Latest news with #Knepp
The Guardian
15 hours ago
- General
- The Guardian
Rare butterfly hits purple patch at Sussex rewilding project
A conservation project in West Sussex has had its best day on record for rare purple emperor butterfly sighting, and ecologists say they are confident the species is doing well nationally. Purple emperor populations steadily declined over the course of the 20th century but they have been slowly recolonising the landscape at Knepp since 2001, when Isabella Tree and her husband, Charlie Burrell, decided to turn the stretch of former farmland into a 'process-led' rewilding project. Ecologists at Knepp recorded 283 purple emperors on 1 July alone. Since the site boasts the UK's largest population of the butterflies, the ecologists said they were confident the numbers were high nationwide. Knepp's purple emperor expert Neil Hulme emphasised that butterfly populations experienced fluctuations rather than steady growth year on year, but he suggested the 'top quality rewilded landscape' had allowed the purple emperors to flourish. In particular, he said, Knepp's 'mosaic' of sallow scrub provided a crucial location for female emperors to lay their eggs. Nature lovers have long been fascinated by the purple emperor, and for at least 250 years have been using unusual methods to lure them from the treetops where they reside. Despite their apparently delicate nature, the butterflies are renowned for feeding on cowpats and decaying animal carcasses. Those in search of a sighting attempt to entice purple emperors with anything from dirty nappies to blue cheese. Alongside their love for animal flesh, purple emperors can become 'intoxicated' on oak sap, enhancing their reputation as 'brawling thugs'. Hulme stressed that although the purple emperors may be the most 'glamorous' success story at Knepp, other species had also benefited from the rewilding. Butterflies such as purple hairstreaks and the silver-washed fritillary, as well as nightingales and swifts are also being sighted in record numbers. He described 'clouds of butterflies everywhere … none of us want summer 2025 to ever end'. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion Tree said the success of the purple emperor showed the power of rewilding: 'When nature is allowed to recover, wildlife will return soon after.'
The Guardian
19 hours ago
- General
- The Guardian
Rare butterfly hits purple patch at Sussex rewilding project
A conservation project in West Sussex has had its best day on record for rare purple emperor butterfly sighting, and ecologists say they are confident the species is doing well nationally. Purple emperor populations steadily declined over the course of the 20th century but they have been slowly recolonising the landscape at Knepp since 2001, when Isabella Tree and her husband, Charlie Burrell, decided to turn the stretch of former farmland into a 'process-led' rewilding project. Ecologists at Knepp recorded 283 purple emperors on 1 July alone. Since the site boasts the UK's largest population of the butterflies, the ecologists said they were confident the numbers were high nationwide. Knepp's purple emperor expert Neil Hulme emphasised that butterfly populations experienced fluctuations rather than steady growth year on year, but he suggested the 'top quality rewilded landscape' had allowed the purple emperors to flourish. In particular, he said, Knepp's 'mosaic' of sallow scrub provided a crucial location for female emperors to lay their eggs. Nature lovers have long been fascinated by the purple emperor, and for at least 250 years have been using unusual methods to lure them from the treetops where they reside. Despite their apparently delicate nature, the butterflies are renowned for feeding on cowpats and decaying animal carcasses. Those in search of a sighting attempt to entice purple emperors with anything from dirty nappies to blue cheese. Alongside their love for animal flesh, purple emperors can become 'intoxicated' on oak sap, enhancing their reputation as 'brawling thugs'. Hulme stressed that although the purple emperors may be the most 'glamorous' success story at Knepp, other species had also benefited from the rewilding. Butterflies such as purple hairstreaks and the silver-washed fritillary, as well as nightingales and swifts are also being sighted in record numbers. He described 'clouds of butterflies everywhere … none of us want summer 2025 to ever end'. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion Tree said the success of the purple emperor showed the power of rewilding: 'When nature is allowed to recover, wildlife will return soon after.'
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Altoona High School students clean up parks for ‘Toona Tune-Up' initiative
ALTOONA, Pa. (WTAJ) — More than 200 students from the Altoona Area High School skipped class on Tuesday. However, the absence was excused. It was for the annual 'Toona Tune-Up', a community service initiative that helps clean up neighborhoods and parks in preparation for summer vacation. Students began working at 9 a.m., painting, pulling weeds, and picking up trash at 17 locations throughout the Altoona Area. Each group of students was joined by teachers. 'This year, being the new leader of Toona Tune-Up, it's been quite an experience. There's a lot of stuff that happens behind the scenes. A lot of time and effort goes into it. But it's been really rewarding, and I hope to continue doing it for years to come,' Samantha Knepp, Coordinator of Toona Tune-Up, said. Knepp teaches AP Physics and General Physics at the high school. Clearfield animal clinic to host joint fundraiser this weekend The school believes that involving students provides them with the chance to give back to the community and make their city a cleaner place to live. 'We hope to create some kind of sense of community so that they can take this idea, and continue it on even after high school, and after they've graduated and just really putting a sense of community and pride into our students,' Knepp said. Heritage Plaza Gospel Hill Park Railroad Museum Walkway Geesey Park Valley View Park Memorial Park and Juniata Ballpark Fairview Park Iuzzolino Park 2nd Ward Jefferson Park Garden Heights Park Garfield Park Highland Park Teen Shelter & 17th Street Prospect Pool/Park Ballfield Prospect Pool and 6th Avenue (Between 14th St. & 7th Street) Toona Tune-Up started in 2013. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
UK's first kelp conference held in Brighton
The UK's first national conference on kelp ecology is being held in Brighton. Kelp forests once covered vast areas of the Sussex seabed between Selsey and Shoreham, but 96% of them had been destroyed by 2019 after trawler fishing and the Great Storm of 1987. Now, four years after trawlers were banned from the area, the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project (SKRP) is hosting Kelp Summit 2025 at the University of Sussex. The event has seen more than 200 national scientists, conservationists and policy makers share knowledge of how to best conserve underwater forests. Henri Brocklebank, chairman of SKRP, said: "Sussex has put rewilding on the map, starting with the epic Knepp rewilding project and now with the largest marine rewilding initiative in the UK. "We are thrilled to welcome participants for the UK's first national kelp ecology conference to progress marine research, monitoring and recovery at scale." The SKRP said kelp forests were among the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth, with each hosting as many as 80,000 individual organisms. However, they are threatened by global pressures including climate change and human activities such as pollution, trawling, increased sediment and invasive species, event organisers said. And as kelp forests provide crucial nursery habitats for fish and invertebrates, their loss significantly impacts fisheries and marine biodiversity. The conference coincides with a new report by SKRP partner Blue Marine Foundation on the barriers to kelp recovery in UK waters. The outcomes of the conference and the conclusions of the report will help to develop a wider understanding of kelp ecosystems and marine recovery in Sussex and beyond. Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, on X and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Marine rewilding project sees 'remarkable' results Lost sea forest is on the road to recovery Sussex Kelp Recovery Project
BBC News
02-04-2025
- Science
- BBC News
UK's first kelp conference held in Brighton
The UK's first national conference on kelp ecology is being held in forests once covered vast areas of the Sussex seabed between Selsey and Shoreham, but 96% of them had been destroyed by 2019 after trawler fishing and the Great Storm of four years after trawlers were banned from the area, the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project (SKRP) is hosting Kelp Summit 2025 at the University of event has seen more than 200 national scientists, conservationists and policy makers share knowledge of how to best conserve underwater forests. Henri Brocklebank, chairman of SKRP, said: "Sussex has put rewilding on the map, starting with the epic Knepp rewilding project and now with the largest marine rewilding initiative in the UK."We are thrilled to welcome participants for the UK's first national kelp ecology conference to progress marine research, monitoring and recovery at scale."The SKRP said kelp forests were among the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth, with each hosting as many as 80,000 individual they are threatened by global pressures including climate change and human activities such as pollution, trawling, increased sediment and invasive species, event organisers said. And as kelp forests provide crucial nursery habitats for fish and invertebrates, their loss significantly impacts fisheries and marine conference coincides with a new report by SKRP partner Blue Marine Foundation on the barriers to kelp recovery in UK outcomes of the conference and the conclusions of the report will help to develop a wider understanding of kelp ecosystems and marine recovery in Sussex and beyond.
