International Day for Biological Diversity

The United Nations proclaimed May 22 The International Day for Biological Diversity to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. This year is International Year of the Forests, and the theme for the International Day for Biological Diversity is Forest Biodiversity. Forests cover 30% of the land surface of the earth and hold around 80% of the species of plants and animals that live on the landmasses. So they're very special places.


Woodlanders, edited by Ian Edwards and published by Saraband Books is a wonderful celebration of the value of the UK's forests. It is a big, beautifully produced book (printed using 100% vegetable based inks on paper from carefully managed forests). The book looks at how people can live in harmony with woodlands, foraging for fuel and food, building homes using sustainably sourced wood, using woodland products to make crafts and running community woodlands, where a whole area of forest is managed by and for local people.

The book is full of inspiring case studies, whether it is individuals who forage for their own food, artists inspired by woodlands or small scale companies developing their business using sustainably harvested woodland products. There's a lot of practical advice, from recipes for using your foraged foods (and guidelines on how to forage in a sustaiable manner) to how to build a composting toilet. Everything is illustrated with beautiful photos and plenty of UK tree species are described in between the case studies and practical advice.

It is an inspiring book for anyone who loves woodlands, specially those who would like to look into developing a more intimate relationship with their local woodland. it is also a very timely book, given the uncertain future of UK forests. The Government may seem to have decided not to sell off the nation's forests (yet) but they have recently given the go ahead to a quarry extension that threatens the existence of a vital piece of ancient woodland in Kent and are considering a high speed rail link between London and Birmingham that threatens the futures of 21 ancient forests across England. You can find out more about the threats to the UKs forests and how you can help to preserve these vital habitats at the Woodland Trust website here.

Read this book and be inspired about the importance of our forests! Then join the Woodland Trust and help to secure their future!

I received this book as a prize in a competition on Twitter.

As ever, text in red contains hyperlinks where you can find out more.

Year of the Tiger

Jade Emperor knew your value, all those years ago
choosing you as Heaven's Guardian
a plain, untested cat.

The animals were restless, down on earth below,
fighting humans and destroying
their lives and livelihoods.

Jade Emperor sent you down to quell the rioting
as humankind's defender -
a plain untested cat.

You defeated all the animals, drove them all away
to win your badge of honour -
a strip for every beast.

That is how you earned your stripes.
In return we claim to worship you.

Strange worship this, burning down your homes,
tearing you limb from limb,
grinding down your bones.

Thinking we can drink the essence of your strength,
steal your valour with your stripes,
become you by wearing you.

Is it not enough to see you, be inspired
by magnificence and grace, agility and strength,
evolution to perfection?

Your year dawns.
Inauspicious some say.
Perhaps that's your revenge.


The Year of the Tiger starts today. WWF are working on a concentrated tiger conservation programme for the Year of the Tiger and are aiming to double the number of tigers in the wild before 2022, the next Year of the Tiger. You can read about it here.

Capercaillie Tree

This ancient wood is haunted
by a mythic forest spirit.
We walk in awe, alert for
champagne cork popping calls.

Behind each lichened tree
invisible birds lek* in silence
but flee as we approach.

In the heart of the forest
we find a strange Scot's pine
with flattened topmost branches.

"That's the capercaillie's perch"
we're told "and this is as close
as we'll ever get to the bird itself."

We strain our eyes
but shadows remain

just shadows.


a lek is the display area for capercaillie or other species of grouse; also the name for the display itself.

Find a Hill

Climb to the wide open summit
Stretch out........ your arms
....................................................feel
the touch of spirit wings.

Quieten your mind
.................................,,....hear
the calls of ghost flocks
flying past.

Birds too beautiful for this world.
Invisible now.

UN Year of Biodiversity

2010 is the UN International Year of Biodiversity. The year aims to celebrate the diversity of life on the planet and to draw attention to the importance of biodiversity and how we can preserve it.


I feel that at the moment, there is so much effort put into trying to reduce carbon footprints that sometimes biodiversity loses out (think of industrial sized windfarms being built on peat bogs, think rainforest being destroyed to plant biofuels) so I particularly welcome the UN International Year of Biodiversity.

I find it extremely sad to hear people explicitly talking about a need to give up preserving biodiversity to save humans. I know that species come and species go but we're facing a possible mass extinction event that would be largely due to the actions of humans. Biodiversity helps to sustain the planet as a liveable home for humans so we need to preserve biodiversity. On top of that, I can't imagine being happy in a world without the great variety of birds, animals and plants that we still have.

(If you're in the UK, you can find out more about what's going on locally on this website. You can sign up to do your bit to preserve biodiversity here.)