It’s an age-old tradition – using fresh holly branches to adorn your table and give your home a festive look – but conservationists are warning that using too much could leave wildlife out in the cold this winter. Holly is a valuable source of food and shelter for a number of birds, mammals and insects. Thrushes, robins, dunnocks, finches and goldcrests use it for … [Read more...] about Don’t over trim your holly bush
Plants
Project hopes to protect sand loving plants
Holidaymakers enjoying the beaches and sand dunes around UK coastline this summer may be unaware of the spectacular wild flowers and other plants that sometimes live in the dunes behind the beaches. Sadly some wild flowers and other coastal dune plants have declined drastically - some are already extinct. Plantlife, a national plant charity, is launching a pioneering … [Read more...] about Project hopes to protect sand loving plants
Highest orchid numbers for 25 years
A recent butterfly-orchid survey in Wales has revealed double the number of rare plants compared to last year and the highest number for 25 years. The annual count of butterfly-orchids took place at the Caeau Tan y Bwlch reserve near Caernarfon, Wales. In total 3495 orchids were counted, up from 1439 in 2010. Plantlife Cymru’s conservation manager Dr Trevor Dines … [Read more...] about Highest orchid numbers for 25 years
Bluebell season ‘early’ in Scotland
Four of the Scotland’s biggest environmental charities have joined together to predict that this year's earlier than usual bluebell season will peak in Scotland during the first two weeks in May. The Woodland Trust Scotland, National Trust for Scotland, RSPB Scotland and Scottish Wildlife Trust have, together, created what is believed to be the world's largest searchable … [Read more...] about Bluebell season ‘early’ in Scotland
Money trees
Money really does grow on trees in Cumbria - just ask any visitor to the woods surrounding Aira Force in the Lake District. The money tree, or wish tree, is studded with hundreds of coins of all values and currencies. Visitors to the area, near Ullswater, in northern England have turned a toppled tree into a coin shrine near to the famous waterfall. The tree trunk … [Read more...] about Money trees