The Guardian, and The Telegraph report conifer plantations, which are being expanded around the UK to combat the climate crisis and foster biodiversity, are in danger of hurting one of the key species they were thought to protect: red squirrels.
‘We’ve got to act fast and big’: Rewilding expert cautiously welcomes UK landscape recovery pledge
The Independent reports the government’s proposals will focus on England’s threatened native species, and restoring rivers and streams.
Spring flowers bloom months early after record-breaking New Year heat
The Independent reports botanists most concerned by early sightings of hawthorn and buttercups.
Eurasian lynx could be returning to the UK countryside after a 1,300 year absence
I News reports Wildlife Trusts chief Craig Bennett wants to reintroduce the predatory felines – and says they could work wonders for the country’s eco-system and landscape.
UK as a leader in animal welfare? Well, some animals are more equal than others
The Observer reports to protect game birds, the government has decided it’s fine to kill crows and jackdaws.
Country diary: My paean to the hawthorn, feeder of many
The Guardian reports this little tree is barely twice my height yet it feeds so many. A grey squirrel pauses to snack on its daily run along the dry stone wall. Heaps of chewed berries on the ground show where mice have fed. In spring, hawthorn leaves are the first to emerge in the valley, followed by blossoms, plentiful in nectar and pollen for bees and hoverflies.
Cull of 150,000 deer aims to save Scottishforests
The Times reports more than 150,000 deer are to be culled across Scotland over the next five years as part of a multimillion-pound scheme to protect the country’s trees.
Humpback whales are making a comeback around UK
The Times reports sightings of humpback whales have soared around the UK in a further sign of the recovery of the species. The Wildlife Trusts have recorded more than 75 sightings off Cornwall since 2019 plus others this year off the Isles of Scilly, Northumberland, Pembrokeshire in Wales, Shetland and in the Firth of Forth.
UK’s mild winter puts some butterflies and burrowers at risk
The Guardian reports creatures such as hedgehogs waking without sufficient food as abnormal weather disrupts hibernation.
Reduce, reuse, recycle: Sustainable lifestyle hacks for your home and kitchen
The METRO explain how to make it easy for yourself to live more sustainably in 2022 by introducing changes that require initial action and then become low-maintenance habits.