Bee:wild [https://beewild.rewild.org] is a new science-led, global campaign, which aims to help and save pollinators - particularly bees.  The woodlands blog has reported on the decline in many insect populations in recent times - referring to the ‘insect apocalypse’, the ‘windscreen test’,  and the ‘splatometer’. The causes for insect loss are many but critically important are : Habitat loss and fragmentation The extensive use of pesticides, herbicides & fungicides. These may be coupled with other issues such as climate change, and pollution from fertilisers into rivers and streams.  However, in recent times, we may now need “to add to the mix” - Wars and conflict.  These can result in changing patterns of agriculture so that the range of crops grown is reduced, which means there are less foraging opportunities for pollinators. The ubiquity of plastics. Specifically microplastics and nano plastics.  Microplastics come in part from larger plastic pieces that degrade into smaller pieces, but also from microbeads.  Microbeads are very small pieces of polyethylene plastic that are added to health and beauty products, such as certain skin cleansers and toothpastes. Now microplastics are to be found everywhere from the deep oceans, to Arctic snow and Antarctic ice. They are also found in the hives of honey bees.  Quite what their effect is on bees or indeed many other organisms (including us) is not yet clear. Artificial light.  Much of our world is illlluminated 24/7.  Towns and cities rarely experience total darkness, even the countryside is lit up by the lighting on roads and motorways.  This artificial light is not without effect.  Areas ‘bathed’ in light may Deter nocturnal moths from visiting flowers, reducing pollination and egg laying. Make the night flying moths ‘easier targets’ for predators (such as bats). Affect the feeding habits of moth caterpillars. Air and water pollution.  Both air and water are increasingly filled with a ‘cocktail’ of chemicals, some derived from the extensive use of pesticides (insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, some come from use of fertilisers).  Particulates released from car tyres and brake pads contribute to the ‘chemical smorgasbord’.  Whilst the effect of any given chemical may be sub-lethal, small, or non existent the combined effect of the mixture may be significant, even deadly.   Wild fires.  Add into this anthropogenic concoction mentioned above, the chemicals released from wild fires - such as those seen recently in Canada, Siberia, Australia and the United States.  These fires not only release a complex mixture of particulates and chemicals, they also destroy habitats for pollinators.  The sheer scale of these fires makes the recovery of ecosystems that much harder. Bee:wild [https://beewild.rewild.org] suggests a number of measures to help pollinators : A swifter move to electric cars to reduce levels of atmospheric pollution Production of crops with enhanced nectar and pollen production to benefit pollinators Creation of more flower-rich areas, for example, within solar farms Use of RNAi therapy to specifically target pests and not beneficial insects.  RNA interference is a technique that uses natural cellular processes to silence or reduce the expression of particular genes in a particular organism.  Thus, it might render a pest sterile. Introduction of measures to reduce the use of ‘our’ chemicals, used to enhance the growth of crop or animals. Such measures when coupled with the creation of urban rich flower gardens, rewilding and the protection of remaining areas of natural habitats will help pollinators, and insects in general.

In early Spring this year, both Norway and Sweden reported wild fires in their forests, due in part to a run of dry weather. More recently, fires have been reported in many parts of the world - particularly in the Amazonian Forest,  parts of Africa, Siberia,  Canada and even within the Arctic Circle. A few years back, the Russian authorities initiated a policy of allowing remote forest fires to burn - unless the trees / areas were of economic importance.  However, the fires this summer affected thousands of square miles of boreal forest and strong winds spread the smoke and ash across the country; it affected cities such as Novosibirsk and Krasnoyarsk (each home to a million people). Read more...

I’ve never opened a tampon before, so my newfound friend Tamsin showed me how. Then I started unpeeling it to find it’s really just compacted cotton wool. Tampons turn out to be ideal for lighting a fire if you don’t have matches because they are really compressed cotton wool and can be lit with a small spark. I did have a fire steel in my survival kit box and just like our friendships, we were soon creating sparks and warming up.  We were at the Ultimate Activity Company’s short course on what to do in the wild when things go awry. Andy, our trainer, with his background as a marine, explained the imaginary position we were in: on a sailing trip eight of us had moored our boat in a sheltered sea loch on the west coast of Scotland and during the night the wind riled up causing the boat to hit a rock. It sank, leaving us just enough time to get off with little more than what we stood up in (along with my survival kit in a watertight tin).   Two of the crew had gone off to get help - leaving six of us to survive outdoors, perhaps for several days. Read more...

Wood is made up of three main chemicals - cellulose, hemi-cellulose and lignin.  Cellulose is a long chain-like molecule made up of glucose residues; it is the main component of both hard and soft woods.  Hemi-cellulose is chemically more diverse than cellulose - with a variety of sugars present such as xylose, mannose, galactose & arabinose.  Lignin is a very complex chemical, again a polymer with much cross linking.  The lignin binds to and holds all the components of wood together. When wood is burnt completely about half the mass of the wood is converted to carbon dioxide, and about half to water.  This process releases large amounts of energy - approximately 20MJ per kg.  This represents light energy that the tree trapped through photosynthesis.   What is termed the primary combustion of wood is the burning of the solid material - the embers, the charcoal, whereas secondary combustion is the burning of the gases /fuels producing the flames of a fire. Read more...

The recent hot spell has seen a number of fires, not only in the UK but across the world (Arizona , Victoria Australia, Indonesia).  Spells of extreme heat (and drought) have been known throughout history but it would seem that with climate change / global warming extreme events have become more common.   Data show that the years of the 21st century are among the warmest on record - global air temperatures have risen by 1oC since the industrial revolution. Extreme temperatures have been recorded in many places across the globe.   Ouargla in Algeria soared to 124.3o F (51.3oC), Denver recorded at temperature of 105o F, Montreal recorded 97.9o F, Glasgow hit 89.4o F, Shannon in Ireland reached 89.6o F, Tbilisi (Georgia) soared to 104.9o F and parts of Pakistan are reported to have reached 50oC.   No record by itself can be ascribed to global warming but these and many other records across the globe are consistent with the extremes that can now be expected (more often) in a world that is warming - as atmospheric greenhouse gas levels increase due to human activity (we have entered the anthropocene). Hot and dry conditions mean that plant material can dry out quickly, so that a thicker layer of plant material / litter is formed - which provides significant fuel for fires.   Studies of some areas suggest that the increased Winter and Spring rainfall (again associated with climate change) encourages plant growth, creating more material for fires (when dry conditions obtain later in the year). Read more...

Each day, our cities are exposed to pollution from cars, power stations, industry etc.  All of these release particulate matter (aka particulates) and various gases - such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides.   The pollutants in many of our city streets frequently exceed the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines. Particulate matter is the sum of all solid and liquid particles suspended in air - it may include dust, pollen, soot, smoke and various liquid droplets.  These particulates are often divided into PM10 particles - that have a diameter of 10 micrometers or less, are inhalable and may pass into the lungs and then the bloodstream. And, PM2.5 particles have a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers - these are very fine and often contribute to the haze in the air. Many particles form as a result of complex reactions between sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Read more...

Camping in your own wood (or a friend's wood) is totally different than staying at a conventional campsite.  There is more freedom, more choice and more solitude - you can do lots of things that would not normally be allowed.  Recently, I was invited to a woodland to camp with some friends where we experienced free-range camping first-hand. For any camping expedition, it is important to locate a camping area - we found a grassy glade surrounded by beech trees.  Next, you need to find a good spot on which to pitch your tent - ground that initially seems flat is, by the end of the first night, clearly very 'slopy'!   Read more...

Paul Hirons, beekeeper, continues his visit to the hive.  Now the bees have been smoked and quietened down, it's time to take the top off the hive and find out what's going on ... It’s a little bit daunting wearing a veil over your face for the first time and opening up a hive. Bees will land on the veil and you’ll think they are inside and going to sting your face.  Keep calm and remember you’ve worn the bee jacket and know it well.  There are no holes in it and nothing is going to get in.  Stand firm and keep calm. Read more...