Jennifer Dolland, Assistant Studio Manager & Senior Graphic Designer, Wildlife Conservation Society. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Dolland.

I’ve always had a passion for the arts and math. As a child, I loved to draw. As I got older, my “creative” expression expanded to working on home improvement projects with my parents: installing laminate woods floors and kitchen backsplash, decorative wall painting, and refurbishing furniture. With these projects, I got to utilize my math skills—measuring, cutting, and spatial visualization—and I discovered I enjoyed using my creativity to transform spaces.

My degrees in Psychology (UW-Madison) and Display & Exhibit Design (Fashion Institute of Technology) contributed to my work as a visual merchandiser in trade show and retail spaces. I observed how creating impactful displays motivated customers towards making a purchase. I learned the impact of creating and adapting a message or environment to successfully connect with an audience.

A major breakthrough in my career was landing a summer internship as a graphic designer in the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Exhibit and Graphic Arts Department (EGAD). Based at the Bronx Zoo, EGAD is responsible for the design and construction of exhibits as well as other design projects at the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, and New York Aquarium.

Wildlife Conservation Society worked with the Bronx River Alliance to design, locate, and install signs along the Bronx River. The signs help direct paddlers to the canoe portage location, warn paddlers about the waterfall, and provide information about the animals that live on the Bronx River. Photo courtesy of the WCS Exhibition & Graphic Arts Department (EGAD).

As a Minnesota native, I grew up seeing deer, wild turkey, and the occasional American marten in my neighborhood. You’d ski or sled during the winter and visit one of our 10,000+ lakes during the summer. So working at the Bronx Zoo and being immersed in nature has made my workplace feel like a home away from home.

Through the years, I’ve had the opportunity to design graphics for various needs: park events, retail, wayfinding, and exhibits. In my current role as the Assistant Studio Manager & Senior Graphic Designer, my responsibilities have expanded to assisting with project management and production.

I’ve benefitted from collaborating and learning from a group of smart and talented individuals including other graphic designers, writers, architects, landscape designers, fabricators, and production specialists.

Collectively, we’re committed to creating immersive experiences with the goal of connecting our visitors to nature and fostering a love of wildlife and wild places. Through design, we transport our visitors to different locales and habitats using soundscapes, wall murals, and landscape design.

The Central Park Zoo’s grizzly bear exhibit features a bear proof trash can. Photo courtesy of the WCS Exhibition & Graphic Arts Department (EGAD).

We blur the line between the animal and visitor space through exhibit elements, like a rocky outcrop or plantings, that span both spaces – making our visitors feel like they are a part of the animal’s space. Our strategic placement of signage, 3D objects, and interactives help us communicate important messages to our guests. Seeing our visitors connect and engage with our exhibits, and then share their learning with others is always rewarding.

A recent favorite project is the PlayQuarium exhibit at the New York Aquarium. It’s a bilingual, immersive playspace that introduces kids to different ocean habitats and sea life. Through different tactics, children are encouraged to take on the role of animal or explorer as they journey through the open ocean, coral reef, kelp forest, rocky shore, and salt marsh.

The design team reviewing full size illustrations for the PlayQuarium exhibit. To create an immersive, real-world conditions, it was important the animal illustrations were life size. Photo courtesy of the WCS Exhibition & Graphic Arts Department (EGAD).

During the early development of the exhibit, I reflected on my childhood. I vividly remember my second grade class making Santas. My teacher, Mrs. Hayes, offered me brown construction paper so I could make a brown Santa. Unable to articulate it at the time, I felt seen. Later, I felt deflated after a classmate said my brown Santa appeared like he just came down the chimney.

That early experience, coupled with others—like the “nude” Crayon not representing my skin color—made me aware at a young age that my racial identity was not considered the standard or norm. These childhood experiences influence the lens through which I design. It’s important to see inclusive representation reflected in our parks to connect with our global diverse audience.

One of the final illustrations used in the PlayQuarium exhibit. The illustrations encourage kids to take on the role of an animal or explorer as they visit different underwater habitats. Photo courtesy of the WCS Exhibition & Graphic Arts Department (EGAD).

As we celebrate Black History Month, I hope exhibits like PlayQuarium resonate with young brown and black kids—that they will see themselves as conservationists and feel empowered to be advocates for wildlife and wild places.

The post Through a Zoological Park Designer’s Lens: Making Cultural Connections appeared first on Nature.

Red panda (Ailurus fulgens): a small mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China.

AKA: the lesser panda, the red cat bear, and the firefox.

Kingdom: | Animalia
Phylum: | Chordata
Class: | Mammalia
Order: | Carnivora
Family: | Ailuridae
Genus: | Ailurus
Species: | A. fulgens

While they share their name with black-and-white giant pandas, they are not closely related. Previously, red pandas were classified as part of the Procyonidae family, which includes raccoons and their relatives. However, recent DNA studies indicate that red pandas represent a unique family that diverged from the rest of the Carnivore Order. Therefore, taxonomists placed them in their own unique family: Ailuridae.

Red pandas are 20 to 25 inches long, not including their tail. Their tail is 11 to 19 inches long. Females weigh 6 to 10 pounds, and males weigh 10 to 14 pounds.

The red panda has dense reddish-brown fur with a black belly and legs. It has white-lined ears, a primarily white muzzle and a ringed, bushy tail. They are well adapted for their arboreal habitat, using their bushy tail for balance and their long claws for gripping. The red panda’s cinnamon-red coat and cream-colored face mask provide camouflage among the red moss and white lichen that cover the tree trunks of their bamboo forest homes. The legs and belly shade black in striking contrast to their red coat.

Like the giant panda, red pandas are bamboo-eaters. They are mostly vegetarian, with powerful molars for chewing on tough bamboo. Bamboo is not a great food source for energy and is hard to digest. Red pandas need to eat 20 to 30 percent of their body weight each day, about 2 to 4 pounds of bamboo shoots and leaves. Red pandas eat mostly bamboo leaves and shoots, acorns, and flowers. Bamboo stalks are eaten in the spring and fruit is enjoyed in the summer. They may also eat eggs, small birds and small rodents.

Red pandas live mostly in cool, temperate forests with a shrubby understory dominated by thick bamboo. In part of India, red pandas live in a tropical forests.

Red pandas are found in small, isolated mountain territories in China, Nepal, India, Bhutan and Burma.

Breeding season occurs from January to April. During this time, red pandas come together in small groups. Cubs and adults may engage in social play, such as lunging, wrestling, and biting. Like giant pandas, the females are fertile for only one or two days a year, and there is a period of delayed implantation when the fertilized egg doesn’t implant or develop right away. She typically gives birth to cubs in the summer when their chances for survival are best. A few days before giving birth, the expectant mother begins to build a birthing den in a hollow tree, stump or rock crevice.

After a gestation period of 98 to 145 days, the mother gives birth to one to four cubs. They are born with thick buff and gray fur. They are vulnerable at birth with their eyes and ears tightly closed, so the mother keeps her cubs hidden in the den. For their first 7 to 10 days, the cubs’ only activity is nursing. They usually begin opening their eyes and ears at 2 to 3 weeks of age and nurse until 13 to 22 weeks old. As they grow, their wooly, gray hair changes to red. Their mother shelters her young in tree hollows and regularly moves them to new dens.

At 40 to 50 days old, the cubs are actively exploring the den, grooming and playing. Cubs venture from the den when about three months old. They begin to regularly eat solid food at four months old. By five months of age, they are almost as large as their mother. They are driven away by their mother when they are mature at 18 to 20 months old. At this time, the mother typically prepares to raise her next litter.

Red pandas are largely solitary creatures but come together in pairs in the breeding season. They exchange information using scent glands, visual cues including “stare downs” with head bobbing, and a variety of calls. When they feel threatened, red pandas make an ear-splitting, grumbly barking sound. Adults use high-frequency twitters and low-frequency bleats during the breeding season.

They are most active in the early morning and late afternoon (crepuscular), spending most of the day resting in trees conserving their energy. When night falls, red pandas run through the trees to forage for food. During this time, males patrol their territory and scent mark it with urine as well as a secretion from the anal gland. Red pandas are mild-mannered and use their claws mostly for climbing. However, when defending their territory, they stand on their hind legs and use their sharp claws to strike out if threatened. They may also release a strong odor from their scent glands to dissuade predators.

Red pandas live eight to ten years in the wild and up to 15 years in captivity.

The number of red pandas living in the wild has declined dramatically over the last 50 years. There are estimated to be only 2,500 adults remaining in their native habitat. Habitat loss, hunting and the pet trade are the largest threats to the species. Their forest home has been cleared for farming and grazing. They are hunted for their pelts, which are made into fur capes and hats. They are also mistakenly caught in snares set out for wild pigs, deer, and takins.

As of 2015, the IUCN has classified the dhole as Endangered on its Red List of Threatened Species.

There are currently global efforts to protect red pandas. Some habitat has been designated as protected areas in places such as India, China, Nepal and Bhutan. The Red Panda Network is among the conservation groups working to save the species. It is a nonprofit organization that identifies unprotected red panda habitats and trains “forest guardians” to conduct awareness-building workshops on red pandas at local villages and work with villagers to establish new protected areas. Forest guardians also continue baseline conservation research and monitoring of red panda populations.

Source: San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and The Red Panda Network.

The post Red Panda Fact Sheet appeared first on Nature.

Elaine (right) celebrates Juneteenth with colleagues from the Wildlife Conservation Society’s BLAC employee resource group (ERG). Photo credit: Julie Larsen Maher © WCS.

As a young New Yorker growing up in the Bronx, visiting the Bronx Zoo for my annual class field trip was always a highlight of the year. The zoo provided a magical experience, where I could see animals from all over the world up close and learn about conservation. Over the years it has remained a place full of wonder as I have gone from exploring as a child to sharing these one-of-a-kind memories with my family.

More than a decade ago, I embarked on a career in civil service, working first as a coordinator for the city’s Small Business Services agency and later as Operations Manager at the Department of Youth and Community Development. It was there I developed a deep understanding of the systems and structures that govern the city and saw firsthand the inequities that exist within them.

My passion for uplifting others has taken me on a journey around the world, from exploring the Andean culture of Peru to experiencing the vibrant spirit of Cuba. However, it was relief work in Haiti following the devastating earthquake of 2010 that solidified my commitment to making a positive impact on people’s lives.

WCS staff participate in a Black Birders Week birdwatching outing. Photo credit: Julie Larsen Maher © WCS.

Over the years, I have dedicated my time and energy to supporting communities in need, and these experiences have taught me the importance of empathy, resilience, and cultural understanding.

In 2021, I was given the opportunity to join WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) as Assistant Director of Education Administration. This was a dream job for me, as I had always been passionate about conservation and education.

As Assistant Director of Education Administration, I oversee an exceptional core team that plays a key role in driving sales and promotions for all of the education programs across the Wildlife Conservation Society. However, what really drew me to this position was the organization’s unwavering commitment to providing opportunities to the youth and young people in our communities.

Elaine participating in a VIP Wild Encounter with a California sea lion at the New York Aquarium’s Aquatheater. Photo credit: Julie Larsen Maher © WCS.

Whether it is through grant-funded programs or the WCS career lattice program, which provides expanded entry points and professional services to youth from low-income communities, we strive to provide equal access to quality conservation education and opportunities for all. I am aware of the transformative power that increased social capital can have on individuals, families, communities, and neighborhoods.

By providing access to cultural institutions and high-quality education programs like those offered in our parks, we can expand young people’s horizons and inspire them to achieve even greater heights, especially when they see people who look like them achieving success.

It is truly fulfilling to be part of an organization that is dedicated to making a positive impact on the lives of our youth and to be able to lead a team that is at the forefront of driving these initiatives forward.

Pan African flag-raising at WCS’s Bronx Zoo for Black History Month. Photo credit: Julie Larsen Maher © WCS.

Each day I want to be a part of work that truly matters, fostering and expanding opportunities for young people in my community, and increasing equitable opportunities for staff at WCS. As co-lead of the BLAC (Black Leadership Advancement Consortium) employee resource group, I am committed to ensuring that all employees, regardless of their background or identity, have the support and resources they need to succeed and thrive at WCS.

Wherever I go, whether it’s through my work here at WCS, in my neighborhood in the Bronx or in my travels around the world, I strive to make a positive impact on the places and people I encounter, leaving them better than before.

The post Building Bridges and Connecting Communities through Conservation appeared first on Nature.

Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos): a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere.

Kingdom: | Animalia
Phylum: | Chordata
Class: | Aves
Order: | Falconiformes
Family: | Accipitridae
Genus: | Aquila
Species: | A. chrysaetos

Golden Eagles are one of the largest birds in North America. Their wingspan stretches 72 to 86 inches. They measure 27.6 to 33.1 inches in length and weigh 6.4 to 13.2 pounds. Females are larger than males.

Adults are dark brown with a golden sheen on the back of the head and neck. Young golden eagles have neatly defined white patches at the base of the tail and in the wings. The amount of white in the wings varies among individuals, and a few lack white in the wings entirely.

Golden Eagles are carnivores that prey mainly on small mammals. While capable of killing large prey, they typically hunt small mammals, such as hares, rabbits, ground squirrels, prairie dogs, and marmots. They’re also known to kill larger mammals like seals, mountain goats, coyotes, badgers, and bobcats. These eagles are also scavengers, feeding on carrion. However, while the same size as the bald eagle, the golden eagle is less of a scavenger and more of a predator.

Golden eagles prefer to live in the grasslands of the Northern Hemisphere. They are found primarily in mountains up to 12,000 feet, canyonlands, rimrock terrain, and riverside cliffs and bluffs. Golden eagles nest on cliffs and steep escarpments in grassland, forest and other vegetated areas.

Golden eagles can be found throughout the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Golden eagles mate for life. During courtship, two birds circle high in the air, making shallow dives at each other. About one to three months before laying eggs, the pair will build a nest of sticks and vegetation. Their nest can be found on cliffs, in trees, on the ground, or in human-made structures, typically near their hunting grounds. They may use their nest site for many years and may have an alternate nest site. Their nests are huge, averaging 5-6 feet wide, 2 feet high, and enclosing a bowl about 3 feet by 2 feet deep.

The female will lay one to three eggs at a time. The eggs are 2.7 to 3.4 inches long and 1.9 to 2.5 inches wide. The incubation period is 41 to 45 days, followed by a nesting period of 45 to 81 days. When hatched, the chicks are weak, weighing about 3 ounces. They are partially covered with grayish-white down and their eyes are partially open. The young become largely independent of their parents 75 to 85 days after fledging.

Golden eagles are typically found alone or in pairs. It is believed that they are monogomous, mating for life. The pair defends their territory against other golden eagles. Pairs are also known to hunt prey cooperatively during the breeding season. For example, one eagle diverts the animal’s attention while the second makes the kill. For their large size, these eagles possess astonishing speed and maneuverability for their size. They have been clocked diving at speeds close to 200 miles per hour.

The oldest golden eagle was recorded in Utah, reaching an age of at least 31 years and 8 months old.

The greatest threat to the golden eagle is human activity. It’s estimated that more than 70% of recorded golden eagle deaths are attributable to human impact. Most recorded deaths are from collisions with vehicles, wind turbines, and other structures or from electrocution at power poles. However, newer designs have reduced these risks. Habitat loss is another major threat, as urbanization and agricultural developments have compromised their nesting and hunting grounds. While some eagles die after eating poisoned prey animals set out to control coyotes, others succumb to lead poisoning from ammunition in hunter-shot prey.

As of 2021, the IUCN has classified the golden eagle as of Least Concern on its Red List of Threatened Species.

In 1962, the U.S. Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act outlawed harming these birds, their eggs, and their nests. Although this legislation remains in effect, humans are still golden eagles’ greatest threat.

Source: The Cornell Lab and the National Audobon Society.

The post Golden Eagle Fact Sheet appeared first on Nature.

By Mike Fitz

If you watch any of the wildlife or animal-themed cams on explore.org, then you know that they provide an exceptional lens through which we can view the lives of individual animals. The gorilla Pinga’s leadership and maternal devotion allowed her blended family group at GRACE to heal from trauma. The California condor Inikio survived wildfire only to be prematurely evicted from her nest by another condor. The legendary brown bear Otis is a quintessential example of longevity and adaptability in bears.

During my bear cam live chats, I focus a lot on the lives of individual bears and then relate those bear’s experiences to bigger ideas. Understanding how Otis has adapted to a lower rank in the bear hierarchy, for example, allows us to better understand how old bears adapt to change and challenge.

However, there’s relatively little in the scientific literature exploring how personal connections to individual animals affect a person’s support for conservation. In fact it’s been argued that this is a myopic strategy, and most conservation efforts focus on the species level. The individual animals that we watch on explore.org each have a large and devoted following, so how might our connection to individual animals influence our support for conservation of a species? A new paper, of which I’m a coauthor, finds that individual and favorite animals can have a large, positive influence on our attitudes toward conservation efforts.

My research colleagues on this project developed an online survey of bear cam viewers that was available in summer 2019 and summer 2020. When survey participants were asked if they could identify individual bears 14% of viewers said yes, 56% responded sometimes, and 30% said no. Viewers who could identify individual bears were also asked how many individual bears they could identify. Twenty-one percent of those respondents indicated they could identify one bear, 45% could identify 2–4 bears, 20% could identify 5–7 bears, and 14% could identify more than 7 bears. When asked if they have a favorite bear 53% responded yes and 47% responded no.

So what do those results mean? Not much until we examined the answers to follow-up questions. In particular, viewers were asked to rate their agreement with the statement “the ability to learn about and/or identify individual bears influences my willingness to support conservation programs.” The question was on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). Those who could identify individual bears agreed with that statement at significantly higher levels (4.86 ± 1.86) than those respondents who could not identify individual bears (3.31 ± 1.80). Importantly, those who said they had a favorite bear reported even higher levels of support for bear conservation (5.01 ± 1.58). These results are consistent with another study based on the same survey that found the ability to identify individual bears positively influences a person’s willingness to pay to protect individual brown bears. Furthermore, intentionally watching the bearcams when a specific bear was on screen yielded better conservation outcomes according to the survey results (that is, if you said you watched the bear cams more when Otis or 503 or another favorite bear were on camera then you were more likely to state you supported bear conservation).

A separate series of questions in the survey aimed to evaluate a person’s emotional connection to brown bears through a statistical method called conservation caring. This is a numerical measure of a person’s positive emotional connection to species or place. These questions were on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 9 (strongly agree). A higher score indicated a greater emotional connection. Viewers who could identify individual bears had significantly higher conservation caring levels (7.06 ± 1.68) than viewers who could only identify individual bears sometimes (6.81 ± 1.54) and viewers who could not identify individual bears (5.85 ± 1.70). Conservation caring levels also climbed with the number of bears a person said they could identify.

If you can’t identify bears on the bear cam, then don’t worry. It’s not a competition and I’ll continue to work to give everyone the tools and stories that allow us to connect with individual bears. I also know there are many people who still care for bears greatly but don’t place as much of an emphasis on getting to know individuals. What’s more important is that we recognize the individuality of wild animals and acknowledge that they are not automatons acting merely on instinct. They think and feel and their lives are important in the conservation of entire species. Other Otis-like bears doing Otis-like things roam over wild areas of North America, and if we can secure and maintain healthy habitat for Otis then other bears will benefit.

We hope to expand on these results and publish more about the influence of individual bears on conservation. I’m also interested in exploring how interpretive events—such as the live chats and Q&As that I lead during the bear cam season—provoke people to act to conserve bears and other wildlife. After all, it’s one thing to say you support wildlife conservation, but it’s another thing to take action.

Many viewers of explore.org know that watching wildlife through webcams can be a powerful and meaningful experience. With the statistical support of this and future studies, perhaps we can inspire more parks and protected areas to utilize webcams and interpret the lives of individual animals to build greater support for wildlife conservation.

I’d like to thank the researchers who made this study possible—Jeff Skibins (who drafted this paper and did the data analysis) and Lynne Lewis and Leslie Richardson (who were instrumental in the survey design and implementation). I’d also like to thank the Katmai Conservancy for covering the expense to make the paper available to everyone through open access.

by Mike Fitz

Watching unfiltered footage of wild animals on explore.org means that we’ll inevitably witness nature’s harsh realities. Bears strip the skin off of living salmon. Lions subdue zebras. A python snares an unsuspecting bird from its perch. Falcons fight for nesting territories. Ravens pillage an unoccupied eagle nest. Although these events can be difficult to watch, the reasons for them are typically clear. Hunger and reproduction are powerful motivators. Other behaviors and situations, though, challenge our best available science as well as our sensibilities of right and wrong.

A bird nest is a dichotomous place of nurturing and conflict. Parents care for their vulnerable young, while chicks compete for food and space. The competition in a bird nest can manifest in ways far beyond the times when my brother, sister, and I fought over the last cookie. 

An extreme form of sibling rivalry at a bird nest may lead to siblicide. Also called Cainism after the biblical story of Cain and Abel, siblicide occurs when a nestling’s behavior leads to the death of one or more of its siblings through starvation, physical injury, or eviction from the nest. While siblicide is not common among birds overall, it does happen in a wide variety of birds. It’s documented in the osprey, shoebill, southern ground hornbill, white-bellied swiftlet, blue-throated bee-eater, and blue-footed booby as well as certain species of cranes, eagles, egrets, hawks, herons, guillemots, gulls, owls, pelicans, penguins, and vultures. 

Siblicide in birds often occurs as soon as a larger or more aggressive nestling gains the size, strength, and weaponry (such as a sharp beak) to cause significant harm to its younger and smaller nest mate(s). On explore.org we’ll likely witness it on the webcam that features the African black (Verreaux’s) eagle nest in South Africa, and it is possible that we could see it at the cams of great blue heron, osprey, black guillemont, and bald eagle nests in North America. But, there are differences in how it occurs. African black eagles experience obligate siblicide: two eggs are laid, they hatch at different times, and the older chick always kills its younger sibling. In contrast, siblicide is facultative in herons and osprey: it is circumstantial and doesn’t always occur. 

Distinguishing the nuances of obligate and facultative siblicide doesn’t make it any easier to witness, of course. I wonder if this behavior is so difficult to watch, in part, because it is so difficult to explain. 

Many organisms including humans make overt efforts to help ensure the survival of related individuals. This trait isn’t universal, though. At best, many more organisms behave indifferently to their siblings’ survival. Others take a more aggressive stance. Certain species of sharks attack and eat their siblings in the womb. 

If siblicide was maladaptive, if it failed to provide survival benefits in the near or long term, especially if an alternate life history strategy such as cooperation among nestlings led to higher survival and reproductive rates, then those with the siblicidal trait might eventually have their genes winnowed from the population or species. Yet since siblicide persists, then scientists—or at least my interpretation of their conclusions—have operated under the assumption that siblicide, especially obligate variation, provides some sort of benefit that leads to reproductive success for the individuals that practice it.

During the last few decades, scientists have hypothesized many potential explanations for siblicide in birds. Maybe the only thing we know for sure is that there are certain factors that make it more likely to happen, although none appear to be universal. Among birds, siblicide is correlated with large body size at maturity, complex hunting and foraging behaviors, a protracted period of learning in early life, and a slow life history pace (that is, you live a long time and have a low reproductive rate). In addition, siblicidal bird species are more likely to have a long nestling period and effective weaponry at a young age such as a sharp bill. Regarding the nesting period, consider that American robins (a species with no documented siblicide) leave the nest about 14 days after hatching, while the African black eagle doesn’t fledge for 95 days or longer. The nests of many siblicidal species usually offer limited escape possibilities too. A mallard duckling spends relatively little time in its nest after hatching and its ability to move and feed independently allows it to easily avoid a pushy sibling, unlike a heron chick that remains in a nest high in a tree for weeks after hatching. Additionally, if the species practices asynchronous hatching, then the older, first-hatched chick has a head start on growth and those few days can make a tremendous difference. A mother Canada goose may lay many eggs, but she does not start incubating until the entire clutch is laid and all of her eggs hatch at about the same time. In contrast, a female African black eagle begins to incubate her first egg immediately even though she usually lays a second egg three or four days later. As a result, her first chick hatches several days before the second. When the second chick hatches, the older black eagle chick uses its strongly hooked beak to attack its younger, vulnerable sibling. In More than Kin, Less than Kind: The Evolution of Family Conflict, biologist Douglas Mock notes a case when an older African black eagle chick attacked its nest mate within a few hours of its sibling hatching. The younger chick died three days after hatching and weighed 18 grams less than when it hatched due to the repeated attacks and food monopolization from its older sibling. 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, food availability and hunger play an important role, especially in species with facultative siblicide. If the parents deliver food in large parcels, then the older or stronger chicks may be able to monopolize the food to the detriment of their siblings. If the parents feed their chicks infrequently and food transfer between feedings is slow, then an older or stronger chick can also interfere with the feeding of its sibling.

Competition for food can become more intense as chicks grow. But, sufficient food can also allow younger or smaller chicks with the fortitude and energy to withstand and survive the aggression of their nest mates. One study on great egrets found that the amount of food had little direct influence on fighting behavior between siblings, though it consistently influenced chick survival. When scientists provisioned a great egret nest in Texas with extra food they found that nest mates didn’t reduce their aggression toward each other, but more chicks to survive to fledge. 

There may be other factors that influence siblicide as well. One idea, for example, posits that some chicks may be more vulnerable to parasites. These infestations might leave a chick in a weakened state where it cannot withstand the aggression of its nest mates.

As species with facultative siblicide demonstrate, all nestlings can survive when circumstances allow. Parent birds are often great hunters and select their nesting territories well, which makes obligate siblicide perplexing. Food is not always in short supply for young (less than one week-old) African black eagle chicks. So if “Cain” is always going to kill “Abel,” then what’s the point of laying a second egg? Perhaps obligate siblicide evolved in anticipation of food shortages later in the nesting period or maybe there are other, stronger reasons. After all, natural selection operates on a continuum of scales.

For a mother African black eagle the energetic cost of laying a second egg is relatively small, but the payout could be huge—at least in terms of reproductive success—if something happens to the first egg. In this way, a black eagle’s second egg might serve as an insurance premium of sorts. An independent analysis of one chick mortality study in African black eagles found that about one in five of the second-to-hatch chicks survived to fledge. In fact, “Abel” survived to fledge at the Black Eagle Project’s Roodekrans nest, where explore.org now has a webcam, in 2005 and 2006 after the first egg failed to hatch. Although the probability of the second egg surviving remains low, it still may offer just enough of a reproductive reward to ensure the effort of laying a second egg, even if sibling aggression will lead an older chick to kill its nest mate in most instances.

I offer this information knowing that it won’t make siblicide any easier for many of us to witness. It is appropriate and natural to feel for animals and empathize with their struggles. Siblicide is often difficult if not disturbing to watch, so always remember that it is also okay to take a break from the cams or watch a camera that focuses mostly on scenery rather than wildlife when things get unpleasant.

The diversity of survival strategies among wild animals, though, serves as a never-ending point of fascination for me and I hope you as well. I wasn’t always the best brother to my younger siblings when I was a kid, but I was vested in their welfare. So something like siblicide in birds seems so out of the ordinary to feel alien. However, rather than judging whether it is right or wrong, I see it as something different, something outside of human ethics, a behavior that has purpose for the animals that experience it. Although siblicide in certain species of birds seems to have evolved to benefit survival, it remains a behavior that provokes our discomfort and is difficult for science to reconcile.

All live events for the Polar Bear Cam will take place on the Tundra Connections Channel.

Tuesday, October 19th, 1:00pm Central

Polar Bears on the Tundra: Cam Kick-off

It’s that time of year again! Polar bears are gearing up for the sea ice to return soon, gathering along the shores of Hudson Bay in anticipation of eating soon. In the meantime, we’ll be watching and live-streaming their every move while letting you know what we’re seeing! Join us as we kick off the season with familiar faces and answer all your questions about what this season holds!

Thursday, October 28th, 11:00am Central

Arctic Innovations

The Arctic is known to be a harsh environment, but we choose to work there anyway! We are going to talk about some of our favourite new technologies and innovations allowing us to learn more about polar bears and help us keep them in the wild.

Thursday, November 4th, 12:00pm Central 

Polar Bear Tracking: Past, Present, and Future

From bulky radio collars in the 80s to stick on tags smaller than a deck of cards in 2020, polar bear tracking has come a long way! Join us to discuss the difficulty, evolution, and importance of tracking an animal that lives on the Arctic sea ice for most of its life!

Friday, November 12th, 1:00pm Central

Farewell to the Tundra

It’s been another amazing season! We will discuss our favorite (and fan favourite!) highlights from this bear season and look at what’s next for the polar bears of Western Hudson Bay.

Celebrate the success of Brooks River’s world-famous bears during Fat Bear Week. Your vote decides which bear will be crowned the fattest of the year. National Park Service rangers and explore.org’s resident naturalist Mike Fitz are hosting many live events to help inform your vote. Watch the bears every day on explore.org.

Fat Bear Junior

For these young and maturing bears, it is win and you’re in! During this warm-up event for Fat Bear Week, you choose the cub who will compete in the annual Fat Bear Week tournament. Join the bracket reveal with Mike Fitz from explore.org and Katmai National Park ranger Naomi Boak during a live play-by-play on Monday, September 20 at 7 p.m. Eastern / 4 p.m. Pacific. The Fat Bear Junior vote takes place September 23 – 24 on fatbearweek.org. 

Fat Bear Week in the Classroom

We invite teachers to take bearcam into the classroom and consider the different ways in which bears find success in Katmai’s challenging environment. Ranger Lian Law from Katmai National Park and explore.org’s resident naturalist Mike Fitz will record a special broadcast to answer your students’ questions. Learn more about how your class can participate. Questions are due by September 28. The recorded broadcast premieres on October 4 at 2 p.m. Eastern / 11 a.m. Pacific on the Explore Live Nature Cams YouTube channel.

Fat Bear Week Live Chats

Find these events on the Brooks Live Chat channel. And, if you miss any of our live chats, you can find the replays on our Bears and Bison YouTube channel.

September 27 at 7 p.m. Eastern / 4 p.m. Pacific

The road to Fat Bear Week greatness began months ago. After a summer-long effort, brown bears at Brooks River in Katmai National Park have reached peak fat. How did they do it and what challenges did they face along the way? Those are a couple of the questions that explore.org’s resident naturalist Mike Fitz and Katmai National Park rangers Naomi Boak and Lian Law will answer as they reveal the contenders and the bracket for the 2021 Fat Bear Week tournament.

September 29 at 7 p.m. Eastern / 4 p.m. Pacific

Winter comes quickly in Katmai and bears must get fat to survive it. Fat is the fuel that powers their ability to endure winter hibernation as well as the key to their reproductive success. Learn more about the importance of fat in the survival of the Fat Bear Week contestants with explore.org’s resident naturalist Mike Fitz and Katmai National Park rangers Naomi Boak and Lian Law.

October 4 at 7 p.m. Eastern / 4 p.m. Pacific

A favorite of rangers and bearcam fans alike, play-by-plays are live events when rangers and other experts narrate the bear and salmon activity at Brooks River. It’s an opportunity to learn more about the individual bears on the cams and how they survive.

October 5 at 7 p.m. Eastern / 4 p.m. Pacific

In the tournament of champions that is Fat Bear Week, the merely pudgy bears have been winnowed away. The truly fattest are left standing. On Fat Bear Tuesday we conclude another titanic Fat Bear Week, and the two finalists are quintessential examples of success and the supreme adaptations that bears possess to survive. Explore the lives of the two final contestants with explore.org’s resident naturalist Mike Fitz and Katmai National Park rangers Naomi Boak and Lian Law.

Live Q&As

Chat in the comments with Mike Fitz, explore.org’s resident naturalist, and rangers from Katmai National Park during our weekly Q&As. Bring your questions about bears, salmon, and Katmai.

Brown Bear Superlatives

Choose your favorite bear among many categories including “most respected mom” and “best angler” in this post-Fat Bear Week celebration and fundraiser for the Katmai Conservancy. New superlatives are chosen each day from October 6 – 9 on the Brooks Falls YouTube page.

A Brown Bear Celebration

October 9 at 4 p.m. Eastern / 1 p.m. Pacific on the Brooks Live Chat channel.

After Fat Bear Week concludes, bears continue to fish at Brooks River and the Katmai Conservancy continues its work in support of Katmai National Park. Join the Katmai’s Conservancy’s Sara Wolman, explore.org’s Mike Fitz, and several special guests for this live event celebrating the 2021 brown bear season at Brooks River.

Got Questions?

Did you see something on the bearcams you’re curious about? Or, would you like to submit a question in advance for our live events? Ask it here. Rangers and expert staff may answer your question in a live chat, in the bearcam comments, or in a blog post.

The Africam Show (Tuesdays at 7 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. ET) – A special live Q&A session to catch up on the best weekly Africam moments. Viewers will have the opportunity to ask Rangers Phill Steffny and Russel Gerber questions on the Africam Shows Channel or on our YouTube chat roll.

Africam4Good Show (Thursdays at 7 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. ET) – Join ranger Russell Gerber and Phill Steffny for a weekly conversation about the conservation of African wildlife, and an overview of great moments from the live cams. Watch these special broadcasts on the Africam Shows Channel or on our YouTube channel.

Russell takes us on a virtual safari with the live cameras and update us with highlights of animal characters.

Russell takes us on a virtual safari with the live cameras and update us with highlights of animal characters.

Russell and Phill take us on a virtual safari with the live cameras and update us with highlights of animal characters.

Russell takes us on a virtual safari with the live cameras and update us with highlights of animal characters.

As part of Nature Canada’s annual Nature on the Hill event, the Grand River Environmental Network is one of the many nature groups advocating to protect the Greenbelt and make good on the need to protect 30 percent of Canadian land, waters, and ocean by 2030.

Our first Nature on the Hill meeting was on March 8, and it was fantastic to have federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault drop by and join with a huge thumbs-up for Nature Canada and biodiversity.

It is so important that elected officials hear first-hand from citizens on the need for better biodiversity and environmental protections — particularly in a rapidly warming world facing astonishing levels of extinction.

The Grand River Environmental Network (GREN) is a proactive voice for the environment in the Grand River Watershed. Our members are activists, watchdogs, guardians, stewards and concerned citizens who foster an environmental awareness and promote respect for our natural world. We work throughout our community and with all levels of government for the sustainable solutions we need.

Our work has focussed a lot on stewardship and land protection in recent years — be it the Ontario Greenbelt at the Provincial level, our Protected Countryside, our Countryside Line Concept, our Environmentally Sensitive Landscapes (ESLs), or our Source Water Protection Areas at the regional and municipal levels. All of these activities are integrated in these meetings at the federal level, where we are focussed on Global Biodiversity Framework and the need to ensure that 30% of Canada’s land and ocean is protected by 2030. We have advocated for the creation of many of these protections, supported them all, and folks from across all our communities have done everything they can to ensure long-term success.

Recently, we’ve been speaking up to save the Greenbelt and ensure a sustainable future for our communities and asking Doug Ford to Keep His Greenbelt Promise. Additionally, we have been defending our visionary Official Plans, and seeking to Repeal Bill 23 to protect our countryside and farmland from urban sprawl and while also protecting our groundwater.

This ties in strongly with the work of Nature Canada, particularly protecting biodiversity, conserving 30 percent of land and water by 2030 and fighting climate change..

You can help Nature Canada and our Nature Network partners like Alberta Wilderness Association to halt and reverse nature loss at Nature on the Hill by sending a letter now to the Prime Minister demanding an Action Plan that:

The post Nature Network Showcase: Grand River Environmental Network – Advocating for the Greenbelt at Nature on the Hill 2023 appeared first on Nature Canada.

As part of Nature Canada’s annual Nature on the Hill event, Island Nature Trust in PEI is one of the many nature groups advocating to Canadian MPs for meeting the government’s promise to protect 30 percent of Canadian land, water and ocean by 2030. As a land trust, we are first and foremost interested in protecting 30 percent of land by 2030, as well as halting and reversing biodiversity loss through protected habitat for species at risk.

Island Nature Trust (INT) is a non-government, not-for-profit organization dedicated to the protection and management of natural areas on Prince Edward Island since 1979. Governed by a volunteer board of directors, INT protects lands in perpetuity and works with governments, like-minded organizations and private landowners to protect and maintain a network of natural areas and wildlife corridors across the province of Prince Edward Island.

Simply put, we need more funding to reach our land protection goals. At Nature on the Hill, we will be advocating for more resources to be committed to land protection as well as for more collaboration with those provincial governments that are well below COP15 commitments for land protection. For instance, in the Maritimes the province of Prince Edward Island has a stated goal of seven percent protection by 2030. Nova Scotia is committed to 20 percent and New Brunswick just reached 10 percent. There are many reasons why these commitments are low, and 30 percent might be too difficult to reach for some provinces, but higher numbers are possible with support from the federal government.

We will also be advocating for more resources to establish and steward healthy natural areas that are resilient to major weather events and human impacts. In the fall of 2022, the province of Prince Edward Island lost a substantial amount of trees to post-tropical storm Fiona, prompting the provincial government to create an Emergency Forestry Task Force and a Forestry Commission. Building back healthy and resilient forests—a priority landscape identified by the current federal government—will be paramount to ensuring we have a diversified native forested landscape that can adapt to climate change and continue to offer the ecosystem services needed by people and wildlife alike. Nature on the Hill is a chance to protect areas for the forests that will help us withstand the effects of climate change.

Protects 30 percent of land and water by 2030
We need increased support and collaboration with provincial and territorial governments that are currently under-committed to help create more equitable outcomes across regions, ensuring optimized approaches to halting and reversing biodiversity loss in a larger cross section of ecosystems.

Establishes more Marine Protected Areas
The core mission of INT focusses on land protection, though we recognize that marine protected areas are just as important.

Supports Indigenous-led conservation
As a partner in conservation with the Epekwitk Assembly of Councils, we work to protect land for Pituamkek (bee-doo-um-gek), a future National Park Reserve, and collaborate on conservation projects and shared stewardship goals. We would anticipate that any increases in resources for land protection and forested landscape stewardship would automatically benefit current and future Indigenous-led work.

Fights climate change
Increased resources to protect and steward healthy forested landscapes on Prince Edward Island will result in more resilient and diverse forests that sequester and store more carbon.

You can help Nature Canada and our Nature Network partners like Island Land Trust to halt and reverse nature loss at Nature on the Hill by sending a letter now to the Prime Minister demanding an Action Plan that:

The post Nature Network Showcase: Island Nature Trust – Advocating for land protection at Nature on the Hill 2023 appeared first on Nature Canada.

Emily McMillan is the Executive Director of Nature Canada. She leads the organization’s efforts to discover, defend, and restore nature.

We sat down with our new Executive Director to learn more about her and her vision for Nature Canada.

Where does your love for nature stem from?

As the daughter of a military family, I moved around a lot. This taught me independence and curiosity. I explored the wilderness around me as a kid, from catching frogs to hiking. Nature has always been my happy place.

We regularly went on family camping trips. One of my fondest memories is a 10-day road trip from central to eastern Canada, where we stopped to camp along the way.

How has that love of nature inspired you growing up?

I learned about Dian Fossey and Jane Goodall in high school. They inspired me to join the local environmental club.

I moved to the east coast to attend the University of New Brunswick for my Bachelor of Science with a focus on environmental biology. There, I joined leagues with other young environmental activists through the New Brunswick Environmental Network. We taught youth about environmental conservation, as well as organized protests and workshops and launched letter-writing petitions.

I became passionate about people’s values and how we move communities to action. I pursued a Master’s of Environmental Studies at Dalhousie University, exploring how we learn environmental values in post-secondary settings.

You also got your PhD. at Laurentian University. What made you want to pursue a doctorate?

People’s values can transform when they’re informed. This gave me hope that change is possible, so I completed a PhD. in Human Studies. I explored how home and public schooling settings shape how children learn about and appreciate nature, and how this influences people long-term to create a society that cares about protecting nature.

You have an impressive career spanning over 20 years in environmental conservation. Can you break it down for us?

Before joining Nature Canada, I spent seven years as Executive Director of the Green Party of Canada during which the party was more successful than ever. We doubled donations, grew the membership, and made electoral breakthroughs across Canada.

Prior to my time in politics, I was also the Director of Sierra Club’s Atlantic Canada chapter. I grew the organization from a mostly volunteer-led group to over six staff and an annual budget of over $260,000.

And of course, I’m not new to Nature Canada. I joined the team here three years ago as Deputy Executive Director so I’ve been helping shape and lead our strategy for some time now.

What made you want to join and lead Nature Canada?

Nature Canada is one of the oldest national nature conservation charities in Canada. The organization represents a network of over 175,000 members and supporters, and more than 1,200 nature organizations. The breadth of Nature Canada’s impact is remarkable.

But our people are even more impressive. Everyone truly feels passionate about protecting nature, and the plants and animals depending on it for survival.

We’re a unique organization working together to achieve big goals.

When you’re not leading Nature Canada, you’re in the wilderness with your children. How does your love of nature show up in motherhood?

My parents instilled in me the values of self-discovery and compassion for the world around me. Now as a mother with two children under 10, I know that to be a mentor to your kids, you have to let them experience nature firsthand.

This is why we’ve gone camping and canoeing every summer since they were born. My kids love Algonquin Park and its wetlands for bird watching.

They’re also enrolled in Waldorf schooling, an education system that fosters their independence, creativity, and imagination.

The post Introducing Emily McMillan: Nature Canada’s New Executive Director appeared first on Nature Canada.

Legendary commercial actor, close friend of Santa Claus, and explorer of the North, the Polar Bear is nothing if not the symbol of Arctic life. Their Latin name, Ursus maritimus, translates to sea bear and provides great insight into how they live. As apex predators, polar bears spend lots of time hunting in and around Arctic waters for their prey, their favourite of which is the ringed seal. Polar bears are recognisable by their white coat and their large size. Males tend to weigh between 350-600 kilograms while females will weigh between 150-290 kilograms, both can be over 10 feet tall when standing. Their bodies are made to withstand all the cold that the Arctic climate has to offer, as their two layers of fur and thick layer of blubber offer them more than enough warmth to survive – sometimes even too much warmth for the summers!

Apart from the big screen, polar bears live across the Arctic region, particularly in five countries: Canada, the US, Greenland, Russia, and Norway. As such, polar bears represent history for many peoples across the Arctic. For millennia, various indigenous groups have counted on polar bears as key contributors to their ways of life. They are still hunted today as part of their long-held traditions, but the process is very monitored and respectful of the prey. Nearly every part of a polar bear is used by the hunters, whether for weather-appropriate clothing or for calorie-rich meals. Many regulations have been imposed on the hunters, serving to protect polar bear populations from being threatened by direct human action.

According to both SARA and COSEWIC, polar bears are a species of special concern. Although effective in curtailing over-hunting, the regulations do not address the main threat polar bears face; climate change. Polar bears rely on sea ice as their habitat. This has historically worked very well for them as it allows them plenty of room for hunting, but lately, with rising global temperatures as a result of climate change, living on the ice has become more trying for them. Different polar bear populations face different challenges, but among the most threatened are those living in regions of Seasonal Ice and Polar Basin Divergent Ice.
The existence of Seasonal Ice, as the name suggests, is dependent on the season as it melts in the summer and begin to return in the fall. When the ice melts it leaves polar bears unable to hunt, forcing them into a fast. Fasting is not new to them, but the duration of the melt is getting much longer than it used to be, making it more challenging for polar bears to fast through longer summers. For Polar Basin Divergent Ice regions the challenges are similar. The sea ice builds up near shores and will retract from the shores as it melts in the warmer months. Climate change accelerates this process and melts more of the ice near the shore. This forces the bears to either go back to land where they would have to fast or swimming further out in search of more ice. 

The most important thing we can do to keep polar bears safe is to support environmental initiatives in government. Making green choices from the top-down is essential to fighting climate change on a macro scale, and the best way to do this is to stay informed on the issues along with the candidates who advocate for them. On a more personal level, supporting polar bear charities or conservation organisations goes a long way in furthering research, and making eco-friendly decisions in our daily lives can push others to follow suit.

The post The Polar Bear: Rider of Icebergs appeared first on Nature Canada.

Joanne Papineau has been a proud member of Nature Canada since the 1980s, and a monthly donor for more than 20 years. 

As a child, Joanne fell in love with nature, especially the underwater world. She was inspired by the underwater discoveries and adventures of Jacques Cousteau, and at a young age she told herself “I’m going to be a marine biologist!” Her work has allowed her to explore her passion for nature and conservation, especially whales. “Underwater is my favourite place to be. If I had gills, I would just stay there. It’s quiet, beautiful, colourful.”

Joanne has many nature stories to share, but one of her most recent experiences holds a special place in her heart. “I visited Antarctica a few years ago, and as I sat down, a baby penguin came and pecked at my boots. I felt so privileged—we were respecting their space and they were happy to share their environment with us. We were a curiosity, but not a threat. It was a magical moment of connection.”

And it’s this connection with nature and species that drives Joanne to be involved with Nature Canada and stay informed on conservation issues. “You don’t need to be a scientist to understand the cycle of life. My membership is my way to have a voice in the conversation, since animals and the environment can’t speak for themselves. It’s our duty to protect them, and I’m fiercely proud of the work we’ve done, and hopeful about the work we have yet to do. Choosing to give monthly to Nature Canada was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

“We live in such a beautiful country. The first time I saw the totems at Haida Gwaii was an incredible moment. It was so spiritual and profound. My goal is to discover every national park, and visit the jewels in every province.”

Thank you, Joanne, for sharing your story and your passion for nature! Members who give monthly as Guardians of Nature providing us crucial support on a steady and ongoing basis.  You can join as a monthly donor online or by calling Anna at 1-800-267-4088 ext. 225.

The post Member Spotlight: Joanne Papineau appeared first on Nature Canada.

You may remember that I wrote to Natural England about SSSIs in my local area (click here). I’ve had a reply.

It’s a pretty clear reply and I’ve highlighted in a purply-pink colour two passages that are of particular interest. The first says ‘the data on the designated sites system are up to date’ – in other words the condition assessments really are this out of date – it’s not just that we haven’t had time or resources to edit the data displayed. The second explains that Unfavourable Recovering can mean that there is a plan allegedly in place but it doesn’t necessarily mean that anything really is recovering because this hasn’t been checked.

The English Protected Area system, run by the statutory sector, rarely checks sites and assumes that a site is recovering if there is a plan in place that might lead to recovery if implemented well.

This is like running an MOT system for cars where you rarely check their roadworthiness and assume that all the faults will be corrected if you send someone away with a list of things to do.

Dear Dr Avery

Case ref:  2002231421CW

Thank you for your email to Natural England which was received on 20th February 2023.

I have gathered some information regarding condition assessments in relation to your questions. I hope this information answers your queries.

Designated Sites Views (https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk) and www.MAGIC.gov.uk hold the information about site condition and the last time an assessment was undertaken.

Each SSSI was selected on the basis of one or more “features of interest” and the SSSI comprises one or more units. Natural England reports condition at the unit level. From April 2023 we will also report condition at the feature level.

In 2015 Natural England introduced a risk-based approach to deciding when a SSSI unit would be assessed based on several factors. The number of condition assessments undertaken between 2015 and 2020 declined significantly but additional funding since then has increased capacity and resulted in the ability to increase the number of assessments made. All four nature conservation bodies (Natural England, NatureScot, NRW and DAERA) and the JNCC released a statement in 2022 describing how the nature conservation bodies are all moving to a risk-based approach to monitoring to ensure best use of resources and new technologies. https://hub.jncc.gov.uk/assets/0450edfd-a56b-4f65-aff6-3ef66187dc81

The recent Environmental Improvement Plan has set Natural England a challenging target of having an up-to-date assessment for every SSSI by 31 January 2028. Natural England are producing a prioritised monitoring plan for the period of the EIP target, and this will be available later this year.

When a site unit is assessed, the condition may be categorised into; Favourable, Unfavourable – Recovering, Unfavourable – No change, Unfavourable – Declining and Destroyed/Part Destroyed.

Unfavourable recovering condition is often known simply as ‘recovering’. The Feature is not yet fully conserved but all the necessary management measures are in place. This means that the necessary actions to achieve favourable condition have been identified; at least one action is underway; and no actions are behind schedule. Provided that the recovery work is sustained, the feature will reach favourable condition.

Natural England provides advice to land managers about the measures needed to ensure that the condition of Unfavourable Units improves and thereby contributes to delivery of Natural England’s statutory purpose and international and national objectives. Natural England seeks to secure appropriate management of protected sites through close working relationships with those who own or use the sites, including tenants, small landowners, and large landowning organisations.

Staff visit sites for other reasons apart from undertaking a condition assessment and during these visits staff look to check that the management activities are improving the condition of a site’s features. At this point recommendations can be made about undertaking a new condition assessment.

Deciding on when to undertake a condition assessment is based on the feature’s vulnerability and its resilience. The more vulnerable it is, the more frequently an assessment might be required. Additional information about past management, partnership-working and condition stability is factored in to deciding when a new assessment of condition is required.

Natural England has a protected sites data system (which generates the information available in Designated Sites View), this is the primary source of information used by Natural England and partner organisations to track progress with site improvements as management actions are implemented.

I hope this information has been useful to you.

Yours sincerely

Farm and Conservation Service

Email:  Protectedsites@naturalengland.org.uk

Any book which starts with a quote from Audrey Hepburn is off to a good start with me. She said that to plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow. No wonder there are now so many areas of artificial turf and gravel. But this book is an antidote to that as a ‘practical and easy-to use’ guide to gardening. Any guide is always called practical and easy to use but this one really is.

How to create nectar-rich borders, a wildflower meadow, a hedge or a pond are all explained here. So too are the ins and outs of producing compost and/or a wormery or a leaf cage. There is helpful advice on which plants to choose to benefit different groups of wildlife.  All in all, the amount of information imparted, clearly and briefly, is impressive. I learned a lot – but then, I’m no gardener, and I guess that means I’m in the target audience.

The author is a Garden Manager at the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh.  That seems quite a good provenance.

The cover? As with all the illustrations, it is by Hazel France. The style is simple, but fairly accurate, and very pleasing. I’d give it 8/10.

Planting with Nature: a guide to sustainable gardening by Kirsty Wilson (illustrated by Hazel France) is published by Birlinn and the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh.

My forthcoming book, Reflections, will be published on 4 July and already can be ordered.

Details – click here.