Bücher von Christine Handley

In November 2017, a two-day seminar was held at Burgh-by-Sands Parish Hall with Cumbria Boglife, Natural England, the British Ecological Society Peatlands SIG, UKECONET / Biodiversity Research Group (BRG), Cumbria Wildlife Trust, the RSPB, the Solway Wetlands Landscape Partnership, Solway Connections Guided Heritage Tours, & partners. There were local site visits organised by the local and regional partners.The event explored the history and cultural aspects of peat bogs in and around Cumbria and the surrounding areas. Local people made a major contribution to the success of the event, presented at the indoor sessions, and provided displays and artefacts.Themes and topics included:1. The history of peat bogs and peatlands2. The history of peat harvesting and usage3. The oral history and memories4. The heritage of peat cutting - tools, equipment, buildings, etc5. The historic records6. The archaeology of peat-cut sites7. The conservation of peat cutting heritage

We show here how, through the efforts of a range of governmental and non-governmental organisations, habitats and species are now being managed to preserve our biodiversity for the future. In this period of rapid environmental change and ever increasing human impact, the success of such conservation initiatives has never been more vital. Over the past half-century there have been many changes in the Yorkshire countryside. Deciduous woodlands have been felled and replaced by conifer plantations; wetlands and ponds have been drained; grasslands have been reseeded, and arable fields have been intensively farmed. Our river systems and coastline have also been subjected to increasing pressure and pollution. All these changes have had dramatic effects on YorkshireÕs semi-natural habitats and their associated wildlife. Added to these effects, our climate is altering more rapidly than at any time in the last 10,000 years, leading to further challenges for plants and animals.