iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by George Holmes

Robin Hayward 🌳 🏳️‍⚧️ @canopyrobin.com · 25/09/2026

We're publishing new guidance to support trans people who do fieldwork (any work outside the office)! Now we need your help to get them seen so please share! inclusivefieldwork.leeds.ac.uk/trans/

a cartoon of three fieldworkers. One has a small trans flag. The logos of the university of leeds, research england, and canopy robin are shown, as well as the URL: InclusiveFieldwork (dot) Leeds (dot) AC (dot) UK (slash) trans

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

The Great "Is The White Stork Native To Britain? And How Much Should We Care?" Debate of 2026 has now reached the New York Times. archive.ph/NzCHj

archive.ph

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Reposted by George Holmes

RSPB Science @rspbscience.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

This poetry film gives a voice to farmers who envision a future where nature is central to food and farming Produced as a collaboration between @iamloudpro.bsky.social, and the JUSTLANZ project, including local partner SAC Consulting Watch here: tinyurl.com/ycyb6t36 lunzhub.com/projects/jus...

youtu.be

Cattle & Curlews || Poetry Film for the JUSTLANZ Project

"Cattle & Curlews" was created by I Am Loud CIC for the JUSTLANZ project, which aims to develop transformative pathways for a just transition to net zero for the UK food-farming sector, considering…

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Great new paper on "wild attachments" by Sarah Crowley, about the connections that people - individuals and communities - build with wild animals. As expected, English beavers get a mention. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

journals.sagepub.com

Wild attachments - Sarah L Crowley, 2026

Wild attachments are persistent, affective ties between people and wild animals. They form when individual wild animals, populations, or species come to matter ...

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

yes, it's the 21st century, but the @rgs.org publish an article blaming UK civil unrest on a "transnational zionist network" of Jewish "financiers" who control media and politics, and which uses made up statistics, youtube videos, and tweets by conspiracy theorists as evidence. And doesn't apologise

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Super interesting, provocative paper about the limitations of IUCN PA categories in the context of non-Western paradigms of nature in @conbiology.bsky.social. conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Reposted by George Holmes

BES-Rewilding Group @bes-rewildinggroup.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Save the date. Date: 24 September 2026 Time: 09:15 – 17:30 (BST) Location: Huxley theatre, ZSL, London #Rewilding

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Super proud of the newly minted Dr (!) @serenath.bsky.social. Her thesis "(Un)making life in the shadows: the cultural, philosophical and biological significance of shadow diversity" is a fantastic piece of interdisciplinary research on the bits of biodiversity we overlook

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Reposted by George Holmes

SCCS Cambridge 2027 @sccscambridge.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

📢 Apply now to SCCS 2027 🎉 The 26th Student Conference on Conservation Science will take place between 30 March – 1 April 2027 at the University of Cambridge. Check the website for further details and to apply: www.sccs-cam.org

sccs-cam.org

Student Conference on Conservation Science - Welcome

SCCS helps young conservation scientists gain experience, learn new ideas and make contacts that will be valuable for their future careers.

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

I recently came across the best ever rationale for species introduction to the UK: "I reckon we could just throw the middle spotted woodpecker into the UK. It would be very satisfying to have that gap between lesser and greater filled, regardless of the consequences."

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

At #ECCB26 in Leiden? Then on Friday come to our TWO(!) sessions on conservation histories, for some extremely thought-provoking talks on how we got where we are.

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

A wonderful, if completely exhausting, week at the #POLLEN26 conference. Lots of really great, engaged, interdisciplinary, critical research on conservation and the environment. A friendly, welcoming, supportive conference that has largely restored my faith in human geography.

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Reposted by George Holmes

Colin Beale @cmbeale.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

This Friday @cascade-hei.bsky.social & Defra are organising the first of a joint series of seminars on topics of interest to Defra & academics in the biodiversity world. Join us at 1pm for a lively discussion of AI, biodiversty & ethics! 🌎 🧪 events.teams.microsoft.com/event/4bb0d8...

Card showing title of talk and time - ethical frameworks for high-tech biodiversity monitoring in lower-income nations

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Off to Pathways Europe in Oxford and have a frustration about discussions about coexistence? Then come to our session on "Uncomfortable ecologies, taboos, and controversial pathways to coexistence" and share your thoughts. Monday, 13:45, room 407.

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

super paper in @peopleandnature.bsky.social by Theo Stanley on recent turns in Scottish #rewilding to integrate markets, technology but also some romanticism. A superbly rich analysis. besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Technical wildness: Modernity, romanticism, and the technocratic turn in Scottish rewilding

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

The problem of black/white binaries in species translocations: Natural England has decided, on balance, that no Storks are native, but people like White Storks and releases may be approved. Black Storks aren't native but consent for release is unlikely. naturalengland.blog.gov.uk/2026/05/08/w...

naturalengland.blog.gov.uk

White stork, black stork and other vagrant bird species

By Jeremy Sabel and Matt Heydon Natural England’s Species Recovery & Reintroductions Team Projects involving the release of white stork Ciconia ciconia capture the public imagination. If fairy tales a...

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Reposted by George Holmes

David Roberts @drdavidlroberts.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

🚨FUNDED PHD🚨'Economic carrying capacity & the future of rhinos in privately governed OECMs' @dice-kent.bsky.social, UK & International applications welcome - closing date 14th May🦏 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

Male White rhinoceros walking in the Kalahari Desert of Namibia Photo by Giles Laurent

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Reposted by George Holmes

Society for Conservation Biology @society4conbio.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

SCB's Art, Science + Conservation WG is seeking members! We bring together artists, researchers + conservation practitioners to explore how creative arts can support biodiversity conservation. forms.gle/af6xkoosh7Yn...

forms.gle

SCB Art, Science and Conservation Working Group - Expression of Interest

Thank you for your interest in joining the new Art, Science and Conservation Working Group of the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB)! The Art, Science and Conservation Working Group brings togeth...

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

Excellent thread by @toriherridge.bsky.social . As well as criticising the tech bro hype and dodgy agendas, I'm yet to hear anyone in mainstream conservation (e.g. IUCN) talking about this kind of de-extinction. The real discussions are about ecological replacement, assisted colonisation etc

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

I reviewed @dollyjorgensen.bsky.social most recent book, about how extinction is represented in museums, and I liked it a lot.

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

This instance hasn't been discussed much in the European sphere, but it is pretty wild - a group of scientists write a unassuming exploration of some issues around rewilding in Argentina, and get sued by a very large and influential NGO. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

sciencedirect.com

Threatened conservation scientists: The aftermath of an eye-opening publication on rewilding

‘Rewilding’ is a nature conservation strategy gaining prominence worldwide. Established in the Northern Hemisphere, rewilding initiatives have increas…

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Reposted by George Holmes

Rosaleen Duffy @rosaleenduffy.bsky.social · 04/03/2026

1/ Calling all ECRs - we have 4x3 year post docs on Multispecies Mutualisms working with us at Sheffield. Don't want to read through all the stuff to work out if its right for you? Here is a short video explainer 🎥 digitalmedia.sheffield.ac.uk/media/Multis...

digitalmedia.sheffield.ac.uk

Multispecies Mutualisms - Join Our Research Team!

We’re hiring 4 Postdoctoral Research Associates (PDRAs) In this video, members of the team share insights into four exciting PDRA opportunities currently available. If you are ready to take the next s...

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Our research group looks at a broad range of topics, is fairly diverse in terms of views, approaches and demographic characteristics. But we will continue to strictly enforce our "no Nazis" rule.

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 02/03/2026

Congratulations to Dr @natalie-york.bsky.social for passing her PhD with an awesome viva. Really interesting work on politics of biocultural conservation in northern Kenya. Check out her paper in @conbiology.bsky.social conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

Another classic meeting of the England Species Reintroduction Taskforce, part of which involved looking for Natterjack Toads in some surprisingly sunny and warm Surrey wetlands.

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

Rather lovely to go back to @edinburgh-uni.bsky.social geography department, a quarter century after it all started there for me, to talk about the future of species reintroduction in Scotland. Since my student days in, ahem, 2000-5, much has changed for reintroduction in Scotland, and much hasn't.

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 30/01/2026

This is the latest salvo in what I'm calling The Great British Herpetological Hoo-Hah - disagreements on what amphibians and reptiles should be 're'-introduced to Britain, where, and how. Lots of fascinating details. Worthy of a PhD study or a 4-part BBC1 drama www.arc-trust.org/lost-frogs-r...

arc-trust.org

Lost Frogs report: comment from Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust

This note summarises ARC’s views on “Investigating the Status of Britain’s Lost Frogs: Prospects for Rewilding” (Tweats, 2026), hereafter referred to as the “Lost Frogs report”. ARC was pleased to be ...

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Reposted by George Holmes

Monica Vasile 🐾 @monicavasile.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

CFP 📢 Join us for a panel on conservation histories for the European Congress of Conservation Biology in Leiden @eccb26leiden.bsky.social If you're interested, email @georgeholmes.bsky.social or me with an abstract by Feb 9. #envhist #histsci #animalhist #conservationhumanities

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

Want to join our panel @eccb26leiden.bsky.social on "Conservation Histories and Humanities: Understanding the Present, Unearthing the Past"? We are looking for presentations exploring the histories of conservation. Email me (g.holmes@leeds.ac.uk) with an abstract by 9th Feb.

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

A PhD opportunity involving several of my favourite things - Scotland, tricky debates about land management and ideas of landscape, and Phil Stephens. Deadline is end of month.

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

super interesting paper in @conbiology.bsky.social on how different groups feel about 'native' versus non-native species decline in Canada, particularly how White people put a much greater emphasis on nativeness in their response. conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

How much biotic nativeness matters across human demographic groups

Many central concepts of conservation biology—such as nativeness—are structured by ecological and social factors. However, the social consequences of using these concepts to make conservation decisio...

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

Interesting to see another HUGE purchase of land for a privately protected area in Patagonia. I saw the early stages of this campaign, led by local climbers etc, when doing fieldwork there in 2011. It is misleading to say that it was 'inspired' by gringos. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...

theguardian.com

‘I can’t think of a place more pristine’: 133,000 hectares of Chilean Patagonia preserved after local fundraising

Exclusive: Ancient forests and turquoise rivers of the Cochamó Valley protected from logging, damming and development

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Reposted by George Holmes

Society for Conservation Biology - Europe @scbeurope.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

How can we make conservation fieldwork more inclusive and just? New document by the SCB Europe's DEIJ Committee summarizes key barriers to participation and practical, evidence-based actions and ways forward. See a couple of examples below. 🔗 www.scbeurope.org/en/deij-comm...

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 08/12/2025

Another day, another illicit species release: I suspect there are a few people who know exactly where this one came from (Bavaria, originally, I bet - it seems all Europe's illicit beavers can be traced back there), and quite a few more who have strong suspicions. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

theguardian.com

‘No one knows where it came from’: first wild beaver spotted in Norfolk in 500 years

Cameras capture lone creature collecting materials for its lodge in riverside nature reserve

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Sicily Fiennes 🍉 @sicilyfiennes.bsky.social · 02/12/2025

One of my PhD chapters: 'Designing user-centered technologies to address the illegal wildlife trade' is OUT NOW in the @society4conbio.bsky.social journal Conservation Science and Practice! Please check out the graphical abstract and give it a read: conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Graphical abstract on a paper on designing user-centred technologies to address the illegal wildlife trade. The image depicts four visual parts of the study, 1. the geographic location where the research was conducted, in Indonesia, 2. Some of the methods, including a needs assessment where members of conservation law enforcement ranked the effectiveness of features that would assist them in their jobs together with a correct species identification, such as the IUCN or protection status, the 3. part shows a prototype of an app on a mobile phone screen, which is the use case we are considering. It shows a picture of a bird taken in a wildlife marketplace followed by the percentage accuracy that the artificial intelligence model has assigned the classification of the image. The 4. section discusses some implications of the study, i.e. that technology results wouldn't be admissible in court (i.e. this species was correctly identified by a tool and not a person) and that bird trade is socially acceptable, which compromises the efficacy of enforcement.

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

Fieldwork can be a unique opportunity, but it can also be a very significant challenge to well-being. My colleagues have developed this interactive reflection tool to help manage well-being whilst on fieldwork, preparing to fieldwork, and when you get back inclusivefieldwork.leeds.ac.uk/wellbeing/

inclusivefieldwork.leeds.ac.uk

Wellbeing Reflection Tool | Inclusive Fieldwork Hub

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Serena T-H @serenath.bsky.social · 17/11/2025

Are you an ecologist? Do you collect biodiversity data for your role in a charity, research, a government body, or a specialist organisation? Read on for a thread that might interest you… 🧵 [1/6] #biodiversity #forests #darkextinction #ecology #research

Photo shows the yellow myxcomycete, Fuligo septica, on deadwood

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

when leaving comments on an early draft of Dr @sicilyfiennes.bsky.social amazing thesis, I described a sentence in it as “so good it should be embroidered on a tea towel”. As a end-of-PhD present, they gifted me this amazing tea towel, with that sentence embroidered on it! Best academic gift ever!

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Dan Brockington @danbrockington.bsky.social · 12/11/2025

Profits from scientific publishing are eye-watering, costing us billions. In ‘The Drain of Scientific Publishing’ (arxiv.org/abs/2511.04820), (building on ‘The Strain of Scientific Publishing’ doi.org/10.1162/qss_a_00327) we show how it is harmful – and unnecessary.

arxiv.org

The Drain of Scientific Publishing

The domination of scientific publishing in the Global North by major commercial publishers is harmful to science. We need the most powerful members of the research community, funders, governments and ...

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Leverhulme Trust @leverhulme.ac.uk · 11/11/2025

@extinctionleeds.bsky.social is an interdisciplinary doctoral training programme focusing on topics relating to extinction and its meanings, histories and legacies. Watch the whole🎬👉 media.leverhulme.ac.uk/video/extinc... @katatrepsis.bsky.social @universityofleeds.bsky.social

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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 04/11/2025

Fancy coming to POLLEN in Barcelona and joining our panel on "Political Ecologies of Restoration: Reintroduction, Assisted Migration, and Rewilding"? Then submit an abstract via the link below! pollenpoliticalecology.network/pollen-2026/...

pollenpoliticalecology.network

Programme - POLLEN

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