Weekend Nature Reads: the self-isolating edition

It finally happened. We got COVID. Not a surprise, really, as it's been rife at my daughters' school, but after my eldest came home early feeling unwell, it became apparent that we were all likely to be infected. And so it was.

So, I've been stuck at home for days now, which you can read about here:

Not Walking with Daddy (again)

Once again, we’re deprived of time outdoors. But it’s not lockdown to blame, it’s infection…

Walking With DaddyAdam

But less time for being outside means more time for reading, watching and listening to things, so here's the first weekend digest for a while…

Renewing the war on sewage

I really enjoyed this podcast from outdoors clothing brand Finisterre. The interview with Surfers Against Sewage CEO Hugo Tagholm is one of the best they've done so far. The presenter is finally learning to keep quiet, and let the guest lead the discussion, and it's so much better for it. If you've been angry about the way water companies have been dumping sewage into our seas and rivers, I guarantee that this will make you even more angry.

More usefully, though, it also has some interesting thoughts on how live more mindfully and sustainably while we re-engineer our systems to protect the planet.

A mix of anger and hope is exactly what we need right now.

EP 12. Hugo Tagholm

For our first episode of 2022 we’re coming out swinging with one our of closest allies and one of the most inspired ’ocean and surf activists’ out there, Hugo Tagholm, CEO of Surfers Against Sewage and Finisterre Ambassador.

Finisterre

After the storm

This was shared by Jeff in the Osprey Chat, and it's a reminder that storms like Eunice don't just impact humans.

Some actual reading

It's a mix of good and bad news. But, like I said above, you need to mix anger with hope.

Rewilding: yes, please!

The rewilding movement has been really effective at explaining the concept. I've been toying with writing about the straw men that rewilding critics tend to use in their objections, but for now, let's enjoy the good news:

Poll finds more than four-fifths of people back rewilding in Britain

More than four-fifths of people support rewilding landscapes to support nature in Britain, a poll has suggested.

The ScotsmanEmily Beament

Shrinking winter is bad news

I recently enoyed the excellent new book from outdoors writer Alex Roddie, The Farthest Shore, in which he hikes the Cape Wrath trail in winter, and finds it much less, well, wintery than expected. And that was in 2019, before the pandemic.

In this post, photographer Craig Jones looks at how the warmer winters are putting some species at risk.

What Happened To Winter? — Creature Candy

By Craig Jones Climate change is having a devastating impact on wildlife here in Britain and all around the world. Those species of wildlife that turn white in winter to blend in now look out of place as the milder temperatures bring less snowfall.

Creature CandyBig Fundraiser for Wildlife

The Joy of Walking

Walking as a mindful discipline is a subject close to my heart. This is a good piece on it:

Walk This Way — Feasts and Fables

Hayley Maguire’s passion for walking is infectious; transformational benefits abound with the consistent habit of getting outside and walking. Just walk this way

Feasts and FablesFeasts + Fables

When Siberia Thaws

Brace yourself for this one, folks. This is a rather stark look into our climate crisis future:

The Great Siberian Thaw

Permafrost contains microbes, mammoths, and twice as much carbon as Earth’s atmosphere. What happens when it starts to melt?

The New YorkerCondé Nast

Good News Chaser

I don't know about you, but I couyld do some with good news after that rather grim  story. Here's some successes with cute animal photos.

Wildlife success stories of 2021 in pictures

From exciting reintroduction projects to recording-breaking breeding success for threatened species, here’s our wildlife success stories this year.

Forestry England

The kids are alright

The world needs more Lyras…

You can read all about her fund-raising efforts on the Waterhaul site.

Winter's Beauty

This is beautiful:

One to watch

This is landscape eye candy at its best. I took a little while to warm to the pseudo-70s cinefilm aesthetic of the piece, but once I was in, I was hooked. I hope maybe one day my girls will be on adventures like these…