One day to go: The US wants to cancel the law defending roadless areas. Public comment period for opposing this rollback closes Sep. 19, 2025. An open letter by SCB (@society4conbio.bsky.social) explains why this is a poor idea and how to comment. See more here: conbio.org/publications...

Have you already heard of our EU project LAFERIA? It revolves around the restoration of Landscape Features in intensive agricultural areas. Now a simple challenge! Join us to learn about the project and discuss how we can work together to acheive this. 14.10.2025, 10:00 - more details below.

Cupido argiades (short-tailed blue) used to be quite rare but became common in Leipzig in the past 2-3 years. Is this happening also in other places in Germany/Europe? If so, could it be some sort of an adaptation to changing conditions?

Morgen (16.9) um 18:00:🦋 Online-Vortrag: „Schmetterlinge im Herbst“, in Kooperation mit BUND und VHS Lage (Lippe). Erfahre mehr über ihre Entwicklung, Bedeutung für die Natur, und die Projekte VielFalterGarten und UNPplus. Anmeldung unter: www.vhs-lw.de

Choosing where we source the food that we eat makes a difference to the environment, but how much? After churning through 100s of petabytes of data, we now know the answer varies by three orders of magnitude for species extinction risks! Paper out in Nature Food: www.nature.com/articles/s43... 🌍

Polyommatus icarus (common blue), egg-laying on clover - observed during a 15min count in Budapest. The lawn was cut on the next day.

Fascinating conversation about agri yesterday with my neighbour in a Thuringia village (AfD). First he described the effectiveness of 12year investments by David Stiftung in sustainable agri. Then, on EU politics he said CAP should be abolished: We should follow New Zealand, no subsidies. 1+1 = ?.

Attention: EU Commission call for "feedback on future environmental legislation simplification, launched by 22.7, closing 10.9 (!). Noting that "simplification" is the EU word for "deregulation", inputs from science would seem important. environment.ec.europa.eu/news/feedbac...

Worth studying this. As I'm not an expert on Brazil's policies, so interested to hear opinions on the case.

In talking about nature recovery, we have to remember how much has been lost in a very short time Our map of loss of chalk grassland, heathland & woodland in Dorset over less than a century doi.org/10.1111/ecog...

Dispatches from a Sinking Science Fisheries scientist Holden Harris reflects on being fired from NOAA and what the loss of public science means for our oceans, our climate, and our future. themarjorie.org/2025/08/07/d...

In Manu Learning Centre we joined the volunteers in preparing, hanging & checking butterfly traps at 1.5, 12 & 20m heights. These monitoring efforts run now for 10 years, alternating between Tuna and Banana-traps. Please tell me if you know of similar efforts somewhere else, as this is tremendous!

How can biodiversity governance be made more inclusive, just, and effective? What can policymakers learn from bottom-up initiatives across Europe? 🌱 🤝 Join our international webinar to explore these questions on the 24th of September at 14.30 CET! 🗓️ www.bionext-project.eu/news/webinar...

Ever heard of zombie insects? The parasitic fungus, Cordyceps, not only mutilates their bodies to awkward shapes but also manipulates their behaviour. When they die, the fungus extends out of their bodies to disperse further.

Five weeks in South America, first in Peru and then in Argentina: In the coming weeks I'll be posting some pictures, impressions and lessons. I'll start with Manu NP i.e. our trip into the Amazon: nature at its best. The best IMO is the forest's 'nightlife', especially with a UV light is at hand.

🚨 Nature’s rights & international law: The Inter-American Court of Human Rights recognizes rights for nature. In a historic opinion, the Court cited @ipbes.net Global and Americas Assessments as key evidence 🌿📚🧪 Biodiversity conservation ensures human well-being. 🌏 📰http://bit.ly/4omU9V4

"The world is in a #plasticscrisis. This crisis has worsened alongside the other planetary threats of our time and is contributing to #climatechange, pollution, and #biodiversityloss." #plasticstreaty #plastics

#Plasticpollution "is a “grave, growing and under-recognised danger to human health”, an international team of scientists and doctors warned ahead of a UN conference this week to negotiate a global #plasticstreaty." a globally & historically significant week starts in #Geneva ✊

I normally avoid X/twitter, but see below: Apparently there is a 2nd proposal for the Peruvian gov to vote 4 allowing material extraction (e.g. oil) in protected areas. If passing, it could cancel tens of years of efforts to protect Peru's most valuable resource. International help is sought.

Deregulation is a global issue: travelling to Manu NP in Peru I'm learning of a planned vote to allow oil palm expansion in Peru’s Amazon. Please spread and ask people to write the Peruvian gov not to aid few people destroy the most intact world's forest. news.mongabay.com/2025/06/regu...

Webinar alert: How can the CAP help biodiversity? And can #agroecology help address the global #nature crisis? ‘Roots of resilence – enhancing biodiversity through agroecology’ – Wednesday 9th July 10:00 – 12:00 CET, with Lizzie Finch (UFZ/iDiv). Register here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/agroecolog...

Read the interview with @guypeer.bsky.social here: www.idiv.de/policy-advic...

Forschende haben die Rolle der Wissenschaft bei 2 EU-Verordnungen (Wiederherstellung der Natur + Nachhaltige Verwendung von Pflanzenschutzmitteln) analysiert. Ein Interview mit #UFZ + #iDiv Forscher @guypeer.bsky.social‬ über Politikberatung in Zeiten alternativer Fakten. www.ufz.de/index.php?de...

Published in @peopleandnature.bsky.social: "The Role of Science and Scientists in Public Environmental Policy Debates: The case of EU agrochemical and Nature Restoration Regulations". We reflect on how to debunk misinformation and help depolarize heated debates. 👉 doi.org/10.1002/pan3...

Do you know of efforts to restore landscape features in agricultural areas in Europe? In the EU project LAFERIA we are looking for such initiatives, be it succesful or not. Can you help us listing and describing them? See survey here: forms.office.com/pages/respon... Please send this around! Thnx

Delayed mowing in the nearby park is enough for counting 4 common blues on an 500m2 area.

Reminder to register to our info-hour on NRR-CAP relations, to take place on Wednesday 21.5 at 15:00 CET. @sebastianlakner.bsky.social and @evelynunderwood.bsky.social will speak, while Marie Vandewalle, Nestor Fernandez and me will join the panel discussion.

The difference just 4 years can make when land is released from overgrazing. Nothing was planted here: all these native trees, wildflowers, etc, came naturally, along with loads of butterflies, birds, + other animal life. THIS is how we reverse nature loss. #Rewilding 🌍

🌿🐾 Find out about recent research looking at the potential to restore farmland areas back to natural landscapes, focussing on a case study from Brandenburg, Germany. 🔗 doi.org/10.1016/j.la... Published in Land Use Policy, Volume 154 @ufz.de @zalf.bsky.social

EU Commission releases today a ''simplification package'' on the CAP: ec.europa.eu/commission/p... What are your opinions about it?

15 minutes point count might be very short if there is much to see, but can admittedly be pretty boring in a ''control'' site like this. But this year we really want to compare 'measures' versus 'control' sites, in urban and rural areas. Are you in?

Pollination service

🌿Do you understand Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR)? What are the implications for the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)? 💡Join us to find out what you need to know: Wed 21 May from 15:00 (CEST) www.agroecology-transect.net/events/info-... @guypeer.bsky.social @sebastianlakner.bsky.social

🦋 Join @guypeer.bsky.social from our partners @ufz.de, for a presentation providing the details of how to count butterflies, part of our work monitoring farmland butterflies. 🔍 For experts and interested beginners 🗓️ Sun 4 May from 20:00 CEST 🔗: www.agroecology-transect.net/events/count...

Our protocol for butterfly observations in farmland areas is now available also in French and Serbian. www.agroecology-transect.net/news/butterf... More news and online events to come soon!

Counting butterflies in two contrasting sites, 200m apart: arable vs grassland. Sounds unfair? The latter was arable too, just until recently. Being inside the rapeseed field is a strong experience: so many flowers, so few insects... Wanna join? We need many more sites! 15 min, 3 visits would do.

Join us in counting farmland butterflies! We're looking for people to conduct 15 minute observations, comparing field types + middle vs margins: www.agroecology-transect.net/news/butterf... Protocols will soon be available in additional languages, e.g. Bulgarian, Hungarian, Serbian etc. Are you in?

En repérage dans les fermes du #Sancy pour les mesures de biodiversité du projet @agtransect.bsky.social 🦋 Nous compterons les vers de terre & les papillons proches ou à distance des haies, en caractérisant la flore, le sol & le microclimat 🙏 Merci à l'ensemble des éleveurs-ses pour leur accueil

when a step backward is a way forward, we have a problem.

Reminder for all early career conservationists: the nomination deadline for our award is in a week! Reminder for all conservationists: please share the information with your network!

The EU is about to deregulate New Genomic Techniques (NGT) in Europe. Target of the planned legislation is for applications in agriculture, but a small 'detail' will apply it to ALL 300,000 plant species on Earth. A petition was placed by scientists: action.wemove.eu/sign/2025-4-...

Two days left! Do you want to engage people in monitoring butterflies in urban areas in Europe? Free spaces left for our 'Train-the-Trainer' workshops on Friday (28.3.2025): English (10:30-12:00) / German (14:00-15:30). Register 4 free by 26.3.2025:https://www.vielfaltergarten.de/veranstaltungen

BREAKING & BIG: Today in PARIS, citizens voted in a referendum to PEDESTRIANIZE 500 MORE of the city's streets, giving fresh momentum to efforts by city leaders to create people-places, curb car usage, and improve air quality. 66% of Parisians voted in favour of the measure, official results showed!

A day in the village is a great reminder that spring is already here. And what a sample of insects overwintering in the attic...

Heute (Freitag 21.3) 17:00: Online Veranstaltung: "Bevor ihr in den Garten geht, lasst uns über Schmetterlinge sprechen!" Link: ufz-de.zoom-x.de/j/7454858131... VielFalterGarten / UNP+

Day 1 #PFAS are industrial chemicals that contaminate humans and the environment. One type of PFAS, called PFOA, was banned in 2020 because of its toxic effects. Despite the ban, it is still found in most living organisms along with complex mixtures of structurally similar PFAS.

Insektensterben: es ist nicht das Wetter. www.mdr.de/wissen/umwel...

We are recruiting! Do you know butterflies? Are you living around Leipzig, and feel like joining our efforts to expand butterfly monitoring in urban and rural settings? See our assistant position offer: recruitingapp-5128.de.umantis.com/Vacancies/31...

“Copenhagen reported that 62% of its residents are now commuting to work or school by bike — an increase from 52% in 2015 & 36% in 2012, when the City Council launched a 14-year-plan to improve the quality, safety & comfort of cycling.” #Copenhagen chose. They keep choosing even better every year.

Please enjoy part 1 of a series of blog posts written by myself and @brettfavaro.bsky.social offering our advice on how scientists can effectively speak with jouranlists about our areas of expertise. Part 2 is coming next week. Please read and share! www.southernfriedscience.com/advice-for-t... 🧪