Desperate stuff

[Tedx]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-66923930

[88V8]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-66923930

This is what happens in an overcrowded country, with nature-antagonistic farming producing overly cheap food.

V8

[servodude]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-66923930

This is what happens in an overcrowded country, with nature-antagonistic farming producing overly cheap food.

V8

It would be interesting to see the breakdown of where stuff is being used and what land is actually being turning over in to farming these days
I really would have thought that the barn door on that transition closed a long time ago. The UK hasn't been self sufficient for centuries and during that time outsourced the production of just about everything that didn't offer a decent return - I don't know how much farming in the UK would be for overly cheap food

The farm I used to dip sheep on as a wean is named on this map: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/maps/sheet/first_edition/1856-95sheet30
- they gave up on the sheep about 30 years back and have concentrated on the higher value kyloes since
They're also pretty nature friendly - with a decent walking track heading out towards Burns country (from where Professor Tom managed to post a photo that included my maw's house on the old TMF)

I am pretty sure that the release of arable land to developers would be making a big impact on the wildlife - particularly in the way that areas seem to get razed quickly and built in concentration. This forces the beasties to have to move en-masse and is quite different from the more organic growth of towns that used to displace things more slowly giving the fauna time to adapt.

...and voles are brilliant. They should refer rats to their PR guys

-sd

[AsleepInYorkshire]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-66923930

All of the science points towards some serious issues with the UK's environment. We aren't managing it as well as we want to think.

I read something yesterday which I think transfers to this subject. It was referred to as the 2% rule. 1% of us are very interested in protecting our environment and are active on the subject. Another 1% would sooner we laid concrete over the entire country starting today. As for the remaining 98% they couldn't give a .... either way and never will.

It's sad Ted, very sad.

AiY(D)

[bungeejumper]

- they gave up on the sheep about 30 years back and have concentrated on the higher value kyloes since

This southerner had to look that word up. Thanks for the diversion. So, a smaller version of what we used to call highland cattle, then?

Our local organic dairy herd has been interbreeding its pedigree friesians with herefords for many years now, with the aim of getting both milk and (better) meat from the same animals. Can't blame the farmer, considering how low the milk price has been driven by the supermarkets. But I guess the whole issue of whether to keep cattle at all is now coming under scrutiny. Fart machines that they are?

Slightly against the flow of this thread, admittedly, but the new BBC Scotland series on wildlife challenges and regeneration is pretty damn good. Doesn't dodge the problems, but generally tends toward the positive. Yes, including the voles. And some interesting statistics in episode 2 on land use, peat and urban sprawl. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/ ... e-new-wild

BJ

[ReformedCharacter]

But I guess the whole issue of whether to keep cattle at all is now coming under scrutiny. Fart machines that they are?

BJ

Wrong end of the digestive system, mainly

RC

[AsleepInYorkshire]

To augment Ted's opening post.

A 7 minute long Channel 4 News Report.

Nature in crisis: landmark report reveals plummeting British wildlife

The State of Nature report was first published a decade ago. Then, 1 in 10 species were at risk of extinction. Today it’s 1 in 6.

The report says we know what to do to reverse these losses but we’re currently going in the wrong direction.

This is happening on our watch

AiY(D)