The winter in Sweden is long, dark and hard. But also incredibly beautiful. 

Joshua Tree National Park was once described by early explorers as a “profitless locality” and that it “shall be forever unvisited”.
A bit of time, visitation by those with a more discerning eye and the efforts of a determined woman resulted in the protection of a treasured place.

The aurora australis lights the skies of Southwest Tasmania. The next Dark Sky Sanctuary? Image: Dan Broun

The Atlantic Forest is one of the most biodiverse forests in the world including almost 1000 bird species. Here are a few of these birds from photographer Marcio Conrado.

Black Bluff and Winterbrook are two jewels on the north coast of Tasmania. 

The wild and special continent of Antarctica - captured by outdoor educator and guide Ewan Blyth. 

The diverse avifauna of Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, includes, but not limited to a fascinating array of species locally known by distinct names that reflect the region’s cultural and ecological identity. 

Southwest National Park in Tasmania is a vast, mostly trackless wilderness containing ancient forests, the wildest rivers, a glaciated and mountainous landscape and a spectacular coastline with rich aboriginal history.

The Scandinavian mountain range, the Scandes, runs through the border between Sweden and Norway. It covers most of Norway and stretches into the north-west regions of Sweden. These mountainous areas form some of Sweden's most remarkable wilderness.

Antartica, the Southern Ocean and the sub-Antarctic islands host a rich variety of extraordinary life, including penguins, seals, and whales

Bryce Canyon National Park in southern Utah is home to the greatest collection of distinctive spire-shaped rock formations called hoodoos on Earth. Its super-ancient sediment layering dates back to the end of the Cretaceous period, more than 66 million years ago.

Bruny Island is a haven for rare and unique birds and animals, and is one of the best bird-watching spots in Australia.

The aurora australis lights the skies of Southwest Tasmania. The next Dark Sky Sanctuary? Image: Dan Broun

The Scandinavian mountain range, the Scandes, runs through the border between Sweden and Norway. It covers most of Norway and stretches into the north-west regions of Sweden. These mountainous areas form some of Sweden's most remarkable wilderness.

The fairy tern is a similar size to a hooded plover - so tiny, it would sit comfortably in the palm of your hand. They lay just two eggs, onto the beach sand. See these remarkable images from Tasmanian-based bird ecologist Dr Eric Woehler.

The winter in Sweden is long, dark and hard. But also incredibly beautiful. 

The wild and special continent of Antarctica - captured by outdoor educator and guide Ewan Blyth. 

The dramatic-looking rockhopper penguin is characterised by its red eyes, upright yellow head feathers along a supercilium stripe and a crest of black feathers on top. They are separated into three sub-species, photographer here by ecologist Dr Eric Woehler (OAM) and located around the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic zones.

Southwest National Park in Tasmania is a vast, mostly trackless wilderness containing ancient forests, the wildest rivers, a glaciated and mountainous landscape and a spectacular coastline with rich aboriginal history.

The diverse avifauna of Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, includes, but not limited to a fascinating array of species locally known by distinct names that reflect the region’s cultural and ecological identity. 

Snow leopards, golden marmot, markhor, golden eagles, lynx, and other wildlife species frequent the extraordinary region of Chitral & Gilgit Baltistan in Northern Pakistan

Bruny Island is an island, off an island, off an island, surrounded by islands. Image: Nick Monk

We all need a good visual dose of the wonder of Nature sometimes, and we can't always get outside from behind the desk, to breathe it in. Here, we bring it to you, with these beautiful close-ups of our unique woodland bird species, photographed by Tasmanian bird ecologist Dr Eric Woehler (OAM). Take a moment and enjoy.

Bryce Canyon National Park in southern Utah is home to the greatest collection of distinctive spire-shaped rock formations called hoodoos on Earth. Its super-ancient sediment layering dates back to the end of the Cretaceous period, more than 66 million years ago.