Category Archives: invasive species

Brexit will save us from the Obama Flatworm, claims #OPatz.

The impact of invasive species, so we are repeatedly told, is one of the biggest threats to the future of global biodiversity. Himalayan balsam rampages through the countryside, while Ash dieback has now reached about two thirds of the native … Continue reading

Posted in Brexit, invasive species, Owen Paterson | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Invasive Plants caused muddled thinking

  The BBC picked up a story about “invasive plants” yesterday, but didn’t do a very good job of conveying its messages. The paper just published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences is from Chris Thomas’ group at … Continue reading

Posted in alien invasive species, Beavers, himalayan balsam, invasive species | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

Super-Ridley blats the Bat-people: But will the evil Raccoon win out?

        “Escaped pet raccoons are beginning to establish themselves in northern England with potentially devastating consequences for native wildlife.” Viscount Matt Ridley Viscount Matthew White Ridley is many things. He is a very rare beast: a hereditary … Continue reading

Posted in alien invasive species, bats, coal, invasive species, Matt Ridley, Policy Exchange, Rampisham Down | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Feral by George Monbiot – a review

The Feral Shore I have promised myself, and some of you, that I would write a review of Feral by George Monbiot. I enjoyed the book, at least in parts. Although I will try and refrain from Ad hominem criticism … Continue reading

Posted in agriculture, animism, anti conservation rhetoric, anti-environmental rhetoric, biodiversity, carbon storage, climate change, Common Agricultural Policy, Cultural Cringe, Downland, ecosystem services, environmental policy, farming, forest elephant, George Monbiot, invasive species, management, Mesolithic, neoliberalism, rewilding, self-willed land, soils, straight tusked elephant | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Barberries and Badgers

Amid all the hysteria and anger around the Badger Cull, which has now commenced, I might be accused of jumping on the bandwagon. Well OK, maybe, though I have done work in the past on the badger issue, researching and … Continue reading

Posted in agricultural pests, agriculture, badgers, barberry, biodiversity, environmental policy, farming, invasive species, Owen Paterson | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Elephant in the Room

my first cartoon ever! and possibly my last. I haven’t posted much this week as work and personal life have intervened. But I have been doing a lot of thinking. I’m still struggling with the idea of Self-willed Land.  I … Continue reading

Posted in anti conservation rhetoric, biodiversity, forest elephant, George Monbiot, invasive species, Life of Brian, management, Mesolithic, rewilding, self-willed land, straight tusked elephant | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Very like an Ant

Argentine Ants were introduced ( technically called Human Mediated Dispersal see for example here ) into Europe from their native distribution in South America and have formed a single supercolony stretching an amazing 6000km along the Mediterranean Coast. There are … Continue reading

Posted in ants, biodiversity, invasive species | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments