The European Beaver is a Marmite species – people do seem either to love it or hate it. And by ‘hate’ I am not exaggerating ‘mildly dislike’; some people really do hate it. Considering this is a species that has been absent from the UK for centuries and is still found only in relatively few…
Author: Mark
Born Bristol, UK
Educated: Cleeve House School Bristol, Bristol Grammar School and Downing College Cambridge
Ph.D. University of Aberdeen, Winter activity of pipistrelle bats.
NERC post-doctoral Research Fellow, Edward Grey Institute, Oxford University
Former Conservation Director of the RSPB, 1989-2011
Sunday book review – Beastly Britain by Karen R. Jones
Comments Off on Sunday book review – Beastly Britain by Karen R. Jones
There are times, particularly if I listen to the news, read a paper or scroll through social media when I think that the the UK is considerably more beastly than it used to be and that the same applies to the world at large. But this book is about the role that animals play in…
Sunday book review – Pine Marten by Dan Bagur
Comments Off on Sunday book review – Pine Marten by Dan Bagur
This is a timely book as this native UK (and Ireland) species is making a strong comeback and so may be appearing in a wood near you soon. Pine Martens are spreading on their own once released from the pressure of illegal killing but also because they are being reintroduced in several parts of their…
Sunday book review – Uncommon Ground by Patrick Galbraith
I’m a fan of Patrick Galbraith’s writing – his book In Search of One Last Song –see my review – was my blog’s book of the year in 2022 but this is an even better read. Here, again, Galbraith travels the land and talks to some interesting people in some interesting places and the subject…
Sunday book review – Rare Plants by Peter Marren
The first thing that strikes you on picking up this book is that it is heavy. That’s what 400 pages of high quality paper feel like. On those 400 pages are high quality images and high quality words from an author who knows how to write and who knows his subject very well. What more…
No whaling for Fin Whales in Iceland this summer
Comments Off on No whaling for Fin Whales in Iceland this summer
There will be no whaling for Fin Whales this summer by the sole Icelandic whaling company, Hvalur hf. Kristján Loftsson, CEO of Hvalur hf told Icelandic newspaper Morgunblaðið “As the situation appears to us, Hvalur hf. sees no other situation than to wait for better times, but the situation will be taken up again in…
Guest blog – Walshaw Turbine 13 by Nick MacKinnon
Nick MacKinnon is a freelance teacher of Maths, English and Medieval History, and lives above Haworth, in the last inhabited house before Top Withens = Wuthering Heights. In 1992 he founded the successful Campaign to Save Radio 4 Long Wave while in plaster following a rock-climbing accident on Skye. His poem ‘The metric system’ won…
Press release – Trees for Life
NatureScot accused of ‘great beaver betrayal’ ‘Mystifying’ decision by Scotland’s nature agency comes despite huge public support for return of native species and ‘exemplary’ local consultations Scottish government agency NatureScot has unexpectedly delayed its decision to grant a licence application for the historic official release of beavers in Glen Affric citing ‘concern among the local…
Guest blog – HS2’s Badly Behaved Little Brother by Euan Dunn
Dr Euan Dunn MBE is an ecologist who lives in Great Eversden near Cambridge. For 25 years he led on developing marine conservation policy for the RSPB and was awarded the Society’s medal in 2024. Not long after retirement he turned his attention from sea to land to assist Cambridge Approaches – click here –…
Press release – SCOTTISH REWILDING ALLIANCE
Comments Off on Press release – SCOTTISH REWILDING ALLIANCE
Seven decades for Scotland to reach 30% nature recovery target at current rates, new figures show It could take seven decades before large-scale nature restoration is underway across 30% of Scotland’s land, new figures from the Scottish Rewilding Alliance show. The coalition of more than 20 organisations calculates that rewilding across Scotland is now underway across…