The Know Daily - Thursday 13 February 2025

_{Read in 4m 29s ∙ Listening to Jorja Smith ∙}

A beaver colony in the Czech Republic built several natural dams in an area where the local government had plans to build their own. In a couple of days, they created a natural wetland exactly where it was needed, in a move that’ll benefit the rare species that live there, as well as the region’s water supply.

🌲 Woodland wellbeing

Biodiverse forests are great for wellbeing, but more needs to be done to ensure equal access, according to a new study.

Tell me more.
The Woodland Trust and University of Kent have teamed up to learn more about how nature affects emotions. In a survey of over 10,000 people in the UK, 90% of respondents said their wellbeing was improved by spending time in woodlands.

What’s more, one of the key findings was that biodiverse forests – where there’s lots of variety in animals, plants and fungi – were the best, as they provided the biggest range of sensory experiences. In fact, features like the sounds of birds singing, leaves crunching and trees rustling were most likely to improve a person’s mood. “Quality green space is just as important as quantity,” said one of the study’s researchers. 

What’s the bigger story?
Although the benefits of spending time in nature are clear, more needs to be done to improve equal access to woodlands. The study highlights the “geographical inequality across the UK” for the opportunity to experience the wellbeing that woodlands offer, explained a spokesperson from the Woodland Trust. Wildlife-rich green spaces are concentrated in Southeast England and parts of Scotland, whilst in other areas of the country, there was a lack of nature-filled woodlands. 

What’s being done about it?
The Woodland Trust is working to restore and bring biodiverse woodlands into the areas that need them most. For instance, they recently purchased Harrison Woodlands in Lincolnshire and are restoring it by removing invasive species and opening up the canopies to allow ancient tree species to thrive. Plus, Forest Research – a government organisation supporting sustainable forestry in the UK – is currently carrying out research to improve public access to woodlands across the country. This could include making paths accessible for wheelchairs and involving school children in monitoring activities.

👷 Town building: More than 100 sites across England are being considered as locations for new towns, each with the potential to hold 10,000 more homes.

• The bigger story: The announcement reflects the government’s agenda to deliver 1.5m new homes over the next 5 years, amidst the UK’s continuing housing shortage.

🐟 Deep-sea discovery: A newly-identified fish species has been named after this beloved anime character.

📱 BF island: Media site Buzzfeed has announced plans to launch its own social platform designed to spread joy.

☕ Club Pret: Sandwich chain Pret a Manger has confirmed its drink subscription will remain at £5 a month, after scrapping a planned price hike.

🚆 Tailored travel: China is launching a fleet of ‘silver trains’, built to cater to the comfort and safety needs of its growing elderly population.

🎸 Music legends: The nominations for this year’s induction into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame are out.

🌎 Astronaut’s view: Check out these amazing shots of the Northern Lights from the International Space Station.

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Trivia answer: C) Galentine’s Day came from Parks and Recreation – here are some cute ideas for how to celebrate it this year.

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