Reelected recently to one of the greenest Green Councils in the country (Lewes), I am inadvertently bringing together a gaggle of interests, some tangential, some relevant. Following a talk on the 'Fungi of Markstakes Common' I am fast moving towards papers/talks on the 'Ancient Trees of Markstakes Common' - those identified 13 years ago (the ash have died, one Beech is a pile of dead wood, two other beech and one hornbeam have lost major stems, as with one of the silver birch - now dead. I could add another 12 to the old list.
Dealing with people is no less engaging and uses similar skills. I was out this morning with a tape measure to look at some local potholes and bring these to the attention of the Conservative run East Sussex County Council which is increasingly looking like the institution that blocks everything - these constipated Conservatives will be duly removed from power, where, in truth they have 'sat on their hands' for too long - doing little, taking their stipend.
But that's politics, and we don't want any of that here.
I'm itching for appropriate postgraduate study on woodland management, biodiversity, sustainability or some such but fear that too much that that is on offer is either dated, or to expensive.
An online course on Fungi for £40, something on trees for £90. Do I need it, or want it.
Anyone used Chat.ai.open yet?
Had it been around over the last decade I would have use it to assist with essays and dissertations. I find it/her/him an intelligent tutor, not always getting it right, but able to collate information and produce a coherent point of view. Like all tools though it/he/she must be 'triangulated' - we need references.
Comments
Nature has rights
HERE, is a video that I made a few months ago to raise awareness about the topic.
Let me know what you would add to it .
Nature has rights!
Loving the video. Nature does have rights and they are incorporated into 'Environmental Law' with statues and guidelines for a myriad of separate topics from pest control, animal welfare, 'rights of rivers', tree protection orders and so on. Some are enforceable and policed, others not so. Look how long the ban on fox hunting took to bring in. The idea that the massive loss of wildlife, small birds especially, caused by domestic cats is quite another matter. I rather think pet owners will win out. In some respects the same can be said about dogs - though a dog caught attacking sheep can be shot.