recovery of the discovered wild pinewoods, including by presenting findings to landowners and managers.   The need for urgent upscaling of political and public action to save the Caledonian pinewoods was spotlighted by a parliamentary debate held in the Scottish Parliament on 24 January, held to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the Scots pine becoming Scotland’s national tree. This followed a motion put forward by Ariane Burgess MSP.   The new Wild Pine Project is funded by Woodland Trust Scotland, thanks to support from players of People's Postcode Lottery, and by Trees for Life, thanks to support from the The TreadRight Foundation.   For more details, visit treesforlife.org.uk.

National Bison Day 🦬 As our fellow Bison fans celebrate National Bison Day across the pond We thought we’d take this moment to also raise a hoof for our European Bison! Our Bison roam the Blean woods near Canterbury! The Bison Blean project is a flagship wilding project by @wildwoodtrustuk & @kentwildlife Species in the UK are declining at their fastest rate for thousands of years according to the latest State of Nature report and unfortunately human management alone is not enough to create the kinds of habitats species need. What we need are natural solutions and this is why we have taken this first step to drive ‘Wilding’ at Wildwood Trust and in collaboration with Kent Wildlife Trust across some of their sites in Kent. Wilding is when nature is given the tools and space it needs to recover itself and has the potential to increase abundance of biodiversity to levels beyond what human management achieves and helps store carbon. #wildwoodtrust #wildwoodtrustkent #ukwildlife #conservation #hythe #whiststable #canterbury #bison

This week, we have been celebrating National Hedgerow Week, organised by the Tree Council. 🌳 The unsung heroes of our landscapes, here are just some of the benefits planting hedgerows can provide: - Hedgerows provide essential habitats for wildlife, including birds, insects, and small mammals, supporting biodiversity in urban and rural areas alike.🐛🐦 - They act as natural windbreaks, helping to reduce wind erosion and create microclimates, this can be particularly beneficial in Scotland's varied landscape.🌳 - Hedgerows also serve as corridors for wildlife, allowing species to move safely between fragmented habitats, aiding in conservation efforts and maintaining genetic diversity.🦔 At Elsoms Trees, we're passionate about supporting initiatives like National Hedgerow Week. That's why we offer a variety of hedgerow mixes tailored to suit any location. We work with you to ensure your project receives the correct mix of species. Some of our favorite species for hedges include Blackthorn, Rose, Green Beech, and Hornbeam. Burnet rose (Rosa pimpinellifolia) is an excellent choice for hedging due to its dense growth habit, prickly stems, and fragrant flowers, making it an effective barrier plant that also adds beauty to the landscape. Its resilience in various soil types and ability to tolerate coastal conditions make it a great choice for many locations. Let's celebrate the invaluable role of hedgerows in our environment! 🌿 #NationalHedgerowWeek #TreeCouncil #ElsomsTrees

One small step for Man, one giant leap for beaverkind (in Britain) with NatureScot recently giving the greenlight for the reintroduction of beavers to Cairngorms National Park, the largest national park in the UK. Importantly, unlike previous reintroductions, beavers will be introduced to an area outside their current range in Scotland, and up to 15 beaver families will be introduced to the River Spey catchment over the next 5 years (with six up for reintroduction in the first year). Beavers will be translocated under license from the River Tay catchment, and through their activities are likely to create rich habitat that will support many other species. Scotland is now taking a firm lead now in reintroducing beavers, and south of the border in England and Wales, we're getting left behind. In England, the only currently permitted "reintroductions" can occur into fenced enclosures. We need to be more ambitious than this, especially given our level of nature depletion in the UK. Beavers engineer richer and more resilient landscapes, in a way that it isn't possible for humans to emulate, but they will not be able to do this at scale if they are hemmed into enclosures. Beavers are considered keystone species, highlighting how they punch well above their weight when it comes to the disproportionately large effect they have on the environment and the ecosystems they are a part of, and they have an unrivalled capacity to breathe life back into degraded landscapes, and enhance a broad range of biodiversity at landscape scale. Their dams can help filter sediments and fertiliser runoff (relevant to our ailing waterways), and their eco-engineering can help buffer against both drought and flooding (especially important in the wake of a changing climate). Humans and beavers do clash at times, as we have different priorities and approaches to engineering landscapes. However a proactive management strategy in place can help minimise any potential negative impacts, while helping maximise the benefits of beavers. The benefits of a managed wild beaver population in terms of ecosystem service provision are likely to far exceed the costs of managing them. We don't have to go into this blind either...in Bavaria in Germany, beavers were reintroduced over half a century ago. Similar to much of the British landscape, much of it being intensively farmed, valuable lessons have been learned about how to manage beavers that could be applied here. It would be great to see Natural England, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru / Natural Resources Wales taking a leaf out of NatureScot's book and play a more proactive role in returning this important member of our fauna to the wild where it belongs. The views expressed in this post are personal and do not necessarily represent the views of my employer, Ecosulis Ltd, or my role within this company as Innovation Team Leader.

Wilder Woodlands 🌳🌲🌳 Avon Wildlife Trust will embark on an 18-month project focussing on a large woodland area in North Somerset, including Goblin Combe and surrounding land. The work, funded by the Natural England Species Recovery Programme Capital Grant Scheme, will improve habitat for Lesser and Greater horseshoe bats, Barbastelle bats and Dormice. The funding will allow us to protect these species and help them recover – through better-connected habitats with a broader range of native plants, offering improved foraging and nesting sites. The work will also enhance the landscape – making it more resilient to flooding, erosion and extreme weather. In addition, we will engage the local community, helping them understand our target species' role as critical components of a healthy and resilient ecosystem. There are unprecedented pressures in North Somerset, including development and damaging agricultural practices. With less habitat availability, a multi-species approach is needed to create better habitats and connect them to the broader area. AWT will work with neighbouring landowners to improve prospects for bats and dormice by turning inhospitable plantation woodland into a thriving, supportive habitat. #WilderWoodlands

Species spotlight: Blue-spotted salamander (Ambystoma laterale) Blue-spotted salamanders are bluish-black, with characteristic blue and white flecks on their back, and bluish-white spots on the sides of its body and tail. They are typically found in woodland habitats and swamps and prefer living in underground burrows for shelter. They are nocturnal creatures, showing peak activity during warm, rainy nights. In Canada, they are commonly found in eastern provinces such as Ontario and the Maritimes. We can protect Blue-spotted salamanders by conserving and restoring their critical woodland and wetland habitats, along with minimizing habitat fragmentation and preserving water quality in their breeding sites.

Today we are celebrating #WorldEnvironmentDay! One of the key elements of this year's theme is land restoration. A hallmark of our work is facilitating the stewardship of our natural world through restoration, exploration, and preservation. We are committed to protecting the 80 acres of woods, open meadows, vital wetlands, and ponds spanning our site. All year-round, visitors to Grace Farms enjoy walks on our nature trails to experience the awe and wonders of nature. Our multi-generational programs provide a meaningful opportunity to explore the natural world and underscore the importance of caring for and respecting the environment and essential wildlife, from learning about vital pollinators to exploring how plants flourish in nature, and more. The National Wildlife Federation has certified Grace Farms as a Wildlife Habitat and we've also been named a certified Monarch Way Station by Monarch Watch. Additionally, we signed the Pollinator Pledge with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, an international nonprofit that protects the natural world by conserving invertebrates such as bees and their habitats. We are proud to be a New Canaan Pollinator Pathway partner, joining a community-wide effort to protect and establish essential native habitats for pollinators, including bees and butterflies. Remarkably, over 100 species of birds have been identified at Grace Farms, an increase from 40 species in 2015, as a result of restoring our native meadows. Learn more about our ongoing stewardship of our natural environment: https://lnkd.in/eHtJxbbz

Did you know that our Grounds Maintenance team manages over 700,000m2 of wildflower meadow land across Fife? This technique allows a much wider range of species to grow and flower each year than in areas which are mown regularly. In turn, it gives a lovely home to butterflies, bees, moths, and more. We want to encourage an even bigger range of wildflowers and associated species at these sites. To do this, we have been 'turbo-boosting' the number of wildflower species at selected meadows this year. We are using a tractor-mounted overseeder to directly sow additional wildflower seeds into existing wildflower areas in Balbirnie Park, Bankie Park, Kilmany, Pittencrieff Park, Duloch Park, Beveridge Park and Tayport Common. The UK has lost 97% of its flower-rich grassland over the past 70 years. This has resulted in a drastic decline of around two-thirds of pollinating insects. Fife is the most heavily cultivated region in Scotland so we can make a difference and give our wildlife more of a chance by changing the way we manage some of our green spaces. #FifeClimateAction

Vetted Recruitment supported the planting of 0.75 hectares of wildflowers in the UK during 2022-2023. Like our friends at Green the UK we believe that every little bit helps and if we can all do a little bit to be just a little bit greener, everyone benefits. ‘Since 1940 we’ve lost ninety seven percent of our flower rich meadows and hundreds of our pollinator species are in decline. In areas, our local wildlife finds itself in isolated oases, walled in by agricultural land, urban landscapes, roads, and gardens. Our solution is to restore B-Lines – a network of insect pathways along which we are restoring and creating wildflower rich habitat. These insect superhighways created in partnership with GreenTheUK and Buglife will extend across the whole of the UK, allowing wildlife to move freely through our countryside and towns. Thanks to Vetted Recruitment, we have created a network of flower-rich pathways benefitting pollinators, other wildlife and people.’ (Taken from The Green UK website). Green the UK are bringing companies who believe in working sustainably together to do their bit to help in their local communities, helping them support local wildlife, conservation and restoration projects on land and sea.   We worked with Green the UK to do our bit to help combat the loss of flowers and pollinators in the UK.  If you own or work within a UK business and would like to find out more, visit their website today Green the UK - https://lnkd.in/eD6uS-a5 #GreenTheUK #Wildflowers #Pollinators #InsectSuperHighway

As part of the countdown to TAFU’s Local Wildlife Day https://lnkd.in/eRXHbZ6D on the 11th of July – Species no. 26. Stay tuned – 17 more days and 17 more species until then! The Stag Beetle (Lucanus cervus), also known as the European Stag Beetle, is a large and impressive beetle native to Europe. It is easily recognisable by the males' large distinctive mandibles, which resemble the antlers of a stag. Males range from 35 to 75 mm in length, while females are smaller, measuring between 30 to 50 mm. The males use their large mandibles for fighting other males during the mating season. Stag Beetles spend most of their life as larvae, living for several years underground and feeding on decaying wood. They are primarily found in woodlands, gardens, parks, and hedgerows where there is plenty of rotting wood, which is essential for their larval development. Adults emerge in late spring to early summer and live for only a few weeks, during which they mate and lay eggs. These beetles are nationally scarce in the UK, primarily confined to the southeast of England. Conservation efforts focus on preserving their habitat by maintaining old trees and decaying wood. This is one reason why it is important not to keep our natural areas 'clean', as this dead wood, which is often removed, is instrumental in Stag Beetle development. #TAFU #TAFUsLocalWildlifeDay #TAFUsLWD #LocalWildlife #Nature #Sustainability #ClimateChange #Conservation #NatureConservation #NatureLovers