This report is worth a look, if you haven’t already seen it. It examines lynx reintroduction in Switzerland and approaches to conflict management. Evidence from other countries also suggests coexisting with lynx is not as straightforward as you suggest.

www.scotlandbigpicture.com//Images/2025...

Excited to start as a researcher at the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research next week!

One of the main projects I’ll be working on will explore how to engage volunteers, children and young people in nature restoration across Norway – a task I’m ready for after years of chasing my kids outdoors!

Waiting to hear back about job applications feels like...

Nice to be back at @uninmbu.bsky.social this week as a guest lecturer on the Master's course "Green transformations in theory and practice".

The campus has changed a lot over the last few years, but there are still a few reminders that this place used to be the Norwegian Agricultural University 🐑

Just back from a few days in Norway’s oldest national park, Rondane, doing visitor surveys for the "Sounds like Norway" project.

A key takeaway was that natural sounds (wind, water, birds etc) and, in particular, quiet really matter for how people enjoy and connect with the outdoors.

"It is insulting that the commitment to the term rewilding is stronger than the commitment to reconciliation & truth-telling...At a time when we need empowerment, the label of rewilding does nothing but strip it from us."

Thought-provoking piece by Michael-Shawn Fletcher in @consletters.bsky.social

The European conservation movement’s disappointment with the shift in wolf management policy is understandable. However, for the reasons outlined below - particularly the empowerment of rural communities - a more flexible and adaptive approach to wolf management could help to foster coexistence.

Speaking to my dad earlier, he told me of a family near Rostrevor nearly burned out by the recent Mourne fires. Told to evacuate, the woman of the house took to sprinkling holy water round the garden. The flames came within metres of the house - then turned. Luck, faith, or the land minding its own?

With wildfires impacting people and nature in Scotland, Norway, and the Mourne Mountains in NI over the last few days, this is a timely new paper exploring the complex role of fire in rewilding.

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

A question for those doing, or interested in doing, research on conservation issues in Ireland.

Has anyone, e.g. a professor, reviewer etc, ever told you that Ireland isn’t a priority area for conservation research? 1/2

“The return of nine out of the eleven lost birds listed is quite possible”

25 years since Gordon D’Arcy’s excellent book ‘Ireland’s Lost Birds’ (1999) was published, it’s pretty remarkable how this prediction turned out to be almost spot-on!

Happy, and slightly surprised, to find out that my submission for the Conference of the International Society for Ecological Economics has been accepted!

Looking forward to interesting discussions on degrowth, environmental justice and sustainability in Oslo on June 24th-27th!

Coexistence with lynx appears to be less problematic than with other large carnivores - in Norway at least - thanks to a management plan that's largely considered to be legitimate and effective at regulating the lynx population through hunting (the different hunting methods are in this booklet).

“The study uncovers a paradox inherent in nature-based tourism: by facilitating improved access to nature, nature-based tourism can harm the very nature it seeks to showcase.”

Interesting research on the proposed gondola in Sula, Norway. Similar issues have arisen with Mourne Gateway project in NI.

Interested in human-wildlife coexistence?

The new CoCo Horizon project aims to promote policies, practices, and stakeholder engagement for integrating wildlife and livestock into sustainable European landscapes.

Learn more about the project here: cocoproject.eu

After spending most of 2024 learning Norwegian (and changing nappies), it was nice to find out last week that I’d passed my exams. Now I’ll finally be able to understand what the dogs are talking about…// Nå kan jeg endelig forstå hva disse hundene snakker om…🙃 🇳🇴