You may be wondering how the usually autumnal activity of berry picking and jam making has made it into our summer holidays with blackberries sprawling the hedgerows and apples falling already. Has autumn come early?
Surprisingly, this array of early fruiting is not due to an early autumn as temperatures continue to remain high with the many heatwaves the English weather has thrown at us this year.
“Provisional Met Office statistics show that summer 2025 will almost certainly be the warmest summer on record” says Emily Carlisle, a Met office scientist.
Key findings from the Woodland trust show that many spring events were earlier than average, with the warm weather beginning as early as February contributing to this unusual seasonal occurrence.
The prolonged dry weather not only brings concern regarding seasonal cycles, but the immediate effects that the drought is having on the environment.
The Northumberland Wildlife Trust have put out an alert for wildfires regarding reserves in Newcastle, Northumberland and north Tyneside.
The Northumberland Wildlife Trust have put out an alert for wildfires regarding reserves in Newcastle, Northumberland and north Tyneside. It is highlighted that this not only affects the landscape, but also the wildlife that depend on the mosses.
The Director of Conservation Duncan Hutt explains “Changing weather patterns, including longer, drier spells, means wild places are much more susceptible to wildfires. These events are devastating for wildlife and communities, destroying precious habitats, and costing enormous of money.”
Fires due to the hot weather have also broken out on the North York Moors national park with Langdale Moor being battled by both the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and surrounding farmers in order to maintain the moorland.
“As the impacts of our changing climate becomes clear, it’s important to reflect on lessons learned from upland management while also recognising the vital support needed for those who work tirelessly to care for vulnerable landscapes like our upland moors,” says National Farmers Union Deputy President, David Exwood.
The National Drought group have defined the lack of rainfall as a “nationally significant incident" with the hot weather calling for measures such as hosepipe bans from Yorkshire Water because of an exceptionally dry spring earlier in the year
The Yorkshire Water hosepipe ban has appeared to have made an improvement to water supplies, therefore protecting local rivers and wildlife with a 10% reduction in domestic demand.
Not only are the berries reacting to this climate stress, but concerns from farmers highlight the effects of this weather on all plants.
Not only are the berries reacting to this climate stress, but concerns from farmers highlight the effects of this weather on all plants. Crops are bringing harvest earlier in the year than usual with 10% of winter barley harvested by July with the contrasting five-year average being 6% by the same time of year.
The National Farmers Union also adds “Forage has been particularly hard hit with livestock producers having to feed winter rations early or buy in feed to make up for poor grass growth.”
The Met Office anticipate a wetter than average end to the summer, particularly for the western areas. This follows a ‘false autumn' which replicates the signs of autumn with trees withering and fruit dropping early, but this does not mean that autumn is in full swing just yet, but that the dry summer has taken its toll on our plants and what we are witnessing is their method of survival.