Shroom

One mushroom that's been particularly thin on the ground this year (at least about my roams) has been the Liberty Cap (Psilocybe semilanceata), you get years like that, the conditions just haven't been right. Though I feel inconsistency is becoming the norm, a consequence of the seasons slipping out of phase to to climatic change maybe. 

Immortal apple

 

The immortal apple has struggled this year; it's been a strange year for the Malus family. Whether it's been our garden trees both the eater and Bramley, or the varied variety of escaped eaters that populate our common or the Crab Apples in the forest, the same story, loads of fruits, but none of any great size. That said it hasn't seemed to have effected their taste. I think the two main culprits of this phenomena are probably the dry spring and summer, and poor pollination due to aforementioned weather conditions on insects, or maybe a combination of both.

Gives you the chills

2 degrees this morning, which felt a hell of a lot different to last Sundays' 20 degrees. Brrrrr. It used to be that you were eased into the seasonal changes, not now, every day's a random wheel of weather day now. It can't be right.

Drying out

 

This morning the ponies had the right idea; in Red Rise a group of them congregated amongst a cool shady stand of Yews. The unseasonally warm weather continues and the forest continues to dry out; right when we should be looking forward to the mushroom season too. Bah! (shakes fist)

Luxury beliefs

We're increasingly told via the media that we're a society wracked with anxiety brought about by our existential climate crisis and accompanying breakdown. I'm sure that many experience anxiety, and that many find themselves on a sliding scale of concern, then there's magnitudes more for who, for the most part, pay lip service to the virtuous thing to say. Cynical, moi? Well, riddle me this, 52% of Britons will be taking a holiday this year, out of which a staggering 42% intend to travel internationally.  You know, I got to thinking if you were to represent those who claim to be anxious/worried about the climate and those holidaying abroad in a Venn diagram I'd wager a good majority would appear in the overlapping group. Is that luxury beliefs or cognitive dissonance? Don't misunderstand me, I'm not singling people out, it's just they're a really good example of 'us' as a whole; we're the Achilles' heel(s) of climate mitigation, as it's easy to support agendas and policies in abstract, although support often melts away when our virtuous beliefs collide with the realities of necessity or desire. Explains where all the people have been. It's been noticeable that even on good days the forest and beach have been far emptier than you'd normally expect them to be, the roads too; it being summer and all. That, and 48% of the population won't be taking a holiday; and I imagine that if we added this group to our Venn diagram they'd neither be holidaying nor putting climate change high on their list of concerns (not saying it's not there); sea levels rising 'over there' mean little to those already struggling to keep their heads above water over here. Ah, the times they aren't a-changin' (no it a good way at least), mostly because we ain't learnin', eh. It's no wonder we're so far away from genuine systemic change. 

Out of time

I'm seeing mushrooms I'd not normally expect to encounter until mid/late September; for example these Hedgehog mushrooms (Hydnum repandum), which  look like they've already been up for a week or so. Out in the woods expectation clashes with reality, I'm expecting to find summer though all my senses tell me it's autumn out here. And why wouldn't they. 

 

We've just experienced the 6th wettest July on record, though our sensationalist media, fixated with the extremes of climate change, the flames and floods, have said very little (as far as I know). I'm not suggesting that extreme weather episodes aren't important or newsworthy, nor that we wont be effected by the consequences of extreme weather, though I don't think they'll define 'our' climate change experience. No, ours, extreme episodes aside, is going to manifest in systemic change to environments and ecosystems, brought on by an increase in periods of unseasonal weather and the weakening of fixed seasons; wet when it should be dry, warm when it should be cold and vice versa. The impact on our insect, floral and faunal communities both wild and domesticated cannot be underestimated, nor can the impact on the natural cycles they are we rely upon. I think the media are missing an opportunity to bring everyday climate change at home into focus. Moreover, media silence has created a vacuum quickly and easily filled by mocking climate deniers plying their superficially compelling (under the circumstances) 'climate change, puh' narrative. Silly really.

Narrative shmarrative.

 

It's horrible seeing our natural world so stressed, struggling under the pressures of rampant abuses and accelerating erratic change. I've always felt a deep connection to nature. I've been an environmentalist all my adult life, an activist on many occasions too, and grasp the reality of the magnitude of the crises facing us; because lets be honest the climate crisis isn't the end of the world, the world has survived far worse and will inevitably endure this too. No, it's the potential end of us or more precisely it's the end of this iteration of us; humanity may endure but it wont be like this.

So, I'm no denier. But, man, the current climate narratives leave me cold. Why? Primarily because they're all bollocks. Some purposely failing to address the foundational problem of our consumption/behavioural habits, in favour of the idea that 'growing' a 'green economy' where we essentially carry on our destructive behaviours through virtuous 'green' means will save us; a comforting fantasy for the privileged classes. A fantasy that's for the birds. Scrutinize the detail and none of it adds up. And what does the future look like for the growing body of marginalized  disenfranchised folk who aren't privileged with agency and opportunity? It looks at best to me quite like green feudalism and opportunity apartheid; the dystopian societies of scifi novels made manifest. Fuck that. Or you've the wailing doomers with their worst case scenarios, where there's no averting our extinction, we're the walking dead. I don't think fatalism is a motivator; unless the response you desire is 'well fuck it then'. Neither green techno-unicorn-ism or death cult narratives move us towards the change we need to make. I'm bored of hearing them. We need to acknowledge that wide ranging climatic and social change is now baked in; though if we get our heads out of our arses, there's a hope that strategies for our managed decline and survival could be achieved. I wonder though if we've really the desire or stomach for the change required. If the current narratives can't convince me as one who's already on board, how are they going to convince the uninterested, the sceptic or worse the denier?

Dry Winter

 

It's been a dry winter to date. Normally this time of the year the ground would yield easily underfoot, you'd be dodging mud and puddles, avoiding the forest's lowlands and considering where/if you'd be able to cross any of the streams; not so this year though.

Nice out

The weather continues to manifest unseasonally, one day it's damp and cold, the next it's veritably balmy; it's just not right. How anyone could deny that the climate is changing and with it the certainty of seasonal norms is either invested in saying otherwise, has not been paying attention or is a full hamper short of a picnic. COP27 though, meh; I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and suggest that for the most part the attendees are motivated by noble intent, or at least non nefarious intent, 'for the most part'. Although with 5 of the top 6 carbon emitters (who contribute magnitudes more CO2 than others at 61.33% in 2020) not in attendance, it's a gathering rendered morally virtuous though effectively worthless. Harsh? Maybe, but in reality we should've begun dealing with climate change 40 years ago, instead of kicking the can down the road; now the clock's ticking and we need to raise a tide that lifts us all. Though all the narratives to date lack credibility or any detail on what the alternative future might look like. The idea that we can effectively maintain the status quo through green technology is just a bogus narrative on every level when the change required needs to see a massive reduction in global material/resource consumption, and I don't foresee a global consensus on that issue, nor billions of people buying into it, particularly those already impoverished; or is the plan some dystopian sci-fi social model. Who knows. That's not to say we shouldn't try to do our bit, though I think the best that we'll achieve is going to be assuaging our guilt; collectively, the idea that us (Britain) going 'green' will have any meaningful impart on climate change (our contribution to global CO2 in 2020 was 0.87%) or that we'd influence the rest of the world with our actions, is simply a manifestation of the hubris of our hugely inflated national ego. Still, nice out today, and we should enjoy these days as who knows what the climate has in store for us. 

Only just begun

With the first proper winds in a while, come their first casualties; this veteran lady slighted in Burley Old wasn't alone, throughout the stands topped out trees, fallen limbs and boughs are commonplace. Winds and leaf clothed trees are a recipe for disaster, and those ingredients are being thrown together with alarming frequency these days. And, the damage has only just begun.

Out of time

 

Out on Spy Holms the Parasol Mushrooms (Macrolepiota procera) are coming up all over; their usual season is July to September, fresh specimens at this quantity shouldn't be about this late on in the year.  Yeah, you've always seen the odd one outside their recognised window, but this year there are dozens. I've noticed that the season has been experiencing creep over the last few years, though this is unusual. Things aren't right in the natural world are they, if you can't see it, and the evidence is there, then you must definitely be able feel it; the signs that the seasons are all askew can not be denied. However you want to frame it doesn't matter, the climate is changing; that is irrefutable. The only pertinent question is, what are we going to do about it? We're running out of time, and I've yet to see a convincing, cogent, inclusive or detailed road map for humanities future.

Black 'still no' Water

Well, the rains have done little to fill to the forest's streams; and I was right to question whether the flow I saw up stream in Blackensford Brook would've made any difference down stream...it clearly hasn't. I first noticed that most of the forest's streams were bone dry gravel back in July, now into September I'm searching my memory to remember a season like this, where gravel bottom were on display for so long. Although there are watering spots in the forest, they're few and far between, I can only imagine how the woodland inhabitants have navigated this drought. Here's hoping for the clouds to deliver something more substantial.

Small fruits

The Common's apple trees are again well laden with fruit, although this year they're noticeably smaller, more like over sized crab apples or large plums, that said, they may now be bite sized but they're still just as tasty; the same can be said for our neighbour ancient cooking apple tree, usually laden with gorgeous fruits, the source of countless pies and crumbles; it's going to take a hell of a lot of them to fill a dish this autumn. This is another aspect to consider about climate change, how will it affect the size, quality and quantity of our wild harvests; a resource I'd taken for granted in my societal/food supply breakdown modelling. As I've probably mentioned before, these apocalypses we're enduring continue not to shape up to be the ones I'd been envisaging, planning and prepping for. No zombies either....yet (Shawn of the Dead zombies, not World War Z zombies, please).  

 

Early fall

You'd be forgiven for thinking you were walking through the early autumn forest out there now. The bracken is draining it's colour, turning yellow to orange brown in hue; and the trees appear to have thrown in the towel early too, their leaves also adopting autumnal tints and even beginning to fall; it's mainly the Silver Birch though not exclusively by a long way. It's not right, nor does it feel so. It's quite chilling to consider how climate change could change our green and pleasant land, change it's very essence, it's flora and fauna, and of course it's seasons. You could argue that the changes we're witnessing this year have been the consequence of a dramatic heatwave, a once in a however many years event; you 'could' argue. Although the message that this is just the beginning of a climate crisis and that irreversible change is under way is quite compelling. I've noticed for a long time now that the seasons are changing, and have thought we'll end up with longer transition seasons of spring and autumn, whilst summer and winter contract becoming far shorter. Or of course that could just be wishful thinking on my part as I favour spring and autumn, so it's more comforting to imagine that rather than the season-less total climate breakdown that possibly awaits us. Nice out though. 

 

Black Water (less)

This week's bare naked bottom is that of Black Water, another tributary of the Lymington River; photo taken looking upstream from Gravelly Ford. This drought is dragging on now, it's been a couple of weeks so far that the streams have been dry. The only stream I've seen that's still flowing in the forest is Mill Lawn (which becomes Red Rise Brook, and then Ober Water), the third of the Lymington River tributaries. You have to wonder how the forests wildlife are coping, it's got to be difficult, and you can't help think about what the forest will look like once climate change's impacts begin to bed in; the forest is home to some internationally important habitats that will no doubt be adversely effected.  

Highland 'no' Water

 

This week's bare naked bottom is that of Highland Water. Highland Water is one of the main tributaries of the Lymington River. Now I've seen it this low many times before, and so am not too worried at present, it's more for what duration it remains this low that's my worry; in the past it's been for a matter of days, fleeting, whereas this could be for weeks which is a very different matter. Whether this is entirely the consequence of climate change or a combination of that and natural weather fluctuations is moot, there should be no doubt our climate crisis is accentuating weather events. Even now though some pools still remain in the meanders and deeper spots, although already the water quality in these pools is murky, and they can only deteriorate from here out; and that will no doubt be detrimental to the forest's wildlife.

Ooh!

Ooh, this is the third or forth morning in row now that we've had a fairly hard dusting of frost. I'm glad I've not got anything in the ground yet down the lotty; the last few years of increasingly predictable unpredictable weather has taught me that early planting isn't necessarily the good strategy is was.

After the storm

I'd not visited Burley Old since the storms; I've purposely avoided coming here as I knew what we'd be likely to find. I wasn't wrong, it was carnage. Limbs, boughs and branches of every size litter the woodland floor, amongst them in excess of 20 ancient and veteran trees either truncated or uprooted, along with numerous smaller trees. If you need an example of the accumulated damage wrought by a decade or more of increasing winds, both in regularity and severity, then take a wander through Burley Old. The face of the forest is changing. 

After the storm

All through Great Huntley Bank and Camel Green signs of storm Barra were apparent; branches and boughs litter the woodland floor, the canopy is all but empty beyond the usual culprits and I lost count of the trees I saw slighted. I see the aspect of the forest changing in light of the increased winds and weird weather we've experience over recent years, and I can't help but wonder/worry what the forest will look like as climate change continues to bed in. I'm assuming there that the changes are man made or that nature fluctuations are being amplified and exaggerated by human behaviours; behaviours I genuinely don't see changing in the foreseeable future...no matter what the comforting green-washed narratives suggest. I feel these changes viscerally. Still, the forest was lovely today as was our walk; and as with so much in life, you've got to take solace where you can.

Boss...da plane, da plane!

This morning the sky above Duck Hole Bottom had me wondering if I'd inadvertently stepped through a time portal into late summer 1940. No matter in which direction you looked the sky was criss crossed by vapour trails. It's not the Battle Britain though, it's a sign of our collective cognitive dissonance in a far more wide ranging battle for humanity's very survival. 

 

I don't know about you, but after being politically and environmentally conscious, and to a degree active, since my teens I find myself despairing of the empty narratives of both.  I have to agree with Thunburg's 'blah, blah, blah' comment at COP26, and I don't see it confined to government and corporate green-wash either. As far as I can see it's most everyone and everything. The whole carbon neutral narrative, plant based everything, growing 'green' economies, sustainability through technological innervations, all smoke and mirrors, comforting bullshit, a deception we're happy to be complicit in. Evangelical believers if truth were known, after all, it's our lifestyles on the line, and no matter our words our actions betray the truth. We wag our fingers at corporations and government demanding change, and then happily accept their green-washed platitudes as just enough to sooth our consciences and allow us continue our destructive habits. If Covid has taught us anything, it's that society lacks commonality and is reluctant to change it's hedonistic self serving habits, even as death stalks the streets people raged that a hiatus in their consuming had been foist upon them, and, as soon as was possible returned to the free market trough...imagine when the climate mitigation penny drops...#shitstorm! In my opinion consumption, or rather the excesses there of,  is the enormous elephant in the room, rarely acknowledged for fear of the backlash the truth of the scale of reduction required to save us will inevitably provoke.

 

Yeah, corporations and governments deserve the wagging fingers, though really this shit's on us. For many of us the only genuine power we have is how we spend our money, a power we rarely use to positive effect...and yeah, I'm guilty too...few aren't. Millions in the moneyed classes wring their hands and pontificate, although are unwilling to give up their luxury, the happiest cohort to embrace the fallacy of green tech salvation, happy to pay a little extra to show their virtue and assuage their guilt whilst continuing their consumption unabated. Even the Millennials and GenZs who champion the environmental cause so passionately and vociferously are voracious consumers of tainted goods, who'll be loathed, if honest, to relinquish their destructive 24/7 lifestyles; limited ethical/sustainable consumption is at odds with 24/7 unlimited labelled consumption. And of course, then there's the lived experience of millions of poor Britain's which renders proposed climate mitigations and associated costs at best inaccessible and at worst disenfranchising, the ethics of consumption merely another luxury they can't afford. I'll be honest I couldn't support any climate measures which exacerbate widening inequality, we can either move forward together or we can 'all' go down together. Is that wrong? Meh.

 

What I'm trying ham-fistedly to say is that there's no fucking honesty in any of our political or environmental dialogues, and without honesty around the genuine scale and scope of the radical societal change required, and the social consequences involved to halt the climate catastrophe (and societal collapse), partnered with a compelling and unifying combination of authentic messaging and policy......it's all just 'blah, blah, blah'.