Nature
-
‘The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago; the second best time is now'
Now is the time to firstly, hug a tree, and secondly, plant some more — in increasingly imaginative ways.
By Country Life Published
-
‘Once upon a time they covered an area the size of Ireland’: The restoration of Britain’s native oyster reefs is shaping future marine projects around the world
Jane Wheatley reports on an innovative project to restore Britain’s once plentiful native oyster reefs in Tyne & Wear.
By Jane Wheatley Published
-
The secret life of seeds: The little wonders that sustain all life on Earth
They might not be especially striking to look at — if you can see them at all — but seeds are among the natural world’s most awe-inspiring marvels.
By John Lewis-Stempel Published
-
Do not be afraid of this bodysnatching fungi that lives on a lawn in Scotland
The lawns at Haddo House in Aberdeenshire are luscious and friendly, unless you are the prey of the vile 'Strathy Strangler'.
By James Fisher Published
-
Temperate rainforests are being planted all over Britain — what are they and why do we need them?
Glen Auldyn on the Isle of Man is part of a £38 million restoration scheme to re-establish rainforests all over the world. Lotte Brundle went to see what's going on.
By Lotte Brundle Published
-
Claws for thought: The world leading crustacean conservation charity that is saving our lobsters
The National Lobster Hatchery in Cornwall is fighting for the species' survival. But it could do with some help.
By Oliver Berry Published
-
The Essex entrepreneur with big plans to eradicate microplastics from our oceans — and he's got the royal seal of approval
Adam Root plans to eradicate microplastics from our ocean for good.
By Lotte Brundle Last updated
-
Amanda Owen: The Yorkshire Shepherdess on farming, life, and having tea with her sheep
Life can be beautiful for farmers, and often is — but it can also be hard and bleak. James Robinson joined the Country Life Podcast to talk about the extraordinary ups and downs of the job he loves, and how Nature helps out when things get tough.
By Toby Keel Published
-
James Robinson: A fifth-generation farmer on the ups and downs of 'the most glorious job in the world'
Life can be beautiful for farmers, and often is — but it can also be hard and bleak. James Robinson joined the Country Life Podcast to talk about the extraordinary ups and downs of the job he loves, and how Nature helps out when things get tough.
By Toby Keel Published
-
The roads less travelled: The shapeshifting glories of Britain’s sea paths
Roger Morgan-Grenville celebrates the joys of wandering along the evanescent byways revealed by our tides.
By Roger Morgan-Grenville Published
-
They will never go out of stile
Historic and idiosyncratic, friend to lovers and an enemy of ageing canines, every stile has a tale to tell, says Harry Pearson.
By Harry Pearson Published
-
Don't blame it on the sunshine, don't blame it on the moonlight, don't blame it on the good times, blame it on the bats
Bats and newts are an easy target, but can they actually be blamed for not building enough houses?
By Country Life Published
-
'A phenomenon that has shaped Britain’s landscapes and wildlife for millennia': A five minute guide to mast years
The ground is already littered with acorns and beech nuts, notes Florence Allen, thanks to a phenomenon called mast years, or mast seeding.
By Florence Allen Published
-
The curious world of the penny bun mushroom
Blessed with a vastly superior taste, penny buns are the champions of champignons and the perfect accompaniment to maggots
By John Wright Published
-
White-tailed eagles: From 'the greatest wildlife crime imaginable' to Nature's most wonderful comeback story
Dave Sexton and Alice Boyd join the Country Life Podcast.
By Toby Keel Published
-
Sir Francis Beaufort: The man who measured the wind and set the foundations for the Shipping Forecast
Neptune’s realm may never be tamed by Man, but Sir Francis Beaufort ensured seafarers have a way to measure the winds
By Agnes Stamp Published
-
Galls: Nature's most beautiful, horrifying and intriguing parasites
A playground for aphids, wasp eggs, and funghi — galls come in all shapes and sizes
By Deborah Nicholls-Lee Published
-
The ring ouzel: The mystery behind the common blackbird's feral twin
A master of disguise, inexplicably shy and unpredictably wild, the increasingly rare ring ouzel warrants giving any blackbird a second glance.
By Mark Cocker Published
-
The winners and losers of summer 2025, from foragers to fishermen, and turtles to trout
Blue skies and rising mercury have been a theme of this summer, but there are always those who thrive and those who struggle in unusual times.
By Rosie Paterson Published
-
'Two months to the Moon, three for rest and refreshment and two more for the return': The English stork success story
Long unseen on British shores, white stork chicks are hatching once again in the UK and a colony is now flourishing in West Sussex thanks to a pioneering restoration project.
By Jack Watkins Published
-
Storm overflow plan 'needs flushing down the lavatory once and for all' say angling groups as perilous state of English rivers revealed
The recently published Cunliffe Report shows that 'waterways are suffering from chronic neglect, corporate greed and useless regulation'.
By Kate Green Published