(Excerpt) The northern limit of native T. cordata in Britain lies in the English Lake District at approximately 54°30′N, with the majority of sites within about 25km of the Morecambe Bay coast. Populations are concentrated on the wooded hills from Warton to Ulverston and extend inland up the valleys of the Lune, Kent, and Duddon, with the most northerly localities in Borrowdale and beside Ullswater.
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Rewilding in Britain, from Concept to Controversy
(Excerpt) The concept of rewilding seeks to restore self-sustaining ecosystems by reducing intensive human management, reintroducing key species or processes, and allowing natural dynamics greater play.
In the densely populated and long-managed landscape of Britain the concept has evolved from a niche conservation theory into a mainstream yet polarising approach, generating disputes over land-use, rural livelihoods, biodiversity outcomes, and, most recently, wildfire risk.
Shining Cranesbill
Shining Cranesbill (Geranium lucidum), sometimes known as ‘gentleman’s buttons’, is a charming, glossy-leaved annual wildflower that brightens walls, banks, and rocky spots throughout the British isles.
It gets its common-name from its distinctive shiny, reflective leaves, which set it apart from relatives like Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum). The leaves are rounded or kidney-shaped, divided into 5 to 7 lobes cut about halfway, often with a glossy green surface that can flush red. Stems are brittle, fleshy, hairless, and frequently reddish, growing up to 35 to 40 cm tall (though often shorter and sprawling).
When the Buds and the Blossoms are Fresh on the Trees!
The arrival of spring often feels hard-won here in northern England, winters linger longer here than in the south, with colder temperatures and more frequent frosts delaying the greening of the landscape.
Yet, as days lengthen and occasional milder spells arrive, typically from late February through March, the first tentative signs of nature’s renewal appear on the trees.
Winter Gnats
Winter Gnats (Trichoceridae), also commonly known as winter craneflies, are a small family of delicate, long-legged flies in the order Diptera. They are particularly noticeable during the cooler months, and thrive in our damp, temperate climate where mild winter days provide perfect conditions for their activity.
Flavoparmelia caperata, the Common Greenshield Lichen
A look at one of our Most Common Foliose Lichens, with some Notes about Uses for Measuring Air Pollution and Chemical ‘K, C and Pd Identification Tests
The Common Inkcap, Coprinopsis atramentaria
As the autumn rains soak our countryside, the fruiting bodies of fungi sprout forth, bewitching us with their bewildering multitude of forms.
One of the most bizarre of these is the Common Inkcap.
Beauty and the Beast; the Lacewing and the Lion
Lacewings are amongst the most enchanting and delicate insects encountered in the British isles and are named so for their exquisitely intricate wings, which resemble fine lace due to the network of veins that crisscross them. These wings are typically held roof-like over their bodies when at rest, giving them a distinctive silhouette and areContinue reading “Beauty and the Beast; the Lacewing and the Lion”
Northwest Nature and History 