SOME CHEERFULNESS FROM PLANTLIFE

 

Plantlife Newsletter December 2024 View this email in your browser Dear John, The festive season is upon us! However you choose to mark the holidays, this is the perfect time of year for reflection, connection and celebration. As the nights draw in and the temperatures drop, let's take a cue from nature and take a moment together, to look back on the positive impact we've had. It's been an amazing year filled with changes - none of which would be possible without your support.  Positive Changes we've Made for Nature this Year! Sometimes when there is so much happening in the world, it's hard to focus on the good. So we thought we would do the hard work for you and share our top 4 highlights for 2024, visit the blog to see our full top 10. Munsary Peatlands Nature Reserve became part of a UNESCO World Heritage site You helped us protect our ancient grasslands and our grassland fungi with our annual Waxcap Watch campaign Thousands of you let your lawns grow wild for nature with our No Mow May campaign We united in the Alliance for Wales Rainforest to safeguard the precious temperate rainforest in Wales, and helped publish the State of Wales Rainforest report   We hope that these tales of hope, success and the resilience of nature, inspire you to see the positive impact we can all make. For a full dose of positivity, read the story here. Connect with Nature Join us as we take a relaxing adventure through one of the United Kingdom's temperate rainforests - an enchanting and rare ecosystem that’s full of life and natural beauty. There are so many ways you can connect with nature, whether that's learning to ID wild plants, visiting a nature reserve or becoming a citizen scientist - we have a host of ideas for the whole family, here. Many scientific studies show the benefits of connecting with nature for our physical and mental health. We know it's not always easy to get outside, why not unwind in a virtual meadow here. Species Focus: Holly Holly is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 15m. It has sharp, shiny leaves that dark green in colour. You can see it flowering between May and August with small white flowers, but now, during the winter months is the perfect time to see it fruiting, with clusters of shiny red berries. Holly is a native plant that can be found all over the British Isles in hedgerows, scrubland, woodlands and wooded pastures, and prefers acidic soils. While it's common to bring Holly into our homes for decoration around the festive season – there is a superstition that it is bad luck to cut down a whole Holly tree. Read more, including the folklore around Holly here. Feel Festive with our Christmas Shop It's that time of year again! Check out our Christmas Shop for some great gift ideas. Here's some of our favourites to get you inspired. Get your orders in this weekend to make sure your gifts arrive in time. Everyone needs a calendar! Our beautiful 2025 calendar is filled with photos of our favourite native species. A great gift for friends, family or a treat just for you! This beautiful design on a classic tee is great for layering. And even better, it's been printed using low waste technology by a certified organic company in the UK. Write to your loved ones with our winter-themed Christmas cards, featuring two stunning images by photographer Laurie Campbell. Want to Help our Plants and Fungi? Join Plantlife today and together we will secure a world rich in wild plants and fungi.   You’ll receive an Identification Guide to fungi, lichens, wild plants and trees, as well as access to Member Events. You’ll see the impact you’re having in your Plantlife magazine. Join and Make a Difference Today Follow Plantlife on: Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube LinkedIn Visit Plantlife's website Copyright © Plantlife All rights reserved.   Plantlife International is a charitable company limited by guarantee. Registered Charity in England and Wales (1059559) & Scotland, (SC038951) Registered Company in England and Wales (3166339) Registered Office: Brewery House,36 Milford Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 2AP, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1722 342730   enquiries@plantlife.org.uk  www.plantlife.org.uk You are receiving this email because you signed up to receive emails from Plantlife. If you don't want to receive emails from us in the future, please unsubscribe here.