Time for change...

T here’s no time like the present. From a wildlife point of view, that old adage has never been more pertinent. With issues relating to conservation and how we manage our relationships with animals increasingly hitting the front pages (we catch up with Chris Packham on that particular subject on page 56), I couldn’t have joined BBC Wildlife Magazine at a more exciting time. Climate change, pollution and animal rights are firmly on the global agenda, but every action starts with each of us doing our bit. And so it’s a huge pleasure for me to announce that BBC

Wildlife Magazine is now a plasticfree zone. Subscribers will have noticed that this issue came wrapped in paper, and we’ve also undertaken to have no more plastic on our newsstand copies.

I couldn’t be happier that we’ve ditched plastic. To change the way we package and distribute our magazines is a surprisingly complex undertaking, but a vital one. It’s been great to have the support of Ecotricity, which has been key in helping us make our dream of going plastic-free a reality.

This issue celebrates wildlife from the majestic – such as the bottlenose dolphins wowing beachcombers in Scotland (p68) – to the maligned (I’m sure I’m not the only one who’ll be looking at weeds in a different light after Nick Baker’s feature on page 30).

It’s an honour to be the latest custodian of this long-running magazine – be sure to write in and let me know your thoughts!