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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
South American super-nannies welcome new arrivals – National Trust Nannies for the new arrival might be on one famous couple’s minds,
but nervous mothers in one part of North Wales are resting easier thanks
to their two male super-nannies from South America.
An
Alpaca to watch over ewe. Credit Wynn Owen Alpacas from the Andes are guarding a flock of sheep at the National
Trust’s in hand farm, Hafod-y-Llan in North Wales. In a first for the conservation charity, the two male alpacas,
affectionately called Bill and Ben, though their real names are
Hernandes and Zapata, are currently guarding a field of 50 ewes and
their lambs from predators including foxes. Arwyn Owen, farm manager at Hafod-y-Llan said: “I first saw alpacas
and llamas guarding sheep when I visited Australia four years ago. “They are so good at guarding lambs because they are ever-watchful
and very aware of what’s going on. As soon as they sense or hear
any distress they run towards the noise which frightens predators away.
The importance of
unstructured nature play – Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
image:
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh In my previous blog about our Nature Play: Nature Conservation
project I explained some of the things we found out from observing
children taking part in unstructured play sessions in a wild corner of
the Demonstration Garden in the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Last
week I presented these findings at the International Botanic Garden
Education Congress at Missouri Botanic Garden which gave me the
opportunity to reflect on why we did this work. I also want to a provide
link below to the report and show film that we have produced. Play has an important role in human development, just as it does in
many other animal species. There is also evidence that open-ended and
unstructured play we encouraged during the Nature Play project, in
particular, stimulates children’s curiosity and imagination and develops
their creativity. Patrick Bateson and Paul Martin in their book on Play,
Playfulness, Creativity and Innovation point out that many great artists
and Nobel laureates, including Pablo Picasso and Alexander Fleming, had
a playful and exploratory approach to life continued into adulthood.
100 voluntary organisations across the UK have joined forces to call for
the protection of Europe’s natural environment
- Wildlife and Countryside Link (part of Joint
Links) EU legislation – the Birds and Habitats Directives – exist to protect
the most important wildlife species and habitats in the UK and Europe.
However, these laws are now under review and at risk of being weakened. Today, the ‘Joint Links group’, representing 100 voluntary
organisations across the UK, has published a position statement warning
that the European Commission’s REFIT ‘Fitness Check’ of the Birds and
Habitats Directives is the single biggest threat to UK and European
nature and biodiversity in a generation. The organisations raise concerns that the Directives are under threat
of being weakened by those who mistakenly regard them as a block on
business and economic growth. In the current political context any
revision of the Directives would expose them to prolonged uncertainty
and leave the long-term future of Europe’s biodiversity vulnerable to
short-term political priorities. Chair of the Joint Links’ Habitats and Birds group Kate Jennings,
(RSPB), said: "The Habitats and Birds Directives are the foundation of
nature conservation across Europe and are scientifically proven to be
effective where properly implemented. The Directives deliver
demonstrable benefits for nature, as well as significant social and
economic benefits. For over 30 years they have protected some of
our best loved and most iconic landscapes from the Scottish Flow County
to the sand dunes and marshes of the north Norfolk coast. They are
essential to the protection of species large and small, from the basking
shark and the harbour porpoise, to the Dartford warbler and the hazel
dormouse. The strength of support from 100 voluntary organisations
across the UK shows how significant the Directives are insafeguarding
Europe’s biodiversity. Uncertainty over the future of the Directives
resulting from the ‘Fitness Check’ review could be bad for nature, bad
for people and bad for business.” The Joint Links group’s response to the EC consultation sets out a
huge volume of evidence that demonstrates the effectiveness of the
Directives in protecting nature, providing huge benefits for people and
providing a stable framework for responsible businesses. On 30 April the European Commission launched its public consultation
on the Directives. Voluntary organisations have also today launched the
‘Nature Alert’ electronic tool, enabling the public to have their say in
one easy click
In Europe, vital laws protect our most precious nature. Our wildlife
and most valued natural places all depend on these rules. Sadly, right now the European Commission is considering undermining
these laws, undoing years of progress. The European Commission is asking for our opinion and now is the time
to make our voices heard. The Commission’s consultation asks several questions and below we
have suggested the answers that best protect nature. Fill in the form and add your voice.
RSPB commend Environment Agency for protecting rare Broads wildlife
- RSPB
Catfield
and Sutton Fen are home to large populations of rare swallowtail
butterflies (Image: John Markham, via RSPB) The RSPB commends the Environment Agency’s decision to refuse two
water abstraction licence renewal applications that were threatening
rare wildlife found on two sites of international and national
importance found in The Broads. In November 2014, the Environment Agency announced that they were
minded to refuse the abstraction licenses, after which followed a 28 day
public consultation. During the consultation period, local
individuals and organisations were invited to submit their views to the
Environment Agency for consideration in advance of a final decision. The RSPB supported the decision to refuse the licences and presented
significant evidence that strengthened the case for refusing the
licences. The evidence presented was scrutinised by Natural England who
agreed that refusing the licences was the only option available to the
Environment Agency. Butterfly Conservation's Catfield Fen nature reserve and the RSPB’s
Sutton Fen nature reserve are internationally recognised for their
special wildlife. The sites are fully protected as an important part of
the Ant Broads and Marshes Site of Special Scientific Interest, which
also forms part of The Broads Special Area of Conservation and Broadland
Ramsar site. Catfield Fen is exceptionally rich in wildlife, and is one
of the most important UK sites for water beetles and wetland plants. The
site is a stronghold for UK species such as the rare fen orchid, which
have now disappeared from the majority of the UK. Water has been abstracted adjacent to Catfield since 1986 to irrigate
arable crops. Recent evidence indicates that the site has become more
acidic, and drier, and this is threatening some of the country's rarest
species. Tim Pankhurst, Regional Conservation Officer with Plantlife, the lead
organisation for the conservation of fen orchid, stated: “The importance
of Sutton and Catfield Fens for the conservation of fen orchid cannot be
overstated. Not only will damage from water abstraction threaten
the years of conservation work we have been undertaking with our
partners but the very survival of fen orchid as a UK species.” Phil Pearson, RSPB Senior Conservation Officer for the Eastern
region, said: “We are delighted that the Environment Agency has taken
action to protect crucial wildlife habitats and wholeheartedly support
their decision. Catfield Fen and Sutton Fen are the 'best of the best'
within one of Europe’s most important wetland sites and as a result are
protected by the EU Habitats Directive for their rare fenland wildlife.
This decision is a significant milestone in the restoration of Catfield
Fen. The Environment Agency’s decision illustrates their commitment to
protecting the natural environment from deterioration caused by taking
water from the environment.”
Farmer's action illustrates failures in the planning system
- CPRE It has been reported that a farmer in Sussex has rebuffed an offer
for his land 100 times its current value – partly based on a desire to
protect the countryside for future generations. CPRE welcomes such
commitment to the countryside, but also argues that this case once again
illustrates the failures of our planning system in encouraging
aggressive, speculative development. Graeme Willis, senior rural affairs
campaigner at the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), comments: “This seems exceptional on a number of levels. We recently heard of a
case where an offer of 20 times the current value of land was turned
down, so 100 times is very significant. It is also extremely admirable
that the farmer in question has reportedly rebuffed the offer for
quality of life and community reasons. He has sought to preserve the
countryside for the generations after his – and has placed these
considerations above financial incentives. “It is invidious that so many landowners are put in this position by
highly speculative land acquisition – especially where there is huge
community opposition and no planning permission.
CPRE brownfield campaign shortlisted for Charity Awards
- CPRE The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) has been shortlisted in
the environment and conservation category of the 2015 Charity Awards. CPRE has been shortlisted for its work on promoting brownfield first
- encompassing its Waste of Space online campaign to crowdsource
brownfield sites for housing, and its report on identifying brownfield
land for housing in England, From wasted space to living spaces.
With greenfield and Green Belt land under threat from development -
amidst a dire shortage of affordable housing - CPRE sought to highlight
the availability of suitable brownfield land in places where people want
to live and to provide clearer and more accessible evidence for a
‘brownfield first’ policy. The Charity Awards, the charity sector’s most prestigious awards
programme, will announce its 10 category winners and two overall winners
on 18 June.
Public asked to report rare hen harrier sightings
- Scottish Natural Heritage People in Scotland are being urged to report any sightings of one of
Britain’s rarest and most threatened birds of prey, the hen harrier. Hen harriers used to be a familiar sight on Scottish moorlands, but
the latest numbers indicate there are only around 500 pairs. Factors
affecting the birds’ survival include illegal persecution, a loss of
nesting habitat and feeding ranges, and foxes, crows and other predators
eating eggs and young. In response, the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime
Scotland (PAW Scotland) has set up a ‘Heads Up for Harriers’ group. It
is raising awareness of this majestic bird, determining the current
number of hen harriers in Scotland, and identifying specific threats to
their survival, so resources can be directed to safeguard and ultimately
increase the population. Professor Des Thompson (Scottish Natural Heritage), Chair of the
Heads Up for Harriers Group, said: “Several national surveys of hen
harriers have found they are faring well in some areas, but declining or
absent all together in others. In some places, there are no harriers at
all because of persecution and a range of other factors. Working within
PAW Scotland, we’re trying to develop a clearer picture of the
distribution of harriers, and the work needed to improve their
prospects. Although we receive a lot of records from members of bird
groups, we need to add to these to get a complete picture of how hen
harriers are faring in Scotland. This will help us improve our
understanding of where harriers are seen and then remain to nest, move
on or die for natural or persecution-related reasons.” For more information including how to report sightings click here.
CCRI helping to protect Britain’s uplands - The Countryside and Community Research Institute The Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI), at the
University of Gloucestershire, has contributed to the creation of a new
organisation called the Uplands Alliance, which has been formed to help
protect Britain’s uplands. The Uplands Alliance will be officially launched at the National
Centre for the Uplands Conference at Newton Rigg College, Penrith, on
Wednesday 13 May. CCRI Director, Professor Janet Dwyer, is a member of the Uplands
Alliance steering group, which aims to promote better communication
between practitioners, researchers and policy makers with a view to
improving the sustainability of the English uplands and their
management. At the launch event, Professor Dwyer will be convening a workshop to
discuss ‘options for sustainable and successful farm businesses in the
uplands’, with the help of colleagues from Newcastle University, Cumbria
Fells and Dales, Eblex and the National Trust. Professor Dwyer said, “The charismatic landscapes of the British
uplands have long been valued by many people for multiple reasons.
They provide vital ecosystem services and are an important source of drinking water, timber and food production. They provide
access to the natural environment for recreation and cultural enjoyment,
provide a habitat for many species of wildlife and they play a key role
in climate regulation. Shaped by altitude, latitude, soils and climate,
the uplands have been influenced by people over thousands of years and
it is vital that they are supported by sustainable and viable land
management.” Other Steering group members include leading spokespersons from a
range of NGOs and universities and colleges. The Interim Chair of the
Uplands Alliance is Professor Michael Winter from Exeter and the
President is Lord Inglewood. Julia Aglionby, Chairperson for the
Foundation for Common Land, also played a key role in bringing the group
together.
Tackling a 'ticking' timebomb - NHS Highland ‘Citizen science’, state-of-the-art technology and funding from the
European Space Agency (ESA) are to combine in a pioneering Scottish
Highlands project to tackle tick bites and Lyme disease. The ESA has awarded €250,000 to a consortium to test the feasibility
of LymeMap, a phone app and web-based system that will help to identify
tick hot-spots. Through LymeMap, information and advice on ticks and Lyme disease
will be available to members of the public, healthcare professionals,
tourist organisations and bodies working outdoors or pursuing leisure
pursuits. The system will use GPS technology to provide information on a user’s
location as well as details such as the location’s height, temperature
and ground cover. The person will be able to upload information on ticks
and this – together with data from GPs and NHS Highland’s National Lyme
Borreliosis Testing Laboratory at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness – will
help to produce maps showing where they are most prevalent. “Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne human disease in the
UK, and the number of cases reported in Scotland has increased ten-fold
in the past 10 years,” said Roger Evans, a clinical scientist with NHS
Highland, one of the agencies collaborating in the project. “If it is
not diagnosed and treated properly, it can lead to a severe and
debilitating disease. Unfortunately, health organisations have limited
effective tools at their disposal to reduce the incidence of Lyme
disease. Resident and visiting populations need an approach that will
help them prevent getting Lyme disease and manage exposure to ticks.
From a health and safety and an economic point of view, organisations
and businesses that employ people exposed to infected ticks also need a
better tool for preventing the disease. We believe that by using the
latest technology and what’s commonly called citizen science we can
create an interactive and accurate Lyme disease identification and risk
management system.” Professor George Gunn, project leader and head of Scotland’s Rural
College (SRUC)’s Epidemiology Research Unit, said: “This is an exciting
opportunity for Scottish organisations to work together to make a
tangible difference to the health of those working outdoors and outdoor
enthusiasts who are most likely to be exposed to ticks. The ERU has
particular expertise in data analysis and will be using this to create
risk maps that vary by season and which will be used to help minimise
the risk of ticks to users.” The one-year study will test the technical and commercial feasibility
of LymeMap. If it is successful, and subject to funding, the project is
expected to move to a demonstrator phase before being commercialised.
There are plans to extend the system to other diseases that can be
passed between animals and humans, as well as to other countries, again
if funds are available.
Community asked to be eyes and ears of new river project – Scottish
Natural Heritage A Riverwatch scheme is set to launch in collaboration with The
Strathnaver Museum in Bettyhill this week. It will provide additional surveillance and protection to the
populations of pearl mussels in the Rivers Naver and Borgie. The Riverwatch initiative is part of the Pearls in Peril project
which aims to safeguard freshwater pearl mussels, a critically
endangered species threatened by illegal pearl fishing that has taken
place over Scotland. The scheme relies on using the local community and
river users as volunteers to protect pearl mussels by increasing
awareness and vigilance. Freshwater pearl mussels have historically been fished for the pearls
they can produce, similar to an oyster. However, they very rarely
contain pearls and they are fully protected under law ¬- it is a crime
to kill, injure, take or disturb freshwater pearl mussels. Over the last
2 years there has been evidence of suspected illegal pearl fishing
taking place across Northern Scotland. Natalie Young, of the Riverwatcher project, said: "Pearl fishing has
been a significant part of the River Naver and Borgie’s cultural
history, once fished professionally for its pearls. "However the species
is now in such decline that from 1970 to 1998 that pearl mussels became
extinct from an average of two rivers every year in Scotland. Currently
the North of Scotland holds some of the most important populations of
mussels in Europe, the Riverwatch scheme will work with local
communities, land owners, fishery boards and Police Scotland to
implement co-ordinated action to reduce and report illegal activities
affecting freshwater pearl mussels in the North."
Chalara found in the wider environment in the sheltered area of
northwest Scotland – Forestry Commission Scotland Environment Minister, Dr Aileen McLeod has called for continued
effort to adapt to the presence of Chalara dieback of ash in Scotland as
Forestry Commission Scotland confirmed the presence of this disease
at three locations in the “sheltered area”. The “sheltered area” was established in 2013 as part of the
Commission’s Chalara Action Plan as it offered some prospect of delaying
the arrival of the disease in mature woodlands in north-west Scotland. Two of the locations where the disease has recently been confirmed
are in Morvern, whilst the third is in Glen Nant, a Site of Special
Scientific Interest and National Nature Reserve south east of Oban. Dr McLeod said; “Forestry Commission Scotland and the forestry sector
have worked extremely hard over the past three years surveying,
investigating and managing ash woodlands in a bid to slow down the rate
of spread of this disease and prevent new points of infection from
recent plantings, particularly in the sheltered area. The sheltered
area’s comparative remoteness offered some prospect of delaying the
arrival of the disease but, regrettably, this now appears not to have
been the case. I have asked Forestry Commission Scotland to review the
Chalara Action Plan, with advice from the Scottish Tree Health Advisory
Group, to assess what more can be done to promote adaptive action and to
consider the appropriateness of current actions within the sheltered and
buffer areas.”
RSPB Scotland responds to Council decision on T in the Park RSPB Scotland has responded to the official decision by Perth and
Kinross Council to approve the planning application for T in the Park at
Strathallan Castle, under strict conditions for the next three years. A spokesperson for RSPB Scotland said: “Perth and Kinross Council has
taken the final decision that T in the Park can go ahead at Strathallan
Castle this July and in the following two summers. The very strict
conditions required by RSPB Scotland have been included for the event
which is welcome, but the focus must now be on making sure that these
will be fully adhered to, to minimise the risk of any disturbance to
birds and other wildlife at the site. DF Concerts must implement their
plans for reducing disturbance immediately, and ensure there will be
strict monitoring of Strathallan, on the weekend of T in the Park, but
also during preparations for the event and the clean-up afterwards.”
T in the Park approved - our reaction –
Woodland Trust Scotland's biggest music festival, T in the Park, will go ahead
despite our concerns for the impact on woodland surrounding the site at
Strathallan Estate. We're disappointed by the decision taken by Perth and Kimross to
approve the festival, which demonstrates a disregard for the impacts on
the woodland surrounding Strathallan Estate. This long established
woodland is home to a number of species including bats, red squirrels
and ospreys. While we are not against the festival, these woods are too valuable
for wildlife to hold an event of this size in such close proximity due
to impacts including artificial light, noise and litter, which are too
great for this sensitive site. Festival organisers now have permission to hold T in the Park at Strathallan for the next three years and we’ll be watching closely to ensure that they stick to the conditions imposed.
Protecting cliff-nesting raptors in Scotland
- Scottish Natural Heritage Climbers and conservationists are working together to safeguard some
of Scotland’s birds of prey from accidental disturbance.
Cliff
nesting raptors – such as golden eagles and peregrines – are very
vulnerable to disturbance, especially when starting nesting activity.
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) were first made aware of nests being
disturbed in Glen Doll, in the Angus Glens. But it soon became apparent
that these were not isolated incidents. So, along with the
Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS), a new system was set up to
protect cliff-nesting raptors.
MCofS already had an excellent ‘traffic light’ system on their
website, which informs climbers which crags have nesting raptors and
should be avoided, and which ones are safe to climb. But the system
relies on up-to-date reports to be effective, and those in the
ornithological field are sometimes reluctant to share information on
raptors for fear of deliberate persecution or of unintentional
disturbance by others such as eco-tourists. So, SNH put MCofS in touch with the Scottish Raptor Study Group
(SRSG). Now, some of the 12 regional RSGs provide MCofS with regular
updates for their website, with plans for more to contribute in the
future. The climbers themselves are also encouraged to report any raptor
sightings to MCofS, which in turn are passed on to the SRSG to add to
their records. Andrea Partridge, Mountaineering Council of Scotland access officer,
said: "The aim of the traffic light system on our website is to provide
climbers with enough information so that they can make a responsible and
informed decision on where to go climbing. Already this year, several
climbers have reported nest sites direct to the MC of S and these have
also been added to the list. I would urge climbers to always check the
website before they set out to go climbing but also to be aware that
there may be other nesting raptors that haven't been recorded and to be
prepared to change plans if there is any risk of disturbance." Patrick Stirling-Aird of the SRSG added: "The Scottish Raptor Study
Group welcomes the ‘traffic light’ system on the Mountaineering Council
of Scotland's website and hopes that all climbers will check this part
of the website for the useful information that it provides. With careful
planning, rock climbing and raptor conservation can co-exist happily
together." The MCofS site is at www.mcofs.org.uk/nesting-bird-warning.asp
Warm weather boost for butterflies - British
Trust for Ornithology Despite variable weather so far this spring, all it takes is a few days of warm sunshine for butterfly numbers to rocket. The British Trust for Ornithology’s (BTO) Garden BirdWatch results show that this is exactly what happened at the beginning of April, with new records reached for some species. Small Tortoiseshell by Dawn Balmer/BTO The numbers and time of year that butterflies emerge from hibernation
is dependent on the weather, and this spring was no exception. Unsettled
weather throughout March meant that reports of butterflies were much
lower than in previous years. However, when a spell of dry, warm weather
happened at the beginning of April the butterflies took advantage of it
and reports shot through the roof. Both Brimstone and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies were reported from
about a quarter of BTO Garden BirdWatch gardens at the beginning of
April 2014, but this year Small Tortoiseshell was seen in almost 40% of
gardens, a record for April, and Brimstone was seen in a third of
gardens – the highest proportion of gardens since recording started in
2003.
However Peacock was the biggest surprise seen in over half of BTO
Garden BirdWatch gardens compared to only a third in April 2014, and
another record for butterfly reports in April. Sadly the good weather
did not last, however, and reports of butterflies dropped off quickly. Clare Simm from the BTO Garden BirdWatch team commented, "As you can
see, the BTO Garden BirdWatch is not just about birds. Our volunteers
provide us with vital information on other taxa too, helping us to
understand how important gardens are as a habitat for all wildlife. If
this unsettled weather continues, it may be bad news for butterflies so
we need to keep an eye on how they fare over the rest of the year."
London and Surrey people reminded about caterpillar pest in oak trees
- Forestry Commission People in parts of London and Surrey are being reminded not to
approach caterpillars of the oak processionary moth (OPM), which are now
emerging in oak trees in these areas.
Procession
of oak processionary moth (Thaumetopoea processionae) larvae on trunk of
oak tree They are also advised to keep children and animals away from the
caterpillars and their nests, because the caterpillars’ hairs can cause
itching skin rashes and other health problems. The public is also urged
to report any sightings. Affected areas include boroughs in West and South-West London,
Bromley and Croydon and southern parts of Lewisham in South London, and
Elmbridge and Spelthorne in Surrey. The Forestry Commission, councils and land managers are tackling the
pest with a carefully controlled programme of tree treatment and nest
removal. Ian Gambles, the Forestry Commission's Director England, said
the public could play an important role in helping to control the pest
by reporting sightings, but advised caution. “We need reports of the
caterpillars or their nests from the public or others, such as
gardeners, tree surgeons and ground-care workers, who work or relax near
oak trees,” he said. “However, they should not try to remove the
caterpillars or nests themselves. This needs to be carefully timed to be
effective, and is most safely done by specially trained and equipped
operators.” Mr Gambles explained that extra surveying last year had revealed a
greater outbreak area than was previously known, so the Commission had
had to focus its control effort on the outer boundaries of the outbreak
areas to limit spread of the pest and protect unaffected areas. He
added: “We are therefore encouraging oak tree owners and local
authorities to continue helping to minimise the population and impacts
in the core areas by finding and removing infestations. Many of
them have given us strong support for several years, but we have
produced on-line guidance to help those who are dealing with this pest
for the first time.” Sightings must be reported to the Forestry Commission, preferably
with its Tree Alert on-line form available from
www.forestry.gov.uk/opm. Maps of the ‘core’ and ‘control’ areas are available in the oak tree
owners’ manual at:
www.forestry.gov.uk/opmmanual . Further information is available from
www.forestry.gov.uk/opm.
Call for action after hen harriers vanish -
Lancashire Wildlife Trust The Lancashire Wildlife Trust is calling for an urgent investigation
after the devastating news that three male hen harriers have vanished
from nest sites in the Forest of Bowland.
Hen Harrier, juvenile male © Mike Watson Anne Selby CEO of the Wildlife Trust at The Wildlife Trust said: “We
are devastated to hear this sad piece of news. We are proud to have the
hen harrier breeding in Lancashire." She added: "The Bowland Fells
in the north of the county are its last remaining stronghold in England.
There should be many more pairs in Bowland and across the country, but
persecution is seen as being largely responsible for driving down their
numbers to this sorry state." All three of the nests affected are on the United Utilities Bowland
Estate, where the company has been working in partnership with farmers
and conservation organisations for many years. Historically this has
been the safest area for the nesting birds, but the males roam further
away when hunting for food, exposing them to more dangers. Tim Mitcham, Head of Conservation at The Lancashire Wildlife Trust,
said: “It would be very unusual for three birds to disappear from
natural causes If the birds have been deliberately killed, then this is
an illegal act and and investigation is required.’’ Mrs Selby said: “We are asking anyone with information about the
disappearance of the male birds, or anyone who may have seen any unusual
activity whilst walking up on the Bowland Fells in the past three weeks,
to contact the police. Experience tells us that a serious crime has been
committed, the perpetrators of which, must be brought to justice before
they achieve their aim of removing the hen harrier permanently from the
English countryside.” The RSPB is offering a £10,000 reward for information which leads to
a successful conviction if a crime has been committed. Read the
original news from RSPB here along with reaction from Natural
England
Land Reform, Analysis of consultation responses.
- Scottish Government Most land reform proposals received over 70 per cent support from
respondents, according to the consultation analysis published today
(15/5/15). The analysis showed that:
The recent consultation on land reform received 1269 responses from
organisations, individuals and campaigns. Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Dr Aileen
McLeod said: "Land is one of our most valuable assets and our vision for
land reform is for a stronger relationship between the people of
Scotland and the land of Scotland, where ownership and use of the land
delivers greater public benefits. Through the Land Reform Bill, one of
our key aims is to remove barriers to communities’ sustainable
development by ensuring greater collaboration between communities and
land owners. The Scottish Government is committed to meaningful
land reform and we have been carefully considering the responses to the
consultation alongside other evidence to shape the development of the
Bill." The consultation analysis report can be found here. The consultation research findings can be found here.
The Proportion of Scotland's Protected Sites in Favourable Condition
2015 - Scottish Natural Heritage Scottish Natural Heritage has today (15/5/15) released the latest
figures tracking the proportion of Scottish protected natural features
in favourable condition. The main findings show that of the over 5,000 Scottish natural
features on protected nature sites, 79.3% are in favourable condition.
This figure represents a 0.5 percentage points rise in the proportion of
natural features in favourable condition between 2014 and 2015. There
has been a 7.9 percentage points increase since assessment reporting
began in 2005. There are three broad types of protected features: earth science,
which covers geological outcrops and landforms, fossil beds and caves
(97.7% in favourable condition); species (76.2% in favourable condition)
and habitats (77.2% in favourable condition). All saw an increase in the
proportion of features in favourable condition since last year (species
less than 0.1 percentage points; earth science 0.3 percentage points;
and habitats 1.1 percentage points). Of the individual feature types
which are monitored, some feature types showed an increase in the
proportion of features in favourable condition, some remained stable,
whilst others decreased. Of particular note were woodland features where
the proportion of natural features in favourable condition rose by 2.5%. Invasive species and over-grazing are the main challenges to
improving condition from unfavourable to favourable. The proportion of
assessments recording invasive species as a negative pressure has risen
for the past 3 years to 19.7% in 2014/15. This includes both non-native
species, such as rhododendron in woodlands, and native species, such as
birch encroaching on to raised bog habitats. The fall in the proportion of assessments recording over-grazing by
wild herbivores and/or domestic stock to 18.1% is a mark of the
improving condition of woodland features during 2014/15. The full statistical publication can be accessed here.
Health and disease in relocated wild animals
- Natural England Conference celebrates 25 years of the Zoological Society for London
and Natural England’s partnership on the Species Recovery Programme.
An
international conference reviewing and celebrating the role played by
translocation - transferring species to suitable sites - in the
conservation of wild animals, is being held at the Zoological Society
for London (ZSL) on 14 to15 May 2015.
The event marks a partnership between ZSL and Natural England, which
spans a quarter of a century. During this time, 23 species including
cirl bunting, field cricket and the dormouse have been given a better
chance of survival because of translocation under Natural England’s
Species Recovery Programme. In some cases this involved the
reintroduction of species, such as the red kite, pool frog and large
blue butterfly, which had previously been lost from England. The Species Recovery Programme involves working with a wide range of
partners to target conservation action at those species identified as
most in need of help. Ongoing habitat loss has meant that many wildlife
habitats are now severely degraded and fragmented. As a consequence, 500
species have been lost completely from England over the past 200 years,
including the mouse-eared bat, the Essex emerald moth, and Ivell’s sea
anemone.
Many of our native species are in decline, with more than 240 species
now known on fewer than 5 sites including the reintroduced corncrake and
short haired bumblebee. The scale of loss means that human intervention
is sometimes needed to support the survival of species and to enable
them to move between areas of habitat which can support them. The conference focuses on the vital role of health surveillance to
successful translocations, by increasing the success rate and minimising
the risk of adverse effects on other species. The importance of taking
disease risk into account when moving species from place to place is now
widely recognised, and has been reflected in protocols and guidelines
such as those published by the International Union for While many challenges remain, we are learning more about this complex
subject all the time – and we are in a far better position to meet these
challenges than we were 25 years ago. For further information see: the symposium
‘Health and Disease in Translocated Wild Animals’, on ZSL’s website the
Species Recovery Programme offers targeted conservation action for
species most in need
Survey shows a quarter of Brits believe the Dodo still roams the planet
- WWF One in four Brits surveyed by WWF-UK think the Dodo still exists. WWF asked 2,000 adults in the UK about their knowledge of endangered
species and found 26 per cent thought the Dodo still roamed the planet.
Despite becoming extinct over 400 years ago, 14 per cent of the
respondents believed this flightless bird is currently under threat from
hunters. 19% of respondents also listed the population of the dinosaur
Brachiosaurus as endangered, and 14% as not endangered. Scientific Publications Clavero, M. & Hermoso, V. (2015)
Historical data to plan the recovery of the European eel. Journal of
Applied Ecology. DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12446
Ellen Brooks-Pollock & James L. N. Wood
Eliminating bovine tuberculosis in cattle and badgers: insight from a
dynamic model. Proceedings of the Royal Society b: Biological
Sciences. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.0374
Wallach, A. D., Bekoff, M., Nelson, M. P. and Ramp, D. (2015),
Promoting predators and compassionate conservation. Conservation
Biology. doi: 10.1111/cobi.12525
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