Landscape Juice

Livestock industry recognises value of carbon stored in grasslands

Phase three of EBLEX’s Beef and Sheep Roadmap Down to Earth was published today.

The report sets out how the livestock industry is responding to the challenge of reducing its greenhouse gas footprint.

The Grasslands Trust, which has previously highlighted the important role that semi-natural grasslands play as a carbon sink, welcomed EBLEX’s recognition that carbon storage in grassland soils needs to be factored in to any calculations of the carbon footprint of the livestock sector.

Miles King, director of conservation at The Grasslands Trust said “there is increasing evidence of the critical role that grassland soils play in storing carbon. Restoring agricultural grassland to a wildlife-rich state can lead to it storing over three tonnes of extra carbon per hectare per year and this accumulation is on a par with most types of woodland carbon storage.

Bob Flowerdew puts a dent in the anti-peat campaign

Celebrated gardener and organic campaigner Bob Flowerdew has shaken the organic gardening world by declaring that he uses peat.

Flowerdew, who's a member of the BBC Gardeners' Question Time panel, called for a licensing scheme for peat sourced from managed and sustainable sites but says that the use of peat in horticulture should not be banned.

For the die-hard environmentalists, it's akin to the Pope saying that he has tea with the devil on Sundays.

I've already made the point that Horticultural use amounts to 0.0005% of world peat reserves and also argued that peat will always have a role to play in gardening an doubted it will ever be phased out.

Green roofs and walls in the City of London

The City of London is very densely developed but an opportunity exists to improve access to open space and to improve biodiversity through the development of green roofs and walls. There are numerous proven benefits of green roofs such as providing sustainable urban drainage, biodiversity, insulation and improving the appearance of buildings.

The City has undertaken case studies of 17 selected green roofs within and adjacent to the City of London. These case studies contain practical advice and examples of delivering green roofs in the City.

Snow, rainfall and drought in the UK

With the unpredictable snow, rain and temperature conditions this year, be prepared to plan for all situations.

Pictured alongside are two measurements of the River Mersey from the environment agency site, river level gauge, showing that the river is 0.5m higher than August 2010 (click to enlarge).

Yet, parts of the country face drought that could last until next summer the environment minister Caroline Spelman said.

"Water availability is one of the major challenges that the UK will face in the years ahead and while droughts are not new, we may face a future with less rainfall and less certainty about when that rain will fall."

Eiffel Tower to become world's tallest green wall

It seems so far fetched that I had to do a little research just to be sure it wasn't a joke.

Apparently Paris' iconic Eiffel Tower is to be planted with £65m (€72m) worth of plants hanging from the steel structure in hemp growbags.

Secret plans - secret no longer after being leaked by French newspaper La Figaro - reveal the 324m structure, designed by Gustave Eiffel and built between 1887-89, will see hundreds of thousands of plants cover the tower.

If the plan goes ahead then planting will start in June 2013 and remain until 2016: work will be carried out by the Ginger engineering group.

In separate news I hear that Buckingham Palace is to be pebble dashed and painted white!

Seriously, what do you think - is this a serious project or a way of increasing tourist traffic to the tower? La Tour Eiffel, to give it its correct French name, is already the world's biggest paid tourist attraction.

More on the history of the Eiffel Tower - Wikipedia

Trusting the judgement of qualified practitioners

Land management practitioners are vital in protecting our biodiversity, natural and cultural heritage and in particular ensuring the survival of trees for future generations, but at present are largely ignored, disconnected from decision making and even disenfranchised from their own remits, writes Philip Howard of European Trees.

The UK has a shortage of land management practitioners, from Arboriculturalists, Horticulturalists, Agriculturalists and Silviculturalists. The very titles of their profession have been abandoned in favour more easily understood, yet less defined titles – Tree Surgeons, Landscapers and Farmers and these roles are largely misunderstood or worse subject to over arching statements which dismiss their professionalism: In ecological circles a ‘Farmer’ is considered bad unless proven otherwise. Foresters and Arboriculturalists cut down trees; their work in planting and extending woodland cover or working on a tree to extend its longevity is often ignored.

Caroline Spelman avoids real engagement in her party speech

Caroline Spelman's speech at the Conservative Party conference simply sounded like the environment secretary had re-written every recent Defra report or government announcement.

It suffered a disconnection that has resulted in u-turns in forestry policy and shows the government is completely out of touch with people, writes Carol Miers.

So much so, that when I hear 'reduce red-tape' I wonder just how a government so intent on labels and consultations, groups for discussion, formulaic seeking of opinions and general stuffiness can have the slightest idea of how to reduce red tape.

Marshalls receives a boost from BRE and the Carbon Trust

Marshalls plc has gained re-certification to the Carbon Trust Standard and certification to BRE Responsible Sourcing scheme for its concrete manufactured products.

Marshalls received re-certification – a national benchmark for the effective monitoring, management and reduction of an organisation’s energy use – after improving its carbon footprint by over 15%

This reaccreditation will improve the organisation’s position in the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme league table over the next two years.

The most improved rivers in England and Wales

The River Wear one of the most improved rivers, discover others
The Environment Agency has published a list of the 10 most improved rivers in England and Wales.

The waterways have shrugged off their industrial past to become havens for wildlife, walkers and anglers once again.

Get your Big Butterfly Count stats in

If you took part in this year's Big Butterfly Count then don't forget you only have until 31 August, 2011 to enter your findings online.