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GALLERY


Almost winter light, mid afternoon in Linford Wood, Milton Keynes, so good for the soul. Woodland walks 💚 #nationaltreeweek #ancientwoodland #woodland


I objected to Meta extracting my Insta images and data for their AI data gathering monetisation. AI is incredibly power hungry using 10% -33 times more energy than a usual web query and is guzzling up water for their data centres at an enormous rate.
Ref: https://theconversation.com/power-hungry-ai-is-driving-a-surge-in-tech-giant-carbon-emissions-nobody-knows-what-to-do-about-it-233452
My objection was accepted by Meta in a reply email today: "We will honor your opt-out regarding your public information, such as public posts and comments or your AI messages. This means we will no longer use your public information from Facebook and Instagram and your AI messages to develop and improve generative AI models on Meta in the future."
And don't get me started on all of the people required to code the data in lower paid countries to make AI appear intelligent, there is nothing intelligent about driving an insatiable need for more energy use to give you artificial creativity in your timeline.
I'm so tired of seeing pixar-like animated AI images. I imagine this post won't get much visibility... #AI #climatechange
Ref: https://theconversation.com/power-hungry-ai-is-driving-a-surge-in-tech-giant-carbon-emissions-nobody-knows-what-to-do-about-it-233452
My objection was accepted by Meta in a reply email today: "We will honor your opt-out regarding your public information, such as public posts and comments or your AI messages. This means we will no longer use your public information from Facebook and Instagram and your AI messages to develop and improve generative AI models on Meta in the future."
And don't get me started on all of the people required to code the data in lower paid countries to make AI appear intelligent, there is nothing intelligent about driving an insatiable need for more energy use to give you artificial creativity in your timeline.
I'm so tired of seeing pixar-like animated AI images. I imagine this post won't get much visibility... #AI #climatechange


Weekend before last we held a fabulous fungi walk in our beautiful ancient woodland (Friends of Ashenground and Bolnore Woods). Daniel Greenwood led the walk pointing out the more difficult to spot fungi finds with the help of eagle-eyed younger visitors. Some finds shown here, witch’s butter, orange peel fungus, video of oozing Wolf’s milk slime mould, black bulgar, stump puffball (more like the skin of a sea creature), candle snuff video being snuffy, white saddle fungus, Daniel sharing info, and the precarious survival of a mushroom on a slither of bark. Much more fun fungi info on Daniel’s blog: https:fungifriday.co.uk #fungi #ancientwoods #foabwsussex


Less than 2 weeks ago, for Britain in Bloom I went to RHS Wisley to receive an Outstanding Award on behalf of the wonderful Ancient Woodland Conservation volunteers. It’s the second year in a row we’ve received this Award, gaining 88 marks out of 100 within the 3 categories, community participation, environmental responsibility and gardening achievement. Britain in Bloom highlighted so many community groups who have brought diverse people together, in all sorts of forgotten plots that are brought colourfully to life, and sustainably. A little grey space, tended with care makes all kinds of positive links between people. Here’s to a world filled with community gardens and shared green spaces 💚 PS: loved the triffid hat from one of the other SE community garden volunteers, I’ll have to get crafting. Friends of Ashenground and Bolnore Woods. #communityspaces #communitygarden #woodland #britaininbloom


For the last month I’ve been monitoring where bees and honey bees forage for nectar or pollen on a small patio, for the Buzz Club (University Sussex). The herbs and wildflowers, especially verbena and wild marjoram that sprung up amongst gravel and paving, so self-seeding, are constant cafes for the busy bees. The same wild marjoram in pots isn’t as fully booked 😄 Letting the plants do their thing has helped the bees. My only saboteur is a strategically placed garden spider in the bee flight line! #buzzclub #Bees #honeybees #wildflowers 💚 #organicgardening 💚


Meadowland at Wakehurst this week, the joyful lounge chairs, was considering squatting 😄 #meadowland #meadows #wildflowers #pollinators 💚 #Wakehurst Botanical Garden, Kew’s sister garden in Sussex


Learnt that the BBC didn’t cover the peaceful and inspiring Restore Nature Now march yesterday, even though there were thousands of us at the event - more than 60,000. So posting 2 very short snippets of some of the brilliant speakers who understand the problems we face with the U.K’s ranking as one of the most nature depleted countries on earth.
I was near the stage in Parliament square so hope these recordings ok. Nadeem Perera’s humble words on the need for a diversity of voices and Feargal Sharkey on the exploitative water company’s practices. Second to last photo is Nemonte Nenquimo, Indigenous activist and author.
Channel 4, ITV and Sky News did cover this event and all the talks are on YouTube including the wonderful news from the Weald Action group who had just won a landmark case (with enormous ramifications) against the planned oil extraction in Surrey. #RestoreNatureNow in London June 22nd 2024 #ClimateChange #Biodiversity #lovenature
I was near the stage in Parliament square so hope these recordings ok. Nadeem Perera’s humble words on the need for a diversity of voices and Feargal Sharkey on the exploitative water company’s practices. Second to last photo is Nemonte Nenquimo, Indigenous activist and author.
Channel 4, ITV and Sky News did cover this event and all the talks are on YouTube including the wonderful news from the Weald Action group who had just won a landmark case (with enormous ramifications) against the planned oil extraction in Surrey. #RestoreNatureNow in London June 22nd 2024 #ClimateChange #Biodiversity #lovenature


#restorenaturenow march to Parliament Square today 💚 #climatechange #biodiversity #lovenature


Little dormouse is a precious resident of ancient woodland so checking for their presence in Ashenground and Bolnore Woods by laying tunnels with absorbent paper, marked either end with charcoal powder mixed in oil. (I used virgin olive oil, nothing but the best for their paws!) I laid the tunnels along branches that were concealed at the end of April and let them sit for a couple of weeks for the mammal visitors to get used to their presence. Found some mouse poo on first return (photo marked with red arrow) it looks segmented, could be Dormice 🤩 Then I added the paper with charcoal at each end to the wooden slats, these are slid into the tunnels and the charcoal is concealed from the weather. Every 2 weeks the charcoal needs reapplying and the paper is checked, first paw prints look like yellow-necked mouse and if so also quite rare. How not to get smudgy painting charcoal in oil while balancing the paper on branches because of muddy woodland, it is a feat I haven’t yet mastered. The lovely ceramic mouse next to the mammal print guide (guide from Field Studies Council) was created by @jane_sweeney101 #ancientwoodland #dormice #habitatsurvey #watercolour


Brighton and Hove Annual Art Show next week Wednesday 17th - Saturday 20th April, I’m taking part with 18 other members from our Kemptown Arts Association, along with 9 other B&H art groups. Art to bring a smile. @kemptownartists #artexhibition #brightonartists


Lovely to see first English Bluebells popping up in the area where our friends group coppiced in local ancient woodland, Wood Anemone, Wild Daffodil, Common Dog Violet, Cuckoo Flower, Lesser Celandine and Herb Robert (last two next to hedgerows) #woodlandplants #wilflowerhour #Spring #woodland #ancientwoodland


Please don’t diss the dandelions, they’re up and about providing welcome nectar and pollen for early pollinators. If you’ve got a little plot and some are smiling with their cheery, yellow flowers, these open blooms are accessible for many different types of visitors. So please don’t pull them up, leave some be. 💚 #taraxacum #dandelion #wildflowers #watercolours
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