Shared Earth is a new series from the Â鶹ԼÅÄ Natural History Unit which celebrates the natural world and explores what we can all do to help conserve wildlife and habitats and reduce our footprint on the planet
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We're keen to hear your suggestions for future programmes via our Contact Us page or write to Shared Earth, Â鶹ԼÅÄ NHU Radio, Bristol BS8 2LR
Over the past fifteen years the and other local organisations have helped transform this London waterway from industrial sewer to healthy angling river. This September a large quantity of bleach was accidentally released from Beddington sewage works, destroying most life in a long stretch of the river. Dylan talked to founder of the Wandle Trust, Allan Suttie, to Tom Cousins of the and to Bob Collington from Thames Water to find out how the river can be helped to recover.
Bird Atlas
The British Trust for Ornithology needs thousands of volunteers to help compile the most definitive survey of Britain and Ireland’s birds for twenty years. Any amateur birdwatcher can contribute sightings from their home patch through the .
Set-Aside
Much of Britain’s farmland is currently designated as set-aside- fallow land that has proven attractive to birds, mammals and insects. Due to the world grain shortage the European Union has declared the end of set-aside from 2008. If every acre is immediately planted with wheat or barley there could be a serious detrimental effect on wildlife. Dylan talked to Michael Woodhouse from the who explained the options available for farmers who wish to keep a wildlife-friendly zone on their farm.
Flying Spiders
Arachnophobes won’t be too pleased to hear that spiders can fly. Well, sort of. In the Spring and Autumn most grass fields will be laced with spider webs, the product of millions of tiny spiders casting kites into the air in an attempt to catch a breeze and fly to the next source of food or mates. In the field they may fly up to sixty feet but unlucky ballooning spiders have been found by ships thousands of miles out to sea. David Bohan, Andy Reynolds and James Bell of are studying how and why the spiders fly.
