..........for Coastwise, and the real thing's just round the corner !
The Spring series of talks and meetings starts on Thursday 13th January.
It aims to have a local focus, and, now that we're getting through the worst of the pandemic (fingers crossed), to get together outdoors.
Click here to download the programme.
.....definitely yes, according to Dr Louise Firth of the University of Plymouth (not to mention Charles Darwin, of course).
Louise was referring to the marine Sabellaria alveolata worms and their reef-building, and gave Coastwise members a very informative view of the worms and their ecological relevance.
Her background is marine ecology, but she has studied S.alveolata in depth, and was able to cover the type of tube masses that are built, the way that they are built and how they survive and breed.
...are under threat, as expert birder and author Tim Jones spelt out to Coastwise members.
He has extensive knowledge of the WeBS surveys of the Taw and Torridge Estuaries, and used the data to show how many birds we get locally, and also how these patterns of movement fit into what is called the East Atlantic Flyaway, which runs from the Artic, through Europe and onto North and even South Africa.
.....about the pollution of the oceans with plastic, according to ecologist Dr Heather Koldewey.
Heather gave an uplifting talk to Coastwise members on the efforts to understand and remedy the way in which plastics are littering the oceans. Major research efforts in the Philipines have shown that fishing nets, a major hazard to wildlife, can be collected, baled and sent to recyclers, with some income going to the local communities.
....is what AGM stands for doesn't it ?
Not for Coastwise members, who appeared quite happy to listen to Chair Liesje Birchenough give her report for the year. All over in 10 minutes !
More interestingly, members heard three short talks, from Emily Willoughby, who is the Biosphere Reserve's Coordinator for the Nature Recovery Plan, and the Pledge for Nature project. These aim to involve lots of N Devon residents in more awareness of their natural surroundings, and to improve them.
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