A few weeks ago I was thrilled to be in Portsmouth Harbour to witness the culmination of three years of work on an unusual project. I’m DIO’s Principal Ecologist, which means I lead a team responsible for managing the habitats and species on MOD …
This week we hosted the first ever virtual Sanctuary Awards ceremony! The Sanctuary Awards have been showcasing outstanding sustainability and conservation efforts across the Ministry of Defence (MOD) estate since 1991, celebrating the achievements of teams and individuals in the …
The MOD’s sustainability strategy aims to reduce defence’s contribution to carbon and greenhouse emissions on the defence estate.
We all know that deforestation is a major environmental concern around the world. Carbon dioxide is a huge contributor to climate change, but trees capture and store carbon dioxide. Scientists say planting more trees is a great way to reduce …
Today is the International Day of Biological Diversity, a great reminder for us all to think about what we can do to encourage biodiversity. Why is that important? Well, so many species have been lost or had their numbers severely …
Maj Udai Gurung tells us how he and a group of dedicated volunteers are working to protect a rare moth on Fingringhoe Ranges in Essex.
Salisbury Plain is not only one of the military’s top training areas, it is also rich in wildlife and archaeological wonders. Read on to find out more from a DIO ecologist.
![Jonathan Pepper with an owl. [All rights reserved]](https://insideDIO.blog.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2018/06/20160730_113125-1-1024x830.jpg)
Hi, my name is Jonathan Pepper and I'm a Range Safety Marshall at DIO. For the last four years I’ve been working as a volunteer for the MOD Raptor and Owl Nest Box Project. As part of Volunteers’ Week I’d …
![The Sanctuary Awards winners and runners up with DIO Chief Executive Graham Dalton and Defence Minister Mark Lancaster. [Crown Copyright/MOD2016]](https://insideDIO.blog.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2016/12/20161208-Winners-and-runners-up-with-Graham-Dalton-and-Mark-Lancaster-1024x555.jpg)
It’s easy sometimes to think of ‘Defence’ only in terms of aircraft, tanks and warships. In fact it’s really about people, some working on the front line while others work behind the scenes. My name is Iain Perkins and I’d …
Hi, I’m Lisa Wade and I’m a DIO ecologist based on Salisbury Plain. It’s a pretty wide-ranging job which includes protection of endangered hen harriers. Hen harriers are a bird of prey and mainly eat small animals including mammals and …