Environment
Browse the latest environment news, comment and stories in Oxford and across Oxfordshire.
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Airport expansions threaten nature and climate, say Wildlife Trusts
The Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) and other Wildlife Trusts oppose airport expansions at Heathrow, Gatwick, and Luton, citing climate, biodiversity, and community concerns.
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Stable brown hairstreak butterfly populations defy climate and habitat threats
A recent egg count by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) found stable numbers of brown hairstreak butterfly eggs at its Oxfordshire site, despite threats from climate change and habitat loss.
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Oxford Bus Company’s transition to Green electric buses improves air quality
The new fleet of 104 electric buses, introduced over the first half of 2024, prevented burning approximately 1,255,000 litres of diesel fuel and saved more than 3,175 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
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Hundreds of Oxfordshire homes to get solar panels in energy-saving trial
Homeowners who participate in the scheme will have their solar panels fitted for free and would pay a small monthly fee for maintaining them, instead of paying thousands of pounds upfront.
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As the festivities come to an end, here’s what to do with your Christmas tree
Gone are the days of dragging the tree into the garden to decompose naturally. Proper disposal is now essential, as recycling Christmas trees will significantly reduce their environmental impact.
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People in Oxfordshire urged to have their say on local nature recovery
Oxfordshire residents, landowners, businesses, farmers and other organisations are being offered the chance to help shape the priorities for recovering areas of nature and wildlife across the county.
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Oxford University researchers record wettest month in 250 years
Data from the station this week confirmed that September 2024 saw an extraordinary 193.3 mm of rainfall, making it Oxford’s wettest month since 1774 and the second wettest of any month since rainfall records began in 1767.
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Fen restoration project in Oxfordshire awarded £77k nature recovery funding from SSEN
The funding from SSEN will be put towards the restoration and rewetting of eleven hectares of fen bordering a Site of Special Scientific Interest under the care of Freshwater Habitats Trust.
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BBOWT’s 30 Days Wild challenge celebrates its tenth anniversary
This year is the tenth anniversary of BBOWT’s 30 Days Wild challenge, which calls on the public to do one wild thing to connect with nature every day for an entire month this summer.
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voco Oxford Thames Hotel team members embark on tree planting and litter picking initiatives
Team members at voco’s Oxford Thames Hotel have undertaken a dual effort of fruit tree planting and an environmental clean-up – collecting and removing over 42 kilogrammes of waste.
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Residents in South Oxfordshire are officially the best recyclers in the country
South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils were placed in the top three of the recycling tables for English local authorities by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
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Dramatic aerial photo highlights the importance of floodplain to wildlife and people
A dramatic aerial photo of hundreds of acres of farmland and countryside in flood shows how the Thames floodplain can store water to help people and wildlife – and tackle the effects of climate change.
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BBOWT wildlife surveys reveals nature reserves providing haven from climate change crisis
The highest number of glow worms recorded at a nature reserve was one of this year’s highlights for Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT).
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Rare birds to get £230k home upgrade including their own security cameras
Rare birds and butterflies will get a £230,000 home upgrade with new pools, security cameras and anti-predator fencing on the Oxfordshire / Buckinghamshire border.
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Award-winning Graven Hill community celebrates bat success story
A long-term project to relocate bats on the Graven Hill development has been hailed as a success as several endangered bat species have taken over newly installed roosts in the form of bat boxes.
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University of Oxford is one of UK’s most wildlife-friendly, according to a study
The University of Oxford has been recognised as one of the UK’s leading universities for looking after wildlife – on campus and in the wider community.