Natural History – September 2022

The Natural History Group met on Wednesday, 21st September. Chris Marsh, fellow u3a member, was guest speaker, and led on Plants for a Future (https://pfaf.org/).

“PFAF’s primary objective is to maintain and improve our free online database of information on edible and useful plants, especially perennials. In recent years, in response to the global environmental crisis and increasing interest in alternatives to intensive industrialised agriculture and commercial plantations, we have extended the database to include more plants likely to be used in community and small-scale food forests, carbon farming, and carbon sequestration projects.” (Source: https://pfaf.org/user/shop.aspx)

Originally, 5000  plants, the database has now been expanded globally to 8000+; and additionally publishes Plants for your Food Forest, listing 500 plants for temperate climes.

I met with four Devon Wildlife Wardens in St. Gregory’s Churchyard this week; and our commitment to this high profile programme to promote biodiversity will continue; although, once again, only three members from the original six have so far committed to the ongoing work.

George Lipscomb, retiring Convenor