Joseph Wheatley

carbon footprint: ≈ -100 tCO2 per year

[ABC News @ABC]

Scientists have discovered a new species of cat for the first time in over a century.

Smaller than an average housecat and covered in leopard-like spots, the cat species — proposed name Leopardus tilcayo —lives in Bolivia’s Yungas forest ecoregion.

[Joseph Wheatley @josephwheatley]

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ is now adopted as a key guiding principle for Irish forestry. There is a dearth of clearcut examples of this, but many examples of the wrong trees in the wrong places.

[Joseph Wheatley @josephwheatley]

Temperature oceanic woodland, a globally rare habitat subtype, growing in dells at 200m in Slieve Aughty region. Most of the growth you see in these images is naturally regenerated rather than planted. 1/4

[Joseph Wheatley @josephwheatley]

The black line on the map shows a geological “unconformity” between impermeable red sandstone/siltstones (brown) and the free-draining greywacke areas (green) at lower elevation. Fingers of the latter produce the sheltered refuges for temperate oceanic woodland.3/4

[Joseph Wheatley @josephwheatley]

Flying squid (maybe the “neon” species?) seen between Rapa Nui and Pitcairn in March 2023. Fast, they glide at about 10m/s, head to the rear. #flyingsquid

[Joseph Wheatley @josephwheatley]

Not too surprising to find both dippers and grey wagtails breeding in the woods here this year. They prefer stony fast-flowing streams.

[Joseph Wheatley @josephwheatley]

In my opinion, Recommendation 2 derives from well-meaning but mid-guided GWP100 policy advocacy, not sober physics-based analysis.

[Joseph Wheatley @josephwheatley]

Comment on ‘National temperature neutrality, agricultural methane and climate policy: reinforcing inequality in the global food system’ https://t.co/l7qd96ogEP via @IOPenvironment

[Joseph Wheatley @josephwheatley]

Unfortunately, Recommendation 2 of the Oireachtas Committee on climate and energy explicitly rejects Temperature Neutrality in favour of Net Zero GWP100 https://t.co/zFKhG0KNAS

[Joseph Wheatley @josephwheatley]

Bulwers petrel (left) off Madeira and Jouanin’s petrel (right) off Dhofar, Oman. A third extinct Bulweria species is listed by IOC and AviList. #SuperSeabirdSunday

[Joseph Wheatley @josephwheatley]

The woods mid-day #WinterSolstice

[Joseph Wheatley @josephwheatley]

Sphagnum growing happily through the winter. Tough little bryophyte.

[Joseph Wheatley @josephwheatley]

Methane and the Warming Blame Game https://t.co/ZqPXFvbYz7 #mdpimethane via @MDPIOpenAccess

[Joseph Wheatley @josephwheatley]

Pelagic seabird .. nesting in treetops at 30m! #SuperSeabirdSunday

[Joseph Wheatley @josephwheatley]

@BradyGroupAgri The first journalist to try to explain the issue? Everyone agrees that climate neutrality implies temperature neutrality. That’s why temperature neutrality is the basis of a policy target that everyone can agree on, even with our large Agri sector.

[Joseph Wheatley @josephwheatley]

It is fun to reach a stage where you just have to trust your own judgement. There is little credible expertise that can guide you. The guiding principle is increased biodiversity, but managers are on their own when it comes to finding the most effective ways to achieve this.

[Joseph Wheatley @josephwheatley]

One project this summer is to allow more light into my native woodland plantation, now in its 22nd growing season. The canopy is excessively “closed” compared to nearby natural woodland. Creating glades and scallops should help more natural herb and understorey layers to develop.