Inviting

These are the days to look for fungi in the woods.
Many of these are associated with birch trees and are to be found close to them,

.. or even on them as is this clamlike common birch polypore.

Few of the fungi are perfect specimens as the local slug population is usually quick on the scene.

Its attraction for fungi is just one of the reasons to value birch. Robert MacFarlane recently asked for ideas for collective nouns for tree species. One that was suggested was a glimmer of birch, good for spring summer and autumn.

Some on Blacka will glimmer no more.

Working Tirelessly ...

"Working tirelessly to protect Sheffield's trees." (SWT's website)

 ..... with chainsaw.

A bit too tiresome to remove the waste.

Grumpy Gove

Why in this tweet is Gove looking so grumpy and the SWT officer embarrassed?

"Take the value of trees into account in decision-making": our response to @michaelgove visit https://t.co/zWLsM5FDVK #SaveSheffTrees pic.twitter.com/pYUPue37k9

— Sheffield WT (@WildSheffield) September 28, 2017

Perhaps somebody has just asked about all the trees SWT has been cutting down on the hills above Sheffield?

Apparently they had been telling him they had been "working tirelessly to protect Sheffield's trees" (see SWT's website).

Black Spot

Inducements

Great to see @SHU_EnvSci staff & students out on Blacka Moor nature reserve during their Freshers' Induction week! #lovewildlife #ecology pic.twitter.com/X3foKHIwNr

— Sheffield WT (@WildSheffield) September 25, 2017

Hmm, get them when they're freshers, given the story and maybe take advantage of the discounted or even free membership.

Looks like the chainsaw season has already begun. Nothing like a bit of destruction to make you feel good about life.

Now if this happened every time they used a chainsaw .......

 

Rotten tree explodes pic.twitter.com/v6ELH2T4WK

— John David Reece (@johndavidreece6) September 25, 2017

Oak and Alder

The imported red oak is not universally approved of on Blacka. Among native trees it can be seen to clash. Here it is trying on its gladrags, showing the indigenous specimens what they should be doing in this season. It will get no response from alder which never turns colourful when leaves die, preferring drab mourning colours.

Native oak, of course, can display fine autumn colourings. But only those that have managed to avoid SWT's chainsawings.

Directives and Decrees

With the petty absolutists of SWT, SCC and NE there are no two ways about anything. They believe the public are so enfeebled that their soulless uglification schemes will meet only the mildest protests.

The idea that the activities of a small number of enthusiasts on a very few days in the year could be worse than their own 365 days management of ecological plunder and pillage is plainly absurd. You only have to look at the 80 acres of "nature reserve" given over to sheep grazing to realise that only tank manouevres could make it worse.

It's possible that some people may have been persuaded to attend this event. There are ways of getting what you want. Or can they be bothered? The wording tells us clearly enough. They are not interested in what anyone has to tell them, unless it's what they want to hear, namely what they were just about to say themselves. Still it looks good from the outside to anyone who's not spent some 15 years trying to hold a meaningful dialogue with them.