OF all the blithesome melody that wakes the warm heart’s thrill, give me the wind that whistles free across the moorland hill; When every blade upon the lea is dancing with delight, and every bush and flower and tree is singing in its flight.
Category Archives: #Yorkshire
The Bowland Nature Recovery Plan: A Vision for a Wilder Landscape, with a Blind Spot for Those Who Keep it Alive
In December 2023, the Forest of Bowland National Landscape (formerly the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) published its Nature Recovery Plan, a 71-page roadmap with the stated aims of reversing biodiversity declines and building climate resilience across 310 square miles of Lancashire and Yorkshire uplands.
Sphagnum Moss, The Bog-builder
Sphagnum moss belongs to the genus Sphagnum, comprising over 30 species in the British Isles, many of which can be very challenging to distinguish.
The Duties of a Gamekeeper: January, the Hard Month
The month of January, in the heart of winter when claws of ice, wind and rain grip the British countryside, can prove hard for those that work outdoors, it is also a pivotal time when decisions must be made and tallies taken, especially for our 3000+ gamekeepers.
Lurking in the Canal; Perch, the Highly Adaptable Piscine Predator
The European perch, Perca fluviatilis, is a highly adaptable predatory freshwater fish native to the British isles. It is found in a wide variety of habitats from ponds and lakes to brooks and rivers but has found a particularly thriving niche in our man-made canals.
The Controversial Practice of Controlled Burning (v2)
Version 2 of an article originally published in 2023, looking at the land management practice known as controlled burning, heather burning or muirburn, updated and amended with latest research, data, policy and regulations
The History of Dunnow Hall
Part of a Collection of Articles looking at the Communities of the Hodder Valley The story of Dunnow Hall begins in the late 11th century, when the Manor of Slaidburn became part of the Lordship of Bowland, a vast Royal Forest and Liberty spanning nearly 300 square miles across the historic borders of Lancashire andContinue reading “The History of Dunnow Hall”
Heather Beetle Outbreaks, a Brief Study of the Ecology of Lochmaea suturalis and Effects of Population Outbreaks on Moorland Habitats and Communities
The heather beetle, Lochmaea suturalis, is a small, unassuming olive-brown leaf beetle measuring about 6mm, and it has long been a part of our moorland ecosystems. While unremarkable in appearance, this native insect can wreak havoc when its populations surge, causing devastating outbreaks that threaten heather moorlands, their biodiversity, and the communities that depend onContinue reading “Heather Beetle Outbreaks, a Brief Study of the Ecology of Lochmaea suturalis and Effects of Population Outbreaks on Moorland Habitats and Communities”
Northwest Nature and History 