Caroline O'Rourke
@caroline-orourke.bsky.social
Elder Millennial ecologist, botanist, meadow fancier and dog botherer.
Research Associate at Floodplain Meadows Partnership https://bsky.app/profile/floodplainmead.bsky.social (views and various nonsense my own).
Research Associate at Floodplain Meadows Partnership https://bsky.app/profile/floodplainmead.bsky.social (views and various nonsense my own).
Reposted by Caroline O'Rourke
PhD opportunity 👇 Come and work with our awesome team to explore whether our understanding of niche segregation can be harnessed to predict the response of vegetation to alterations in hydrological regimes that are likely to result from global change. 🌱
centa.ac.uk/studentship/...
centa.ac.uk/studentship/...
2026-OU07 The role of the hydrological niche in predicting vegetation response to climate change – CENTA
centa.ac.uk
October 20, 2025 at 9:48 AM
PhD opportunity 👇 Come and work with our awesome team to explore whether our understanding of niche segregation can be harnessed to predict the response of vegetation to alterations in hydrological regimes that are likely to result from global change. 🌱
centa.ac.uk/studentship/...
centa.ac.uk/studentship/...
Reposted by Caroline O'Rourke
theconversation.com/how-the-nati...
Lovely article from @artandecology.bsky.social on our recent joint project with @nationaltrust.org.uk, looking at how how art and visual culture can help us better understand and engage audiences with meadow restoration 🥰🌱
Read it here: tinyurl.com/39r2kkk2
Lovely article from @artandecology.bsky.social on our recent joint project with @nationaltrust.org.uk, looking at how how art and visual culture can help us better understand and engage audiences with meadow restoration 🥰🌱
Read it here: tinyurl.com/39r2kkk2
How the National Trust’s art collections can shape meadow restoration
Treasures inside the National Trust’s cultural collections can also draw attention to what is going on outside these estates.
theconversation.com
October 14, 2025 at 9:40 AM
theconversation.com/how-the-nati...
Lovely article from @artandecology.bsky.social on our recent joint project with @nationaltrust.org.uk, looking at how how art and visual culture can help us better understand and engage audiences with meadow restoration 🥰🌱
Read it here: tinyurl.com/39r2kkk2
Lovely article from @artandecology.bsky.social on our recent joint project with @nationaltrust.org.uk, looking at how how art and visual culture can help us better understand and engage audiences with meadow restoration 🥰🌱
Read it here: tinyurl.com/39r2kkk2
Reposted by Caroline O'Rourke
And that's a wrap for fieldwork across @nationaltrust.org.uk sites on our joint TREASURE project. We've been from Norfolk to Dorset to Cumbria and everywhere in-between.
This autumn we'll be using the data collected to provide restoration and management advice, but now it's time for a lie down! 😴
This autumn we'll be using the data collected to provide restoration and management advice, but now it's time for a lie down! 😴
July 22, 2025 at 4:34 PM
And that's a wrap for fieldwork across @nationaltrust.org.uk sites on our joint TREASURE project. We've been from Norfolk to Dorset to Cumbria and everywhere in-between.
This autumn we'll be using the data collected to provide restoration and management advice, but now it's time for a lie down! 😴
This autumn we'll be using the data collected to provide restoration and management advice, but now it's time for a lie down! 😴
Reposted by Caroline O'Rourke
Lovely to see floodplain meadows celebrated by senior advocacy stakeholders. Let's work together to restore floodplain meadows at a landscape scale 🥰
Wonderful to visit Achurch Meadow with colleagues from Floodplain Meadow Partnership, Natural England & Environment Agency. Vivid reminder of the HUGE importance of such places, for biodiversity, clean rivers, flood storage, carbon & more. 99% is gone, but massive opportunities for restoration.
June 25, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Lovely to see floodplain meadows celebrated by senior advocacy stakeholders. Let's work together to restore floodplain meadows at a landscape scale 🥰
Reposted by Caroline O'Rourke
A great morning hosting @tonyjuniper.bsky.social & Alan Lovell Chair of the Environment Agency at Achurch Meadow, a wonderful example of floodplain meadow in Northamptonshire. Looking forward to working together to realise potential of this special habitat on a greater scale. Thanks to Kevin too!
June 25, 2025 at 3:31 PM
A great morning hosting @tonyjuniper.bsky.social & Alan Lovell Chair of the Environment Agency at Achurch Meadow, a wonderful example of floodplain meadow in Northamptonshire. Looking forward to working together to realise potential of this special habitat on a greater scale. Thanks to Kevin too!
Top notch advocacy by @floodplainmead.bsky.social Heads of @naturalengland.bsky.social and the Environment Agency got to appreciate the many benefits of floodplain meadows 🥳
Wonderful to visit Achurch Meadow with colleagues from Floodplain Meadow Partnership, Natural England & Environment Agency. Vivid reminder of the HUGE importance of such places, for biodiversity, clean rivers, flood storage, carbon & more. 99% is gone, but massive opportunities for restoration.
June 25, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Top notch advocacy by @floodplainmead.bsky.social Heads of @naturalengland.bsky.social and the Environment Agency got to appreciate the many benefits of floodplain meadows 🥳
Reposted by Caroline O'Rourke
Beautiful great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis) for #wildflowerwednesday Did you know this, classic indicator of floodplain meadows has roots up to 2m deep?
Read more here: floodplainmeadows.org.uk/about-meadow...
Read more here: floodplainmeadows.org.uk/about-meadow...
June 18, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Beautiful great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis) for #wildflowerwednesday Did you know this, classic indicator of floodplain meadows has roots up to 2m deep?
Read more here: floodplainmeadows.org.uk/about-meadow...
Read more here: floodplainmeadows.org.uk/about-meadow...
Reposted by Caroline O'Rourke
As part of the #SpeciesOnTheEdge #OuterHebrides Wildlife Festival, join us online on 25th June 18:30 to hear about our research on a uniquely Scottish ecosystem, the astonishingly species-rich Oceanic wet grasslands. Sign up here: forms.office.com/pages/respon...
Microsoft Forms
forms.office.com
June 16, 2025 at 8:53 AM
As part of the #SpeciesOnTheEdge #OuterHebrides Wildlife Festival, join us online on 25th June 18:30 to hear about our research on a uniquely Scottish ecosystem, the astonishingly species-rich Oceanic wet grasslands. Sign up here: forms.office.com/pages/respon...
Reposted by Caroline O'Rourke
Our summer intern David has been hard at work learning his rush species today. Left to right: Compact, soft, and hard rush. We also had some hybrid material but I let him off because I'm nice like that 😅
June 17, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Our summer intern David has been hard at work learning his rush species today. Left to right: Compact, soft, and hard rush. We also had some hybrid material but I let him off because I'm nice like that 😅
Reposted by Caroline O'Rourke
Today's merry band learning about floodplain meadow soils, hydrology, vegetation,and management are @nationaltrust.org.uk staff. Part of our TREASURE project, helping to raise the profile of floodplain meadows, share best practice and highlight restoration opportunities. + bonus tansy beetle 🪲😍.
June 12, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Today's merry band learning about floodplain meadow soils, hydrology, vegetation,and management are @nationaltrust.org.uk staff. Part of our TREASURE project, helping to raise the profile of floodplain meadows, share best practice and highlight restoration opportunities. + bonus tansy beetle 🪲😍.
Reposted by Caroline O'Rourke
Day 2 of training @naturalengland advisors covered assessing restoration potential/eligibility for the floodplain meadow CS option we helped develop.
We also saw Long Mead's plug planting programme, a fantastic volunteer project producing floodplain meadow species for restoration projects 😍🌱
We also saw Long Mead's plug planting programme, a fantastic volunteer project producing floodplain meadow species for restoration projects 😍🌱
June 11, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Day 2 of training @naturalengland advisors covered assessing restoration potential/eligibility for the floodplain meadow CS option we helped develop.
We also saw Long Mead's plug planting programme, a fantastic volunteer project producing floodplain meadow species for restoration projects 😍🌱
We also saw Long Mead's plug planting programme, a fantastic volunteer project producing floodplain meadow species for restoration projects 😍🌱
Reposted by Caroline O'Rourke
I've been really lucky to be working on a project with @nationaltrust.org.uk and @floodplainmead.bsky.social on the role that art can play in promoting floodplain meadows restoration. Short film on its way...
June 11, 2025 at 10:36 AM
I've been really lucky to be working on a project with @nationaltrust.org.uk and @floodplainmead.bsky.social on the role that art can play in promoting floodplain meadows restoration. Short film on its way...
Reposted by Caroline O'Rourke
Day 1 of our training for @naturalengland staff at Long Mead in Oxfordshire. We've covered floodplain meadow soils, hydrology, vegetation, and heard about restoration techniques from the wonderful Catriona Bass who been instrumental in restoring large areas of species rich meadow along the Thames 🥰
June 10, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Day 1 of our training for @naturalengland staff at Long Mead in Oxfordshire. We've covered floodplain meadow soils, hydrology, vegetation, and heard about restoration techniques from the wonderful Catriona Bass who been instrumental in restoring large areas of species rich meadow along the Thames 🥰
Reposted by Caroline O'Rourke
Highlights of week one of our TREASURE project with @nationaltrust.org.uk.
Floodplain meadow indicator species pepper saxifrage and meadow rue hanging on in there in some fairly agriculturally improved grasslands, hinting at their former glory. Botanising in the rain and chalk in the soil profile ☺️
Floodplain meadow indicator species pepper saxifrage and meadow rue hanging on in there in some fairly agriculturally improved grasslands, hinting at their former glory. Botanising in the rain and chalk in the soil profile ☺️
June 8, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Highlights of week one of our TREASURE project with @nationaltrust.org.uk.
Floodplain meadow indicator species pepper saxifrage and meadow rue hanging on in there in some fairly agriculturally improved grasslands, hinting at their former glory. Botanising in the rain and chalk in the soil profile ☺️
Floodplain meadow indicator species pepper saxifrage and meadow rue hanging on in there in some fairly agriculturally improved grasslands, hinting at their former glory. Botanising in the rain and chalk in the soil profile ☺️
Reposted by Caroline O'Rourke
Today's @nationaltrust TREASURE: Oenanthe pimpinelloides, mottles soil with a teeny tiny Ramshorn snail and survey helper 🌱🐌🐎
June 4, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Today's @nationaltrust TREASURE: Oenanthe pimpinelloides, mottles soil with a teeny tiny Ramshorn snail and survey helper 🌱🐌🐎
Reposted by Caroline O'Rourke
Braving the rain at Bathampton Meadows today. Part of a project with our friends @nationaltrust.org.uk looking at potential for restoring species-rich floodplain meadows across their estate.
And Day 1 for our summer intern, David who discovered grass ID isn't impossible and he needs new boots 😂🥾
And Day 1 for our summer intern, David who discovered grass ID isn't impossible and he needs new boots 😂🥾
June 3, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Braving the rain at Bathampton Meadows today. Part of a project with our friends @nationaltrust.org.uk looking at potential for restoring species-rich floodplain meadows across their estate.
And Day 1 for our summer intern, David who discovered grass ID isn't impossible and he needs new boots 😂🥾
And Day 1 for our summer intern, David who discovered grass ID isn't impossible and he needs new boots 😂🥾
What's up? Radishes 😋
May 27, 2025 at 8:23 PM
What's up? Radishes 😋
Reposted by Caroline O'Rourke
Counting fritillaries + eating cake = a great day at North Meadow NNR! 🍰🌷
Along with @naturalengland.bsky.social we've been monitoring the UK’s biggest population here since the 1970s.
Read more about this iconic flower in our joint paper with @bsbibotany.bsky.social: bit.ly/4lLuPqt :)
Along with @naturalengland.bsky.social we've been monitoring the UK’s biggest population here since the 1970s.
Read more about this iconic flower in our joint paper with @bsbibotany.bsky.social: bit.ly/4lLuPqt :)
April 28, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Counting fritillaries + eating cake = a great day at North Meadow NNR! 🍰🌷
Along with @naturalengland.bsky.social we've been monitoring the UK’s biggest population here since the 1970s.
Read more about this iconic flower in our joint paper with @bsbibotany.bsky.social: bit.ly/4lLuPqt :)
Along with @naturalengland.bsky.social we've been monitoring the UK’s biggest population here since the 1970s.
Read more about this iconic flower in our joint paper with @bsbibotany.bsky.social: bit.ly/4lLuPqt :)
Reposted by Caroline O'Rourke
🚨 The @floodplainmead.bsky.social team has produced a free @ouopenlearn.bsky.social course, 'An Introduction to Floodplain Meadows'.
The course explores how these traditional landscapes can deliver a range of nature-based solutions to improve our environment.
www.open.edu/openlearn/na...
The course explores how these traditional landscapes can deliver a range of nature-based solutions to improve our environment.
www.open.edu/openlearn/na...
An introduction to floodplain meadows
This free course, An introduction to floodplain meadows, explores how these traditional landscapes can deliver a range of nature-based solutions that will improve our environment. The course will ...
www.open.edu
March 27, 2025 at 5:50 PM
🚨 The @floodplainmead.bsky.social team has produced a free @ouopenlearn.bsky.social course, 'An Introduction to Floodplain Meadows'.
The course explores how these traditional landscapes can deliver a range of nature-based solutions to improve our environment.
www.open.edu/openlearn/na...
The course explores how these traditional landscapes can deliver a range of nature-based solutions to improve our environment.
www.open.edu/openlearn/na...
Reposted by Caroline O'Rourke
📢New policy brief with partners Pasture For Life: Research funding should prioritise scientists and livestock farmers working more closely together on co-designed, co-delivered farm-level research projects 👩🌾🧑🔬🐮
Full story 👇
www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/more-fu...
Full story 👇
www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/more-fu...
March 13, 2025 at 9:43 AM
📢New policy brief with partners Pasture For Life: Research funding should prioritise scientists and livestock farmers working more closely together on co-designed, co-delivered farm-level research projects 👩🌾🧑🔬🐮
Full story 👇
www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/more-fu...
Full story 👇
www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/more-fu...
Reposted by Caroline O'Rourke
FMP are one of 50 Nature & farming groups united in calling for Government to protect the nature-friendly farming budget.
Cuts could scupper the vital work of farmers trying to restore soils, boost nature & grow healthy food.
Read the press release here:
www.wcl.org.uk/farming-and-...
Cuts could scupper the vital work of farmers trying to restore soils, boost nature & grow healthy food.
Read the press release here:
www.wcl.org.uk/farming-and-...
March 25, 2025 at 2:51 PM
FMP are one of 50 Nature & farming groups united in calling for Government to protect the nature-friendly farming budget.
Cuts could scupper the vital work of farmers trying to restore soils, boost nature & grow healthy food.
Read the press release here:
www.wcl.org.uk/farming-and-...
Cuts could scupper the vital work of farmers trying to restore soils, boost nature & grow healthy food.
Read the press release here:
www.wcl.org.uk/farming-and-...
Reposted by Caroline O'Rourke
Grasslands like floodplain meadows are vital for food, carbon storage, water management, wildlife and more. Better coordination from Government can unlock their potential. That's why we’re joining @plantlifeuk.bsky.social uk.bsky.social, NNFN and partners in calling for a Grassland Taskforce.
February 25, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Grasslands like floodplain meadows are vital for food, carbon storage, water management, wildlife and more. Better coordination from Government can unlock their potential. That's why we’re joining @plantlifeuk.bsky.social uk.bsky.social, NNFN and partners in calling for a Grassland Taskforce.
Reposted by Caroline O'Rourke
Celebrate World Wetlands Day by showing some love for floodplain meadows—sustainable, biodiverse agricultural systems that excel in ecosystem services. We think they're great 🥰Learn more here https://buff.ly/3PVbbJK #naturalfloodmanagement #WWD2025 #WetlandsCOP15
February 2, 2025 at 9:17 AM
Celebrate World Wetlands Day by showing some love for floodplain meadows—sustainable, biodiverse agricultural systems that excel in ecosystem services. We think they're great 🥰Learn more here https://buff.ly/3PVbbJK #naturalfloodmanagement #WWD2025 #WetlandsCOP15
Sunset walk to shake off society (I think I'm allergic).
January 25, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Sunset walk to shake off society (I think I'm allergic).
Oh look, it's me waffling on about how awesome floodplain meadows are again. Gis a listen if you're interested in sustainable climate change solutions 😊
If you missed it in August catch our Research Associate @caroline-orourke.bsky.social and ambassador Leila Thornton talking about Welsh floodplain meadows on BBC Radio Wales Country Focus.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio Wales - Country Focus, Floodplain Meadows
Exploring the beauty and utility of Welsh floodplain meadows.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 14, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Oh look, it's me waffling on about how awesome floodplain meadows are again. Gis a listen if you're interested in sustainable climate change solutions 😊