Nature
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'The countryside can pull us together, a connecting point for a nation that sometimes feels as though it is falling apart'
After 75 years, the job required of national parks has changed. They now need to be hothouses of Nature recovery, and it’s time we got on with it, says Julian Glover.
By Julian Glover Published
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Meet the dry-stone wallers who restored a 300-year-old sheep pen in Cumbria
Craftsmen Steven Allen and Trevor Stamper hope restored this historic sheepfold as part of a wider campaign to help support and promote common-land grazing
By Annunciata Elwes Published
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Organic farmed salmon is a 'misnomer' and certification should stop, claim fish conservation charities
In an open letter to the Soil Association, WildFish and more than 30 other organisations have questioned the organic certification schemes for farmed salmon in Scotland.
By James Fisher Published
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83% of England's rivers show 'high pollution' levels as sewage and agricultural waste flow into the waterways
Data collected by more than 640 anglers across the country have found that our rivers are in a perilous state.
By James Fisher Published
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Far better than its bite — what's really going on in the secret world of tree bark
A vital source of food, a pharmacy and a haven for wildlife, a tree's living skin is a surprisingly sophisticated surface.
By John Lewis-Stempel Published
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The vegan farce that is 'bee-free' honey will spell disaster for bees, farmers and all of us
Our columnist Agromenes ridicules the notion the bee-free honey is a kindness to bees.
By Country Life Published
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Curious Questions: Why does the weather keep getting colder even when the days start getting longer?
The coldest months of the year in Britain are always January and February — despite the fact that we're getting more sunshine and daylight than we do during December. Martin Fone investigates why the weather gets colder even though the days are getting longer.
By Martin Fone Published
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The weather lore of January that claims to predict the future
Predicting the weather using folklore is not as lackadaisical as it might seem, says Lia Leendertz, as she reveals what we can look forward to this month.
By Lia Leendertz Published
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10 truly breathtaking images from Country Life to celebrate the landscapes and seasons of Britain
Take a look at some of the great depictions of the seasons and landscapes of Britain, as celebrated in the new book 'Country Life: 125 Years of Countryside Living in Great Britain'.
By John Goodall Published
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The Wisdom of Sheep, by Rosamund Young: An exclusive extract for Country Life
Rosamund Young, best-selling author of 'The Secret Life of Cows', has a new book out book called 'The Wisdom of Sheep & Other Animals'. We have an exclusive extract for Country Life readers.
By Rosamund Young Published
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The magic of the Rowan tree
When it comes to driving away witches or keeping off evil, nothing beats the rowan tree, with its gleaming scarlet berries and pentagram markings. Aeneas Dennison walks into a forest of myths.
By Country Life Published
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Jurassic bark: The 200 million-year-old trees rescued from extinction and now thriving across Britain
The Wollemi tree thrived hundreds of millions of years ago, and was thought to have disappeared some 90 million years ago — but a chance discovery brought it back, and it's now thriving in Britain as Annunciata Elwes reports.
By Annunciata Elwes Published
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Curious Questions: What should you do if bats take up residence in your roof?
Watching bats flit across the night sky might be captivating, but their presence can be a challenge for the homeowners in whose roofs they roost. Jane Wheatley reports on what to do if a colony has taken up residence.
By Jane Wheatley Published
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The 25 stunning images shortlisted for Wildlife Photographer of the Year's People's Choice award
Voting is now open for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year's People's Choice award — take a look at all 25 shortlisted images.
By Toby Keel Published
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Spiders' webs: Tougher than steel or Kevlar, the miracle material of Nature's tiny assassins
Whether woven to ensnare unsuspecting victims or to cocoon precious eggs, spider silk is a wonder of Nature, each translucent thread so fragile, yet stronger than steel, says Simon Lester.
By Simon Lester Published
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The last peak conquered: Climbing Moel Eilio
A windy climb up Moel Eilio in Snowdonia ticks an outstanding North Wales box, as Fiona Reynolds shares.
By Fiona Reynolds Published
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Fifty of shades of green: The sex lives of plants
Plants have developed surprising ways of spreading their seed, says John Wright, as he explores the unusual and risqué manner in which some species reproduce to answer one of botany's oldest questions: how do plants have sex?
By John Wright Published