CONKER NATURE MAGAZINE | SPRING | APRIL-MAY 2023 | VOL XXI

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APRIL / MAY 2023: INTO THE FOREST ISSUE Volume XXI Issue I

Mother Moose and calf of Grand Teton National Park, USA

The Secret Life Of A Woodland Habitat: Life Through the Seasons

Behind-the-cover With Photographer Gaby Zak

SPRING’S BEAUTY NG PRI ND TS UR BES ODLA R YO WO LES FO E STY HOUS IFE

The Blossoms

DISCOVER THE BLOSSOMS OF SPRING

BLUEBELLS BLOOM

THE ECOLOGY OF THESE ANCIENT WOODLAND INDICATORS AND WHERE TO SPOT THEM

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Editor-in-chief Lucy Morris Sally Marie Isabelle Price Tobias James Amelia Bazzone Darren Wynne Heather Wilkins Lyndsey Adams Chloe Bennet Natasha Mann Laszlo Balogh

Executive Editor Wildlife Editor Digital Editor Features Editor Photo/Sub Editor Photo Assistant Travel Editor Advertisement Director Editorial Assistant Logo Illustrator

Contributors Inessa Hromova, Tuesday Villane, Maria Tolkacheva, Natasha Hoshen, Tina Grimm, Scott Duffield, Edward Geale, Liudmila Evstratova, Lisa Ramacher, Anne Marie Braune, Milan Muller, Бильдина Анастасия Ивановна, Ben Wootton, Chloe Valerie Harmsworth, Gaby Zak, Dunelm, National Trust, B and M, Lorne Gill, Niall Bell, Ad Adage, Be Bedi, Anish PR, Scott-Cartwright. With Thanks To NatureScot Media and The Woodland Trust.

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@conkernaturemagazine @conkernaturemagazine @conkernaturemag www.conkernature.com @conkernature Info@conkernature.com Conker Nature, PO Box 9661, United Kingdom, BH1 9LY

Conker Nature Magazine takes pride in ethical wildlife photography that prioritises the safety and welfare of wildlife and their environment. Conker Nature Magazine is committed to the correct representation of the natural world, away from the manipulation of media, and total honesty in our captioning. Photographers, please support us in providing all relevant information around the circumstance of the image and giving total clarity of where the image was taken (to include, but not just restricted to, use of bait, captivity or habituated animals). Conker Nature Magazine will provide trusted, independent travel, wildlife, and gardening advice and information. Our aim is to allow access to (including, but not limited to, clothing, travel, accessories, tools and books) for a range of backgrounds and budgets. Within our travel sector, we are clear with the positives and negatives of a location we visit or recommend. The views that are expressed within Conker Nature Magazine are entirely the views of the authors, and not necessarily the views of the magazine, editorial team, or publisher. The editor-in-chief, the publisher, the contributors or the editorial team accepts no responsibility for advertisement errors, mistakes, omissions, or issues in any such advertisement feature. Conker Nature Magazine should not, under any circumstance, be reproduced either partially or wholly in any form or means without prior consent with the publication. It should not be hired, resold, or otherwise disposed to in any means of trade more than the recommended retail price set. PUBLISHED BY SWANKY GROUP PUBLICATIONS, DIRECTORS SALLY MARIE, DARREN WYNNE, TOBIAS JAMES, LUCY JANE MORRIS © Conker Nature Magazine 2023

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Contents 08

BEHIND THE COVER In this month’s behind-thecover story, we are joined by nature and landscape photographer, Gaby Zak as she delves into her journey of becoming a photographer.

WILD OBSERVER Discover what’s happening in the natural world now with Conker Nature Magazine’s Wild Observer feature.

MOTHER MOOSE AND HER CALF Photographer Maria was lucky to meeting a charming moose mother and calf at the edge of the forest in Grand Teton National Park, USA.

FOREST Photographer Liudmila Evstratova returns to this month’s Into The Forest Issue, with her forest landscape shots.

HIDDEN MUSHROOMS Discover a world of mysterious fungi that lives in the forest of Bochum, Germany with nature photographer, Lisa Ramacher.

KINGFISHERS OF THE WOODS Wildlife photographer and brand ambassador, Edward Geale captures kingfishers in the British woodland habitat.

SPRING: NATURE’S NEW SEASON Wildlife photographer and brand ambassador, Scott Duffield returns in this month’s issue with spring woodland favourites of the new season.

WILDLIFE MAGAZINE

THE WILD LIFESTYLE The Conker Nature Magazine team brings you the interior and exterior woodland-themed edit.

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CO N T E N T S

APRIL / MAY 2023

FRAGRANT FOREST Nature Photographer Inessa Hromova returns in this month’s Into The Forest Issue with her European forest habitat shots.

MEET THE PHOTOGRAPHER Nature and landscape photographer, Ben Wootton joins Conker Nature Magazine in this issue’s, wildlife photographer spotlight interview.

THE LATEST NEWS Efforts to preserve the highly-threated genetic diversity of Scotland’s native trees has been raised. Find out more here.

THE LITTLE GUYS Photographer Tina Grimm documents her hike up the John Muir Trail, in USA.

THE BLOSSOMS Photographer Natasha Hoshen captures the blossoming of woodland park wildflowers.

IN THE FOREST Photographer Бильдина Анастасия Ивановна captures the forest habitat in a beautiful landscape.

WILD WONDERS Conker Nature Magazine covers the latest in natural world entertainment including the top viewing picks and book spotlight of the month written by Chloé Valerie Harmsworth.

WILDLIFE MAGAZINE

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©Edward Geal | Conker Nature Magazine

Lucy Morris Editor-in-chief

LJM Welcome to our Into The Forest Issue - our second habitat-themed issue of 2023. Our theme for this forest issue is all about awareness and conservation. In June of 2022, statistics were published by the Forestry Commission, outlining the concerning trends that woodlands face. The publication of the Forestry Commission’s Key Performance Indicators Report for 2021-22, and Provisional Woodland Statistics 2022, show that is Goverment is lagging behind on the their target to create new woodland in England. In the Government’s target they set out to plant 30,000 hectares of new woodland in England by 2024. However, since 2019 the Goverment has only managed to implement 7,150 hectares - meaning they still have over 20,000 left with only one more year to complete it. Work to restore irreplaceable ancient woodland damaged by historic commercial forestry remains very limited. Despite welcome commitments from the Government, only 19 hectares are recorded as being in restoration during 2021-22, a decrease on the already low figure [67 hectares] for 2020-21.The steady influx of new tree disease threats is continuing. There is confirmation that 4 new diseases have become established in the UK in the last 5 years and of the 14 identified high priority forest pests, 8 are currently present in England, including ash dieback. The Woodland Trust are still working on solutions. The Woodland Trust is the largest woodland conservation charity in the UK. It has over 500,000 supporters. It wants to see a UK rich in native woods and trees for people and wildlife. Find out more on www.woodlandtrust.org. In this month’s Wild Observer feature, we take a look at what is happening in the natural world in April and May time - butterflies are now more active, and the wonderful British Weasel is starting to have their kits - turn over to page 16 for more. In other woodland news, The Wildlife Trusts are embarking on an ambitious new project to restore British rainforests thanks to £38 million of funding from Aviva. To read the lastest turn to page 18. In this issue The Conker Nature Magazine team brings you the interior and exterior woodland-themed edit - perfect to kit out your room woodland habitat style. To get the look turn to page 46. This month the popular wild wonders feature returns with the spotlight on Chloé Valerie Harmsworth’s new book titled ‘The Secret Life of a Woodland Habitat: Life Through The Seasons’. Read Wild Wonders on page 90. Finally, The Conker Nature Magazine team looks forward to welcoming you back next month with a special and important issue - the rewilding special - where we will be highlighting and discussing the importance of rewilding our lands to improve biodiversity across the UK and Europe. Until next month! WILDLIFE MAGAZINE

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WILDLIFE MAGAZINE

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BEHIND-THE-COVER

INTO THE FOREST The forests go through many changes throughout the seasons, leaves turning from green, to autumnal earthy colours of browns, oranges and hazels all in a single span of a year. Photos by Gaby Zak Instagram: @gzphoto_ Facebook: www. facebook.com/gabyzakphoto Website: gzak46.wixsite.com

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Welcome, Gaby, and congratulations on making the front cover for this month’s Conker Nature Magazine, Into The Forest Issue. Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. Please introduce yourself to our readers, describing a little bit about yourself and your journey as a photographer. My name is Gaby Zak, I am a published nature and landscape photographer from Berkshire. Having the opportunity to travel around the country from a young age I was fortunate enough to see some beautiful landscapes, which is where I discovered my interest in photography. I then decided to study photography at college which got me even more interested as I had the chance to be more creative. When the pandemic started I decided to start a photography page on Instagram and set myself the challenge of taking a photo a day and uploading it to the page. This helped me to improve upon my photography skills and I also found it very beneficial for my mental well-being as I was out in the fresh air more, appreciating my natural surroundings. What inspired you to get into nature photography, was there a specific reason or person who pushed you into becoming a wildlife photographer? The beauty of the natural landscape - there is never a dull moment, something is always happening wherever you look. As an outdoor photographer, you deal with the weather constantly changing, at times this can be a challenge but a lot of the time it can add an extra interest/element to the shot. I also enjoy photographing woodlands during the different seasons, especially autumn/winter time watching the leaves change colour and also when it’s foggy, the fog gives a mysterious feel.

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There are a few photographers and filmmakers that I have been inspired by including; Chris Burkard, Andy Best and National Geographic Travel. Their travel photos are very inspiring! They definitely make you want to get out there and start taking pictures. Please describe to our readers what is featured on the front cover of this issue. My photo that is featured on the front cover is a close-up shot of a lovely bluebell woodland.

Looking back at this photo I remember the stillness of the woodland and the moment I took to reflect on the peacefulness. The peaceful scenery made me feel calm. I felt happy when I captured this image as the vibrant colours of the bluebells turned out really well. The quietness and stillness of the walk come across.

BEHIND-THE-COVER | GABY ZAK

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BEHIND-THE-COVER | GABY ZAK

What is the story behind your front cover, and what was the process to get there? Was it planned for you to get this shot?

For this image I used the Fujifilm x-t20, choosing to use the zoom lens which ranges from 50 - 230mm and shooting in raw. I do this for most if not all of my images.

Taking a morning walk in the peaceful woodlands, coming across the stunning bluebells covering the woodland on either side of the footpath.

Where is your favourite location to photograph wildlife, and why?

For this specific image I was disappointed with the natural light as it was quite flat and there was no sunlight, it was a partly cloudy day so I decided to switch to my zoom lens shooting at 135 mm, which meant that I was able to focus right in on the bluebells. By changing my depth of field and choosing a new focus point I was able to capture the lovely deep purple colour. It felt so peaceful and calm that I wanted to convey this in the final image. What is your favourite aspect of this cover shot? Choosing to shoot close-up so that the full focus is on the bluebells. It’s a lovely time of year when the bluebells and other spring flowers start to show and instead of focusing on the woodland in general, I wanted to pick out the specific detail of the bluebells instead. The bright shades of purple and green help to emphasise the fresh spring. What is your favourite aspect of the wildlife industry and wildlife photography? No day is the same, it’s great to get outdoors to appreciate the natural environment and see animals in their natural habitat. What photography equipment did you use to capture this image?

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I love exploring in and around Dumfries and Galloway, the vast landscape is stunning, and I always find myself grabbing my camera and being ready to get a shot. In that part of the country, the weather plays a big part in outdoor photography and being out on location. I’ve found that a lot of the time the weather helps to add an extra atmosphere to the image as sometimes you can use dramatic lighting to highlight specific parts of the image. It’s a place I always look forward to going back to. What is your next project for 2023, is this any place or species that is on your wish list? Anything you wish to share with us? I am currently getting my photos ready for printing and framing as I will be exhibiting at The Base Greenham in April and Oxfordshire Artweeks in May. It is definitely exciting to see your photos printed and on display. Finally, what advice would you give to the past you and what advice would you give people with similar interests and dreams in wildlife photography? Be prepared for every photo opportunity that may present itself and keep building up your portfolio. Getting outdoors and visiting different locations will help inspire what kind of photos you want to take, the more photos you take the more you will learn. I think it’s always good to have a zoom lens as it means you don’t have to go too close to the subject, you can capture it from a distance without disturbing it. Timing plays a big part in any type of photography, depending on whether you want to photograph something specific, you may need to plan to visit the location a couple of times to get familiar with the surroundings.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Bluebells Bluebells spend majority of its time under the ground as bulbs, emerging often in droves and groups, and they flower from April onwards. The flowers are usually a deep violet-blue in colour, bluebells are always bell-shaped with six petals and up-turned tips. These ancient woodland indicators droop to one side of their flowering stems (known as an i nflorescence) they have creamy white-coloured pollen inside. Some flower white or pink coloured. These flowers are native to western Europe with UK being a species stronghold. They are

Gaby Zak Gaby Zak is a nature and landscape photographer from Berkshire, UK. Her favourite location to photograph wildlife is Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. Follow Gaby Zak at: Instagram: @gzphoto_ Facebook: @gabyzakphoto Website: gzak46.wixsite.com

associated and one of the signs of an ancient woodland. Bluebells reach their greatest density in woodland, where thousands of bulbs can exist at any time. These flowers can also be found growing alongside hedgerows and in fields - but usually not in a high as density of population compared to the woodland habitat.

These are not to be confused with the Spanish bluebell - which is similar in appearance. However, the Spanish bluebell grows upright, with flowers clustered around the stem. Hybrid bluebell (Hyacinthoides x massartiana) is a mix of the British and Spanish bluebell. It is often very similar in appearance to our native bluebell, but might threaten its existence by out-competing it and diluting the gene pool.

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WILD OBSERVER WHAT’S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW

THE FOREST FLOOR The weasel (Mustela nivalis) is a species that is constantly active, always on the scout for food. In fact, weasels can eat up to a third of their body weight on a daily basis. They live in many habitats such as woodland, grassland, farmlands and hedgerows. Weasels have chestnut-brown fur that has white cream underparts and a long, and slender body that ends in a brown and short tail. This species is often confused with that of the stoat. The stoat is a larger species and has a much longer tail that ends in a black and bushy tip - whereas the weasel’s tail is brown all over. Weasel are a solitary species and only come together to mate. They have a litter of around about four to six young (these are known as kits) that are born between April to August time. Interestingly, the kits are nurtured and raised in a nest or den that has been taken over from the adult’s weasle’s rodent prey.

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WILD OBSERVER THE LATEST NEWS

Ad Adege | Getty Images

FUNDING FOR THE WILDLIFE TRUST TO RESTORE RAINFOREST

It is part of a wider programme of nature-based projects funded by Aviva to remove carbon from the atmosphere. It will improve biodiversity and climate resilience by restoring wild places including British temperate rainforests. British rainforests have been largely destroyed over many hundreds of years for timber, farming, transport networks and development. Now they cover less than 1% of Britain in areas such as western Scotland, the Lake District and western Wales. Creating and connecting wilder landscapes is fundamental for nature’s recovery, stopping climate change and adapting to its impacts. This includes achieving UK net-zero targets, reducing the threat from extreme heat, flood and drought, and protecting at least 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030. Craig Bennett, chief executive of The Wildlife Trusts, says: “We’re looking forward to working with communities to bring back rainforests along the Atlantic coast of the British Isles – these woods are magical and much loved by those who visit and live near them. “The task of restoring land to help nature recover and store carbon has never been more urgent. Nature – wild habitats and the species that depend on them – is in fast decline and we’re in a climate crisis. These twin emergencies are interlinked and threaten communities, water supplies and the future of farming - which is

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why we’re so pleased that, with Aviva’s support, we’ll be substantially increasing our efforts to address these crises.

Scott-Cartwright | Getty Images

The Wildlife Trusts are embarking on an ambitious new project to restore British rainforests thanks to £38 million of funding from Aviva.

“We have very strict criteria for what we consider to be a very high integrity carbon credit scheme for the residual emissions still left after strenuous efforts to reduce them at source. Aviva’s approach meets our high standards. We’re excited that we’ll now be able to work with many more communities to help nature fight back, improve climate resilience and enhance the lives of all those involved through these projects. “We believe that there needs to be a huge increase in nature-based solutions to climate change – but it’s critical that these solutions are not used as an

excuse to carry on with a polluting ‘business as usual’ model which fails to reduce emissions at source. Too often, businesses try to ‘put the genie back into the bottle’ – but Aviva is taking a more far-sighted approach. It is investing in restoring nature to store carbon 20 years before the carbon associated with Aviva’s potential future investments goes into the atmosphere. This is to be applauded.”

The Wildlife Trusts will mean people can experience this rich natural habitat. Communities being able to access these sites will improve wellbeing and show how biodiversity fights and reduces the impacts of climate change. Aviva is proud to help reestablish temperate rainforests in the UK as part of our efforts to be a Net Zero company by 2040.”

Amanda Blanc, Aviva Group Chief Executive Officer, said:

The rainforests of the British Isles are temperate rainforests, which means they grow in areas that have high rainfall and humidity, and a low annual variation in temperature. They are also known as Atlantic woodland or Celtic rainforest.

“The fact that Britain’s native rainforests will take carbon out of the Earth’s atmosphere is reason enough to restore them. But on top of that, they’re incredibly rare and beautiful. This vital work we are undertaking with The

Niall Bell

British rainforests are made up of trees including sessile oak, birch, rowan, holly, alder, willow and hazel. They are home to stoats, red squirrels, and pine marten, and threatened bird species like wood warblers, redstarts, and pied flycatchers. Wet conditions support a luxuriant abundance of mosses, liverworts, lichens, and ferns – many of which grow on the trees or cover boulders, crags and ravines. The dampness is ideal for masses of fungi, including globally rare species. The Wildlife Trusts will ensure that these restored rainforests are as resilient as possible to increased heat, drought and fire as the climate changes. As well as being established in the wettest parts of the British Isles, we are choosing tree species with reduced risk from wildfire and will be monitoring our projects carefully over time to measure their biodiversity and adaptation benefits. Improving the size and connectivity of our rainforests will maximise their resilience to changing conditions.

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MOTHER MOOSE AND HER CALF Maria was lucky to meet this charming couple at the edge of the forest in Grand Teton National Park (USA, Wyoming) in June 2022. Photographer: Maria Tolkacheva Instagram: @ mary_tolk

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FOREST Photographer: Liudmila Evstratova Instagram: @moremiha777

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HIDDEN MUSHROOMS Photographer: Lisa Ramacher Instagram: @lisaramacher Assistant: Anne Marie Braune Instagram: @annemariebraune Assistant: Milan Müller Instagram: @m_blain

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Spring: Nature’s New Season Photographer: Scott Duffield Instagram: @scott.duffield.photography Facebook: Scott.duffield.photography Website: www. scott-duffield.picfair.com

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Kingfishers of the woods Photographer: Edward Geale Instagram: @eddygealephotography

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The Fragrant Forest Photographer: Inessa Hromova Instagram: @inessa_hromova

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WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER SPOTLIGHT DISCOVER THE PASSIONS OF WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER, BEN WOOTTON Welcome, Ben, and congratulations on making our interview feature for this month’s Conker Nature Magazine, Into The Forest Issue. Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. Please introduce yourself to our readers, describing a little bit about yourself and your journey as a photographer. Hey! My name is Ben Wootton I’m 29 years old and I live in the Basque Country, España. I first picked up a DSLR in January 2021. From the first day, I went out to take photos, I have been hooked ever since. For me, photography is about slowing down and appreciating the small things that you might otherwise disregard. When I first started out in photography I was very much focused on only capturing wildlife images but over time the focus has shifted more towards nature in general. Living in the Basque Country I am blessed to have countless mountains to climb, National Parks to walk through, Golden Beaches, Pintxos and plenty more. Growing up I’ve always enjoyed being creative, doing things like drawing, and learning music but nothing is quite like photography. What inspired you to get into the photography industry, was there a specific reason or person who pushed you into becoming a photographer? Do you have any photographers you admire that inspired you to pick up photography? In January 2021 when I picked up my camera, this time was right in the middle of lockdown. I sat in my house thinking, how can I keep myself entertained, without having to spend time with other people, but also be outdoors? So, I bought my first DSLR. At the time of buying the camera, I didn’t know anything, about how the camera worked, other photographers... nothing. It didn’t take me long to learn the exposure triangle which is made up of ISO, shutter speed and aperture. Over time I have encountered a lot of talented photographers on the likes of social media, one being @grainandfern formerly known as @northboundjourneys. She is an incredibly talented Photographer from Sweden who has had a lot of influence on my work. Her style is earthy colouring with great quality images and is very consistent throughout her art. I highly recommend taking a moment to find her on Instagram and then continue reading this article. How did you become passionate about the natural world, was it from a young age or in your adulthood? I think deep down, everyone is passionate about the natural world. Maybe some people just haven’t made the time of day to appreciate it. One of the reasons why I capture what I capture is to try and make people more aware of what is right in front of them. Most of the time I don’t capture the extraordinary but the ordinary, whatever is in front of me at that moment.

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Most of the time I don’t capture the extraordinary but the ordinary, whatever is in front of me at that moment. I haven’t answered the question, I would say more towards my adulthood I have become more passionate about nature and mainly from the purchase of my camera. What does your photography mean to you, and in what way does it get you up and motivated to capture the natural world? For me, photography is an escape from my everyday life, something to really look forward to. It takes me on some crazy adventures. One time I woke up at 5 am to solo hike up Pagasarri which is a 670m mountain. When you’re in the pitch black and all you can hear are the owls and animals nestling away around you, you feel closer to nature than you can ever imagine. After hiking to the top, I was greeted by the sun peeking out of the clouds, looking over every mountain range in the Basque Country, that’s what motivates me to capture the natural world. What is your process when you photograph landscapes, where do you draw your inspiration from? Do you have a particular place or habitat you are drawn to the most? I am a little bit spontaneous when it comes to shooting landscapes. This is because my girlfriend and I enjoy hiking most weekends, therefore my camera comes with me wherever we go.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ben Wootton Ben Wootton is a nature and landscape photographer from Basque Country, Spain - picking up photography in January 2021 Follow Gaby Zak at: Instagram: @gzphoto_ Facebook: @gabyzakphoto Website: gzak46.wixsite.com

Usually, my best shots come from a quick pass-by of a location rather than planning it all out. We normally venture out to locations with a view and then I tend to capture the journey and minor details along the way, such as the fern, trees, ﬂowers and all of that aesthetically pleasing goodness. One location I always go to is Pagasarri, if you’re ever in Bilbao, Spain, be sure to hike up this mountain. Pagasarri sits at 670m and is easily accessible from Bilbao, you could walk up it in 2 hours from the city centre. On the weekends it is a tradition for most, including myself now. What is your favourite aspect of the wildlife industry and nature photography? I think learning, learning the names of everything I photograph be it animal or plant. To your everyday person, a bird is a bird, but to most people reading this it’s not just a bird. It’s a Cormorant, Gannet, Goldcrest, Arctic Tern, Swallow, and a House Martin. Being able to tell these apart helps you to understand what you’re living next to. What is the most interesting thing you have learnt about the natural world over the years? There will be more plastic in our ocean than ﬁsh come 2050.

I often see Griffon Vultures where I live, aand enjoy the ﬂy-by of the vultures. It’s amazing just how close you can get; you almost feel part of the wake.

You have partnered with the popular binoculars brand, Opticron. What is it about the Opticron brand that makes it so special to you? Yes! Opticron were the ﬁrst brand to sponsor me and I have been with them since 2022. Having optics where you can be right next to nature and not have to carry around a lot of kit is amazing.

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In the future, I plan on doing a photo shoot at San Juan Gaztelugatxe which is Dragon Stone in Game of Thrones. I am going to go there and try get an image from a new angle. I also might do a video promoting this issue of Conker Nature Magazine, so keep your eyes peeled! What is the next project you have in store? Anything you wish to share with us? At the moment I don’t have any projects planned out. I have aspirations of becoming a brand ambassador for a camera manufacturer, but for the time being, I’m just building on having a consistency. Finally, what advice would you give to the past you and what advice would you give people with similar interests and dreams in photographing the natural world? You run a YouTube channel in your name, Ben Wootton, educating people on Lightroom tutorials and giving out reviews of the latest gadgets. What is your favourite aspect of your YouTube channel and what future videos have you got in the pipeline? You really did your research on me! I do run a YouTube channel; it is all quite new to me at the moment, and I am trying to ﬁnd my place. I do feel I will sway towards How 2’s and reviews moving forward. I enjoy making content whether it’s editing in Lightroom or Editing a YouTube video. These are skills I want to build on and get better at and with time I hope they improve.

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My advice is to not worry about what others might think. Photography is a form of art and there is no right or wrong way, bend the rules and create whatever you want to create. Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions, Ben! We’re sure the readers of Conker Nature Magazine’s Into The Forest issue will love your tips and journey into becoming a nature and landscape photographer.

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INTO THE FOREST Photographer: Tuesday Villane Instagram: @tv.jpegs Website: www.tuesdayvibes.art WWW.CONKERNATURE.COM | CONKER NATURE | 71

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THE SCOTTISH SAFEGUARDING OF THE NEXT GENERATION OF TREES Efforts to preserve the highly-threated genetic diversity of Scotland’s native trees have taken a significant step forward with the identification of 98 potential new sites for gene conservation.

lmost 100 new Scottish sites indenified to safeguard trees from climate change. A new report published by NatureScot, and written in partnership with the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, looked at the climatic range of native trees, in terms of rainfall and temperature, to identify the best places to protect their genetic diversity. The key objective of genetic conservation is to ensure trees have the potential to adapt as conditions change, by maintaining their genetic diversity. Genetic diversity is the range of different inherited traits within a species. These traits are essential for resilience to pressures such as climate change and tree diseases. A gene conservation unit (GCU) is a clearly mapped area of forest or woodland where dynamic gene conservation is one of the main management priorities for one or more tree species. This includes managing the trees to allow and encourage production of new seedlings and saplings. There are currently five GCUs in Scotland, representing four species of tree: Scots pine, silver birch, sessile oak and rowan. NatureScot’s report identifies a further 98 locations, adding seven species: alder, downy birch, hazel, ash, juniper, aspen and English oak.

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Images ©Lorne Gill/NatureScot The proposed GCUs are on areas owned and managed by a range of public, private and non-governmental organisations including 41 sites in the Highlands, and 21 in Argyll & Bute and 15 in Aberdeenshire. Among the potential new gene conservation sites are NatureScot’s Ariundle, Glasdrum and Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserves. The recent UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CoP15) in Montreal highlighted genetic diversity as an urgent global priority. Goals and targets were agreed to maintain and restore the genetic diversity of native, wild and domesticated species. For trees, GCUs are being established within a Europe-wide network, known as EUFORGEN. The first GCU in the UK was declared for Scots pine in NatureScot’s Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve in Wester Ross in 2019, recognising the distinctiveness of its ancient Caledonian pine forest. Compatible with commercial land use, GCU status is a voluntary accreditation that recognises land managers’ commitment to promoting adaptation to future change through sustainable management of genetic diversity.

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John Muir Trail: The Little Guys. So often the smaller/less exotic creatures get forgotten about. They’re a norm in the wilderness and easily overlooked. While through hiking the John Muir Trail last summer I decided I wanted to capture “the little guys.” Here’s to celebrating them and the beauty that they are. Photographer: Tina Grimm Instagram: @tinagrimm

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The Blossom Photographer: Natasha Hoshen Instagram: @natashach29

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IN THE FOREST Photographer: Бильдина Анастасия Ивановна Instagram: @nastya_bldina

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NATURAL WORLD BOOK OF THE MONTH THE SECRET LIFE OF A WOODLAND HABITAT: LIFE THROUGH THE SEASONS By Chloé Valerie Harmsworth | White Owl | £25 I hope to inspire people to take care of them.’

Follow Chloé at: Instagram: @chloevalerienatureart Website: https://chloevalerienatureart. wordpress.com/about/

fter years of writing wildlife and conservation articles for various magazines and websites, Chloé Valerie Harmsworth was approached at the beginning of 2021 by publisher White Owl, enquiring if she’d write a book for them.

Highly illustrated with Harmsworth’s stunning photography, The Secret Life of a Woodland Habitat: Life Through the Seasons is an attractive and engaging guide that shows readers what they can discover at different times of the year, weaving fascinating facts with folklore and history. While full of salient information, the book’s clear format and beautiful images ensure that it is a relaxing and escapist read as well. Encouraging you to leave behind everyday life to step into the trees, Harmsworth’s main goal is to reconnect readers with nature and its mindful magic by revealing stunning wildflowers, towering trees, iridescent insects, glorious birdsong and enigmatic mammals.

‘I was thrilled at the chance to fulfil my lifelong An extract from the Spring chapter: dream of writing a book,’ she says, ‘especially one that would spread the message of the importance of our UK woodlands. These places If spring could be defined by just one word, it are sanctuaries to me – I really couldn’t be with- would be excitement. Or perhaps potential. The days lengthen and become brighter, with out them – and I want as many people as possible to appreciate, enjoy and protect these the intense light shining on little sparks of life: the budding trees bursting into bloom; the precious environments. By expressing my love birds becoming increasingly numerous and and celebrating woodland flora and fauna,

vocal; the insects buzzing and flitting everywhere. There is more happening in the woodland than can be seen in one outing, and so every walk is rewarded with a bounty of natural delights. One of the first trees to burst into leaf is the elder tree: bright lime-green leaves unfurl from amethyst buds. Although the leaves and wood of the elder emit an unpleasant smell, it won’t be long until this is overshadowed by the deliciously floral scent of the frothy clumps of creamy flowers that appear later in spring. These elderflowers can be used to make elderflower wine or champagne. In the past, the soft pith was scooped from the middle of the brittle twigs to make pipes and peashooters, hence its other name of ‘pipe-tree’ or ‘bore-tree’. By reading this book you will become aware of the signs that indicate one season transforming into another, understand why mushrooms are essential to our environment, know which of our native birds migrate, get acquainted with the folklore of the oak tree, and more besides. You might even be inspired to do a bit of foraging! Most of all, you will be roused to build an everlasting bond with your local wildlife and woodlands, enriching your life as a result.

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Photographer: Tina Grimm Instagram: @tinagrimm

CONKER NATURE MAGAZINE | SPRING | APRIL-MAY 2023 | VOL XXI | ISSUE I