{"id":13729,"date":"2023-10-31T13:19:30","date_gmt":"2023-10-31T12:19:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=13729"},"modified":"2023-10-31T13:19:30","modified_gmt":"2023-10-31T12:19:30","slug":"some-depressing-reading","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=13729","title":{"rendered":"Some Depressing Reading"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-meta postmeta\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry clearfix\">\n<hr noshade=\"noshade\" size=\"5\" \/>\n<hr \/>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"9072\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?attachment_id=9072\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/NatureNotes2.jpg?fit=600%2C78\" data-orig-size=\"600,78\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Running fox animal color sketch engraving vector illustration. Scratch board style imitation. Black and white hand drawn image.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Running fox animal color sketch engraving vector&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Running fox animal color sketch engraving vector\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Running fox animal color sketch engraving vector illustration. Scratch board style imitation. Black and white hand drawn image.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/NatureNotes2.jpg?fit=300%2C39\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/NatureNotes2.jpg?fit=600%2C78\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9072 aligncenter\" style=\"height: auto; max-width: 100%; margin: 1em auto; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both; display: block;\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/NatureNotes2.jpg?resize=600%2C78\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/NatureNotes2.jpg?w=600 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/NatureNotes2.jpg?resize=300%2C39 300w\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"78\" data-attachment-id=\"9072\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?attachment_id=9072\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/NatureNotes2.jpg?fit=600%2C78\" data-orig-size=\"600,78\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Running fox animal color sketch engraving vector illustration. Scratch board style imitation. Black and white hand drawn image.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Running fox animal color sketch engraving vector&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Running fox animal color sketch engraving vector\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Running fox animal color sketch engraving vector illustration. Scratch board style imitation. Black and white hand drawn image.&lt;\/p&gt; \" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/NatureNotes2.jpg?fit=300%2C39\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/NatureNotes2.jpg?fit=600%2C78\" \/><\/p>\n<hr noshade=\"noshade\" size=\"5\" \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif; font-size: 18pt; color: #008000;\">Some Depressing Reading <\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<\/div>\n<p>The recent national State of Nature report makes some depressing reading as the following stats indicate<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Across the UK species studied have declined on average by 19% since 1970<\/li>\n<li>Farmland bird species in the UK have, on average, seen their numbers fall by more than a half since 1970<\/li>\n<li>Invertebrate species are found in 13% fewer places now than in 1970. There have been strong declines in some insect groups with important roles, such as pollinators like bees and hoverflies<\/li>\n<li>More than half of the plants in Great Britain have been lost from areas where they used to thrive<\/li>\n<li>Only one in seven (14%) of the UK\u2019s important habitats for wildlife were found to be in good condition<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A quick look around Wenvoe will confirm that the same is happening to us. Several fields around the village have been turned over to housing and more are threatened with development. On an individual basis lawns are being replaced with artificial turf and front gardens are being slabbed or bricked over. Trees are being cut down and not replaced and ponds filled in.<\/p>\n<p>But commentators suggest we can do something to help. We can put up nest boxes for birds, bee hotels and bat boxes. We can feed the birds and plant some wildflowers and pollinator-friendly shrubs and trees. Put in a pond &#8211; one we know of cost 70p and took up just 20 by 20 cms of garden space. Open compost heaps, log and stone piles, even piles of leaves can help everything from hedgehogs to slow worms. We may never hear the cuckoo again in the village &#8211; it was a regular visitor here just 30 years ago &#8211; but we might be able to help stop the decline of some of our valuable wildlife.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<hr noshade=\"noshade\" size=\"5\" \/>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Some Depressing Reading The recent national State of Nature report makes some depressing reading as the following stats indicate Across the UK species studied have declined on average by 19% since 1970 Farmland bird species in the UK have, on average, seen their numbers fall by more than a half since 1970 Invertebrate species are found in 13% fewer places [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6cWjO-3zr","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5325,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=5325","url_meta":{"origin":13729,"position":0},"title":"The Knepp Estate Success","author":"Alan Williams","date":"23rd December 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 NATURE NOTES Whilst much of the news about wildlife is often negative and depressing, one interesting item that is bucking the trend is the Knepp Estate and anyone with a genuine interest in UK wildlife needs to be aware of it. This is a 3,500 acre estate near Horsham\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Nature Notes&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=49"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/dove.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":13188,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=13188","url_meta":{"origin":13729,"position":1},"title":"NATURE NOTES","author":"Alan Williams","date":"3rd July 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"NATURE NOTES \u00a0 We are often asked about the effects of artificial lawns on wildlife. The benefits in terms of maintenance etc. are understood and promoted in advertising by plastic grass suppliers. However recently the Royal Horticultural Society published an article summarising the less welcome effects these can have on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Nature Notes&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=49"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Picture3.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Picture3.png?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Picture3.png?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6958,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=6958","url_meta":{"origin":13729,"position":2},"title":"New Year Resolutions","author":"Alan Williams","date":"31st December 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 January is a time for New Year resolutions so why not pledge to do some of the following. \uf061 Put up bird boxes but site them away from where cats can get at them \uf061 Attach a bell to your cat's collar. This does reduce their success rate in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Nature Notes&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=49"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/AGB21FL.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":8845,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=8845","url_meta":{"origin":13729,"position":3},"title":"Private Gardens In The UK","author":"Alan Williams","date":"28th December 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Nature Notes Private Gardens In The UK Private gardens in the UK cover an area bigger than all the Nature Reserves combined, estimated at over 10 million acres. Just as our countryside and woodland is shrinking, so is the amount of garden space which wildlife can use as more gardens\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Nature Notes&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=49"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Smasll-garden-pondz-225x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":10788,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=10788","url_meta":{"origin":13729,"position":4},"title":"Ladybirds","author":"Alan Williams","date":"13th December 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Ladybirds\u00a0 Many of you will have noticed large numbers of ladybirds congregating on the outside of houses. These come in many different colours and patterns but they are most likely to be the one species, the Harlequin Ladybird, which, as its name suggests, has a variegated colouring. The one in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Nature Notes&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=49"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3738,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=3738","url_meta":{"origin":13729,"position":5},"title":"Dewberrys Discovered","author":"Alan Williams","date":"27th September 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 A stroll along the new cycleway and footpath on Port Road between Wenvoe and the Alps roundabout revealed some interesting plants lurking at the base of the hedgerow. Most surprising because it has not been recorded yet in the parish is Dewberry. Similar to the Blackberry but with some\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Nature Notes&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=49"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13729"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13729"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13729\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13730,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13729\/revisions\/13730"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13729"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13729"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13729"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}