Asian hornet warning as bee-killers could bring ecological nightmare' to UK
Asian hornets pose a major threat to British honey bees and can eat 30 to 50 a day.
Beekeepers are urging the public to report sightings of Asian hornets and to be cautious when clearing shrubs and trees, as they may disturb hornet nests. [ more ]
Amazon rainforest nears tipping points, but it's not too late: study finds
As much as half of the Amazon rainforest may cross tipping points as soon as 2050, affecting Earth's biodiversity and carbon balance sheet.
Greenhouse gas emissions cuts and curbs in deforestation can reduce the likelihood and severity of large-scale shifts in the Amazon rainforest. [ more ]
Amazon rainforest could reach tipping point' by 2050, scientists warn
10% to 47% of Amazonian forests will be threatened by a combination of impacts including global warming, changing rainfall, deforestation and fires.
This could trigger the collapse of forest ecosystems, causing irreversible loss of wildlife, affecting rainfall, and hitting lives and livelihoods. [ more ]
Conservation groups hail Cop28 plans to protect nature
Conservation groups are pleased with the inclusion of biodiversity and a global deforestation goal in the UAE consensus from Cop28.
There are concerns that the language on fossil fuel emissions is not strong enough to address global heating and its impact on forest resilience. [ more ]
UN: Nearly half of migratory species are in decline as global extinction risks rise
More than a fifth of migratory species are threatened with extinction, with habitat loss and overexploitation being the biggest threats.
97% of listed migratory fish are at risk of extinction due to habitat loss and overexploitation, climate change, pollution, and invasive species. [ more ]
Residents dismayed by wanton destruction' of trees along rail line in Lewisham
R esidents in a south London conservation area are outraged by the sudden felling of trees for rail improvements.Joy Carter was shocked by the scale of the three-mile cull in habitats where 30 species of birds, rare insects and hedgehogs breed.Network Rail apologised for letting down locals who were initially told the latest work would begin this Sunday.
Undulating green roof helps Creek Cabin "live in harmony with the surrounding environment"
An undulating green roof and timber cladding help this Suffolk house by MAP Architecture and Jon Broome Architects, which was designed to Passivhaus standards, blend into the surrounding wetland.Named Creek Cabin, the home was built into a bank in the Suffolk Broads Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and was designed to pay respect to the nature on the site.
Nearly All of Earth's Ecological Vital Signs Are In The 'Danger Zone' Scientists Warn
1. Recent scientific evidence suggests that the Earth is rapidly entering an 'ecological danger zone' due to human-caused global warming and habitat destruction. 2. In order to prevent the Earth from entering a state of 'irreversible environmental damage', immediate action must be taken to reduce emissions,
England's vital hedges under threat from cuts to funding, farmers say
1. England is facing a major funding cut for vital hedges as a result of Brexit, which could have significant consequences for the country's farming industry. 2. Financial support for farmers is being reduced due to the UK's decision to leave the European Union, which could cause a significant decrease in crop
FLORA observatory suspends among a canopy of treetops to research the biodiversity of a natural park in Barcelona - Yanko Design
Called the Forest Lab for Observational Research and Analysis (FLORA), this observatory is located at the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC), suspended among the treetops of Barcelona's Collserola Natural Park.The innovative and unique scientific research facility is developed by students and researchers of Masters in Advanced Ecological Buildings and Biocities.
Family of foxes make Chicago's Millennium Park home
Below the towering skyscrapers lining Chicago's Millennium Park, an unlikely group is holing up in a garden: A family of foxes.Several kits frolicked in Lurie Garden as their mother looked on Sunday night.They played on the walkway, groomed one another atop a concrete slab and walked under metal gates lining the park.
Rise in Sightings of Honeybee Swarms Has U.K. Beekeepers Scrambling
The sight is one that beekeepers say is understandably intimidating to the ordinary person out for a walk: a sliver of sky suddenly darkening amid the collective roar of thousands of honeybees before they cluster on branches or bushes.In Britain, the behavior, known as swarming, typically takes place from May to July and is a natural process in which a honeybee colony splits in half and leaves with a queen bee in search of a new home.
New garden cities and suburbs are a solution to the housing crisis | Observer letters
Rowan Moore mentions how 2.8 million people now live in areas based on the idea of the garden city (Green belts once served a purpose, but now they are squeezing the life out of cities, Comment).In order to start solving the housing problem, would it not be possible to build new garden cities and suburbs?
Allotments plan for wasteland in Hounslow to help pupils learn about food
Hounslow Council's Grow for the Future scheme has been awarded 165,000 from the government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund.It means unused and unloved council land that is currently being used for fly-tipping or is inaccessible to the public will be transformed into new allotments, community gardens and orchards.
Forest regeneration scheme has created area smaller than Regent's Park
A government scheme to support the natural regeneration of trees has in two years created an area of new woodland smaller than Regent's Park in London.Just 192 hectares (474 acres) of natural colonisation have been established in England through the woodland creation offer, a financial support package launched by the government in May 2021 after natural regeneration was hailed as one of the cheapest, efficient and most wildlife-friendly ways of increasing tree cover and capturing carbon.
Visiting the Migrant Camp at the San Diego-Tijuana Border
Image A migrant camp in between the border walls that separate San Diego from Tijuana, Mexico.Credit...Mark Abramson for The New York Times SAN DIEGO At California's southern border, two parallel, towering fences stretch for miles, their reddish steel beams cutting through rugged hillsides thick with tall stocks of yellow wildflowers and marking where Mexico ends and the United States begins.
Rwanda floods, landslides fueled by climate change DW 05/09/2023
At least 130 people died amid severe flooding and landslides in Rwanda in early May, while thousands were displaced as entire villages were engulfed.Beyond the 5000 homes, 17 roads and 26 bridges destroyed, a whole hospital was lost amid torrential rain that followed an extended drought.The small, mountainous, landlocked African nation often called the "land of a thousand hills" is one of the most densely-populated countries in the region, note researchers.
She helped save one of the world's rarest creatures from extinction - and herself along the way
Jana Johnson was a struggling grad student in 2003 when she first met the butterfly that would change her life.She was 34, with two little boys and a crumbling marriage.Her research into the effect of wildfires on reptiles in the Santa Monica Mountains had stalled, she was juggling multiple part-time jobs, and her family was far away in Texas.
Bay Area nature challenge with California Academy of Sciences turns into global competition
City Nature Challenge is an international competition to photograph and identify plant and animal species, promoting community science and conservation efforts. [ more ]
London Is Making Waves As This Inland Surfing Venue Threads Its Way To Enfield
The Wave is bringing an exciting inland surfing destination to London, offering man-made waves for surfing without the need to check surf forecasts.
The Wave in Enfield reflects a vision of inclusivity, biodiversity focus, and access to green spaces, providing diverse activities beyond surfing. [ more ]
The French Biodiversity Agency enforces strict laws to protect biodiversity with a unique police force dedicated to safeguarding species like bats. [ more ]
Financial Market Challenges and ML-Supported Asset Allocation
Editor's note: Peter Schwendner, PhD is a speaker for ODSC Europe this June.Be sure to check out his talk, "ML Applications in Asset Allocation and Portfolio Management," there!The year 2022 presented two significant turnarounds for tech: the first one is the immediate public visibility of generative AI due to ChatGPT.
The Perfect Long Weekend in Dunedin: Biking Florida's Coast-to-Coast Trail With Jeff Jenkins
Florida has an extensive trail network for various activities like biking, walking, hiking, and kayaking.
The Coast-to-Coast Trail in Florida is a significant 250-mile route connecting the Gulf of Mexico on the West Coast to the Atlantic on the East Coast. [ more ]
Biodiversity: Can extinctions be stopped? DW 03/05/2024
Humans are driving the sixth mass extinction by significantly increasing the extinction rate of species through activities like deforestation and pollution.
Conservation measures have been able to reverse declines in some species, but efforts may fail if the approach is not correct. [ more ]
Biodiversity: Can extinctions be stopped? DW 03/05/2024
Humans are driving the sixth mass extinction with an extinction rate pushed to around 27,000 annually.
Conservation measures, including breeding programs, environmental laws, and reserves, have helped reverse declines in some species, but are insufficient to compensate for rapid global extinction rates. [ more ]
Four New Octopus Species Discovered in the Deep Sea
Scientists have discovered four new species of deep-sea octopuses off the coast of Costa Rica.
The octopuses were found near hydrothermal vents, suggesting they may have evolved to use the warmth from the vents to accelerate the incubation process. [ more ]
I discovered a way to identify the millions of species on Earth after a lightbulb moment in the supermarket
The challenge of identifying diverse moth species overwhelmed a seasoned entomologist, leading to a breakthrough idea of using DNA for species identification. [ more ]
Norway's deep-sea mining plans could put it on collision course with the EU
The European Parliament raised concerns over Norway's plans for deep-sea mining and its potential impact on EU fisheries, food security, and Arctic marine biodiversity.
Norway, despite not being an EU member, is bound by the EEA Agreement and must adopt European laws in exchange for access to the single market. [ more ]
Coffee production has evolved from shade-grown to unshaded monocultures, but there is renewed interest in shade-grown coffee due to biodiversity concerns.
Shade-grown coffee provides habitat for a variety of creatures and helps to preserve biodiversity in coffee-growing regions. [ more ]
Key EU biodiversity law makes next stage despite rebellion from MEPs
The European Union has passed a new biodiversity law aimed at protecting ecosystems and species from the effects of human activities.
The new law requires member states to set sustainability targets, such as reducing the impact of fishing on marine ecosystems, and creates a new fund to support conservation efforts. [ more ]
Flagship EU law to restore nature must not be derailed, warns environment chief
A flagship law to restore nature across Europe must be agreed by member states or risk sending a dangerous, negative signal to the world, the EU's environment commissioner has warned, amid growing opposition to the legislation.Last June, the European Commission revealed proposals for legally binding targets for all member states to restore wildlife on land, rivers and the sea.
Poverty, climate, regional stability on agenda as Saudi crown prince visits France
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Friday with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris as part of an official visit, during which he will also participate in a global financing summit aimed at fighting poverty and climate change.Macron and the prince sat down for a one-to-one working lunch at the Elysee presidential palace.
Keeping 1.5C alive bottom of desired outcomes for global businesses at Cop28'
Limiting global warming to 1.5C is bottom of the list for global businesses' desired outcomes at this year's Cop28, new research has shown.The findings suggest the business world has a lack of confidence in the Glasgow Climate Pact pledge to keep 1.5C alive from Cop26 and that some markets have already priced-in exceeding the target, according to researchers from advisory firm East & Partners and consultancy Impact & Influence.
Four New Octopus Species Discovered in the Deep Sea
Scientists have discovered four new species of deep-sea octopuses off the coast of Costa Rica.
The octopuses were found near hydrothermal vents, suggesting they may have evolved to use the warmth from the vents to accelerate the incubation process. [ more ]
Four New Octopus Species Discovered in the Deep Sea
Scientists have discovered four new species of deep-sea octopuses off the coast of Costa Rica.
The octopuses were found near hydrothermal vents, suggesting they may have evolved to use the warmth from the vents to accelerate the incubation process. [ more ]
Lina Ghotmeh wraps Hermes leather workshop in "galloping arches"
Lebanese architect Lina Ghotmeh has created a brick workshop in Louviers, France, for luxury brand Hermès that is the first industrial building to achieve France's highest environmental labelling.The wood-framed Maroquinerie de Louviers workshop, located in Hermès' hub in Normandy, was built from over 500,000 bricks produced by local brick-makers located 70 kilometres from the site.
Pattern found in world's rainforests where 2% of species make up 50% of trees
Just 2% of rainforest tree species account for 50% of the trees found in tropical forests across Africa, the Amazon and south-east Asia.
Understanding the commonest tree species in tropical rainforests can help predict how the entire forest will respond to environmental changes. [ more ]
How Much Can Trees Fight Climate Change? Massively, but Not Alone, Study Finds.
Restoring global forests where they occur naturally could capture a third of the carbon humans have released since the Industrial Era.
Allowing existing forests to recover to maturity could provide extra carbon storage, but there are caveats like timber and palm oil needs, carbon loss from climate change, and cutting greenhouse gas emissions is necessary.
Forests are essential for addressing climate and biodiversity crises, but the reliance on trees to solve the climate crisis is a subject of debate. [ more ]
Reintroduction of endangered vulture in Spain paused over planned windfarm
Conservationists in Spain are calling for a profound debate on how best to balance the protection of wildlife with renewable energy demands after efforts to reintroduce endangered bearded vultures to an eastern area of the country had to be paused because of the threat posed by a huge new windfarm.The bearded vulture known in Spanish as the quebrantahuesos, or bone-breaker, because of the way it drops bones from a great height so they shatter and yield their marrow was common across the country until the 20th century, when it was poisoned and hunted to the brink of extinction.
Chance to buy landmark Yorkshire crag is genuinely unique opportunity'
The sale of one of Yorkshire's best-known landmarks has been described as a genuinely unique opportunity.Kilnsey Crag is the 170ft-high (52m) limestone cliff which dominates the drive into Upper Wharfedale, in the Yorkshire Dales.As well as featuring on countless postcards, the crag is a well-known climbing hot-spot and was even painted by JMW Turner in 1816.
Drivers will have better views of monuments under new plans to boost the green credentials of England's busiest roads.National Highways said it wants to protect and enhance heritage assets adjacent to motorways and major A roads.This includes improving the visibility and accessibility of historically significant sites, and providing more information to road users about the features of areas they are travelling through.
Review: Julia Wolfe's unEarth' Is Crowded Out by Multimedia
Since moving back into David Geffen Hall this season, the New York Philharmonic has tried to use its newly renovated, technologically adept space to give extra multimedia glamour to a few premieres.Etienne Charles's San Juan Hill opened the season in October, and dealt directly with the midcentury displacement of economically vulnerable populations on the blocks that became Lincoln Center.
Just Between Us Squirrels, There Might Be Trouble in the Arctic Dating Scene
Male Arctic ground squirrels go through puberty every year.As if that wasn't hard enough, now the females have a problem, too.According to a paper published on Thursday in the journal Science, climate change appears to be making them emerge from hibernation earlier.That matters, because it could throw off the timing of the animals' mating cycle.
Chonk the snapping turtle delights locals with Chicago River appearance
A large snapping turtle dubbed Chonk has become a viral favorite of Chicago residents after the enormous reptile has been spotted repeatedly lounging by the once-toxic Chicago River.Look at the size of that thing!Joey Santore said as he filmed Chonkosaurus, or Chonk, as the giant creature lay atop of what appears to be an old rusty chain and tree snags.
Indigenous Shipibo-Konibo-Xetebo Group Defends Peruvian Amazon From Destruction
Aerial view of Cano Belludo, a tributary of the Ucayali River, in Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, Ucayali River, Peru.Kike Calvo / Universal Images Group via Getty Images The Shipibo-Konibo-Xetebo people of the Peruvian Amazon are organizing themselves to protect their ancestral forests and waters from illegal fishing, logging, and coca growing amidst conservation and development efforts from both the government and international nonprofits that they say are ineffective at best and actively harmful to Indigenous ways of life at worst.
This Map Shows The Best National Parks For Wildlife
Summer is just around the corner.If you haven't locked in your vacation plans, or you're desperately looking for day trips to keep the kids busy, a new map that outlines which national parks have the best biodiversity might be a great way to start your search.Vacation rental company Casago wanted to find out the best state parks across the U.S. that are perfect for families who are obsessed with wildlife.