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Restoring our wildflower grasslands

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Glorious Cotswold Grasslands is an exciting and ambitious project which aims to create the largest network of wildflower rich Jurassic limestone grassland in the country – around 100 hectares in total, over three years.  In the 1930s, 40% of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) was covered in wildflower-rich grassland; today less than 1.5% remains.  This habitat was once abundant with beautiful wildflowers, and supported a vast diversity of wildlife, including butterflies, bees, bats, birds, and many other animals. Sadly, agricultural intensification and changing land management practices has led to the loss of almost all this grassland.  Over half of the country’s flower-rich Jurassic limestone grassland is found in the Cotswolds.  Glorious Cotswold Grasslands aims to reverse the decline in these habitats, by restoring and creating wildflower grasslands throughout the Cotswolds AONB. T he Cotswolds Conservation Board has been awarded a grant of ove...
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Early Spring butterflies

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For many of us it’s spotting the first butterflies that mean Spring is really here. The 59 species of UK butterflies (including 2 regular migrants) are some of our most attractive insects, but like many other species, their n umbers have declined dramatically over the last 50 years perhaps by as much as 50%. Major threats include  loss of habitat (especially food plants), continuing use of chemicals pesticides, and climate change. The earliest species on the wing are normally those that have overwintered in a dormant state as adult butterflies. The yellow B rimstone butterfly , named after an archaic word for sulphur, is one of the first butterflies we see flying in spring. That's because it steals a march on many other species by over-wintering as an adult, often among clusters of ivy leaves where its pale underwings camouflage it superbly.  The Brimstone has a very long proboscis, so it can reach nectar on flowers which most other UK butterflies cannot, such as runner beans ...
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UK Biodiversity is still declining - but we can all help change that

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A report just published by the UK Government's own Environmental Audit Committee confirms that the  UK is now one of the most nature-depleted countries in a world where a million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction. A   't oothless Government policy and insufficient targets to stem the tide of biodiversity los s' mean the UK  has the worst nature record amongst all G7 countries.  T he ambition may be there, but a poorly-mixed cocktail of ambitious targets, superficial strategies, funding cuts and lack of expertise is severely limiting any tangible progress. There will be a new opportunity to challenge this when a strengthened CEE (Climate and Emergency Bill) gets its Second Reading in September with the cross party support of over 100 MPs. We should take every opportunity to lobby our MPs give it their support. So what can we do personally to help improve wildlife?  Well we've made a good start - just look at the earlier postings on this...
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