All about the Natural History and History of the Northwest of England
In July 2024, the Labour Party, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, assumed power with ambitious pledges to restore nature, combat climate change, and position the UK as a global leader in environmental stewardship.
However, by November 2025, several policy decisions, particularly in planning and infrastructure, have drawn sharp criticism for diluting longstanding environmental protections, and it has become apparent that Labour have reneged on these pledges (1).
Often dubbed the “greatest free light show on Earth,” Blackpool Illuminations have been dazzling visitors to the Lancashire seaside resort for nearly 150 years. The annual spectacle transforms the town’s promenade into an extravagant display of light, colour, and creativity, drawing millions of tourists each winter.
The spindle tree, Euonymus europaeus, is an attractive-looking deciduous shrub, or small tree, that graces hedgerows, woods and wasteland throughout the British isles.
The Herald moth, Scoliopteryx libatrix, is a common native species known for its striking appearance and unique life-cycle that spans seasons in a way few other moths do. Belonging to the family Erebidae, it is often one of the first to emerge in spring and one of the last to be seen in autumn, earning its common name as a “herald” of changing weather.
Hum, whirl, click, click, clatter, Rolling, rambling, moving matter: Whizzing, hissing, hitting, missing, Pushing, pulling, turning, twisting.
Snow Buntings are true Arctic specialists, thriving in barren, open habitats with sparse vegetation. They breed in high-latitude tundras but undertake impressively long migrations southward during winter to avoid the perpetual darkness and sub-zero temperatures.
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
Th’ moon wur sheignin’ rare, an’ breet,
An’ stars wur twinklin’ o’er mi heyd,
When aw wur walkin’ deawn th’ owd street,
Wi’ Tommy Stroo’s ghost bi mi seyd.
Northwest Nature and History