Welcome to Ground Cover, our roundup of news, science reports and features. Here’s what you’ll find in this week’s edition:

  • National: Royal warning, polluters in court, reintroductions.
  • Local: Nightingales, temperate rainforest, gamekeeper sentenced.
  • Reports: Evidence, cetacean protection, tree planting.
  • Science: Hedgehog genetics, tar pits, art history.
  • Driftwood: The Book of Birds, oak rescue, Orkney apothecary.

Plus, don't forget to read the latest edition of Continental Drift – our roundup of new ecological science from across Europe.

The Eagle Owl has landed
Plus: The rise of wolf-dogs, surprise in a stork nest, clearcutting in Scandinavia, bears in the heat.
InkcapSophie Yeo

National news

Charles | King Charles has been on a trip to America. He used an address to Congress to urge greater protection of the natural world – despite apparent concerns from the British government, as reported by the Guardian. Here’s the king in his own words:

“Yet even as we celebrate the beauty that surrounds us, our generation must decide how to address the collapse of critical natural systems, which threatens far more than the harmony and essential diversity of Nature. We ignore at our peril the fact that these natural systems – in other words, Nature’s own economy – provide the foundation for our prosperity and our national security.”

The remarks received a cool response from Republicans, with most remaining seated as Democrats gave a standing ovation. Vice President J.D. Vance even refused to clap. As part of the royal visit, Charles also visited Shenandoah National Park, where he met a Bald Eagle, and inspected the White House beehives.

Court | On Monday, campaigners gathered outside the High Court in London as chicken producer Avara Foods and water company Welsh Water appeared in a case that lawyers describe as the UK’s largest ever environmental pollution claim. More than 1,300 claimants are suing the companies for polluting the rivers Wye, Lugg and Usk, claiming that chicken manure and sewage discharge has caused nutrient overload, algal blooms and widespread ecological harm. The case, brought by Leigh Day, demands action to restore the rivers’ health, and compensation for affected communities and businesses. At the hearing Avara called the claim ‘entirely inferential’ and lacking any scientific basis, while Welsh Water said it was ‘misguided’ and warned that a successful claim would reduce money available to invest in water infrastructure. The news was widely covered by national outlets.

Lynx | Wildlife campaigners have accused environment secretary Emma Reynolds of ‘greenwashing’ after reports that she privately opposed reintroducing several keystone species. An investigation by the Times found that Reynolds had raised ‘concerns’ about proposals to reintroduce animals such as lynx, bison and elk – although the government refused to disclose details, citing an ongoing legal challenge by Lynx Trust UK. The news comes just weeks after ministers pledged £90m for species recovery and £1m to help bring golden eagles back to England, with Reynolds promising to ‘expand responsible species reintroductions’. Isabella Tree of Knepp Estate said that Reynolds was ‘seriously out of step with both the public and with nature.’

Special briefing: There is yet more pre-election analysis. In Wales, the Welsh Rewilding Alliance rounds up promises on rewilding and restoration throughout the five manifestos, as well as what’s missing; Nation.Cymru explores intentions around the restoration of former coal mines; in the Conversation, Prof. Michael Woods of Aberystwyth University looks at the contrasting policies of the Greens and Reform, and highlights constituencies to watch that will ‘provide an indication of the political temperature in rural Wales’; and, finally, the BBC looks at why climate change is not a bigger part of the conversation. In Scotland, a new report from Future Economy Scotland explores how the main political parties are tackling the just transition to net zero, including through nature; and the BBC looks at how the changing face of farming is reflected in the election.

In other news:

  • Reform got ‘cold feet’ on nature, says Ben Goldsmith, who was enlisted to help craft their policies – and then dropped following rural backlash. ENDS covers the news.
  • MPs have endorsed Dame Helen Ghosh, the former director-general of the National Trust, as the next chair of the Office for Environmental Protection.