This is definately worth celebrating! It’s been 50 years since almost half of Dorset received official recognition as a very special landscape. Its designation as the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1959 placed it safely in a family of nationally important protected landscapes.

To celebrate this 50th anniversary, hundreds of people joined us to discover and share their enthusiasm for the landscape, their Love for the Land. A new 2010 calendar which captures just some of what people said they love about the land during their 50th anniversary year is out now. Please visit Dorset AONB to request a copy if you are interested!

If you love to explore and learn about history firsthand, this is a land steeped in stories and lore to keep a lover of the land and it’s legends, such as myself, fascinated for days on end! The rocks that make up the AONB’s beautiful landscape tell a fascinating story – of life on earth. The story is most easily read along the coast, which forms part of England’s first natural World Heritage Site – the Jurassic Coast. While geology has been shaping this landscape for millions of years, for the last few thousand, people have been making their mark on it too. The stories of Dorset as a working and living landscape are all around you.

Take a few moments to visit A Time and a Place to explore what you can find in the lovely lands of Dorset, such as…
~ Rural industries
~ Parklands and formal gardens
~ Chalk figures
~ Iron Age hill forts
~ Stone circles and round barrows
~ The Jurassic Coast

Spending time outdoors in the natural environment is great for your health and wellbeing. This is one of my favourite things to do, as I love getting close to nature. With rolling downland, secluded woodlands, wide open heaths and a dramatic coastline, the AONB in the Dorset area, is the perfect place to stretch your legs and get some fresh air. My daughter and I absolutely love to ride! We can cycle in style with the West Dorset Pedal, a collection of beautiful routes with artists’ studios and local eateries where you can stop for food and inspiration! Purbeck also provides good on and off road cycling through woodland, heath and downs.

Or if you prefer, you can walk the edge between land and sea on the South West Coast Path National Trail, with 71 miles of glorious views of the Jurassic Coast from Studland to Lyme Regis. Try combining a walk with a ride on the X53 Jurassic Coast bus to help you explore more.

Stick to the high ground on the Wessex Ridgeway, an ancient track taking in hillforts and historic villages like Cerne Abbas along the way. Perhaps we could take in heathland, downland and dramatic coastal scenery on the Purbeck Way, passing Corfe Castle, Chapmans Pool and along to Swanage.

I love to find the hidden gems in any place I am adventuring into. Dorset has a wealth of small, often lesser-known attractions including vibrant festivals, artists and craft workers. The Hidden Dorset website contains a treasure trove of information on the small, the beautiful and the downright quirky.

Dorset’s dramatic landscapes have been an inspiration to artists, writers and musicians for centuries. Perhaps the most famous is Thomas Hardy – you can almost feel, smell, hear the richness of the landscape in his work. Inspiration isn’t a thing of the past though. The Dorset AONB has a really strong community of artists who use images, words, music and dance to express how they feel about the landscape.

Such beauty is definately worth a special mention here at Mother Earthbeats!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Birdfeeders.com. All opinions are 100% mine.

My daughter and I simple love to observe nature in her many forms. As part of our daily lessons in Life, we spend a lot of time enjoying being a part of nature, as well as learning all we can about the natural world. Our observance bring us new respect, and an understanding of how to walk through this Life without creating a negative influence.

We especially enjoy viewing the flying creatures which seem to flock wherever we travel. And we are simply amazed with how many different birds visit the trees and bushes which surround our home. It is wonderful to observe the hawks which fly so high amongst the trees, and the pesky crows which love to torment these graceful avians.

Yet I must say that is quite delightful to look and listen to the tiny birds, especially the sweet and beautiful chickadees and the sparrows which love to chatter to each other as they forage. I am quite certain I have identified correctly the Red-Breasted Nuthatch as well, and it is quite lovely to listen as the beautiful males serenade the females. Just trying to identify the different bird calls is a wonderful experience. If you have ever taken advantage of a quiet early morning, you would know exactly what I mean. One can hear their different voices as they communicate in a world in which many humans seem to take for granted. Such times are to be treasured for the gifts they bring to our spirits.

I must admit that my favorite experiences have been when my daughter and I camp upon the Sacred lands of our people. During this time we are not distracted by outside modern noises which seem to drown out the lovely songs which surround us. To hear them call out to each other, and listen for the reply as we try to identify them, is a game my daughter and I never grow tired of. And the humming birds are so very amazing to observe in all their tiny glory! We also delight in the feathered flights of the pretty little Orioles.

Which brings me to a great idea of the perfect gift for someone special who loves to observe our fine feathered friends. Bird feeders not only bring these sweet little beauties into our personal spheres, they also offer a great treat during the cold months of scarcity to those tiny ones in search of a meal.

Personally, I would choose a gift from the Whimsical Collection of Bird Feeders, yet one may also be interested in the Heritage Collection of Bird Feeders or the Nautical Collection of Bird Feeders.

Sumatran Tigers are the smallest sub-species, and they are critically endangered with around 350 tigers left in the wild. The Sumatran Tiger, as its name suggests, is found only on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia.

Sumatran Tigers are distinctive for being the only subspecies to live in isolation on a large island they have been isolated from their cousins on mainland Asia for over 10,000 years; this happened after a rise in sea level.

At the turn of the 20th century, there were three subspecies of tiger in Indonesia – the Bali tiger (on Bali) the Javan tiger (Java) and the Sumatran. Today both the Bali and Javan tigers are EXTINCT and only the Sumatran tiger survives.

Sumatra prior to 1900 was largely covered in primary forest and the tiger was more or less found throughout the entire island. Today just 100 years later its distribution has become fragmented and substantially reduced. Although found in all the islands eight provinces in highly populated areas such as the provinces of North Sumatra and Lampung, the animal has been squeezed out. It is sad to not that only about 350 wild Sumatran tigers are believed to exist, primarily in the island’s five national parks.

Greatest Threats

Today the greatest threat to the Sumatran Tiger is Man. In Sumatra, tiger habitat is shrinking fast with timber resources being exploited on a large scale. The tiger in Sumatra faces precarious prospects if its present distribution continue to be substantially reduced and populations become small, fragmented and isolated from one another. Loss of their natural habitat often leads tigers to move into settled areas in search of food, where they then encounter problems.

Tiger poaching and the illegal trading of tiger parts and products is one of the most immediate threats to the Sumatran tiger. Chinese medicine has spread throughout Asia. Nearly every part of the tiger is reported to have healing properties from the eyeball-a treatment for epilepsy to the whiskers – a cure for tooth ache.

Symbolic History of the Tiger

Tigers (and all other carnivores) are descended from civet-like animals called miacids that lived alongside the DINOSAURS about 60 million years ago. Fossil remains have been found which put the tiger in Indonesia 2 million years ago

Images of tigers have been discovered as far back as 1700 B.C. (4,000 years ago) and throughout history the tiger has been a symbol of both power and strength. Used as executioners in Asian courts; for entertainment in European gladiatorial combats; and as a status symbol for monarchs.

Tigers have long been thought to hold some mystical, supernatural power. The shang people of China believed tigers (lau hu) were messengers between the human and spirit world, images of tigers were placed upon tombs to warn off evil spirits. In the Hindu religion Shiva the destroyer rides a tiger (Bagh) and wears a tiger skin, followers of Buddah ride tigers to show their supernatural ability to overcome evil. Forest dwellers of India built shrines and temples to worship them, Islam followers in Sumatra believe tigers (rimau) punish sinners on behalf of Allah.

Captive Tigers in Zoos

Approximately 361 captive Sumatran Tigers live in zoos around the world. In addition to the 119 Sumatran tigers living in Indonesian zoos, there are 73 tigers managed by North American zoos, 98 in European zoos, and 2 8in Australasian zoos. (Source International Tiger Studbook – courtesy of Zoological Society of London)

More Information about Donations

If you feel inclined to help the survival of these wondrous and beautiful wild creatures, you may visit the Sumatran Tiger Trust, and become a proud foster parent of a wild Sumatran Tiger.

100% of money raised finances tiger monitoring, habitat preservation, community development, anti poaching patrols, park ranger training and the purchase of essential field equipment. (Activities managed under the Sumatran Tiger Conservation Programme, a collaborative conservation partnership with the Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation (PHKA) of the Indonesian Department of Forestry.)
It is this field equipment – notably remote cameras that have provided us with these magnificent rare shots of these otherwise elusive wild, free animals going about their daily lives within Sumatra’s National Parks.

Your generosity will entitle you to a certificate of adoption, complete with a photograph of your chosen tiger. Also, we promise to keep you informed of your tigers progress and update you on sightings and in recognition of your support will add your name to the roll of honor to be displayed in the park and on the website.

Mitaku ye oyasin (All my relations)… I would like to pass along a very important message, from a sister who walks the Lakota path as I do, concerning our Sacred Earth. Prayers are needed, as well as action from those who know what to do, to help save the land from unnecessary desecration. Please look into your hearts and find the time to send out a message to preserve our lands… Pilama ye for your time in this urgent matter.

“Good Morning,

Carolyn Gray”

EarthWorks takes Action

Rio Tinto and BHP – Billiton have created a subsidiary that is proposing to mine a rich copper vein more than 7,000 feet below sea level east of Superior, Arizona. As a first step, Rio Tinto is currently shopping around a land exchange bill that would end an executive order banning mining from Oak Flat Campground and privitize more that 3,000 acres of public land.

Concerned citizens are worried about the loss of Oak Flat Campground, a very popular recreation area. Birders, climbers, campers, canyoneers, bikers, and hikers enjoy the area throughout the year, all of whom would be greatly harmed if these lands were forever taken from public access. Western Apache people have traditionally used the area for cultural, spiritual, and subsistance. The land exchange would include Apache Leap, a cliff where more than 80 Apache warriors chose to leap to their deaths rather than surrender to the US calvary.

Both the San Carlos Apache Tribe and the White Mountain Apache Tribe has passed unanimous reslutions opposing the mine and land exchange. In addition, the Concerned Citizens and Retired Miners Association in Superior, AZ has been meeting regularly opposing the land exchange and is circulating a petition.

Sometimes my favourite thing to do is to dream of those places on this beautiful planet in which I would love to someday visit. In my explorations I run across some of the most lovely and interesting natural wonders. I simply cannot resist the pull to see more, and I do love to share!

One such place is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty known as the Isles of Scilly. Here we will surely find enough to explore to satisfy even my adventurous nature! From what I have learned, the Isles of Scilly lie fewer than 30 miles off the Cornish coast, but visitors might sometimes imagine that they had travelled to a different country. There is plenty on the Isles of Scilly that you simply will not find anywhere else, whether it’s wildlife, archeology, landscape, tranquility, an almost sub-tropical feel or just the islanders’ friendliness.

According to the NAAONB Website for the Isles of Scilly

The Isles of Scilly comprise of around 200 rocks and islands, five of which are currently inhabited. Part of what makes the Islands so distinctive is their wide diversity of plant and animal life. Summer temperatures are slightly cooler than the mainland’s (although winters are milder, too).

These conditions are kind to the sub-tropical plants that have made the Islands their home. As the atmosphere on Scilly lacks the dust and industrial pollutants seen almost everywhere these days, the light has a striking brightness and clarity.

Like the air, the sea’s also unusually clean, which helps explain the profusion of marine life, from anemones and kelp to seals, porpoises and dolphins. Scilly has a large number of migrating birds and supports a greater density of song thrushes than anywhere on the British mainland, due to its small fields and hedges.

These same fields show the signs of human activity which, since beginning over 4,000 years ago, continued through the Bronze and Iron Ages as humans settled, farmed land and – from 500BC to the second world war – protected the Islands from the threat of invasion.

Tourism dominates the economy with, on average, around 120,000 tourists visiting the islands each year. Flower farming and fishing remain important, although both these sectors have struggled in recent years.

As well as being an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the islands are protected by a range of designations which include a heritage coast and a conservation area, as well as – amongst others – a Special Protection Area (under the EC Birds Directive), a Marine Special Area of Conservation (under the EC Habitats Directive) and 26 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). Quite apart from which there are well over 130 listed buildings and 238 Scheduled Ancient Monuments.

Final Thoughts

Oh yes, there is definately a great amount of curiosity building up inside of my being to visit such a treasure trove of areas to explore! The uninhabited islands are an absolutely fascinating subject with the thought of many wondrous hours of observing nature in her finest detail. Ummm… yeah… the magically beautiful Isles of Scilly are definately a place to add to my growing list of future adventures!

To find more places of beauty and wonder, you may wish to take a look at Planet Earth – The Complete BBC Series [Blu-ray]

Living on this planet creates many challenges. Not the least of which is taking care of the world in which we live in to preserve the natural balance. It never ceases to amaze me how much the majority of people living on this Earth take for granted. How can one possibly believe that our fleeting existence on this ancient planet is more important than the rest of the creatures placed here to keep this world in balance? Every action has a reaction, and we are all responsible for the footprints we leave behind.

The one reality which stands out most in my mind, is how much wisdom went into the process of creating this world, and how much attention to detail our Creator (and the Creators helpers) put into creating such a wonderful and (to my thinking) magical balance. It is not all pretty, or very friendly, in the natural world, yet I get a feeling of wild wonder in viewing all that occurs without the interference of mankind. I do love to adventure out on my own, yet when I am not able to I like to hit the local library, or pop in a DVD. I am getting ready to check out Mother Earth Blu-ray 5-Pack (IMAX) [Blu-ray] from Amazon.

This is something I have had my eyes on, and so I figure I had better take the time to satisfy my Earth loving nature and soak up some nature scenes. According to the data I have collected, the Mother Earth Blue Ray Edition will take you on an amazing journey of beauty and wonder as never experienced before. Each title is independently produced to provide viewers with an up close and personal experience with our Mother Earth. Providing an understanding of our beautiful planet and the need to preserve it.

Titles included in this 10-Disc collection

Africa, The Serengeti
Alaska, Spirit of the Wild
Antarctica, An Adventure of a Different Nature
Ocean Oasis
Australia, Land Beyond Time

I will be sure to comment on my experience with these amazing DVD’s. I welcome all thoughts and comments from those who have had the pleasure of watching these as well. Nature deserves our courteous observance, and the little bit of energy it takes to walk softly and respectfully. Our Mother Earth is ancient, and we are not truly part of the Great Balance in nature. We are very lucky to have such a paradise to live in, and it is a shame how much damage humans have caused on this giant and wondrous garden we call Planet Earth. Let’s remember to create a space which enhances the natural world, instead of tearing apart and polluting that which gives us Life.

To find more places of beauty and wonder, you may wish to take a look at Planet Earth – The Complete BBC Series [Blu-ray]

Our lovely planet Earth is full of such natural wonders and beauty. I find no greater pleasure (besides playing with the little ones in my family), than to explore and discover yet more awesome places to enjoy. One such place that has caught my attention is Tamar Valley in England. Here follows an enchanting description as gained from the National Association of Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).. and such that I felt compelled to pass along…

Rising on the borders of Cornwall and Devon, the rivers Tamar, Tavy and Lynher, form one of the last, unspoilt drowned valley river systems in England. On their passage to the broad estuary near Plymouth, the rivers flow through a series of deep meanders, steep gorges and wooded valleys. A ribbon of woodland extends along the Estuary margin although it is often no more than a mature hedgerow above a steep earth bank. In the middle valleys where the ridges are wide the high land has an almost plateau character and there is a feeling of remoteness and solitude. The landscape contains a wide variety of wildlife habitats, including many ancient woodlands and wetlands that provide important wintering grounds for wildfowl and wading birds.

The Tamar Valley AONB can provide advice to land managers on looking after their hedges, orchards and woodlands. We can help obtain funding through Natural England’s Environmental Stewardship Schemes. We can also help to put together projects to look for new ways to support farms and those who work the land.

A Beautiful place on Mother Earth to Cherish

I am personally impressed with the pride and love for the land which seems quite apparent and abundant in this fertile and ancient valley. It is so vital to cherish, preserve, and protect these places of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and strive to create or preserve many more such places all around our beautiful Mother Earth. This is what Life is meant to be. Full of natural and wonderful places to visit! I get truly excited when I discover a place on Earth which carries the mysterious energy one can only find in ancient groves, valleys and other such areas. This Earth has many hidden magics, percieved as each individual wishes, yet magical all the same. I see nature as a very magical and wonderful part of Life on Earth. It is my heartfelt energy which goes forth to bring about enough thought and care, from my fellow human beings, to give proper attention to preserving and promoting new growth of our giant garden lovingly known as Mother Earth.

To find more places of beauty and wonder, you may wish to take a look at Planet Earth – The Complete BBC Series [Blu-ray]

Now I have a new goal for my traveling adventures! I have discovered a place to visit which intrigues me greatly, and looks as if it will give me much pleasure in satisfying my love of exploration. The Isle of Wight is a British Island, located south of the county of Hampshire. The island is known for its Outstanding Natural Beauty and for its world-famous sailing based at Cowes. Here is a place one can lose themselves in for a while, visiting the sites and seeking quiet places to enjoy the scenery.

Rich in history and lore, the Isle of Wight has been invaded many times. Due to it’s particular lack of a defensive landscape, it was not easy to hold when invaders attacked. It changed hands several times, throughout the last thousand years or so, being ravaged by the Vikings until the Danes were defeated by the Saxons. Eventually the isle came under the full control of the Crown, and Queen Victoria made Osborne House on the Isle of Wight her summer home for many years and, as a result, it became a major holiday resort for fashionable Victorians including Alfred Lord Tennyson, Julia Margaret Cameron, Charles Dickens (who wrote much of David Copperfield there) and members of European royalty.

Known as one of Europes most important areas for Dinosaur fossils, apparently the eroding cliffs often reveal previously hidden remains. From a wildlife point of view the island sports a flourishing and stable population of the Red Squirrel, which is rare in most parts of England. While there are no deer on the Island of Wight, rare and protected species such as the dormouse and many rare bats can be found, as well as the Glanville Fritillary butterfly whose distribution in the United Kingdom is largely restricted to the edges of the crumbling cliffs.

Well then, here is a place on Mother Earth which totally fascinates me, and begs for the attention of my exploratory and adventurous nature. Biking my way from one end of the island to the other, seeking out the best places to view island and sea, sounds simply lovely. I do believe I will be adding the Isle of Wight to my ever growing list of favourite places to visit!

To find more places of beauty and wonder, you may wish to take a look at Planet Earth – The Complete BBC Series [Blu-ray]