Tag

Ocean Conservation

Environment

The Quiet Return: How Beavers, Pine Martens and Wildcats are Reclaiming the British Countryside

For centuries, Britain’s woodlands and waterways sat strangely quiet. Missing from our native ecosystems were the essential “eco-engineers” and top predators that once shaped the landscape – the tree-climbing pine marten, the elusive Scottish wildcat and the industrious Eurasian beaver. Driven to near or total regional extinction by historical hunting, trapping and habitat fragmentation, these iconic species were lost from much of our countryside.

However, across England, Scotland, and Wales, a quiet revolution is underway. Through pioneering rewilding projects, strategic conservation partnerships and community support, these three key species are returning home – and transforming the British landscape in the process.

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Environment

Inside the Library of Things at Croxley Business Park

We often look to grand policy meetings or technology pioneers to solve our planet’s crises, but lately, I’ve been finding the most inspiring stories right on my doorstep – in the quiet, persistent work of local individuals rolling up their sleeves and asking: “How can we do this better?”

Recently, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Sarah, a local clock restorer by trade, a self-described “fix-it” person and one of the brilliant co-founders of The Library of Requirements Community Interest Company (CIC), better known as The Library of Things. Opened in June 2026 at Croxley Business Park, this community initiative is a masterclass in reducing consumerism, curbing waste and rethinking our relationship with “stuff”.

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Environment, Sustainable Travel

The Last Great Antarctic Untold Story: Meeting Mark Reed and The Quest for Shackleton’s “Last Cache”

We often fall into the trap of thinking that the golden age of exploration is a closed chapter in a history book. We imagine that the great maps were all filled in during the early 1900s, leaving nothing left for the modern world to uncover.

But this past May, while attending the bi-annual James Caird Society dinner at Dulwich, I was seated at a table that completely shattered that illusion. Another reason why I just love being a member of the that Society, you meet such interesting people, doing incredible things…

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Environment

The ‘Environmental Responsibility Disconnect’: Why Individuals Say One Thing and Do Another

Have you ever noticed a strange gap between what we know about what needs to be done to preserve our planet and how we actually live our daily lives?

It’s a psychological puzzle. As humans, we can be deeply moved by the plight of the environment, yet completely blind to how our own small, daily choices contribute to the bigger picture when in fact individuals can have such a positive impact.

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Environment, Sustainable Travel

How Emperor Penguins Cool Their Own Skies

Penguins are brilliant indicators of the health of our planet. When you stand amongst the Snow Hill Emperor Penguin colony in Antarctica, it’s easy to realise that every single creature down there plays a vital role in keeping our fragile climate balanced.

Not so easy to visualise if you haven’t been! And with only about 1.7 million Antarctica visitors out of a global population of 8.3 billion, the odds are you haven’t had that chance. That is exactly why I see it as my role as an ‘ambassador’ for this extraordinary region to bring these vital stories directly to you.

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Environment, Sustainable Travel

A Voice for the Wild: Celebrating Sir David Attenborough and the Hope of South Georgia

There are few voices that can instantly transport you from your living room to the edge of a frozen continent or the heart of a teeming jungle. For those of us dedicated to the preservation of our planet, Sir David Attenborough isn’t just a broadcaster; he is the heartbeat of the modern environmental movement.

As we celebrate both his 100th birthday and his extraordinary body of work, I’ve been reflecting on what his legacy means for my own journey – and specifically, for a place very close to my heart: South Georgia Island.

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Environment, Sustainable Travel

Counting on the Future: Why South Georgia WildCounts is a Game-Changer

If you’ve been following my journey for a while, you know that my heart beats a little faster whenever we talk about South Georgia. This rugged, wind-swept UK Overseas Territory is often called the “Serengeti of the Southern Ocean,” and for good reason. It is a land of superlatives – home to millions of fur seals, towering albatrosses and those iconic – and personally my favourites! – bustling king penguin colonies.

But as a Trustee of the South Georgia Heritage Trust (SGHT), I know that beauty requires vigilance. Nature is resilient, but it isn’t invincible. That is why I am so thrilled to share our latest mission: South Georgia WildCounts.

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Environment

Big News for Chorleywood: Give Your Blister Packs a Second Life!

If you’re anything like me, you probably have a little stash of empty medicine blister packs sitting in a kitchen drawer, whispering to you, “Don’t throw me in the bin!” We all know they can’t go into our kerbside recycling (please, don’t put them in there – it just gums up the works! ), but finding a place to recycle them hasn’t always been easy.

Well, the wonderful volunteers at Sustainable Three Rivers (S3R) have stepped in to save the day.

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Environment, Sustainable Travel

The Incredible Afterlife of the James Caird Lifeboat

Most of us know the “Endurance” story’s climax: Sir Ernest Shackleton and five companions navigating 800 miles of the world’s most violent ocean in a tiny 23-foot lifeboat, the James Caird, to reach South Georgia. But what happened to that sturdy little boat once it hit the gravel at Cave Cove, King Haakon Bay?

The journey of the James Caird didn’t end with the rescue of Shackleton’s men. With the next James Caird Society dinner, and a reception in front of this plucky boat, coming up soon for me – plus 24th April is the date Shackleton left Elephant Island heading for South Georgia Island – I wanted to explore the story more. Its survival as a physical relic is almost as miraculous as its voyage!

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