tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26140955068434767292024-03-25T23:49:49.082+00:00The Wildlife in Your GardenA journal of wildlife and natural historyOscar Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18014714973673128506noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614095506843476729.post-80852414585705307322022-02-23T12:30:00.001+00:002022-02-23T12:30:00.174+00:00Tips and Tricks for Weeding your Garden<h1 style="text-align: center;">From the Kitchen to the Garden
<div><span style="color: #666666; font-size: medium;"><i>– Ridding Your Garden of Weeds the Natural Way –</i></span></div></h1>
<p>From <a href="https://www.tips-and-tricks.co/home-and-garden/natural-tricks-weeds/" target="_blank" title="Visit the website">Tips and Tricks</a>, five easy and natural methods for helping to rid your garden of the weeds (or, things you can do if you have a lot of leftover baking soda, lemon juice, salt, vinegar, etc).</p>
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<p><br /></p>Oscar Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18014714973673128506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614095506843476729.post-959082085293811242020-01-01T07:30:00.000+00:002020-01-01T07:30:05.380+00:00International Year of Plant Health – 2020<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The New Year also rings in International Year of Plant Health. The United Nations General Assembly declared 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH) in December 2018 and <a href="http://www.fao.org/webcast/home/en/item/5162/icode/" target="_blank">official launch</a> of the yearlong event took place, in Rome, Italy on 2 December 2019.<br />
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<i>The United Nations has declared 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH). The year is a once in a lifetime opportunity to raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect the environment, and boost economic development.</i> – from the <a href="http://www.fao.org/plant-health-2020/home/en/" target="_blank">official website</a> of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations</blockquote>
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<a href="http://www.fao.org/plant-health-2020/events/en/" target="_blank">Further events</a> are planned for 2020 including an International Plant Health conference in Helsinki, Finland between 5-8 October.<br />
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Oscar Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18014714973673128506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614095506843476729.post-8608604846761495612017-05-22T13:30:00.000+01:002017-05-22T13:30:05.641+01:00International Day for Biological Diversity – May 22<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-HZoIHVdTSao2Z87iMJ0Vvkrxbu9noJ47o1Kv9xYPFQFKutP__Ezz0jGtbX-rRl_v5R3R64OOJjYFFzHEDYdaU8tZtLWtzs_s06nzohnQZVO3TATJOm82yxXjLV5jJxGmOl1I5ppmBU/s1600/idb-2017-logo-en2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="93" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-HZoIHVdTSao2Z87iMJ0Vvkrxbu9noJ47o1Kv9xYPFQFKutP__Ezz0jGtbX-rRl_v5R3R64OOJjYFFzHEDYdaU8tZtLWtzs_s06nzohnQZVO3TATJOm82yxXjLV5jJxGmOl1I5ppmBU/s400/idb-2017-logo-en2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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May 22nd sees the observation of International Day for Biological Diversity, as it has every year this century, recognising the adoption, by 196 countries, of the Convention on Biological Diversity – an international legal instrument for "the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilisation of genetic resources." (source <a href="http://www.un.org/en/events/biodiversityday/" target="_blank" title="International Day for Biological Diversity – 22 May">United Nations</a>).<br />
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The theme chosen for 2017 is <i>Biodiversity and Sustainable Tourism</i>, highlighting the the important contribution that sustainable tourism can make "both to economic growth and to the conservation of biodiversity." 2017 has also been designated <a href="http://www.tourism4development2017.org/" target="_blank" title="Official website">International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development</a>.<br />
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Events to celebrate Biological Diversity are taking place around the world, including some that are being co-ordinated by international organisations. See the <a href="https://www.cbd.int/idb/2017/celebrations/" target="_blank" title="Celebrations around the world">Convention on Biological Diversity</a> website for more information.<br />
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Oscar Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18014714973673128506noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614095506843476729.post-38987071846295415392017-05-10T02:00:00.000+01:002017-05-10T20:36:56.498+01:00World Migratory Bird Day 2017 – their future is our future<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Statement issued by the organisers of <a href="http://www.worldmigratorybirdday.org/" target="_blank" title="Official website">World Migratory Bird Day</a>:<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Migratory birds are indicators of a healthy planet and functioning ecosystems. Land reclamation, habitat degradation and unsustainable hunting disrupt the services that interconnected ecosystems provide to all life on Earth. Long distance migrants depend on healthy ecosystem networks.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Red Knot undertakes a 14,000-kilometre journey from the Southern Hemisphere to the Arctic Circle to breed. Habitat loss at stopover sites along the shores of the Yellow Sea and the Atlantic Coast have led to a sharp population decline, reaching 80% in the Americas since 2000.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Migratory animals and people share the same planet and thus, the same limited resources. This is reflected in this year's theme, <i>Their Future is our Future - A healthy planet for migratory birds and people</i>.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sustainable management of natural resources is needed, including the conservation of migratory birds. The campaign will link the Sustainable Development Goals agreed by the United Nations and migratory birds on a global scale.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Word Migratory Bird Day shows by the example of seven species of migratory birds – from the Barn Swallow to the critically endangered Spoon-Billed Sandpiper – of how habitat loss, over-harvesting and climate change can seriously affect their fate. The campaign calls on people across the globe to protect the birds and the planet to build the future we want.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">World Migratory Bird Day is a global campaign to celebrate migratory birds and call for better protection. Individuals, groups and institutions organise <a href="http://www.worldmigratorybirdday.org/events-map" target="_blank" title="World Migratory Bird Day 2017">events</a> to draw attention to the threats they face.</span></blockquote>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNrj3EqK7HwTWMwnagr-7xEJMGRQD-912-FaweeGuHLSvLypZXWmd8UqhIXcH5UpZqN_xtWWlCOAnQT44CPOKaN0EOYL0q4ACqG2uiX58LfMe_DmFkatul47P3RJTxnBzy6qN9eLWs95c/s1600/983916_Lesser+Flamingo_Mark_Anderson_900x565.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Lesser flamingo – World Migratory Bird Day" border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNrj3EqK7HwTWMwnagr-7xEJMGRQD-912-FaweeGuHLSvLypZXWmd8UqhIXcH5UpZqN_xtWWlCOAnQT44CPOKaN0EOYL0q4ACqG2uiX58LfMe_DmFkatul47P3RJTxnBzy6qN9eLWs95c/s400/983916_Lesser+Flamingo_Mark_Anderson_900x565.jpg" title="Lesser flamingo" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lesser Flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor) © Mark Anderson</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DMF39l5QP8DDr5LB_PjPX70osvNSUOaFeLAuuXwRmcm6NydtvcOg6R2JHw9ontUnpBvqFeZxAEadMHoyk8Xk2tlCLKbiHt0CzRdcDdt4YeID8SNVWsPxe0fmG0DBmACrgt9H1XgOSrM/s1600/jussi_mononen-wmbd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Common Cranes in flight – World Migratory Bird Day" border="0" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DMF39l5QP8DDr5LB_PjPX70osvNSUOaFeLAuuXwRmcm6NydtvcOg6R2JHw9ontUnpBvqFeZxAEadMHoyk8Xk2tlCLKbiHt0CzRdcDdt4YeID8SNVWsPxe0fmG0DBmACrgt9H1XgOSrM/s400/jussi_mononen-wmbd.jpg" title="Common Cranes" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Migratory Birds in Flight</i> – Common Cranes © Jussi Mononen</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutzen-Wqd30cYgkJZZkH_jHAtFyUldlunjZAUvya-wBODkF8OZP3PDjbh1fsXTBRQuuHcQrAixT2nwuMkg-1532qL-syg7HNZMMwYJZEtZhNd9r0vJuH_aKpaWXhm2hP7oajfZLnp5mk/s1600/wmbd+-+spoon-billed+sandpiper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Spoon-billed Sandpiper – World Migratory Bird Day" border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutzen-Wqd30cYgkJZZkH_jHAtFyUldlunjZAUvya-wBODkF8OZP3PDjbh1fsXTBRQuuHcQrAixT2nwuMkg-1532qL-syg7HNZMMwYJZEtZhNd9r0vJuH_aKpaWXhm2hP7oajfZLnp5mk/s400/wmbd+-+spoon-billed+sandpiper.jpg" title="Spoon-billed sandpiper" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spoon-billed Sandpiper © Smith Sutibut</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZk3BtZHBvcaBGT8S2_Gc3fmZ4JVT-H5MIl6gCtFOQDM64O6L7keOqd8ajOpbqtxWbqS1cwdSHhFxI46VrhG7vsHY-2joOYrJySp6LQnwxo8u8xkQ5aZW6vKttXezCc7G1FQnotJqy7Y/s1600/wmbd+-+white+pelicans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="White Pelican – World Migratory Bird Day" border="0" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZk3BtZHBvcaBGT8S2_Gc3fmZ4JVT-H5MIl6gCtFOQDM64O6L7keOqd8ajOpbqtxWbqS1cwdSHhFxI46VrhG7vsHY-2joOYrJySp6LQnwxo8u8xkQ5aZW6vKttXezCc7G1FQnotJqy7Y/s400/wmbd+-+white+pelicans.jpg" title="White Pelican" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus) © Sergey Dereliev (UNEP/AEWA)</td></tr>
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Oscar Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18014714973673128506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614095506843476729.post-85838575298898665992017-03-23T14:00:00.000+00:002017-03-23T14:00:17.617+00:00World Meteorological Day 2017 – Understanding Clouds<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Understanding Clouds is the theme of World Meteorological Day 2017, which falls annually on 23 March.<br />
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The official site of the World Meteorological Organisation’s (WMO) <a href="https://www.wmocloudatlas.org/home.html" target="_blank" title="Understanding clouds and meteorological phenomenon">International Cloud Atlas</a> describes the classification system for clouds and meteorological phenomena used by all WMO members.</div>
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<i>The Atlas provides a common language to communicate cloud observations, and ensures consistency in reporting by observers around the world. It serves as a training tool for meteorologists, as well as for those working in aeronautical and maritime environments, and it has become popular with weather enthusiasts and cloud spotters.</i> – <a href="https://www.wmocloudatlas.org/home.html" target="_blank" title="International Cloud Atlas">World Meteorological Organisation</a></blockquote>
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Oscar Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18014714973673128506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614095506843476729.post-45908066574560653892017-03-03T10:12:00.000+00:002017-03-23T13:31:34.000+00:00World Wildlife Day 2017: Listening to the young voices<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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3 March marks World Wildlife Day, an event that has been celebrated annually, around the world since 2014. It follows the adoption of a resolution at the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly on 20 December 2013. The date was chosen to coincide with the adoption of <a href="https://www.cites.org/" target="_blank" title="Official website">CITES</a> (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) in 1973.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>World Wildlife Day is an opportunity to celebrate the many beautiful and varied forms of wild fauna and flora and to raise awareness of the multitude of benefits that conservation provides to people. At the same time, the Day reminds us of the urgent need to step up the fight against wildlife crime, which has wide-ranging economic, environmental and social impacts.</i> – <a href="http://www.un.org/en/events/wildlifeday/" target="_blank" title="World Widlife Day 2017">United Nations</a></blockquote>
This year's event is being organised around the theme of <i>Listen to the young voices</i>, the aim of this being to engage and empower the youth as future guardians and custodians of wildlife in all of its forms.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>WWD2017 gives us a new opportunity to provide incentives to the youth to tackle conservation issues. It is also an opportunity for them to engage with one another and together forge an inspired path to a better world.</i> – <a href="http://www.un.org/en/events/wildlifeday/" target="_blank" title="World Widlife Day 2017">United Nations</a></blockquote>
In keeping with the spirit of World Wildlife Day and its theme for 2017, the CITES Secretariat has launched a <a href="http://wildlifeday.org/content/competitions" target="_blank" title="How to enter">photo competition</a> for youth around the world entitled, <i>Through young eyes</i>. The competition encourages young people from around the world (ages 10-24), of all photography backgrounds to submit original photos that "either display beautiful and striking wildlife or that depict youth engaging in conservation efforts."<br />
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Further information about this and other events associated with World Wildlife Day is available from the <a href="http://wildlifeday.org/" target="_blank" title="World Wildlife Day – 3 March">official website</a>.<br />
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Oscar Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18014714973673128506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614095506843476729.post-67872926410724248162017-02-02T15:19:00.006+00:002017-02-02T19:34:32.319+00:00World Wetlands Day 2017 - Wetlands for Disaster Risk Reduction<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
February 2 marks World Wetlands Day, a celebration held annually since 1997, to mark the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands in 1971, or the Ramsar Convention as it is more commonly known, after the Iranian city on the shores of the Caspian Sea where it came into being.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AAerial-view-of-national-park-wetlands.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank" title="By U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services (http://www.public-domain-image.com/) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons"><img alt="Aerial-view-of-national-park-wetlands" height="266" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2f/Aerial-view-of-national-park-wetlands.jpg/512px-Aerial-view-of-national-park-wetlands.jpg" title="US national park wetland - aerial view" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services (http://www.public-domain-image.com/)<br />
[Public domain], <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AAerial-view-of-national-park-wetlands.jpg" target="_blank" title="Photo source">via Wikimedia Commons</a></td></tr>
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The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. At time of writing, there are 169 contracting parties. More than 2200 sites worldwide have designated conservation status under the convention, covering a total surface area of over 215,000,00 ha. Wetlands are believed to cover up to 6% of the Earth's surface and occur on every continent except Antartica. It is estimated that about half of all wetlands are comprised of peatlands.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AWhite-Faced_Heron_at_Boondall_Wetlands.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank" title="By Richard.Fisher [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons"><img alt="White-Faced Heron at Boondall Wetlands" height="267" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/59/White-Faced_Heron_at_Boondall_Wetlands.jpg/512px-White-Faced_Heron_at_Boondall_Wetlands.jpg" title="Boondall Wetlands, Brisbane, Australia" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By Richard.Fisher [<a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0">CC BY 2.0</a>], <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AWhite-Faced_Heron_at_Boondall_Wetlands.jpg" target="_blank">via Wikimedia Commons</a></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.ramsar.org/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank" title="Ramsar website"><img border="0" src="http://www.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/wwd17_logo_e_verti_cmjk.jpg_200.jpg" /></a></div>
World Wetlands Day seeks to raise awareness about the contribution that wetlands make towards the Earth's biodiversity. Wetlands for Disaster Risk Reduction has been selected as the theme for World Wetlands Day in 2017. "This theme is selected to raise awareness and to highlight the vital roles of healthy wetlands in reducing the impacts of extreme events such as floods, droughts and cyclones on communities, and in helping to build resilience." (<a href="http://www.ramsar.org/activity/world-wetlands-day" target="_blank" title="Ramsar - World Wetlands Day">Ramsar website</a>)<br />
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Since 2015, a Wetlands Youth Photo Contest has been organised, to encourage appreciation among young people about these habitats. This year's competition is inviting entries that illustrate how "wetlands helps us cope with extreme weather events":<br />
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<i>Between 2 February and 2 March 2017 young people from around the world aged between 18 to 25 are invited to particpate ... for a chance to win a free flight to visit a Wetland of International Importance (Ramsar Site) courtesy of Star Alliance Biosphere Connections.</i> (for further information, including terms and conditions, <a href="http://www.worldwetlandsday.org/photo-contest" target="_blank" title="Wetlands Youth Photo Contest">see website</a>)</blockquote>
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World Wetlands Day has its own <a href="http://www.worldwetlandsday.org/" target="_blank" title="World Wetlands Day">dedicated website</a> that also includes much information pertaining to wetlands, in the form of posters, factsheets, etc.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpYFHjQ1SEG-DDFM52LKeLUhvcI2VxsPhWcJwaUq3WwnymcMABUOUTSY8XRxsUkk8JekStbENHJgKWJAuY90elVzp4Assl7vvL3oHNYBUimm0TeNWsDR8FRYPA8K9OtSPvzyJh-rlIs0/s1600/ramsar_2017_v_eng_ok.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpYFHjQ1SEG-DDFM52LKeLUhvcI2VxsPhWcJwaUq3WwnymcMABUOUTSY8XRxsUkk8JekStbENHJgKWJAuY90elVzp4Assl7vvL3oHNYBUimm0TeNWsDR8FRYPA8K9OtSPvzyJh-rlIs0/s640/ramsar_2017_v_eng_ok.jpg" width="475" /></a></div>
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Oscar Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18014714973673128506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614095506843476729.post-63143391745035717422016-07-28T14:33:00.004+01:002017-02-02T16:01:59.835+00:00150 Anniversary of Beatrix Potter (1866-1943)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ABeatrix_Potter_by_King_cropped.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/Beatrix_Potter_by_King_cropped.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">By Charles G.Y. King (1854-1937)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">[Public domain], <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ABeatrix_Potter_by_King_cropped.jpg" target="_blank">via Wikimedia Commons</a></span></td></tr>
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While the literary world marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of children's author and illustrator, Beatrix Potter (see article below from <a href="http://www.writingandliterary.com/2016/07/beatrix-potter-1866-1943.html" target="_blank">Writing & Literary</a> website) some lesser known aspects of Potter's life and work concern her contribution to the field of natural science, including mycology and the study of fungi. Indeed, it has been stated that Potter was interest extended to every branch of natural science save astronomy.<br />
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She wrote up her findings and submitted a paper entitled, <i>On the Germination of the Spores of the Agaricineae</i>, to the Linnean Society in 1897. It was met with scant regard however, mainly on account of her gender - the paper had to be presented on her behalf because, as a female, she was not allowed to attend proceedings of the society.<br />
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Of Potter's literary classics, her interest in natural science is evident throughout and is possibly crucial towards understanding their longevity and appeal:<br />
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Lear writes that Potter "had in fact created a new form of animal fable in: one in which anthropomorphic animals behave as real animals with true animal instincts", and a form of fable with anatomically correct illustrations drawn by a scientifically minded artist. She further states Peter Rabbit's nature is familiar to rabbit enthusiasts "and endorsed by those who are not ... because her portrayal speaks to some universal understanding of rabbity behaviour." She describes the tale as a "perfect marriage of word and image" and "a triumph of fantasy and fact". - Wikipedia, <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tale_of_Peter_Rabbit" target="_blank">The Tale of Peter Rabbit</a></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>reproduced from
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.writingandliterary.com/2016/07/beatrix-potter-1866-1943.html" target="_blank">Writing & Literary: Beatrix Potter (1866-1943)</a>:</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/pengoopmcjnbflcjbmoeodbmoflcgjlk" style="font-size: 13px;" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/pengoopmcjnbflcjbmoeodbmoflcgjlk" style="font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">'via Blog this'</a></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The world of children's literature is marking the 150th anniversary of the birth of one of its most famous and enduring figures. Beatrix Potter, the English writer, illustrator, natural scientist, and conservationist was born on this day in 1866. Her children's tales are more popular than ever - few who are reading this will not have at least some distant childhood memory of characters such as Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle-Duck, the Tailor of Gloucester, Benjamin Bunny, Squirrel Nutkin, Jeremy Fisher, to name but a few.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Her entire literary canon consists of over 30 books, including the 24 tales that continue to captivate and delight succeeding generations of young children. And it doesn't end there. In 2015, an almost completed, unpublished manuscript was discovered among her archives. The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots is due to be published later this year, in September, by Frederick Warne & Co, the publisher of the original series of Potter's children's tales though these days, it operates as an imprint of Penguin Books.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Potter's work is most clearly influenced by an abiding passion for natural history, which was nurtured from an early age and stayed with her throughout her life. When she eventually gave up writing, it was to devote herself to farming and country living. She is credited with preserving much of the land that now constitutes the Lake District National Park in North West England. Upon her death, in 1943, she left most of her property to the National Trust.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Although she herself died childless, her writing style lends itself well to young audiences. Her deep and abiding interest in the natural sciences is conveyed in a manner that is lively, inventive and refuses to be dull, packed as it is with a sense of earthy realism.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Her success, both critical and commercial, is a reflection of her distinct talent as a writer and illustrator. It was also a product of a certain business sense that she applied to all of her ventures. She had a hands-on approach, both to her writing and publishing activities. Potter was one of the first authors to recognise and capitalise on the merchandising possibilities of her books, patenting and licensing a range of toys, dolls, board games, colouring books based on the characters that she created.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The first editions of The Tale of Peter Rabbit were self-published by Potter, until she found a publisher who not only saw the potential, but also shared her vision for 'the bunny book' as it was called. This finally happened in October 1902, following numerous rejections, both from publishers but also from Potter herself, who was initially hesitant about adding colour illustrations to the story.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It proved to be the right decision. Colour illustration was becoming both popular and affordable and the book was an overnight success. Today, it has been translated into 36 languages and is estimated to have sold over 45 million copies worldwide.</span>
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Oscar Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18014714973673128506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614095506843476729.post-59724209487551205522015-07-13T07:30:00.000+01:002017-02-02T16:00:36.473+00:00Honey Bees and Us<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
What did the Honey Bees ever do for us? This short video offers food for thought (if you will pardon the pun) as it explains why we should be concerned about their declining numbers.<br />
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One in every three of the meals that we eat is made possible by honey bees, who pollinate the plants that end up on our tables, either directly or through being fed to animal livestock. Consequently, honey bees are an important link in the process by which the food chain is replenished and restored.<br />
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As honey bees go, so goes our nations, it would appear.<br />
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Oscar Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18014714973673128506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614095506843476729.post-15312119176839199392013-05-14T07:30:00.000+01:002017-02-02T15:59:28.126+00:00Natural Barriers to Garden Pests Control<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Oscar Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18014714973673128506noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614095506843476729.post-55650252586009217642013-04-02T07:30:00.000+01:002017-02-02T15:58:59.237+00:00Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717): Entomologist Honoured with Google Doodle<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Maria Sibylla Merian ((1647-1717) was a German naturalist and scientific illustrator who studied plants and insects and made detailed paintings about them. While her contribution to entomology is not widely known, it at least has the distinction of being recognised with a Google Doodle.<br />
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<a href="https://www.google.ie/logos/2013/maria_sibylla_merians_366th_birthday_-1256008-hp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="154" src="https://www.google.ie/logos/2013/maria_sibylla_merians_366th_birthday_-1256008-hp.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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She has also been honoured on old German banknotes - before they took what many must now regard as the ill-fated decision to scrap it all in favour of the Euro.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Merian_500DM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/Merian_500DM.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anna Maria Sibylla Merian auf der 500 DM Banknote</td></tr>
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Here's a picture of her looking less old and wrinkled:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Merian_Maria_Sibylla_1647-1717.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Merian_Maria_Sibylla_1647-1717.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portrait of Maria Sibylla Merian</td></tr>
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Examples of her artwork and engravings might serve to illustrate why she is deserving of recnet (albeit belated) honours:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Merian_Metamorphosis_LX.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ee/Merian_Metamorphosis_LX.jpg/435px-Merian_Metamorphosis_LX.jpg" height="400" width="290" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Merian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/76/Merian.jpg/439px-Merian.jpg" height="400" width="293" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plate LXXXV. from Erucarum Ortus Alimentum et Paradoxa Metamorphosis (1679-1717</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Merian_Metamorphosis_VI_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Merian_Metamorphosis_VI_.jpg/465px-Merian_Metamorphosis_VI_.jpg" height="400" width="310" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illuminated Copper-engraving from Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium, Plate VI. 1705</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Merian_Blumenbuch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Merian_Blumenbuch.jpg/746px-Merian_Blumenbuch.jpg" height="321" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illuminated Copper-engraving from Der Raupen wunderbare Verwandlung und sonderbare Blumennahrung, Plate CLXIX</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Merian_Metamorphosis_XXIII.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/Merian_Metamorphosis_XXIII.jpg/479px-Merian_Metamorphosis_XXIII.jpg" height="400" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illuminated Copper-engraving from Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium, Plate XXIII. Solanum mammosum 1705</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Merian_Metamorphosis_XLVIII.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/Merian_Metamorphosis_XLVIII.jpg/453px-Merian_Metamorphosis_XLVIII.jpg" height="400" width="302" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illuminated Copper-engraving from Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium, Plate XLVIII. 1705</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Illustration_of_a_Caiman_crocodilus_and_an_Anilius_scytale_(1701%E2%80%931705)_by_Maria_Sibylla_Merian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/Illustration_of_a_Caiman_crocodilus_and_an_Anilius_scytale_(1701%E2%80%931705)_by_Maria_Sibylla_Merian.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spectacled Caiman (Caiman crocodilus) and a False Coral Snake (Anilius scytale)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Merian_Metamorphosis_XXVII.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/Merian_Metamorphosis_XXVII.jpg/437px-Merian_Metamorphosis_XXVII.jpg" height="400" width="291" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illuminated Copper-engraving from Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium, Plate XXVII. Musa paradisiaca, 1705</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Avicularia-avicularia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Avicularia-avicularia.jpg/483px-Avicularia-avicularia.jpg" height="400" width="322" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colored copper engraving from Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium, Plate XLIII. "Spiders, ants and hummingbird on a branch of a guava" (Tarantula: Avicularia avicularia)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joseph_Mulder_etching_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Joseph_Mulder_etching_1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illuminated Copper engraving from Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium, Plate IX. Maria Sibylla Merian, 1705</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Source:</b> Public Domain via <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Maria_Sibylla_Merian" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a></span></div>
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Oscar Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18014714973673128506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614095506843476729.post-13375010431918472112012-05-05T10:08:00.001+01:002017-02-02T15:57:39.970+00:00The Art of Gardening: Victor Gabriel Gilbert (1847-1933)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AVictor_Gabriel_Gilbert_Gardening.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank" title="By Victor Gabriel Gilbert [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons"><img alt="Victor Gabriel Gilbert Gardening" height="400" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/Victor_Gabriel_Gilbert_Gardening.jpg/512px-Victor_Gabriel_Gilbert_Gardening.jpg" width="313" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Gardening</i> by Victor Gabriel Gilbert<br />
[Public domain], <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AVictor_Gabriel_Gilbert_Gardening.jpg" target="_blank">via Wikimedia Commons</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AVictor_Gabriel_Gilbert_Liebevolle_Blumenpflege.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank" title="By Victor Gabriel Gilbert (1847-1933) (http://www.dorotheum.com) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons"><img alt="Victor Gabriel Gilbert Liebevolle Blumenpflege" height="400" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cb/Victor_Gabriel_Gilbert_Liebevolle_Blumenpflege.jpg/512px-Victor_Gabriel_Gilbert_Liebevolle_Blumenpflege.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By Victor Gabriel Gilbert (1847-1933) (http://www.dorotheum.com)<br />
[Public domain], <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AVictor_Gabriel_Gilbert_Liebevolle_Blumenpflege.jpg" target="_blank">via Wikimedia Commons</a></td></tr>
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Oscar Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18014714973673128506noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614095506843476729.post-26494274893475632002012-05-04T22:34:00.000+01:002016-04-06T12:04:41.499+01:00Wildlife Gardening and the Cycle of Life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Wildlife gardening emphasises concern for the shared environment. It involves more than just caring for your own garden patch. The by-products and waste it produces are an equally important consideration. Plantlife, like all forms of organic matter are part of a life-cycle that includes death and decay. But what becomes of it in the afterlife?<br />
<br />
The term <a href="http://huo-long-biogas.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">biogas</a> is used to describe gas produced as a result of the breakdown of organic matter; whether as a result of processes in nature or in the sphere of human social activity. And the production of such gas has useful applications, involving both domestic and industrial consumption.<br />
<br />
Huo Long Biogas is a Hong Kong-based company making active inroads in this area. For more information, visit their <a href="http://huo-long-biogas.com/?lang=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Note:</b> While this post has been sponsored, the views expressed reflect those of the publisher, not the sponsor. </span><br />
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Oscar Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18014714973673128506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614095506843476729.post-55518076206435443262012-04-22T00:26:00.000+01:002017-02-02T15:58:13.175+00:00Celebrating Earth Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Today we celebrate Earth Day. In 2009 the United Nations designated this as International Mother Earth Day. This purpose of this event is to increase awareness and appreciation of the Earth's natural environment.<br />
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To mark this year's Earth Day, Google have commemorated it a Doodle.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.google.ie/logos/2012/earthday12-hp-a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://www.google.ie/logos/2012/earthday12-hp-a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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We hope you enjoy.
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Oscar Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18014714973673128506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614095506843476729.post-16329387371763974182010-12-31T23:24:00.000+00:002016-04-06T12:03:21.013+01:00The Wildlife in your Garden<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Welcome to the new website that is devoted to wildlife gardening. In the weeks and months ahead we will be bringing you all the best that the web has to offer for wildlife and gardening enthusiasts.<br />
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Watch this space!<br />
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Oscar Dugganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18014714973673128506noreply@blogger.com2