Our natural world

As a druid I have always been deeply connected to the natural world around me and as I have grown older I have learned more and more about this world and how everything is connected. I have learned to understand much better how biodiversity works and how every single insect, bird, flower, etc is important. I am a member of our local wildlife trusts and visit a lot of nature reserves and country parks which are often run by the local county council.

What disturbs me at the moment is the amount of scrub clearing and tree felling. I know that one area was cleared and became a bit of a meadow but then sheep were let in to graze and when they left there were no plants to be seen. Some plants in this spot were attractive to one specific butterfly which no longer visits because it’s food is no longer there.

A few days ago I visited this nature reserve and workmen were there busy clearing scrub and felling trees. It made the reserve more open of course but also more open to the chilly wind which blows across the reserve. The Trust states this on their website;’ The loss of any kind of trees from a nature reserve can cause mixed views, but we are confident that the benefit to core designated waterbirds is significant.’ This particular reserve is known for its birds and waterbirds but there are other species of life there in the undergrowth and trees. When you destroy one habitat to provide for another than the destroyed habitat cannot be replaced elsewhere without difficulty. There are two reserves in this area where the waterbirds are important but we must not forget those other species that rely on what is in the undergrowth to survive. We have lost two many species over the last few years and we don’t want to lose any more.

I’d love to read your response to this blog so please comment.

This was one of many piles of logs and branches

The natural world

I am continuing with the theme of nature, plants, birds and all life however small it may be. It never ceases to amaze me how many varieties of plants and insects that there are. I have an amazing flower called a horned poppy. It has beautiful yellow flowers which open and die on the same day. The seed pods of this plant are long thin pods up to 12 inches long. Then there are the ants in the garden. Someone told me to spray the blackfly on the foxgloves but I said the ants like the blackfly and so do the ladybirds. There is a place in nature for everything.

I think many of us are only just beginning to understand how important each species is and how they interconnect with each other. I have noticed that some councils are making bee trails in their parks by planting wildflower meadows some yards apart. This is a good start to helping our natural environment to survive.

One thing that really annoys me is the paving over of gardens because people cannot be bothered to cut grass and pull out weeds, When I have asked them about the need for paving those are the answers I get. But paving over your garden leaves nowhere for the rain to go.

Recent reading has been about 5G and I have read that many trees will have to be cut down as they affect the signal. Do we really need 5G? It is also a health hazard. Do we need HS2 as well? I don’t think so. Is it really important for faster trains so people can get to work a few minutes earlier? To have these faster trains, ancient woodland will be chopped down and nature reserves lost. The powers that be said that another place could be found for the nature reserve, which shows a complete lack of understanding of how nature works. We are supposed to be in a climate change emergency but those in charge do not seem to be able to join the dots and make sensible resolutions. They need to get together and talk about it all with the scientists and those who do understand how everything is connected. Enough of my moaning. The photo is of the horned poppy. I wonder if the point in the centre is what gives it its name.