Chopping, twisting, felling: the unruly way to rewild Scotland’s forests
The Scots pine plantations in Abernethy forest are the crème de la crème in forestry terms: tall, straight and dense. These plantations were created in the 1930s, and the wood had a variety of uses, from ships’ masts to trench timbers. Now, this woodland is being retrofitted for wildlife as part of the UK’s largest land restoration project because, although it is striking to wander in such a regimented landscape, nature prefers things to be less orderly.
‘Green corridor’ to link Bath with countryside
A “green corridor” will soon link Bath’s historic city to the surrounding countryside. The National Trust said it will connect the World Heritage Site with the area around it via Bathampton Meadows.
This means that the area – which will cover just over 40 hectares (99 acres) – is protected from future development. Hilary McGrady, from the National Trust, said: “It will improve access to nature for those living in urban areas.” She added: “Connecting up green spaces isn’t just good for people, it’s also good for wildlife, allowing animals and birds to move from one habitat to another.”
Denton boy, 9, discovered love of photography in lockdown
Photographs taken by a nine-year-old boy who only started taking snaps while on his daily walk with his mum during lockdown are to go on show.
Robin Brown, from Denton, Norfolk, has teamed up with photographer Nick Jermy to put on an exhibition on 19 February in aid of the Norfolk Wildlife Trust.
The schoolboy said he wanted to support the trust because he liked “taking photos of nature”. ”When I’m older, I definitely want to be a photographer,” he added.
National Space Centre: Interactive eco gallery to launch
A new £250,000 gallery dedicated to the environmental challenges of life on Earth is set to open at the National Space Centre. The interactive environment-themed display, named Home Planet, is due to open at the Leicester-based attraction in March. It will feature a responsive floor projection and a time-lapse show charting rising global temperatures. The centre said it aimed to tell the story of the human impact on Earth.
UK’s oldest sea eagle recorded on Isle of Mull
The UK’s oldest white-tailed sea eagle has been identified on the Isle of Mull after being spotted in film shot for BBC Winterwatch. The male is called Skye, after the island where he hatched in 1994. Now in his 28th year, the bird of prey was identified by a British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) ring attached to a leg before he fully fledged. The number – ZZ0768 – was visible in footage shot by cameraman Jim Manthorpe . Skye’s mate of 25 years, Frisa, would be older at 30 years old, if ornithologists can confirm she is still alive.
‘Beaver dating agency’ proves a success
Footage of beavers making themselves at home in a Derbyshire nature reserve has been captured. The dam-building rodents were filmed grooming each other and gnawing trees at Willington Wetlands, where they were released last year. Beavers were hunted to extinction in Britain in the 16th Century for their fur, meat, and scent glands. But they have been reintroduced to parts of Scotland, England and Wales in the hope they can restore wetland habitats and boost other species.
