4668 x 3112 px | 39,5 x 26,3 cm | 15,6 x 10,4 inches | 300dpi
Aufnahmedatum:
16. November 2021
Weitere Informationen:
18/06/25 Juvenile chiffchaff. In the soft light of an early midsummer morning, bird ringing begins at a former coal mining site in the heart of the National Forest. Dr Heather Gilbert, research and evidence manager for the Forest, works quietly among wildflowers and saplings, checking fine mist nets for small songbirds. Licensed by the British Trust for Ornithology, she carefully records each bird’s weight, species and age, attaching a tiny aluminium ring to help track movements and monitor long-term trends. Over the past 30 years, the National Forest has seen a 48% increase in bird numbers – a remarkable achievement against a national backdrop of sharp decline. Sites like Minorca near Moira, once an open-cast mine, have been transformed through the planting of over 213, 000 trees and the creation of meadows, wetlands and new woodland. This regeneration is creating habitats where birds and other wildlife can thrive. Her data will add to decades of conservation science helping to shape woodland management across the Forest. “It’s great to see bird numbers climbing, ” she says. “It shows the difference we can make when we plant the right trees in the right places.” +44 (0)7765 242650 www.rkpphotography.co.uk.
