Do we use the right words to reflect our nature and climate crises?
George Monbiot has shared a thought-provoking alternative vocabulary in a post on ‘natural language’. He argues current language can alienate us from our environment rather than connect us to nature.
Collective nouns for birds, and more…
Bird Spot shares this comprehensive list of collective nouns for birds. This is a great resource for language and literacy work. Of course, there’s always the option to devise your own collective nouns after observing birds outdoors! Find more information on birds in the Learn section on Bird Spot website. [...]
How amazing playtimes develop language in primary school children
The benefits of the Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL) programme have been highlighted by OPAL mentor, Simon, in his Play Scotland latest blog post.
The Magic Mòthan of the Boglands
In this Scotland’s Nature post (29 May 2024), Roddy Maclean reports on a Gaelic tradition which celebrates the insectivorous butterwort. See Leugh ann an Gàidhlig / Read in Gaelic
The Flow Country – Land of the Gael
In this NatureScot post (3 November 2023) , Roddy Maclean describes how the Gaelic language dominates the toponymic landscape of the ‘most intact and extensive blanket bog system in the world’. Leugh ann an Gàidhlig / Read in Gaelic
Planet Earth Noo Needs Oor Help
Climate Action Fife has teamed up with acclaimed Fife-based poet Len Pennie to highlight the urgent need to tackle the climate crisis. Planet Earth Noo Needs Oor Help is a short Scots poem written to support the call for climate action across Fife. The poem was performed and filmed on [...]
The charms of bluebells – or the ‘cuckoo’s shoe’ – in Gaelic
Listen and learn from this brief audio/ video Facebook post from NatureScot.
Spotted any badger activity this month?
This blogpost in Scotland’s Nature (25 October 2022) reveals aspects of the badger’s appearance in folklore and literature, and on Scotland’s Gaelic landscape. Read The Surly Animal of the Yellow Moon to discover links with badger activity and the full moon in October.