More than half of all bird species are in decline. But good news about green sea turtles - we can save species if we really try! www.theguardian.com/environment/...

We are nature. Its best interests are our best interests. So it's pretty dim of our chancellor to again pit wildlife against people, boasting of 20,000 homes built despite "some snails" that "are a protected species or something". www.theguardian.com/environment/... Unsavoury lobbying here too.

As a young reporter, I interviewed Jilly Cooper about the Animals in War memorial – she was so warm, kind and funny. I imagine she was a great friend to everyone she met. A lovely person. www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...

Calling young people aged 14 and under! The Guardian is looking for your 250-word pieces of writing about nature and landscape for the Young Country Diary. Entry here (and published diaries will be paid): www.theguardian.com/environment/...

I wrote this story back in 2020 about Larch Maxey www.theguardian.com/environment/... Now he faces losing his home - fundraiser here: gofund.me/ce4ec3de0

Extraordinary that a peaceful environmental protester faces losing his home over his opposition to the destruction of ancient woods and trees. Gofundme page for Dr Larch Maxey here gofund.me/ce4ec3de0 @chrisgpackham.bsky.social

In case you missed this, natural areas equivalent in size to Cyprus have been lost across Europe in just 5 years (2018-2023). www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Great appeal here to protect a fantastic ancient woodland in Buckinghamshire. I've just walked through this landscape – the ancient royal hunting forest of Bernwood is being bisected by HS2 – and it is a magical area. Good luck @bbowt.bsky.social! www.bbowt.org.uk/news/wildlif...

This is the story of my daughter Milly and Lyme Disease. There was no rash, no "summer flu", NHS blood tests negative. And she's been ill for a quarter of her life. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s... Thank you @lymediseaseuk.bsky.social & @lymeresourcecentre.bsky.social for raising UK awareness.

If you pick up the Guardian Weekend Magazine today, please read about my daughter Milly’s battle with Lyme disease. And if you’re feeling bold, drop your copy into your local GP. There are thousands of Millys out there. Most are currently not helped at all by the NHS or, worse, not believed.

If you pick up the Guardian Weekend Magazine today, please read about my daughter Milly’s battle with Lyme disease. And if you’re feeling bold, drop your copy into your local GP. There are thousands of Millys out there. Most are currently not helped at all by the NHS or, worse, not believed.

More great coverage of a brilliant initiative. Great to see @norfolkponds.bsky.social getting the coverage it deserves. £2000 per pond, what a bargain! @patrickbarkham.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/environment/...

In case you missed it: lots of amazing and heartening pond restoration going on. Research is likely to confirm that seeds "lost" in the bottom of filled-in ponds can remain viable for 100s of years so ponds and their aquatic plants leap back to life. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Nothing nicer at this time of year than mellow sunshine and a red admiral nectaring on ivy. Love the blue on its hindwings 😍

Good news from Chicago! Rivers can be cleaned up, and are being cleaned up. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

This Saturday I'm bringing the wild world of Roger Deakin to the Leiston Book Festival – tickets and fascinating full programme here: www.leistonbookfestival.co.uk Looking forward to it!

Really honoured to be interviewing nature writing legend Richard Mabey on Oct 3rd at the brilliant North Norfolk Festival of Literature and Landscape in Wells-next-the-sea – full programme and tickets here literatureandlandscape.org

New legal challenge to try and save beautiful and wildlife-rich Whitewebbs Park from Spurs new football academy. The speed at which 20k was raised (and then exceeded) shows the strength of local feeling against this takeover of public green space. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

This is infuriating. What is the point of a Marine Protected Area if trawlers are allowed to keep ploughing it? Yet again, the government has succumbed to commercial lobbying. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Perhaps not quite the amazing butterfly summer many of us experienced. I know @savebutterflies.bsky.social adjust data for an early flight season but I wonder if some low numbers are because species eg Meadow Brown had been and gone before the Big Butterfly Count? www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Thanks to brilliant conservation efforts with our partners it has been a record year for Hen Harriers in the Forest of Bowland, with one of the highest number of fledglings recorded in over 40 years! Read all about it here: www.rspb.org.uk/england/engl...

Ahead of the publication of Unschooled @patrickbarkham.bsky.social travelled to Glasgow to meet @carogileswrites.bsky.social Read Caro's story today in the @theguardian.com in print & on online. Huge thanks to Patrick for listening & responding so beautifully www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Sunday book review: Nature Changing by David North Publisher: Mascot Media Review: markavery.info/2025/08/31/s... '...the most gorgeous book I've read this year' #cley #norfolk #naturewriting @norfolknats.bsky.social @norfolkbea.bsky.social @cleyspy.bsky.social @patrickbarkham.bsky.social

New deputy Green leader Mothin Ali received racist abuse while holidaying in Cromer last week. I'd like to invite @mothinali.bsky.social and his family back to Norfolk anytime and I'll show him the best of our hospitality and more of our wonderful coastline. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

In case you missed it over the weekend, happy birthday Canvey Wick nature reserve, 20 years old! I hope we can save a load more brownfield sites like it – even tiny sites can be so rich in invertebrate life. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Crowdfunder to launch a judicial review of the shocking decision by Enfield Council to let Spurs build all over wildlife-rich Whitewebbs public park. This development deserves more scrutiny, and this challenge is very much led by the local community. www.crowdjustice.com/case/savewhi...

This is very cool www.theguardian.com/environment/...

I hope this summer's wildlife spectacles show more of us the wonders of (relative) abundance, and why it's worth fighting for. I wrote this for the Guardian comment pages... www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Massive news! Britain has a new butterfly species. Time to check all those white butterflies really carefully, especially in East Anglia. (The black mark in the corner of the forewing is unusually square shaped. Not sure I'd be confident to make an ID!)

Tell Google to search elsewhere. Another unique and precious brownfield haven in the Thames Estuary is under threat from Big Data. Petition here: you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/sa...

Lovely story from the brilliant @britishwildlife.bsky.social magazine. This mag is endlessly fascinating – recommend if you're not a subscriber already. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Brilliant interview in @environment.theguardian.com from @patrickbarkham.bsky.social with @joeharkness.bsky.social. Creativity & change needs diversity: “If you don’t have diversity of people, you don’t have biodiversity”. Yes Joe! Looking forward to this book v much. #neurodivergentbynature

The 100 oaks I’m growing for Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s centenary next year are doing well. Any oak experts know the little wasp that seems attracted to them (and hopefully not a problem)? And presumably the oaks can shrug off the mildew/mould? I’m hoping they’ll look a little more handsome in 2026!

Are wildlife charities really going to back the government's infrastructure bill? @chrisgpackham.bsky.social @craigbennett3.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

0.1% of Dartmoor in good ecological condition. And each Dartmoor ewe loses its owner £16.90 – the ecological and economic craziness of the current sheep grazing regime well explained by @chrisgpackham.bsky.social. Time to change how this amazing place is managed. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Everyone should go on holiday in Breckland at least once in their lives! Here's a little travel piece about an excursion to the Breck, it's a unique place with amazing wildlife, landscapes and swimming... www.theguardian.com/travel/2025/...

Our @greenwingstours.bsky.social Swallowtail weekend group just endured a biblical rainstorm. Then we found this beauty, tucked away in the sedge. At a fabulous secret location 😉

Tuesday sold out but still some spaces for the lovely Swallowtail-seeking day next Weds – can never guarantee anything but weather forecast currently 25C!

I've interviewed Tony Juniper, Natural England chair. He was necessarily diplomatic about the planning bill. I only hope central govt listens to his expert advice! www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Keir Starmer needs to listen not to housebuilders but nightingales! More great reporting by my colleague Helena Horton. Madness that the best place in Britain for this endangered bird is owned by a housing quango. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Email your MP with your opposition to the nature-wrecking planning bill here. action.wildlifetrusts.org/page/171483/... Luckily I have Lib Dem MP who gets this but I've still emailed him. Everyone can speak up on this issue.

"Ministers understood to be drawing up amendments to Planning Bill to try to head off threatened rebellion" www.theguardian.com/politics/202... Keep emailing your MPs. It's working: action.wildlifetrusts.org/page/171483/...

Interesting defence of England's new planning bill here. The bill's opponents aren't claiming govt wants to "destroy irreplaceable habitats as a first resort". In fact, multiple legal opinions say that last-resort protections for nature are being stripped away. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Happy nature news of the day: the Foxley Wood acorns I’m hoping will sprout into 100 oaks to celebrate Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s 100th birthday next year are growing beautifully. Incredible energy stored in an acorn. So robust and easy to grow (once acorns protected from hungry mice over winter) 😃

"Imagine flattening an irreplaceable grade I listed building like the Royal Albert Hall, replacing it with karaoke machines in various towns and then telling the public this is a ‘win-win’ for architecture and music." @ruthtingay.bsky.social on threats to wildlife www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Thousands of protected places in England are at risk from the planning bill in its current form, according to legal opinion. We must all write to our MPs – only major amendments or a Labour rebellion will stop massive near-future wildlife destruction. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Join me for a fabulous day out hunting for swallowtails on the Norfolk Broads. The weekend break is sold out but day trips on Tues 10th and Weds 11th June still available greenwings.co/our-holidays... (pics by one of our former guests @andrewfusekpeters.bsky.social)

Nearly half the tree of life disappearing in one human lifetime... www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Join me for a fabulous day out hunting for swallowtails on the Norfolk Broads. The weekend break is sold out but day trips on Tues 10th and Weds 11th June still available greenwings.co/our-holidays... (pics by one of our former guests @andrewfusekpeters.bsky.social)

This little story about Labour’s swift brick u-turn is getting enormous readership - so @teamlabouruk.bsky.social it will be hurting you. Such a simple, positive, happy, cost-free measure to introduce