Help to End the Retail Sale of Peat in Horticulture
The Government has launched a consultation on the subject of ending the retail sale of peat in horticulture. Please take a few minutes to have your say on this important issue. There is no need for peat-based compost to be used when perfectly good alternatives exist. Peatlands are biodiverse habitats that support rare species like … Continued
Comment on our Draft Strategy 2022-2026
The BDS has published its Draft Strategy 2022-2026. You can read it and comment on it here. Image: Willow Emerald Damselfly female by Bruce Hyde
Get Christmas Sorted With Our Gift Membership Offer!
Christmas is Coming! I know that you don’t need reminding. Are you looking for a unique Christmas present for a friend or relative? What about Gift membership? For as little as £20.00 you can purchase membership that will cover them for 15 months all the way to the end of March 2023! Just … Continued
Dragonflies & Damselflies of Britain and Ireland Field Guide available as Apple App
An updated version of NatureGuides Ltd. Dragonflies & Damselflies of Britain and Ireland Field Guide is now available to download for £9.99 from the Apple app store. If you have the original version downloaded, it is available as a free update. The download features. . . A comprehensive field guide to the dragonflies and damselflies … Continued
Dragonflies disappear around the world as wetlands are lost
The International Union for Conservation of Nature has conducted its first ever global Red List assessment of Odonata (dragonflies). The study concluded that 16% of 6,016 species assessed are at risk of extinction. The species’ decline correlates to the deterioration and destruction of their wetland breeding habitats. Habitat loss, in many countries, is linked to … Continued
Defra may approve controversial neonicotinoid
Under pressure from the sugar beet industry, emergency authorisation of Cruiser SB, thiamethoxam pesticide, is likely to be approved shortly, says sources inside the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). The sugar beet industry is calling for the pesticide’s use in order to protect seeds from yellows disease virus. However, the pesticide is … Continued
BDS partners with Guildford Zero Centre
The BDS Hampshire & Surrey Borders Group has a new semi-permanent exhibition right in the centre of Guildford at the ZERO Centre. It is run by Zero Carbon Guildford, with support from Guildford Environmental Forum, in a huge shop in a prime location at the bottom end of the High Street. Our stand in the … Continued
The National Forest for Wales
National Forest for Wales is a unique project aiming to create a nationwide network of publically accessible woodlands and forests. This will including creating new woodlands, as well as restoring existing ones, for the benefit of wildlife and the wellbeing of communities. You can become part of the project and receive a free native tree … Continued
Q&A with Dr Matt Geary
We hope you all enjoyed our Annual meeting on 27 November. Attendees had lots of questions for speaker Dr Matt Geary on his talk about White-faced Darter genetics. Here are his answers. . . Caroline: Re low recapture rate – could they have just flown elsewhere/dispersed rather than not survived? Or do they tend … Continued