predators such as the #wolf are described as “too many”, even though their population is in the four-digit range and stagnating. Hobby hunters, almost 470,000 in number, are framed as indispensable #natureconservation, even though they kill dozens of people every year and injure hundreds, and are not required to demonstrate any ecological training comparable to genuine expertise in #wildlife biology.

https://wildbeimwild.com/en/hobby-hunter-record-germany-wolf-hunting-accidents-wild-animals/

The UK is cutting the Darwin Initiative fund, which might make it harder to protect nature and species globally. #natureconservation

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/29/cuts-uk-fund-global-nature-protection-alarm-conservationists

Petition!
#STANDWITHLIFE

The Issue
STAND WITH LIFE

According to recent publications of the #EuropeanEnvironmentAgency, #Europe is #facing #accelerating #ClimateChange and #biodiversityloss. At this #critical moment, we cannot #afford to #weaken the European Union’s only programme exclusively #dedicated to #environment, #climateaction and #natureconservation.
https://www.change.org/p/stand-with-life

#Maine - This is #EmeraldAshBorer Awareness Week

"The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s Maine Forest Service is asking residents, landowners, and municipalities to help slow the spread of the invasive emerald ash borer (#EAB), a destructive insect responsible for killing millions of ash trees across North America.

As the emerald ash borer continues to threaten Maine’s forests and communities, the Maine Forest Service encourages the public to learn how to identify #AshTrees and signs of infestation, participate in monitoring efforts, and help prevent the spread of invasive pests.

Here are five ways to help slow EAB:

White vs brown Ash

Learn how to identify ash trees
May is a great time to identify ash trees. While all the other hardwood trees are leafing out, Maine's ash trees still look like sticks in the sky. For white and green ash, look for opposite branching and small, ridged bark arranged in a diamond pattern. Brown ash bark (also known as black ash) is characteristically gray to dark gray, with a spongy, corky texture.

Ash Blonding

Learn how to identify signs of emerald ash borer

Now that you know what an ash tree looks like, look for signs of emerald ash borer in the trees. You may spot "blonding" on ash trees, the shallow flecking of the bark by woodpeckers going after EAB larvae and pupae. If you think you see "blonding," take some good quality photos, note your location, and report your findings on the EAB Report Form.

Learn how to identify emerald ash borer
Chances are, you won't see EAB adults in May, but come June, you may see some as they start to emerge from ash trees. If you think you see an EAB, try to capture it or take a photo and report your findings on the EAB Report Form.

Create a girdled ash tree to monitor for emerald ash borer

Your tree can be part of the EAB monitoring network. Knowing the whereabouts of EAB helps the DACF and others make good management decisions about ash.

Leave your firewood at home and prevent the spread of invasive pests
Planning a camping trip? Learn about Maine’s firewood laws, and get your firewood at the campground or go to FirewoodScout.org to find other local sources.

For more information about emerald ash borer, identification resources, and reporting tools, visit the Maine Forest Service Emerald Ash Borer page."

Maine DACF Emerald Ash Borer Page:
https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/forest_health/invasive_threats/eab/index.shtml

Source:
https://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/MEDACF-4183cfe?wgt_ref=MEDACF_WIDGET_161

#SolarPunkSunday #SaveTheTrees #NatureConservation #ProtectTheSacred #AshTrees

The Sundarbans: A Complete Guide to the World’s Largest Mangrove Forest

https://shobdoneerin.com/2026/05/15/the-sundarbans-a-complete-guide-to-the-worlds-largest-mangrove-forest/

#SwanLakeNatureSanctuary - the #NatureHouse. This is where I worked out of in my late 20s, as a nature interpreter/educator for public school field trips for a few months. I taught out of the nature house, an outdoor gazebo & on the central dock at the nature sanctuary.
There's been several upgrades to the nature house & to the nature sanctuary, since the early 2000s.

https://www.swanlake.bc.ca/the-nature-house-2

#Saanich #VictoriaBC #NatureEducation #LearnAboutNature #Naturalists #architecture #CommunityEducation #nonprofit #NatureConservation #stewardship #ProtectNature #VancouverIsland #VanIsle #VisitAndLearn

World Migratory Bird Day

Dopo aver raccontato questa affascinante ricorrenza

Giornata mondiale degli uccelli migratori🐦

torniamo a parlare della World Migratory Bird Day – Giornata Mondiale degli Uccelli Migratori, che nel 2026 cade sabato 9 maggio, come sempre nel secondo sabato di maggio. Ma quest’anno porta con sé un messaggio ancora più coinvolgente e attuale…

🌍 Cos’è (e perché continua a emozionare)

È una campagna globale sostenuta anche dalle Nazioni Unite per sensibilizzare sulla tutela degli uccelli migratori e dei loro habitat. Questi straordinari viaggiatori attraversano continenti, oceani e città, ricordandoci che la natura non ha confini. E proprio per questo la loro protezione è una responsabilità condivisa.

📅 La particolarità della doppia data

Forse non tutti lo sanno (perfetto da aggiungere!):
la giornata si celebra due volte l’anno:

• secondo sabato di maggio (migrazione verso i siti di nidificazione)
• secondo sabato di ottobre (ritorno verso le aree di svernamento)

Un modo poetico per seguire il ritmo naturale delle migrazioni nel mondo.

✨ Novità 2026: “Every Bird Counts”

Il tema 2026 è: “Every Bird Counts – Your Observations Matter!” (Ogni uccello conta – Le tue osservazioni sono importanti!)

Un invito diretto a tutti noi: anche una semplice osservazione può diventare un dato prezioso per la scienza.

👉 Grande protagonista è infatti la citizen science (scienza partecipata), cioè il contributo delle persone comuni nel monitorare e proteggere gli uccelli migratori.

🔎 Un anniversario speciale

Il 2026 coincide anche con un traguardo importante: 60 anni dell’International Waterbird Census, uno dei più grandi programmi globali di monitoraggio degli uccelli acquatici. Un dettaglio che rende questa edizione ancora più significativa!

💡 Come partecipare (anche in modo chic!)

Non serve essere esperti birdwatcher:

• una passeggiata nella natura 👣
• una foto condivisa 📸
• un’osservazione registrata online

possono contribuire davvero alla conservazione della biodiversità.

🕊️ Un piccolo gesto, un grande viaggio

Se nel articolo precedente si è raccontato il valore simbolico e naturale della giornata, il 2026 aggiunge un tassello importante: ognuno di noi può fare la differenza.

Perché, proprio come gli uccelli migratori ci insegnano… anche il viaggio più lungo inizia da un piccolo battito d’ali. 💫