Episodes

  • 7: What's the buzz: 1500

    7: What's the buzz: 1500
    Jun 6 2024
    In this episode, Alice Hope and Sue Nelson get knee-deep in flowers to hear which plants attract the most pollinators – those vital bees, butterflies, wasps, beetles, flies and moths – and why.

    UKCEH ecologist Dr Claire Carvell takes Sue on a tour of the office wildflower meadow in Oxfordshire, discussing how citizen science is enhancing what we know about pollinators, and the latest findings from the UK pollinator monitoring scheme.

    Alice and Sue also explore the gardens at RHS Wisley in Surrey, where wildlife specialist Helen Bostock explains why they’re introducing wildflowers into formal gardens and talks about the work of their dedicated volunteers.

    For more details see:
    The UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme

    The FIT count app

    The Royal Horticultural Society

    Hosts: Sue Nelson and Alice Hope

    Producer: Rachael Buchanan

    Counting the Earth is a Boffin Media Production for the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.


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    35 mins
  • 6: Reflections on our rivers: 14

    6: Reflections on our rivers: 14
    May 30 2024
    In this episode, Sue and Alice dive into the factors affecting the ecological health of our rivers.

    Alice goes wading in the River Kennet with Anna Forbes from ARK to explore river health monitoring first hand, encountering some fascinating river residents along the way.

    Then Sue and Alice chat with Dr Mike Bowes and Dr Eleanor Mackay of UKCEH about how both the state of our rivers and our approach to monitoring them is changing over time.

    https://www.riverflies.org/
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    40 mins
  • 5: The secrets of the saltmarsh: 450

    5: The secrets of the saltmarsh: 450
    Mar 27 2024
    Sue and Alice explore these complex coastal ecosystems and discover their amazing benefits – from providing wildlife habitat to storing carbon.

    https://www.ceh.ac.uk/solutions/emerging-challenges/saltmarsh-blue-carbon

    Hosts: Sue Nelson and Alice Hope

    Producer: Rachael Buchanan

    Counting the Earth is a Boffin Media Production for the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.
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    38 mins
  • 4: Soil Superheroes: 50 trillion

    4: Soil Superheroes: 50 trillion
    Feb 27 2024
    Delve into the vital statistics of earthworms, as Alice and Sue uncover the unsung heroes of our soil.

    Worm resources
    Garden worm ID chart

    Earthworm Society UK diagram of worm habitats

    Hosts: Sue Nelson and Alice Hope

    Producer: Rachael Buchanan

    Counting the Earth is a Boffin Media Production for the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.
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    34 mins
  • 3: Nature for net zero: 0

    3: Nature for net zero: 0
    Jan 30 2024
    Sue and Alice visit Heartwood Forest and the Fens to explore how far nature-based solutions like planting trees and restoring peatlands can take us towards net zero.

    Hosts: Sue Nelson and Alice Hope 
    Producer: Rachael Buchanan

    Counting the Earth is a Boffin Media Production for the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. 
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    35 mins
  • 2: Hedgelife: 390,000

    2: Hedgelife: 390,000
    Jan 30 2024
    Sue and Alice poke around that great staple of the British countryside - the hedgerow - and discover a surprising variety of residents, from mice to molluscs.

    Hosts: Sue Nelson and Alice Hope 
    Producer: Rachael Buchanan
    Counting the Earth is a Boffin Media Production for the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. 
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    27 mins
  • 1: Coming soon...Counting the Earth

    1: Coming soon...Counting the Earth
    Jan 22 2024
    Sue Nelson and Alice Hope will explore the numbers behind nature and pick apart the jargon and misinformation surrounding climate, nature and biodiversity. Each month, they start with a number and investigate what it really means. From net zero to hedgerows, worms to water, Sue and Alice aren’t afraid to get their feet wet in the quest for facts.
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    1 min