An excellent article here from Rewilding Britain
WILDLIFE – ESPECIALLY INSECTS
There appears to be a massive decline in our insects which will have a catastrophic impact on life on Earth. Are we being too tidy?
Whilst I understand the impact of agribusiness on the countryside I cannot believe that that alone is responsible. In particular I have noticed fewer flies and wasps around my house in the last couple of years. It made me think about the food recycling boxes we now have, with the contents then being incinerated or whatever. In the past they would have gone in a dustbin, and even if in plastic bags these often split, and were then dumped in landfill.
Now with great efficiency disposal is insect free. I do not want to attract rats, so what to do? Entomologists please advise.
I remember Chris Baines stating that the attraction of the Severn Estuary to wading birds was the invertebrates which lived on the sewage deposited by rivers from both animals and humans!
WEATHER AND GARDEN
REWILDING BRITAIN
I just received an email from this organisation, and I wish them the very best. But for the concept of rewilding to work it needs a fundamental change in the psychology of large numbers of the public. Nice books about rich people rewinding their land is great, but I would rather not leave it to the wealthy philanthropists!
DESKS
My front garden
Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder! Whilst many see a front lawn with straight parallel lines as a thing of wonder and order, I see it as a green desert, an insult to the diversity of nature. Uniform type of grass often sprayed with herbicides and fertilisers. To further insult the planet it needs to be cut every 2 weeks at least. I am not sure that there are many more boring and energy wasting activities than mowing a lawn using electricity or petrol. I wonder what the fossil fuel energy use is in this country.
VEGETABLES
REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL
2020 has been a bit crap. But 2021 is already looking good.
Trump has left the White House and things look better already.
Vaccines are on the way so we can cope with Covid.
Some of my bulbs are already growing
My car will be mended – hopefully!
And then a wish list – justice, law and fairness replace avarice, greed and selfishness at the heart of government. Climate change becomes the centre of government and media concern (without disasters).
LIFE SKILLS
When I was little, a long time ago, I do not remember going out in nature unless for a reason, or cooking – other than hanging around to lick the spoon and hopefully the bowl. But we had a garden and allotment, and mum cooked a lot. My mum did not have to work to pay the mortgage like most families do today. Takeawys and fast food have seemingly taken over. Jamie Oliver does his bit as do lots of other. Countryfile and Packham and Attenborough do their best. But both these topics should be an integral part of our way of life and culture, not a 30/50 minute TV slot.
GARDEN JOBS
Empty and clean greenhouse. Prune roses – be harsh?
Cut back apricot tree – I will cut it back loads (just enough for bird feeders to hang) – and see if it can revive? Move gooseberry bush. And prune wisteria and basically everything else!
Well, rubbish weather forecast from BBC, MetO, Meteo – all said dry this morning -so what is the damp stuff falling from above? Still I did manage a quick hack at the red rose by the bedroom window before it not-rained.