Latest news with #flora
The Guardian
08-07-2025
- The Guardian
Fossils, forests and wild orchids: exploring the white cliffs of Denmark
As we sauntered along sun-splashed woodland paths, our knowledgable guide Michael started to explain the links between the local geology and flora. The unusually luminous light green leaves of the beech trees? 'That's due to the lack of magnesium in the chalky soil.' The 18 species of wild orchid that grow here? 'That's the high calcium content. You see? Everything is connected.' That's a phrase my companion and I kept hearing at Møns Klint on the Danish island of Møn. This four-mile (6km) stretch of chalk cliffs and hills topped by a 700-hectare (1,730-acre) forest was fashioned by huge glaciers during the last ice age, creating a unique landscape. In 2026, a Unesco committee will decide whether Møns Klint ('the cliffs of Møn') should be awarded world heritage site status, safeguarding it for future generations. Using Interrail passes, we took the train from London to Vordingborg (Møn's nearest railway station) via the Eurostar, with overnight breaks in Cologne going out and Odense, Denmark's third-largest city, coming back. There's an efficient bus service both from Vordingborg station to Møn (over an impressive bridge) and on the island itself but, for maximum flexibility, we hired electric bikes in Stege. About 12 miles from Møns Klint, Stege has been Møn's main town since early medieval times. Home to impressive ancient ramparts and a bijou museum, it's a good place to stock up since most of the island's shops are found on the winding high street. One wind-and-battery-assisted pedal to Møns Klint later and Michael was taking us about 500 steps down to the beach, the scene of cliff collapses so immense that the spoil sometimes forms peninsulas sticking out a quarter of a mile into the sea. Besides being a cartographer's nightmare, the slowly dissolving chalk also turns the water by the shore a milky white, giving it a distinctly Mediterranean flavour. Almost every stone we picked up was a 30m-year-old fossil of some sort – Michael identified squid, sea sponges, sea urchins and oysters. Another day we spent meandering along Klintekongens Rige, the longest of Møns Klint's nine waymarked footpaths. The nine-mile circular trail sent us up and down and up and down through the forest; into the 18th-century 'romantic gardens' of Liselund, where the bass-heavy croaking of glistening frogs contrasted with soprano peacocks; and down to a long stretch of beach for a mini adventure clambering over fallen trees and mounds of tumbled rock while the Baltic Sea lapped almost up to the cliff face. When the sun went down we met up with night-time guide Susanne, who walked us into the darkened forest and interpreted the cries of tawny owls and scampering noises in the undergrowth (the owls' potential dinner). The islands of Møn and Nyord form Scandinavia's first Dark Sky Park, so we were able to gaze up at a panoply of stars while Susanne made us one of the tastiest gin and tonics we'd ever drunk, with mint from her garden and a wild rose syrup from petals she'd foraged that day. The next morning, we explored the area's mountain bike trails with Uffe, a guide, like Michael, from the GeoCenter, the local interpretive museum (where an exhibition on biodiversity is appropriately called 'Everything is connected'). Along the way, he pointed out splendid displays of lady orchids and a herd of goats whose grazing improves biodiversity. Then, having barely broken a sweat, we suddenly found ourselves out of the woods and atop Denmark's eighth-highest peak. Aborrebjerg is a humble 143m high, but still provided us with panoramic views across Møn and the shimmering sea. Later, we took to the water on a paddleboarding tour from the village of Klintholm Havn with Kesia from Møn Surf, appreciating the grandeur of the mighty chalk cliffs from another angle. At night, we slept in a modern and stylish apartment at the nearby Villa Huno – an eco-build with a living roof and a view over a peaceful lake. We strolled around it one evening, stumbling across a woodpecker guarding the remains of a medieval fort, before enjoying a tasty dinner in Koral, Villa Huno's summer-only restaurant. After a couple of nights we switched to a well-appointed bell tent next door at Camp Møns Klint. Then, as a base for exploring the island of Møn further, we pedalled west to Ellevilde boutique hotel. New owners Kirstine and Kenneth recently moved down from Copenhagen, leaving their highly regarded Restaurant 56 Degrees. Kenneth's small plates blew us away – imagine a Danish Ottolenghi – with many ingredients from the garden or neighbouring farms. The sweet pickled onion and rhubarb salad, and the wonderfully crisp herby flat breads that accompanied a gazpacho, will live long in the memory. Sign up to The Traveller Get travel inspiration, featured trips and local tips for your next break, as well as the latest deals from Guardian Holidays after newsletter promotion Møns Klint represents a mere sliver of the island of Møn, so we spent our last day exploring its mostly flat countryside on our electric bikes. A cycle path runs parallel to the island's main road, and all the smaller roads we used were essentially car-free, which made for a very relaxing experience. We raced hares along hedges; marvelled at some wonderfully eccentric medieval frescos in Elmelunde church; bought ceramics from a friendly potter called Jacob; and stopped off at little flea markets in islanders' front gardens. Crossing the wind-blown bridge on to the tiny island of Nyord (population 35), we watched lapwings at play and visited Denmark's smallest museum. Not much larger than a telephone kiosk, it is a former lookout shelter that tells the stories of those who guided boats through the perilous straits nearby. In Nyord's only village, also Nyord, we dropped into Noorbohandelen for some rum mustard, one of the many flavoured varieties that are a local speciality. We admired their aesthetically satisfying shelves of bottles filled with all manner of colourful spirits made on the premises, before lunching alfresco at their cafe on a correspondingly colourful salad, as swallows tore joyfully about the sky above our heads. The trip was provided by with travel provided by Interrail. An Interrail Global Pass for 4 days travel within a month costs £241 adults, £217 seniors, £180 12-27s, 4-11s free with an adult. Villa Huno has apartments from £145 a night. Camp Møns Klint has tent pitches with electricity from £40 a night. Ellevilde boutique hotel has doubles from £119 a night
The Guardian
08-07-2025
- The Guardian
Fossils, forests and wild orchids: exploring the white cliffs of Denmark
As we sauntered along sun-splashed woodland paths, our knowledgable guide Michael started to explain the links between the local geology and flora. The unusually luminous light green leaves of the beech trees? 'That's due to the lack of magnesium in the chalky soil.' The 18 species of wild orchid that grow here? 'That's the high calcium content. You see? Everything is connected.' That's a phrase my companion and I kept hearing at Møns Klint on the Danish island of Møn. This four-mile (6km) stretch of chalk cliffs and hills topped by a 700-hectare (1,730-acre) forest was fashioned by huge glaciers during the last ice age, creating a unique landscape. In 2026, a Unesco committee will decide whether Møns Klint ('the cliffs of Møn') should be awarded world heritage site status, safeguarding it for future generations. Using Interrail passes, we took the train from London to Vordingborg (Møn's nearest railway station) via the Eurostar, with overnight breaks in Cologne going out and Odense, Denmark's third-largest city, coming back. There's an efficient bus service both from Vordingborg station to Møn (over an impressive bridge) and on the island itself but, for maximum flexibility, we hired electric bikes in Stege. About 12 miles from Møns Klint, Stege has been Møn's main town since early medieval times. Home to impressive ancient ramparts and a bijou museum, it's a good place to stock up since most of the island's shops are found on the winding high street. One wind-and-battery-assisted pedal to Møns Klint later and Michael was taking us about 500 steps down to the beach, the scene of cliff collapses so immense that the spoil sometimes forms peninsulas sticking out a quarter of a mile into the sea. Besides being a cartographer's nightmare, the slowly dissolving chalk also turns the water by the shore a milky white, giving it a distinctly Mediterranean flavour. Almost every stone we picked up was a 30m-year-old fossil of some sort – Michael identified squid, sea sponges, sea urchins and oysters. Another day we spent meandering along Klintekongens Rige, the longest of Møns Klint's nine waymarked footpaths. The nine-mile circular trail sent us up and down and up and down through the forest; into the 18th-century 'romantic gardens' of Liselund, where the bass-heavy croaking of glistening frogs contrasted with soprano peacocks; and down to a long stretch of beach for a mini adventure clambering over fallen trees and mounds of tumbled rock while the Baltic Sea lapped almost up to the cliff face. When the sun went down we met up with night-time guide Susanne, who walked us into the darkened forest and interpreted the cries of tawny owls and scampering noises in the undergrowth (the owls' potential dinner). The islands of Møn and Nyord form Scandinavia's first Dark Sky Park, so we were able to gaze up at a panoply of stars while Susanne made us one of the tastiest gin and tonics we'd ever drunk, with mint from her garden and a wild rose syrup from petals she'd foraged that day. The next morning, we explored the area's mountain bike trails with Uffe, a guide, like Michael, from the GeoCenter, the local interpretive museum (where an exhibition on biodiversity is appropriately called 'Everything is connected'). Along the way, he pointed out splendid displays of lady orchids and a herd of goats whose grazing improves biodiversity. Then, having barely broken a sweat, we suddenly found ourselves out of the woods and atop Denmark's eighth-highest peak. Aborrebjerg is a humble 143m high, but still provided us with panoramic views across Møn and the shimmering sea. Later, we took to the water on a paddleboarding tour from the village of Klintholm Havn with Kesia from Møn Surf, appreciating the grandeur of the mighty chalk cliffs from another angle. At night, we slept in a modern and stylish apartment at the nearby Villa Huno – an eco-build with a living roof and a view over a peaceful lake. We strolled around it one evening, stumbling across a woodpecker guarding the remains of a medieval fort, before enjoying a tasty dinner in Koral, Villa Huno's summer-only restaurant. After a couple of nights we switched to a well-appointed bell tent next door at Camp Møns Klint. Then, as a base for exploring the island of Møn further, we pedalled west to Ellevilde boutique hotel. New owners Kirstine and Kenneth recently moved down from Copenhagen, leaving their highly regarded Restaurant 56 Degrees. Kenneth's small plates blew us away – imagine a Danish Ottolenghi – with many ingredients from the garden or neighbouring farms. The sweet pickled onion and rhubarb salad, and the wonderfully crisp herby flat breads that accompanied a gazpacho, will live long in the memory. Sign up to The Traveller Get travel inspiration, featured trips and local tips for your next break, as well as the latest deals from Guardian Holidays after newsletter promotion Møns Klint represents a mere sliver of the island of Møn, so we spent our last day exploring its mostly flat countryside on our electric bikes. A cycle path runs parallel to the island's main road, and all the smaller roads we used were essentially car-free, which made for a very relaxing experience. We raced hares along hedges; marvelled at some wonderfully eccentric medieval frescos in Elmelunde church; bought ceramics from a friendly potter called Jacob; and stopped off at little flea markets in islanders' front gardens. Crossing the wind-blown bridge on to the tiny island of Nyord (population 35), we watched lapwings at play and visited Denmark's smallest museum. Not much larger than a telephone kiosk, it is a former lookout shelter that tells the stories of those who guided boats through the perilous straits nearby. In Nyord's only village, also Nyord, we dropped into Noorbohandelen for some rum mustard, one of the many flavoured varieties that are a local speciality. We admired their aesthetically satisfying shelves of bottles filled with all manner of colourful spirits made on the premises, before lunching alfresco at their cafe on a correspondingly colourful salad, as swallows tore joyfully about the sky above our heads. The trip was provided by with travel provided by Interrail. An Interrail Global Pass for 4 days travel within a month costs £241 adults, £217 seniors, £180 12-27s, 4-11s free with an adult. Villa Huno has apartments from £145 a night. Camp Møns Klint has tent pitches with electricity from £40 a night. Ellevilde boutique hotel has doubles from £119 a night
SBS Australia
27-06-2025
- General
- SBS Australia
Neilisha Oakley has been working world heritage-protected Gathaagudu
Malgana [[Mul-guh-nuh]] woman Neilisha Oakley has been working as a ranger for two years in the world heritage-protected Shark Bay, 800 kilometres north of Perth. "So we do lots of fauna and flora. Eradication of feral animals. I do lots of camera monitoring and data. Lots of fencing. And I also get to jump on board with the ERP, which is the Ecological Restoration Program over at Dirk Hartog Island. And I've done a bit of work with the marine community down in Kensington and a few of the scientists over there as well."
Arab News
23-06-2025
- Science
- Arab News
Hazaa plant flourishes in Saudi Arabia's northern deserts
RIYADH: Despite the harsh desert climate in Saudi Arabia's Northern Borders province, native plants have found a way not only to survive but to thrive. Among the local flora is the Hazaa plant, known scientifically as Ducrosia anethifolia. The plant is native to the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and is part of the Apiaceae family of plants, which includes crops and medicinal plants, according to the Saudi Press Agency. Due to its ability to handle high levels of drought and salinity, Hazaa has proved its ability to survive in difficult climatic conditions. The plant is known for its captivating aroma, and reaches a height of approximately 35 centimeters. In addition, its unique appearance comes from its long, oval-shaped gray-green leaves that have sharp points, making the plant easily recognizable among other plants in the wild. Along with its pleasant smell, the plant produces small, light yellow, umbrella-like flowers during the flowering season, with 12 to 18 flowers on each stem. The Northern Borders region is also home to other plant species, including Reseda alba, Salsola tetrandra shrubs and lavender.
%3Amax_bytes(150000)%3Astrip_icc()%2FTAL-lake-eyre-australia-ONCELIFETIMELAKE0625-20e25783c5544eb0b38462b522e7a6b5.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Travel + Leisure
11-06-2025
- Travel + Leisure
This Pink and Orange Lake in the Australian Outback Only Appears Once in a Lifetime—and You Can See It Now
Most of the time, Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre isn't a lake at all—rather, it's a desolate expanse, flat, blindingly white, and silent. But every few years, after heavy rains swell distant rivers, the lake comes to life, bringing flora and fauna with it. Birds arrive in the thousands, wildflowers bloom, and travelers come to see the surreal pink-and-orange-colored lake that only forms once in a generation. And that once-in-a-generation occurrence is happening right now. Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre started filling in early May 2025 following record-breaking floods, making it the fourth time in 160 years that Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre is flowing with water. It is expected to be the most water the lake has seen in six years. Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre is located within Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre National Park in South Australia. It's the country's lowest geographical point and largest salt lake, and measures in at a mind-blowing 89 by 48 miles in size. When the lake's water levels are low or non-existent, it is a glittering crystallized salt pan that stretches for miles in all directions. But when it floods, as it is now, the lake becomes a breeding site for species that are tolerant of salty waters, such as waterbirds, fish, and shrimp. As the cherry on top, wildflowers also blanket the floodplains. The most spectacular visual occurs as the water begins to evaporate and the lake turns a soft, pink-and-orange color caused by a pigment found within a specific type of salt-loving algae. But seeing the pink waters of the once-in-a-lifetime Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre isn't easy. It is best to fly from Adelaide Airport (ADL) to Coober Pedy Airport (CPD). From there, there are two routes that lead to the park (you'll need a vehicle with four-wheel drive) and both take over five hours from Coober Pedy. Due to the rough and remote roads and harsh, arid conditions, it is best to book a tour. You can also see the pink hue of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre from above by arranging a scenic flight tour. The best time to visit Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre National Park is between April and October (in Australia's winter), when there's more likely to be water in the lake, the weather is cooler, and wildlife are in abundance. Before you make the journey to Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, research the lake's current water level so you know what to expect. And if you plan to drive yourself into the park, check road conditions and closures before you leave.
