#dog walking

[reasonsforhope]

"Inspired by an innovative Chilean forest restoration effort, the English town of Lewes is enlisting the help of dog walkers to rewild a local nature reserve.

Heavily degraded by foot traffic, the project co-opts dogs’ tendency to run about in the woods to spread wildflower seed from saddlebags strapped to a harness around the dog’s abdomen.

The idea mimics the function that wolves once played in that part of England, roaming over vast distances getting grass and flower seeds stuck in their coat, only to fall off and germinate somewhere else.

This helter-skelter seed-spreading is actually how many plants evolved to reproduce, and it’s key to maintaining a biodiverse and native ecosystem.

“We’re really interested in rewilding processes, but they often involve reintroducing big herbivores like bison or wild horses,” said manager Dylan Walker from the Railway Land Wildlife Trust who organized the project back in 2019.

“In a smaller urban nature reserve it’s really hard to do those things. So, to replicate the effect that those animals have on the ecosystem we aimed to utilize the vast number of dog walkers that are visiting the nature reserve daily.”

The saddlebags are filled with a variety of perennial plant seeds mixed together with sand. This allows the seed to be spread for longer across larger distances, while also providing a helpful tracking sign to inform the Trust’s employees where dogs are walking.

THE REWILDING MOVEMENT IN ENGLAND…

Salmon Return to the Heart of UK for First Time in 100 Years After Dam Removal: ‘It’s very rewarding’

‘Give Nature Space and it Will Come Back’: Rewilding Returns Endangered Species to UK Coast

Farmer Combats Flooding by Returning Creeks to Nature: ‘Wildlife That Has Come is Phenomenal’

Finally Rid of Invasive Shrubs, Scientists Use Lichen to Regrow the Celtic Rainforest in Loch Lomond, Scotland

2 Beavers Named Hazel and Chompy Reintroduced to English County–the First Ones to Live Here in 400 Years

“I signed up because it sounded like such a good fit. I was asked to place a harness on my chocolate cocker spaniel called Bertie and he ran around spreading seeds like wolves used to do many years ago,” Cressida Murray, a dog walker who regularly uses the nature reserve, told The Guardian. 

Wolves were persecuted to extinction in England as early as the reign of Henry VII, who reigned during the latter third of the 15th century.

“A community-based project like this not only helps engage and teach people about the ecological impacts of wildlife but also allows us to make our wildlife and environments richer in the process,” said Walker."

-via Good News Network, July 30, 2024

[huariqueje]

Montrose Green - Hiroshi Ariyama , 2009.

Japanese , b. 1957 -

Screen print , 12 x 9 in.

[goddesslana888]

Walking a b*tch in South Beach. 🐕

[newyorkthegoldenage]

Walking the dog in a snowstorm in Washington Square Park, ca. 1950s.

Photo: TimeOut NY

[dk-thrive]

Morning Walk. 40° F. 6:30 am. November 9, 2024. Cove Island Park. Stamford, CT (@dkct25)

[littlechonker]

Bonzo deserves all the treats in the world 🥹🫶

[lichtberg]

wanna go for a walk?

IG

[bretzkysbs]

[thoughtartistry]

Vermont 🍁☃️

[redcarpet-streetstyle]

[huariqueje]

Path of the Swallows - Emma Haworth , 2023.

British, b. 1970s

Oil on canvas , 130 x 120 cm.

[dolgohland]

The beauty of a winter morning walk with my dogs. They get so excited seeing snow first thing in the morning—for them, it’s like the whole world changed overnight!

I wonder... 🤔 will they ever understand what really happened? ☃️

[life-unintended]

Monochrome beach

[o2studies]

༻`` 🦎 Friday — 2 Aug 24

_, Academic Weapon Challenge Day 1 ˎˊ-

|| Sleep: Had my alarm set for 8, woke up just before that (somehow) but I had a nightmare and awoke somewhat stressed because of it so I let myself sleep in. I should have done it though without extending my alarm every 20 or so minutes until 1 ½ hrs passed..

|| Routine: Nothing yet, I'll plan this out better tomorrow but I'm thinking of having something for the morning like:

don't move alarm — get up immediately

do an exercise

drink a glass of water

read for a bit

|| Deep focus: (I need to do a lot better on this one..) I studied Russian for about 16 mins today (colours)

|| Body: I walked my dog for about 15 mins I belive it was? I need to find a good path to walk or even an area to run around with my dogs on but I've just been so anxious of getting out of the house since moving, nevermind the fact that the path I'm probably gonna find will take me past a few neighbourhoods (there's just something about walking closely past houses, especially ones not in my neighbourhood, that gives me so much anxiety). I also hope I'll be able to go back to doing pushups soon, I haven't been able to for a while because my wrist has been hurting so much..

|| Mind: I read a bit of The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein. I've gotta finish it soon as well as Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn as I've been reading them since the start of July and barely read half of each.

(I'm late, I know, forgive me, goodnight!) // 🍊

Note: I'm really excited for this challenge! I think it'll be great for me and I'm hoping it will get me out of this depressive slump quickly! Also, for my 'mind' section, I'll note down any books I read (fiction, non-fiction or academic) as well as any mind exercises I do, such as sudoku puzzles, word games etc.

[charmingbassets]

When my babies were three weeks old they grow so fast you won't believe how they look currently 😍

[hellocooperlooper]

My dachshund boy tries to make friends.