Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Fiona Mathews

ca-nb.bsky.social @ca-nb.bsky.social · 4d

Ecuador revokes environmental license for Canada’s DPM to develop gold project

https://www.newsbeep.com/ca/189815/

By Alexandra Valencia QUITO (Reuters) -Ecuador’s government has revoked the environmental license granted to Canadian mining company DPM…

Ecuador revokes environmental license for Canada's DPM to develop gold project - Canada News Beep

By Alexandra Valencia

www.newsbeep.com

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Reposted by Fiona Mathews

Isabel Santos @isabelsantos.bsky.social · 7d

The Waorani people of Ecuador won a historic court case blocking oil companies from entering 180,000 hectares of their ancestral land in Pastaza. The ruling, upheld on appeal, set a precedent for indigenous free, prior, and informed consent.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waorani...

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Fiona Mathews @fionamathews.bsky.social · 9d

A few more mushrooms. Autumn is here! 🍂🍄#mushroom #fungi

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Fiona Mathews @fionamathews.bsky.social · 9d

Mega-mushroom. That's supper sorted! #mushrooms

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Reposted by Fiona Mathews

Wildlife Conservation Society @wcs.org · 9d

LISTEN: At the upcoming #IUCNcongress, we are supporting a motion to address the international pet trade in terrestrial wildlife.

The scale of the trade is huge, says WCS’s Dr. Elizabeth Bennett.

🌍 On #WCSWildAudio, how this action could help address it: apple.co/46qZa82

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Fiona Mathews @fionamathews.bsky.social · 22d

Beaver bombing. Good or bad? And what about those pesky wild boar? What do you think? www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Ops-Be...

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Fiona Mathews @fionamathews.bsky.social · 23d

If you want to email with your contact details I am happy to collect

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Fiona Mathews @fionamathews.bsky.social · 24d

Sometimes. Esp. On Daubenton's

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Fiona Mathews @fionamathews.bsky.social · 25d

Was very happy ro catch this lovely barbastelle bat last night. The species is rare across Europe and is usually found in ancient woodland. This one's roost is in a tiny remnant patch that clings on next to a conifer plantation. She was nice and fat ready for winter!

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Fiona Mathews @fionamathews.bsky.social · 26d

It keeps getting worse! We have already shown that agricultural fields treated with sewage sludge have high rates of microplastic contamination. Now it seems that potentially toxic liquid from landfill is added to the mix. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Thousands of tonnes of toxic landfill liquid added to sewage and spread on English farms

Exclusive: Leachate is tankered to treatment works where it mixes with sewage and industrial effluent

www.theguardian.com

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Fiona Mathews @fionamathews.bsky.social · 29d

Fantastic news for British wildlife and the climate 🌎🦤: a ban on burning deep peatlands (>30cm). This terrible practice is used to manage moors for grouse shooting. Comes into force on 30th Sept, a day ahead of new burning season. 👏 @defra.gov.uk www.gov.uk/government/n...

Burning banned on England’s deep peat to protect wildlife

Ban on burning heather and grass on deep peat extended to improve air quality for local communities, reduce flood risk and protect wildlife.

www.gov.uk

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Reposted by Fiona Mathews

Environmental Conservation @envconsjournal.bsky.social · Aug 29

Can giant otters be indicators of ecosystem health?

This new Report in #EnvironmentalConservation evaluates mercury concentrations in these apex predators, suggesting the impact of contamination in the Pantanal wetland, Brazil

www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

#conservationscience🌍 #otters 🦦

Pervasive mercury contamination of a semi-aquatic apex predator across the Pantanal wetland | Environmental Conservation | Cambridge Core

Pervasive mercury contamination of a semi-aquatic apex predator across the Pantanal wetland

www.cambridge.org

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Fiona Mathews @fionamathews.bsky.social · Sep 7

Sewage isn't the only problem for water pollution! Farming practice is a huge contributor. Who thinks it's a good plan to spray slurry here (an old canal draining straight into a wetland) during heavy rain? I keep my mouth shut when I swim! @eea.europa.eu @theriverstrust.bsky.social #waterpollution

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Fiona Mathews @fionamathews.bsky.social · Aug 21

A very cool project that could help tackle a global problem for amphibians.

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Reposted by Fiona Mathews

🇨🇦 Gerrit @gerritb.bsky.social · Aug 21

"The more precisely we understand giraffe taxonomy, the better equipped we are to assess their status and implement effective conservation strategies," said co-author of the report Michael Brown of the IUCN.
www.bbc.com/news/article...

Three more giraffe species than previously thought, scientists say

Giraffes have always been thought to be one species, but scientists now say there are four.

www.bbc.com

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Reposted by Fiona Mathews

IPBES @ipbes.net · Aug 21

Over a third of marine mammals, like dugongs, are threatened according to the @ipbes.net #GlobalAssessment.🌏🧪

Dugongs, known for their vital role in maintaining seagrass ecosystems, are at risk due to habitat loss, fishing & climate impacts.

Conservation is essential for healthy marine ecosystems.

A close-up image of a dugong holding a flipper to its mouth

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Fiona Mathews @fionamathews.bsky.social · Aug 21

The rubber was just for size 🤣

Nick Moyes (Peat free) @nickmoyes.bsky.social · Aug 20

Tell me you didn't clean it up with a rubber! 🤣
Great work though.

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Fiona Mathews @fionamathews.bsky.social · Aug 20

What a difference a week makes! This bat came in covered in glue, dust and cobwebs. The fluffball has just been released back to her colony. 🦇🦇 @batcon.org #bats #wildlife #nature

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Reposted by Fiona Mathews

David Shiffman, Ph.D. 🦈 @whysharksmatter.bsky.social · Aug 19

Hey everybody! @drjuliawester.bsky.social and I have a new paper!

We surveyed over 800 scientists, science communicators, and science educators who use social media.

Conclusion: Scientists no longer find Twitter useful or pleasant, and many have switched to Bluesky! 🧪🌎🦑

doi.org/10.1093/icb/...

Scientists no Longer Find Twitter Professionally Useful, and have Switched to Bluesky

Synopsis. Social media has become widely used by the scientific community for a variety of professional uses, including networking and public outreach. For

doi.org

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Reposted by Fiona Mathews

International Biodiversity @ibioconsultants.com · Aug 20

Coffee farmers could be utilising land better through recognising standing trees rather than incentivised to plant new trees for carbon capture, whilst agroforestry goes complete monoculture and releases carbon 🌍

#CarbonCredits #CarbonSequestration #Bioeconomies

nationalzoo.si.edu/news/study-r...

Study Reveals Carbon Markets Undervalue Shade-Grown Coffee Farms

A new Smithsonian study reveals that carbon-capture initiatives may be overlooking a critical tool in sustainable farming programs: mature trees.

nationalzoo.si.edu

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Fiona Mathews @fionamathews.bsky.social · Aug 19

The current planning system is indeed clunky. But you need to be out of your mind to choose the paper-shufflers at Defra deliver a swift outcomes-based approach for environmental protection. www.gov.uk/government/n.... @craigbennett3.bsky.social @cieem.bsky.social @batconservation.bsky.social

Environmental reforms to break planning system gridlock

Britain's broken planning and development system is rewired to accelerate infrastructure delivery and homebuilding while safeguarding the environment

www.gov.uk

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Fiona Mathews @fionamathews.bsky.social · Aug 13

So many juvenile swallows today! Hope they aren't thinking of leaving Devon just yet. #birds

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Fiona Mathews @fionamathews.bsky.social · Aug 13

Dog in a vintage motorbike side-car today. Love it! #dogs #devon

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Reposted by Fiona Mathews

International Bat Research Conference 2025 @ibrc2025.bsky.social · Aug 9

IBRC delegates protest visa denials of 8 researchers from Africa and Asia.
#ibrc2025 #batresearch

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Eight bat researchers mostly from Asia and Africa refused entry into Australia to attend global scientific event

Organisers say move will damage nation’s scientific standing as government refuses to comment on why group of scientists were refused entry

www.theguardian.com

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Fiona Mathews @fionamathews.bsky.social · Aug 7

Delighted to be welcoming an Erasmus+ student from Spain later this month to work with my research group for a year (paid for by the EU). The fee he has to pay as the new 'NHS levy' is outrageous though. Private health insurance would be cheaper.

Private Eye Magazine @privateeyenews.bsky.social · Aug 7

Students studying abroad. Pure indoctrination!

From the new Private Eye, out now.

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