Fails to mention that slumping or collapsing Gulf states economies could fuel another global financial crisis, as asset values and economic viability plunge with the war. Any heavily Gulf-invested western banks or funds could fall over, with big domino effects. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

A Ferret investigation has found more than 20 Scottish wind farms are paying less money than expected to local communities. The shortfall could add up to more than £50m.  Critics have branded that an "acute injustice". Read the full story 👉 https://bit.ly/4rIcDzY

Very interesting! peeta462032.substack.com/p/missing-th...

New report says Scotland’s public resources “flow to wealthy private landowners” encouraging further land concentration via subsidies and tax breaks, rather than taking “bold and necessary land reform measures.” There’s too much pandering to the powerful. app.scotsman.com/story/560647...

3x Lecturers and 1x Associate Lecturer in History features.york.ac.uk/history-jobs...

📢 The Scottish Government has just published new proposals for community benefits from onshore renewable energy developments. Have your say on the proposals 👇 www.ideas.gov.scot

I see that Bluesky has flagged my post “Bot verification”. Do they not know Scottish Highland history and the Jacobite risings? Have they not heard of Culloden? Do they not know that many of our roads are old military roads? Below is AI for quick and easy - not accurate but it gives the rough idea.

Who would have thought it? 🙄 www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

An excellent article : @auntiesyzygy.bsky.social @claireboardman.bsky.social scottishleftreview.scot/skyes-revolt...

Valid point and the leveraging of such in maintaining existing structures of e.g. land ownership or the commodification of nature.

🤔 www.theguardian.com/environment/...

A healthy ecosystem requires a wide range of species interactions Focussing only on, eg, pollination or predation, will not hep ecosystem-level conservation

Superb 👌

Brilliant!

"Scotland’s aristocratic families do not cling to their massive estates only because of income but because of the influence it confers – to them, and their children, and their children’s children. It is about controlling Scotland’s future in the way they control so much of its present."

Just making sure that 2025 is definitely over

The new Bylines Network gazette is out! Theme is Environment - with a hefty dose of George Monbiot. Have a quick look! 👇👀

Very much my sort of thing!

What are the perils vs possibilities in working with business & finance to achieve nature recovery? Come to our workshop next week (Tuesday, 13:15) at #BES2025 to explore these issues & share your thoughts @britishecologicalsociety.org @bes-cascade.bsky.social

Starmer: “Going for a walk on your own and clearing your head, being out there with nature, is something I really enjoy. The peace, quiet, taking in a wider world – I've always loved it,” Also Starmer: "The new common-sense approach doesn’t allow newts or bats to be more important than the homes"

Over £1500 raised already! 🙏 The donation window is open until midday next Tuesday 9th December and any amount you can spare will be so gratefully received and doubled through match funding. Please support Archaeology Scotland to make a difference with disadvantaged individuals and communities.

Josh Doble of Community Land Scotland: “This is not a fringe issue. Land reform touches upon all of our lives as we face housing shortages, rising food prices, growing inequality and ecosystem collapse.” www.thenational.scot/news/2566814...

COP30 overpromised, underdelivered, empowered distractions, backtracked on issues and once again gave big oil and big ag a free pass. Unfortunately, the suspicions of climate scientists (here in Brazil and abroad) were confirmed again.

Novel ecosystems are those which have been significantly altered by human activity, even containing non-natives They are controversial, with debate about whether we should accept them or seek to ‘restore’ ‘native’ ecosystems See our short digest www.britishecologicalsociety.org/content/nove...

Congratulations Affric Highlands

Gosh. What a surprise.

PhD opportunity! Focusing on ecological processes offers an adaptive approach to conservation at a time of rapid environmental change But how do we measure & conserve these processes? This PhD will explore the use of species traits to assess ecosystem condition www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

The last @landscaperesearch.bsky.social meet up was a rare event where group size & make up enabled a proper conversation started by @frankrennie.bsky.social around his remarkable book: Among the Layers of the Land. A thoughtful, deep time story of place in alternating factual & fictional chapters.

I have published a new briefing for MSPs for the Stage 3 debate on the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill tomorrow (wed 5 Nov). You can download a copy here andywightman.scot/2025/11/land...

As the debate on the Land Reform Bill continues, one thing is clear: in its current form the Bill does not meet the scale of the challenges we face. Here @lmacfarlane.bsky.social gives evidence at the Net Zero, Energy & Transport Committee on why it needs significant amendments.

Yet again seen a paper in a high impact journal which does not cite highly relevant literature This shows that any paper is a work created by the authors whose findings must be assessed alongside the rest of the literature and that no single paper alone should be used to support an argument

"more sensible/risk averse “investors” are already getting out of carbon markets, before they were even half-developed, and are no longer prepared to pay exorbitant land prices. " parkswatchscotland.co.uk/2025/10/20/a...

“Scotland’s land is owned by the few—and the Government is letting it happen…. “And why? Because land is power.” www.heraldscotland.com/politics/hol...

The improvised response at 2:08 is remarkable. No one in the political life of the UK is anywhere near as impressive as this … or as threatening.

@frankrennie.bsky.social @alastairmci.bsky.social I'm "helping" to plan a special trip to Lewis and Harris next year with my school friends to mark our 70th, any hints for the best time, places to visit etc?

£500m Thames Water desalination plant has provided just seven days’ water over 15 years

An excellent article in The Crofter by Frank Rennie @frankrennie.bsky.social As well, I did enjoy the remark about the hedge funders who wouldn't recognise a Texel tup from a tractor 👌

Eye opening! www.heraldscotland.com/news/2544305...

By way of context, Grangemouth’s closure was 400 direct job losses. 1800 is … a lot.

War and more wars, what have we done to the world..................

Rayner is absolute class. She's been a bit silly in organising her taxes, but that's not why they hate her. They hate her because she did not know her place.

Generous & important insight into chronic illness & human resilience: "I found one path back to belonging was using the meanings of place-names – words reflecting the sense of belonging of those who once dwelled in a place. So, this is a discussion of how, as disabled people, we heal belonging."

"In 2022, the country launched an ambitious strategy to become the world’s first digital nation. This initiative includes 3D scanning its islands to digitally re-create them and preserve their cultural heritage, as well as moving government functions to a virtual environment." tinyurl.com/bdbwc7s7

Absolutely spot on! www.thenational.scot/community/25...

Some excellent points raised here by Josh Doble: www.thenational.scot/news/2540562...

1/2 I'm reminded of the "Tree of Life". In the Eden, the tree is ambiguous. It is perhaps a survival of the ritual poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah. The Yahwehist writer couldn't give the goddess her due. In Proverbs however, the Tree of Life returns as a symbol of feminine life-giving wisdom.