|
|
|
||||||
|
Headlines from week beginning 2 March 2015. |
|
A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
Flood risk management partners invite views on how flood risk is managed
in Scotland - SEPA The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and local
authorities are today (Monday 2 March) calling on the public and
businesses to share their opinions on the most comprehensive assessment
of flood risk, and its impacts, ever compiled in Scotland. We have launched a joint consultation, which can be viewed at:
https://frm-scotland.org.uk,
to help shape the future direction and delivery of flood risk management
in the country. The most sustainable combination of actions to help tackle flooding,
in areas identified as being at the greatest risk across Scotland, are
detailed in the consultation alongside information on where we can gain
the most benefits from taking action. Members of the public and businesses have until Tuesday 2 June to
comment on the consultation. All responses received by this date will
help inform the final flood risk management strategies and local flood
risk management plans. Scotland has been divided into 14 Local Plan Districts for flood risk
management purposes. In December 2015, following feedback from this
consultation, SEPA will publish a flood risk management strategy for
each of the 14 Local Plan Districts. Each strategy will confirm the
immediate priorities for flood risk management as well as set out the
future direction to be taken by all responsible authorities. Dr David Pirie, SEPA's Executive Director, said: "This
consultation is an important opportunity for people across Scotland to
have their say on how flood risk is managed in the future. The main
flooding issues and flood impacts across Scotland are set out in the
consultation with a vision for how flooding should be managed. We have
been working closely with local authorities to identify the most
suitable actions to manage flood risk, and this is targeted towards
areas where it will be most effective based on improved knowledge of the
sources and impacts of flooding. "We would encourage people who
are interested in tackling flooding and reducing its impacts on
communities across Scotland to get involved and make sure your views are
heard by taking part in this consultation."
NPMS
launches today! The new National Plant Monitoring Scheme (NPMS), launched on 1 March,
will for the first time enable scientists to take an annual stock take
of the UK’s wild plants and their habitats, but to do this we need the
public’s help. We are looking for volunteers to carry out surveys of
wildflowers and their habitats that will provide robust evidence of
which widespread plants are increasing or declining, as well as
indicating the changing state of our most valued habitats such as
grassland, fenland and even road verges. Plants are nature’s building
blocks and this new monitoring scheme will sit alongside existing
schemes for the UK’s birds and butterflies to help us understand more
about how the countryside is changing. Chris Cheffings, from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee says
“Currently, information on plant species’ abundance and change is very
limited, and it is difficult to gauge the condition of habitats outside
protected sites. JNCC is delighted to be able to support the NPMS, which
will fill this significant gap in UK biodiversity surveillance. The
annual results collected by volunteers will help to identify trends in
hundreds of species, allowing us to assess plant community changes.” The search is now on to find 2000 volunteers to take part in the NPMS
who will play a vital role in gathering information. Together the
volunteers will monitor wild plants in 28 important habitats, ranging
from hedgerows and meadows to salt marsh and scree slopes. Oliver Pescott, from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology says “The
results from this new scheme should allow us to quantify the smaller
changes that are occurring within our most valuable habitats. In the
past, volunteer-collected data have been able to demonstrate the results
of large-scale habitat loss over the last century, now we would like to
reveal even more detail about the changes within the remaining areas of
these habitats in our landscape.”
A Wild Life is a Better Life - Wildlife
Trusts
David Attenborough is part of 'My Wild Life' - a new campaign
highlighting why the natural world is so important to us all When we stop and think, we all know that nature is good for us – but
how often do we stop and think? The Wildlife Trusts are launching My Wild Life today which encourages
us all to stop for a minute to reflect on what wildlife means to us and
think about how to make wildlife part of our everyday lives. If we did
this, not only would wildlife benefit, but so would we – because contact
with nature is good for us. Those people lucky enough to live near and
experience green spaces have a 50% chance of being more healthy – both
physically and mentally and are 40% less likely to become overweight or
obese. Sir David Attenborough has travelled the world in search of wildlife
but in London where he lives he can watch stag beetles flying in his
garden and marvel at ancient trees in London’s parks. Sir David, The
Wildlife Trusts’ President Emeritus, says: “Contact with nature should
not be the preserve of the privileged. It is critical to the personal
development of our children. This is why The Wildlife Trusts are restoring wildlife and wild
places in towns and cities as well as in the countryside, and why we are
encouraging people from all walks of life to share their own personal
stories about what nature means to them. Sir David Attenborough is one
of hundreds of people taking part so far, alongside students, nurses,
families, volunteers, teachers and many others from across the UK. From
today his, and other stories, can be found at
www.mywildlife.org.uk where people can add their own story and
discover wild places near to them.
Shot peregrine found dead at Derbyshire Wildlife Trust headquarters
- Derbyshire Wildlife Trust A male peregrine falcon has been shot and found dead outside
Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s offices at East Mill in Belper, Derbyshire.
Tim Birch, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s Head of Advocacy and
Conservation Strategy, said, “We have all been shocked at the Trust by
the shooting of the male peregrine at our headquarters in Belper. To
have a wildlife crime happening right on our doorstep is both alarming
and upsetting. Many people from Belper, and indeed from around the whole
region, have been thrilled to watch Peregrines around the mill where we
work. We feel very privileged to have these birds living alongside us.
We strongly condemn the shooting of this bird.” On discovering the shot in the bird, the Trust immediately reported
the death as a wildlife crime and has worked closely with the police on
the matter. Darren Belfield, who is working on the case for Derbyshire
Constabulary said, “Birds of prey, such as the peregrine falcon, are
fully protected by legislation which makes it an offence to deliberately
kill or injure them. The perpetrators of this cruel and deliberate act
have shown a clear disregard for the law surrounding this species.” Since the death of the peregrine, a new male has flown in from Dorset
and taken up residence with the female at East Mill and has been seen
mating with her. This should be something to celebrate but at the moment
the Trust is concerned for its safety. Derbyshire Constabulary are appealing for anyone with information
regarding this incident to come forward and any information will be
dealt with in the strictest confidence. The bird was found dead on 17th
January and the RSPB are offering a reward of £1000 for any information.
Reports of wildlife crime are taken very seriously. If anyone has any
information relating to this incident or any form of wildlife crime
please contact the police immediately or via Crimestoppers on 0800 555
111.
Europe's environment 2015: Future prosperity depends on bolder steps in
policy, knowledge, investments and innovation
- European Environment Agency Europe's environment and climate policies have delivered substantial
benefits, improving the environment and quality of life, while driving
innovation, job creation and growth. Despite these gains, Europe still
faces a range of persistent and growing environmental challenges.
Addressing them will require fundamental changes in the systems of
production and consumption that are the root cause of environmental
problems. These are some of the key messages from the European Environment
Agency's five-yearly assessment 'The
European environment – state and outlook 2015' (SOER 2015),
published today (3/3/15). SOER 2015 is an integrated assessment of
Europe's environment. It also includes assessments and data at global,
regional and country levels, as well as cross-country comparisons. Today, Europeans enjoy cleaner air and water, less waste is sent to
landfill and more resources are recycled. However, Europe remains a long
way from achieving the objective of 'living well within the limits of
the planet' by 2050, as set out in the
7th
Environment Action Programme. Although we use natural resources more
efficiently than previously, we are still degrading the resource base
that we rely on in Europe and across the world. Problems such as
biodiversity loss and climate change remain major threats. SOER 2015 highlights the need for more ambitious policies to achieve
Europe's 2050 vision. It also stresses the need for new approaches that
respond to the systemic nature of many environmental problems. For
example, external pressures, including global megatrends, can counteract
specific policies and local environmental management efforts. In
addition, many environmental challenges are closely linked to systems of
production and consumption that support numerous jobs and livelihoods
and changes to these systems create diverse costs and benefits.
Moreover, efficiency improvements are often negated by increased
consumption. The report concludes that although full implementation of existing
policies will be essential, neither the environmental policies currently
in place, nor economic and technology-driven efficiency gains, will be
sufficient to achieve Europe's 2050 vision. Reaction from IUCN:
European Environment Agency rings alarm bells over state of EU’s
environment Today (3/3/15), the European Environment Agency released its State of
the Environment Report 2015, delivering a stark message of biodiversity
loss, natural capital depletion and environmental pressures. The report
emphasizes the recognition that Europe's economic prosperity and
well-being are intrinsically linked to its natural environment. According to the report, Europe’s natural capital is not being
sufficiently protected, with loss of soil functions, land degradation
and climate change threatening the flows of environmental goods and
services that underpin Europe's economic output and well-being.
Moreover, Europe continues to lose its biodiversity and habitats, and is
not on track to meeting the targets of its 2020 Biodiversity Strategy.
Climate change impacts are expected to intensify the threats to
biodiversity and accelerate the loss of natural capital. On the positive side, the report points to the successes of the EU’s
strong environmental legislation, while emphasising that challenges
remain. The Birds and Habitats Directives in particular have been
effective in protecting some endangered species (such as beavers,
wolves, cranes and white tailed eagles) and succeeded in creating and
expanding Europe’s unique Natura 2000 network of protected areas, which
now protects 18% of land and 4% of marine waters. In addition, there
have been considerable improvements in Europe’s air and water quality
over recent decades. “We do not need to reinvent the wheel – we know what action is needed, and we have the instruments at our fingertips,” concluded Luc Bas. “In order to preserve and enhance Europe’s ecosystem services and secure our long-term prosperity, we need to fully and effectively implement existing legislation, and beyond that also ensure full recognition of the value of natural capital across all different sectoral policies.”
Kew Gardens funding must be put on secure footing – Science and
Technology Select Committee, parliament.uk The Government’s financial management of Kew Gardens is a recipe for
failure, the Science and Technology Committee has warned in a new
report. Andrew Miller MP, Chair of the Committee, said: "The way the
Government provides funds to the Royal Botanic Gardens leaves them with
little ability to plan for the future and is undermining Kew’s
capability to produce world-beating plant science. The Government must
work out a stable way of funding the Gardens that provides greater
long-term certainty for Kew’s important work.Recent financial problems
have led to over a hundred people losing their jobs, 47 of which were
scientists, and fears being raised over the ability of Kew to sustain
its world class botanical and mycological science. While the management
is criticised for failing to produce a strategy (eventually published on
23 February) ahead of making changes and introducing redundancies the
Committee has confidence in the management to carry out its plan to
ensure the future of both Kew and its scientific mission. Indeed, the
report blames the pace of change on the difficult situation created by
the restricted and stop/start nature of funding from the Government."
Andrew Miller MP continued: "The
Government does not needs to micro-manage Kew’s finances, it must give
the Botanic Gardens the same financial freedom as similar leading
scientific institutions. The Natural History Museum is thriving with far
fewer restrictions on its budget from Government. We think it is time
the Government ensured that there was a greater parity in treatment
between these institutions". The report raises concerns that too little of Kew’s funding is
unrestricted. It points out that the Royal Botanic Gardens suffers in
comparison with Natural History Museum. 96% of the Natural History
Museum’s budget is unrestricted so it has the freedom to choose how it
is spent. In Kew’s case Defra ends up making decisions better taken by
management. The forthcoming Triennial review of Kew provides an
opportunity to consider whether there should be more consistency of
treatment between Natural History Museum and Kew according to the MPs.
New study reveals widespread risk of infectious diseases to wild bees
- Royal Holloway, University of London
Researchers
have discovered a network of viruses, which were previously associated
with managed honeybees, may now pose a widespread risk to bumblebees in
the wild, according to a new study published today in the Journal of
Animal Ecology.
Previously research had only identified one virus, deformed wing
virus, which had most likely spilled over from managed honeybees into
wild bumblebee populations.
Professor Mark Brown, from the School of Biological Sciences at Royal
Holloway, University of London, said: “Our results confirm a recent
review of potential threats to pollinators, indicating that so-called
honey bee viruses are widespread in wild bees. It is imperative that we
take the next step and identify how these viruses are transmitted among
honeybees and wild bees, so that we can manage both to reduce their risk
of disease.” The research identified five viruses – black queen cell virus,
deformed wing virus, acute bee paralysis virus, slow bee paralysis virus
and sacbrood virus (all named for their effects in honeybees) from wild
bumblebees and managed honeybees at 26 sites across Great Britain. Some
of these infection levels were highest in honeybees and for others they
were higher in bumblebees. This suggests that some viruses are
predominantly spread by honeybees, whilst others rely on wild
bumblebees. Dr Dino McMahon, from Queen’s University, Belfast, said: “Our
findings are important because they indicate that many viruses can
spread easily between pollinator species and, furthermore, that they can
reach very high disease levels in wild bumblebees.” Professor Robert Paxton, from Queen’s University, Belfast, added:
“Our previous research suggested that a key virus of the honeybee –
deformed wing virus – spills over to infect bumble bees, probably via
contact at flowers. We now find that other viruses may be doing the
same. Yet our new findings also highlight just how little we know of bee
parasites and the role they play in the decline of pollinators.”
A new study, published in the Journal of Animal Ecology this week,
has discovered a range of viruses in wild bumblebees which were
previously thought to be restricted to honeybees. Chief Executive Officer of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, Lucy
Rothstein, supported the new research, saying, “We welcome the research
carried out by Professor Mark Brown and his team at Royal Holloway,
University of London. Bumblebees are under threat from so
many different factors – diseases in particular. Building our
understanding about these diseases will play a fundamental role in
helping us to find solutions to prevent further declines of these
endearing and iconic insects. Bumblebees are vital for our food security
and for creating beautiful landscapes for us to enjoy – which is why we
have a vested interest in safeguarding their future and supporting
research, and why our work creating and restoring bumblebee friendly
habitat is more important than ever”.
New research provides farmers with techniques to help turtle dove
recovery - RSPB A new research study, conducted on six farms across East Anglia, has
recommended a new agri-environment management option that could help in
the recovery of UK turtle dove populations. The study, carried out by the RSPB and part-funded by Natural England
(through its Species Recovery Programme), found that cultivating grown
seed with a mix of plant species in the autumn creates a habitat rich in
seed that is easily accessible – ideal for turtle doves, which feed on
seeds present on, or close to, the ground. The authors also suggest that
light cultivation or cutting during spring would better prevent the
plots from becoming too overgrown and, therefore, unsuitable for turtle
doves. UK turtle dove populations have fallen 88 per cent since 1995, with
one cause for this decline thought to be the lack of seed from arable
plants, which historically formed the bulk of turtle doves' diet during
the breeding season, resulting in a much shorter breeding season with
fewer nesting attempts.
This latest research into the management of bespoke seed mixes to
provide food for turtle doves, which was published in the Journal for
Nature Conservation today (3 March), is under consideration as a part of
a modified version of the nectar flower mix option under the new
Countryside Stewardship scheme and could be pivotal in providing food
for turtle doves on farmland across the UK. Tony Morris, Senior Conservation Scientist, RSPB Centre for
Conservation Science said: 'This research helps our understanding of how
to provide food for turtle doves on farmland where the original sources
of seed food have long since vanished but without unduly disrupting
modern agriculture. Agri-environment schemes offer the best and perhaps
last hope for this iconic species. We're hopeful that, together with
farmers and our partners in Operation Turtle Dove, we can reverse the
decline of this bird and secure its long-term future in Britain.'
Good news for garden birds 2014 was a good year for garden birds, though maybe not for garden
birdwatchers! Thanks to decent weather and plenty of resources, gardens
were not inundated with our common garden birds according to the British
Trust for Ornithology Garden BirdWatch. By collecting weekly
records of garden birds the BTO Garden BirdWatch can tell if anything
out of the ordinary is occurring, as birds veer away from their seasonal
trends. With the lack of birds in gardens at the beginning of 2014,
alarm bells might have been rung, but overall the 2014 results were very
ordinary for all of our common garden
Other BTO surveys show that 2014 was a good year for garden bird
species. Preliminary bird ringing results show that Wren numbers and
survival rate in 2014 were significantly higher than the five-year
average, thanks to the mild weather during winter 2013/2014. It was also
a productive breeding season for many of our garden birds, according to
nesting and ringing data, including Long-tailed Tit, Song Thrush, Robin
and Blackbird, with the latter having one of its best years ever. So why did we not see bumper bird numbers in gardens? Clare Simm,
from the Garden BirdWatch team, commented, "Continuing mild weather and
the ability to obtain food in the wider countryside meant that birds did
not need to come into gardens in greater numbers than usual. While the
supplementary food that we supply is valuable during adverse weather
conditions, it is only used when birds need it. This demonstrates the
value of having long-term datasets so that we can tell when and how
birds are using gardens." She added: "So don’t worry - our garden
birds are out there!"
Government announces crackdown on illegal fly-tipping
- defra Greater powers to be given to enforcement authorities to stop, search
and seize vehicles suspected of waste crime. Enforcement officers will soon be able to seize vehicles suspected of
being involved in fly-tipping thanks to enhanced powers to crack down on
waste crime, Resource Management Minister Dan Rogerson announced today.
The new legislation, expected to be introduced to Parliament
tomorrow, will make it easier for local authorities, the Environment
Agency and Natural Resources Wales to stop, search and seize vehicles
suspected of being involved in waste crime. In 2013/14, local
authorities dealt with 852,000 incidents of fly-tipping, costing an
estimated £45.2 million in clearance costs. This marks an important milestone in the government’s Waste Crime
Action Plan and follows a consultation launched last week on enhancing
enforcement powers to tackle waste crime. Resource Management Minister Dan Rogerson said:
Minister wants bigger role for National Parks
- Welsh Government Natural Resources Minister Carl Sargeant has reiterated his
commitment to National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty,
and wants them to play a more significant role in how Wales manages its
environment. Providing an update on the independent review of designated
landscapes in Wales, which he announced in September 2014, the Minister
said that National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are
integral to Wales’ national identity and are recognised internationally
as part of a global family of protected areas. Carl Sargeant said: “National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural
Beauty are highly valued. They are assets that we should celebrate and
protect, but also continue to harness to tackle the environmental and
economic challenges that we face. I want them to be international
exemplars of sustainability, living landscapes with vibrant, resilient
communities, providing extensive outdoor recreation opportunities,
tackling social issues and, creating thriving ecosystems which are rich
in biodiversity.” Stage one of the independent review examined the designations
themselves, looking at their purposes and the merits of classifying
Wales’s designated landscapes under one type of designation. The first
stage of the review is now complete and the panel has made six
recommendations. The Minister said that the report of stage one would now provide the
basis for reviewing governance and management arrangements of the
designations
Report shows mixed picture for birds of prey in Scotland
- Scottish Natural Heritage A new report published by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) shows
some of the most complete statistical trends ever for birds of prey
in Scotland, and lays the groundwork to gain even more information
about raptor populations in the future. The report shows emerging trends in the numbers and breeding
success for 13 species, and finds mixed results: most species are
rising, but some are falling. Certain birds of prey, such as goshawks, buzzards and
sparrowhawks, have shown signs of recovery over the past seven years
from lows in the past, due to efforts to combat persecution, habitat
loss and pesticides. Not all birds of prey have increased, however,
and some declines have been stark. Numbers of kestrels, a once
common and widespread breeding bird, have declined. They’re now
becoming scarce in many parts of Scotland. Ron Macdonald, SNH’s director of policy and advice, said: “I’d
like to say a huge thank you to the hundreds of volunteer
specialists who have helped us present, for the first time, a clear
picture of what’s happening to birds of prey across Scotland. Some
birds of prey are faring well – but our report also shows that we
still have lots of work to do to make sure that all birds of prey
flourish in Scotland." Amy Challis, the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Coordinator at
Scottish Raptor Study Group, added: “This report paves the way for
us to gain a greater understanding of the health of raptor
populations in Scotland. The existing dedicated raptor monitoring
volunteers have already provided a wealth of information, and it is
now a priority for the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme to build on
their work. In light of the findings from this report, we will look
at how we can enhance monitoring for, in particular, some of the
less rare raptor species, such as kestrels, sparrowhawks and owls." The report was written by BTO Scotland, RSPB Scotland and Haworth
Conservation, funded by Scottish Natural Heritage. Publication details: SNH
Commissioned Report 542:
Raptors in Scotland - a methodology for developing trends and
indicators This report provides estimates of trends in numbers and/or
breeding success for 13 species of raptors in Scotland. It provides
a comprehensive overview of the species for which trends can be
produced, using data collected by members of the Scottish Raptor
Monitoring Scheme. It also highlights those raptors that we still
need to gather more information on so that we can produce trends in
the future.
Scientific Publications Stritch, Carin, Naulty, Favel, Zintl, Annetta, Callanan, John.,
McCullough, Maureen, Deane, David, Marnell, Ferdia & McMahon, Barry.
(2015)
Squirrelpox virus reservoir expansion on the east coast of Ireland Minderman, Jeroen, Fuentes-Montemayor, Elisa, Pearce-Higgins, James., Pendlebury, Chris. & Park, Kirsty. (2015) Estimates and correlates of bird and bat mortality at small wind turbine sites. Biodiversity and Conservation. DOI: 10.1007/s10531-014-0826-z
Ebrahimi, Mehregan, Ebrahimie, Esmaeil, Bull, C. Michael.
Minimizing the cost of translocation failure with decision-tree models
that predict species’ behavioral response in translocation sites.
Conservation Biology. DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12479
P.M. Anastácio, F. Banha, C. Capinha, J.M. Bernardo, A.M. Costa, A.
Teixeira, S. Bruxelas,
Indicators of movement and space use for two co-occurring invasive
crayfish species, Ecological Indicators, Volume 53, June 2015, Pages
171-181, ISSN 1470-160X,
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.01.019. Beston, J. A., Diffendorfer, J. E. and Loss, S. (2015), Insufficient sampling to identify species affected by turbine collisions. The Journal of Wildlife Management. doi: 10.1002/jwmg.852 Cooper, C., Larson, L., Dayer, A., Stedman, R. and Decker, D. (2015), Are wildlife recreationists conservationists? Linking hunting, birdwatching, and pro-environmental behavior. The Journal of Wildlife Management. doi: 10.1002/jwmg.855
|
|
|
|
CJS is not responsible for content of external sites. Details believed correct but given without prejudice. Disclaimer: the views expressed in these news pages do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of CJS. |
|
|
A
local photographer found the dead peregrine and alerted Derbyshire
Wildlife Trust, who took the corpse to a vet. They x-rayed the bird and
discovered the shot lodged in its shoulder. Further expert veterinary
analysis confirmed that this was a very recent shooting which was likely
to be linked to its death.
The study revealed multiple interconnected diseases that are
threatening several species of bumblebee and the managed honeybee, which
are essential pollinators of many agricultural crops and wild flowers. 
Turtle
doves have declined in the UK by 88 per cent since 1995 (Image: Andy Hay
birds,
and that is no bad thing.
