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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
2015 programme launches to find new generation of environmental
journalists - Keep Scotland Beautiful Young Reporters Scotland competition encourages investigative
reporting Keep Scotland Beautiful, the charity for Scotland’s environment,
today (18th May) launched the Young Reporters Scotland programme - which
is set to help young people in Scotland find their voice on
environmental and sustainability issues and take action. The annual quest will see young people Scotland-wide encouraged to
get creative and submit a piece of journalism which explores, and
proposes a solution to, a sustainability issue within their own
community. The competition is open to young people, and it is hoped that
colleges and youth groups will take up the 2015 challenge. The 2015 Young Reporters Scotland competition encourages submissions
in an array of media, from video and animation, to articles, blogs and
photography. Winners of the Scotland-wide competition will also have the
chance to compete at international level - where they can become a part
of a network of young people producing creative solutions to
environmental issues within their own communities. Derek Robertson, Chief Executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said:
“Young Reporters Scotland is a fantastic programme which will help to
create further awareness amongst young people, whilst helping to develop
a range of life skills. We are excited by the level of interest in this
initiative and eager to get young people even more proactively involved
in helping their own environment.” The competition welcomes enquiries from young people who are
interested in taking part. More information on the competition, ideas
and inspiration can be found at
www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/yrs
Nature lovers can now get involved with citizen science across the United Kingdom - OPAL People of all ages can now contribute to scientific research in their local area on everything from invasive species to environmental quality, through the Open Air Laboratories programme (OPAL). The programme, led by Imperial College London, has been inspiring communities in England to discover, enjoy and protect their local environment since 2007. More than 850,000 people have already taken part and today OPAL officially rolls out across the whole of the UK. A range of organisations, including universities, wildlife groups and museums, are working in partnership to deliver the programme’s citizen science activities, including six national environment surveys. Citizen scientists have already used lichens to identify areas affected by air pollution and discovered that earthworm diversity is high in back gardens. The expansion of OPAL’s surveys now means scientists will be able to track the spread of invasive species, such as the damaging Chalara ash dieback disease, as well as find out more about the differences between urban and rural biodiversity. OPAL Director Dr David Slawson said: “We are very pleased to be able to roll out OPAL in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Our activities have been very popular already, with more than 850,000 people taking part and submitting more than 50,000 records about their local environment. Not only are people learning more about their environment, but this valuable data is helping scientists learn a great deal about biodiversity in our country, especially in areas they would never normally be able to study, such as back gardens. We hope many more people will join in, explore nature and contribute to our knowledge of the environment across the whole of the UK.” The expansion has been made possible by a £3 million grant from the Big Lottery Fund. This comes on top of £15 million of lottery funding awarded to the project between 2007 and 2012 Find out about OPAL events in your area, or download easy to use and free survey resources Full news release (PDF)
Rum research reveals important deer management lessons
- Scottish Natural Heritage A summary of decades of research findings on red deer on one of
Scotland's special national nature reserves (NNRs) has been published
today (19/5) to help deer managers. The study on the Isle of Rum
is the world’s longest running research study of a deer population.
Since 1972, every individual living in one area of the island has been
monitored by a research team, first from Cambridge and nowadays from
Edinburgh University. Professor Josephine Pemberton, one of the report authors, commented:
“The differences between stags and hinds in their responses to
variation in weather and density conditions are truly fascinating.
Juvenile stags, in particular, are very sensitive to poor conditions,
and this has major implications for managing deer populations.” Some of the other key findings include:
Welcoming the new guidance, Robbie Kernahan, SNH wildlife operations
manager, said: “It’s great to see all of this work being pulled
together. I would encourage all deer managers to make some time and
reflect on this fascinating research. Although conditions vary across
the country, the information that has been gathered from the work on Rum
can and should help us manage deer more effectively in Scotland.” The publication arose from a joint visit last year to Rum NNR by SNH
Chairman Ian Ross and recently retired Director of Forestry and
Environment in the Scottish Government, Dr Bob McIntosh. They were so
inspired by the research being carried out, which is funded by the
Natural Environment Research Council, that they commissioned the
booklet.
Download the booklet
Rejecting extinction: beaver reintroduction offers major benefits to
Scotland - Trees for Life The potential reintroduction of beavers to Scotland after almost 500
years is an historic opportunity that could bring major environmental
and economic benefits to Scotland – including by generating millions of
pounds through eco-tourism, said award-winning conservation charity
Trees for Life today (19/5).
European
beaver feeding (image, Laurie Campbell, via Trees for Life)
Trees for Life says that reintroducing this native animal would allow
the UK to play ecological catch-up with other European nations – 25 of
which have already reintroduced the beaver, with Sweden leading the way
as long ago as 1922. The UK is one of only seven countries still lacking
an officially-sanctioned wild beaver population. “The beaver deserves to be welcomed back to Scotland with open arms.
These remarkable ecosystem engineers can transform the health of our
rivers and forest ecosystems, and could benefit communities through an
estimated £2 million tourism revenue annually,” said Alan Watson
Featherstone, Trees for Life’s Executive Director. “We are legally
obliged by European directives to consider the beaver’s reintroduction,
and – having caused the animal’s extinction – we have an ethical
obligation too. Reintroducing beavers to Scotland would be the right
thing to do and an historic leap forwards for rewilding – the
restoration of our damaged ecosystems.” Beavers are a ‘keystone species’, meaning that they play a critical ecological role and provide a range of benefits for other species. They coppice and fell trees – letting light into the forest, enabling other species to grow. By damming watercourses they create wetland areas – habitats for amphibians, invertebrates and fish, which in turn attract birds and otters. Their actions can improve water quality and reduce flooding.
Work begins in Essex on new internationally important wetland-
Environment Agency The Environment Agency starts construction work this week on a major
extension to Essex Wildlife Trust’s Fingringhoe Wick Nature Reserve, on
the Colne estuary.
Fingringhoe
Wick image: © - Essex Wildlife Trust The estuary has national and international designations due to its
conservation importance and has recently been included in the Marine
Conservation Zone designation. Coastal habitats that make it special include tidal mudflats,
saltmarshes and coastal grazing marsh in Essex. Around 80% of the
coastal marshes have been lost and the remaining are disappearing at an
alarming rate. The project, which is a partnership between the Trust and the Agency,
will see 22 hectares of new intertidal habitat created by breaching the
existing seawall – allowing the tide to enter the site. The habitat will
be a mix of saltmarsh, mudflat and saline lagoon, with a further 1.5
hectares of new reedbed. Once planning permission was granted in 2013, the Trust’s supporters
raised over £125,000 to buy the land for the project. A number of key
funders and donors also supported the acquisition. Andy May, Conservation Manager for Essex Wildlife Trust said: “This
is a very exciting project, which will make much-loved Fingringhoe Wick
even better for wildlife and people. We are really looking forward to
working in partnership again with the Environment Agency to bring this
important work to fruition.” Charles Beardall, Area Manager for the Environment Agency said:
“We’re delighted to be involved in this partnership with Essex Wildlife
Trust, and so pleased that our workforce is playing such a huge part in
creating this new internationally important habitat.” Over the next four months new seawalls will be built to the north and
south of the proposed intertidal habitat and it is hoped the breach will
be created in the autumn. The new wetland will also include: new nursery areas for marine fish,
Little Tern nesting islands, a new bird hide and new public footpaths on
this previously private part of the estuary. Among other species to
benefit will be Black-tailed Godwit, Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Lapwing,
Bittern, Water Vole and a range of dragonflies.
Changing Views in The National Park -
Cairngorms National Park A photography project with a difference was launched over the weekend
at the Cairngorms Nature Festival. Cairngorms Scenic Photo Posts have popped up all over the Cairngorms
National Park and anyone with a camera, tablet or smartphone can get
involved in this new project to look at how our landscape changes over
time. The wooden posts are at 14 stunning locations across the Cairngorms
National Park and each one has a camera bracket on top to ensure
everyone takes exactly the same view. Having found the post, pop
your camera, phone or tablet into the bracket, take a photo and then you
can register and upload the image on to the Photo Posts website and
contribute to a visual record of our changing landscape. The project is a pilot initiative designed and set up by the
Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) with support and funding from
the Forestry Commission for Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Matthew Hawkins, Landscape and Ecology Manager at the CNPA, explains
more, “This is an exciting project that everyone can get involved in and
will make a valuable contribution to our knowledge and understanding of
the National Park. You can register to upload images as an individual or
a group making it an ideal project for walking clubs, schools and
community groups.” Some of the views are wide, panoramic and stunning, others are
close-up and focused on the detail of an interesting habitat. They are
in a variety of locations, some are a short walk away from settlements,
others require a bit more of a hike. Each one has been selected because
it is expected to show changes over time. The website is now live and all the photographs that people upload are available for everyone to see and enjoy www.cairngorms.co.uk/photo-posts
State of nature in the EU: biodiversity still being eroded, but some
local improvements observed
– European Environment Agency The majority of habitats and species in Europe have an unfavourable
conservation status despite significant improvements for many species in
recent years, according to a new technical report published by the
European Environment Agency (EEA) today. The report presents the most
comprehensive European overview on the conservation status and trends of
the habitats and species covered by the European Union’s (EU) two nature
directives. Building on the reports submitted by EU member states, the
report contributes to policy discussions in the context of the EU 2020
Biodiversity Strategy. The two nature directives, namely the Birds and Habitats directives,
play a central role in the EU’s biodiversity and nature conservation
policies. Under the directives, EU Member States are required to assess
and report every six years on the status and trends of certain species
and habitats. The EEA technical report State of Nature in the EU:
Results from reporting under the nature directives 2007-2012 draws on
the assessments submitted by Member States under both directives and
provides a comprehensive overview of the state of nature in Europe at
European, country and biogeographic level analysis. The report also
looks into main pressures and threats behind the trends observed. Hans Bruyninckx, EEA Executive Director, said, ‘This unique
assessment is a first of its kind, building on extensive observation
networks of experts and citizens alike. Despite some information gaps,
it provides the most complete picture of Europe’s biodiversity to date.’
Bruyninckx added, ‘The results are mixed but clear. When implemented
well, conservation measures work and improve the status of habitats and
species on the ground. Such improvements remain limited and patchy, and
unfortunately Europe’s biodiversity is still being eroded overall and
the pressures continue. We also need to understand that when dealing
with maintaining and enhancing biodiversity, it takes time for our
actions to make a difference on a large scale. Therefore, we need to
reinforce our effort and actions.’ Moreover, the EEA’s report informs on progress towards Targets 1 and
3 of the EU 2020 Biodiversity Strategy. These findings will serve as an
input to the European Commission’s upcoming Mid-Term Review of the EU
Biodiversity Strategy.
EU State of Nature Report points to continued loss of biodiversity, but
success of Natura 2000 - IUCN The State of Nature in the EU report, released by the European
Environment Agency, shows that few species and habitats have a
favourable conservation status in the EU and that progress towards the
2020 biodiversity strategy targets has not been substantial since the
last assessment. Nevertheless, it also demonstrates that species and
habitats with favourable status trends have benefited greatly from
protection through the Natura 2000 network of protected areas, which now
covers 18% of the EU’s land and 4% of marine waters. “The findings of this report are clear: We need to step up efforts to
halt biodiversity loss, and focus on a full and effective implementation
of the EU nature legislation,” said Luc Bas, Director of the IUCN
European Regional Office in Brussels. “I have recently heard many EU
Environment Ministers call to uphold the EU’s strong regulatory
framework. These messages are crucial at a time when the Directives are
being assessed as part of the European Commission’s ongoing regulatory
fitness programme (REFIT), and also in view of the upcoming mid-term
review of EU Biodiversity Strategy”.
Wetland hope among awful nature report - WWT
Conservation
success story – a Great Bittern at WWT (image © WWT, Graham Hann) Wetlands and grasslands are Europe’s most deteriorating landscapes,
but there is hope that the trend can be reversed. That’s the findings of a new European Commission report on the state
of nature across the continent including the UK. It found that nearly
half (48%) of all bird species are declining or depleted, and that the
status of nearly two thirds (60%) of all types of wildlife is
unfavourable. The report says “the conservation status of and trends for habitats
are worse than for species”, with three quarters (77%) described as
unfavourable. Wetlands are picked out as being particularly hard hit
because of the impact of drainage and of agriculture. Europe has lost
more than two thirds of its wetlands, they now cover only about 2% of
the continent. But wetlands are among the world’s most wildlife-rich habitat and the
report highlights that conservation work in wetlands can make a really
noticeable difference. WWT’s Head of Campaigns Peter Morris said: “The report underlines
that wetlands are among the most damaged of our landscapes, but unlike
ancient forests they are also among the most repairable. London is a
prime example. It was once mainly wetlands, almost all of which have now
disappeared and the wildlife with it. But London Wetland Centre
demonstrates that it is possible to rebuild healthy wetlands and attract
regionally rare species like the bittern back to the capital. While half
of Europe’s wildlife is declining or depleted, at London Wetland Centre
the number of plant species has rocketed from 192 to 440."
Ten years of invasion - a decade of recording harlequin ladybirds -
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology The harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) was first recorded in the
UK in October 2004. A new paper, published today in Ecological
Entomology, looks at how the arrival of the Harlequin prompted a large
scale citizen science project, encouraging people across Britain to
track its spread. The paper was written by Dr Helen Roy of the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and Dr Peter Brown from Anglia Ruskin University. Both help run the UK Ladybird Survey.
Harlequin
ladybirds (Photo: Nick Greatorex-Davies) A decade after its arrival, tens of thousands of people have provided
records of the harlequin and other species of ladybirds, creating an
invaluable dataset for large-scale and long-term research. The methods
used, and lessons learned, have also been vital to the establishment of
the UK early warning alert system for other invasive species. The dataset has been used to show declines in the distribution of
seven (of eight assessed) native species of ladybird, after the arrival
of the harlequin. Research in both the laboratory and the field has
contributed greatly to increased understanding of ecological invasion
processes. Dr Helen Roy, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and lead author of the
review paper said, “We hope that people will continue to be part of the
UK Ladybird Survey as we still have so much to learn about the harlequin
ladybird and its interactions with other species. We would also like to
increase our understanding of the resilience of the networks of species
with which the harlequin ladybird intermingles. Our free smartphone app,
iRecord Ladybirds, ensures that it is extremely easy to record
sightings of all ladybirds.” Full paper reference: Helen E Roy and
Peter M J Brown.
Ten years of invasion: Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera:
Coccinelllidae) in Britain. 2015. Ecological Entomology. doi:
10.1111/een.12203
National crime survey to focus on rural concerns – Countryside
Alliance
The
largest ever survey into crime in rural areas has been launched in
England, Wales and Northern Ireland to investigate the true impact of
offences on countryside communities. The survey, launched by the
National Rural Crime Network (NRCN)*, backed by the Countryside Alliance
and supported by the Home Office, is calling for people who work or live
in rural areas to come forward and give their views on countryside
crimes, the impact they have on the wider community and to help shape
the future of crime prevention and rural policing. The full scale of crime in rural areas has never before been
assessed, which is why we are encouraging anyone living or working in
rural areas to take part in the survey to help build a picture of what
is a widespread but often misunderstood issue, which is why we are
emailing. We need your help in spreading the message of this survey to
your constituents. I attach a draft press release pledging your support,
which we would like you to send to your local media, promote through
your website and circulate on social media. The survey will be open
until Wednesday 24 June and to complete the survey, you just need to
click here. We have written to parliamentarians asking them to back
this survey and help us to uncover the rural crime priorities, whether
that be gundog theft, livestock rustling, fly-tipping or other issues.
£25m EU backed tidal energy project attracts inward investment to
Anglesey – The Welsh Government A Swedish energy company is setting up its UK headquarters in North
Wales after securing £9.5 million of EU funds to develop a £25 million
tidal energy initiative off the coast of Holyhead. Swedish company Minesto will initially create around 30 direct jobs
and hundreds more in the long term in areas like manufacturing, offshore
operations and new project development as part of an innovative scheme
called ‘Deep Green’ that will design, manufacture and test a low
velocity device to produce electricity for thousands of homes from tidal
and ocean currents. Weighing seven tonnes and operating at least 15 metres below the
water surface, Deep Green’s underwater ‘kite’ technology can operate in
waters where no other known technology can perform as cost-effectively
due to its unique ability to run in low velocity areas. The proposed installation site in the southern corner of Holyhead
Deep has been chosen to maintain separation from shipping lanes and to
minimise impact on other sea users. Installation of the device will
commence during the summer of 2017, and if successful the company will
manufacture more ‘Deep Green’ devices from its assembly plant in
Anglesey for export around the world, creating more jobs in the area. The Welsh Government has been working with Minesto over a number of
years on feasibility studies to help bring this investment to North
Wales.
Don’t Mow, Let it Grow! - Heritage Lottery
Fund New natural heritage project is aiming to challenge our desire for
neat and tidy mown grass. Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council will develop a new approach to grassland management - restoring our traditional meadows and grasslands and letting them grow to create a range of positive impacts for local wildlife. The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has earmarked £135,000 in support of the three-year project and provided £9,000 upfront to help develop the plans in more detail. Bees buzzing around wild flowers
A number of verges and amenity grasslands will be identified where
various management techniques will be trialled. A toolkit will be
created to share these techniques with other public and private
organisations, spreading the message beyond the immediate area and
helping to improve the management of sites right across the country. As
we are used to seeing these public grassy areas kept tidy an important
part of the project will be convincing the local community of the
benefits of allowing our native wildflowers to grow, flower and set
seed. Volunteers will be recruited to take part in surveying and
recording the species and habitats, and an education programme will help
raise awareness of the wider benefits of the project.
Pembrokeshire Coast is one of ‘the five best National Parks in the
world’ - Pembrokeshire Coast National Park The Pembrokeshire Coast landscape has once again been heralded as
among the best in the world, having been included in a list of the five
best National Parks on the planet by a writer from the luxury travel
website Condé Nast Traveller.
The
Pembrokeshire Coast has been included in a list of the five best
National Parks in the world.
The list, which was written by Condé Nast Traveller’s Sarah Bruning
for the Huffington Post’s travel blog, also includes the Northumberland
National Park along with other entries from Italy, Bulgaria and the USA. Describing the Pembrokeshire Coast, Sarah Bruning said: “Horseback
riding is a popular excursion for visitors to the UK's only coastal
national park, which also features a number of stunning national
formations, such as the Green Bridge of Wales.” The Pembrokeshire Coast is no stranger to global accolades having
been voted the second best coastal area in the world National Geographic
Traveller magazine in 2011. National Park Authority Chairman, Cllr Mike James said: “It is
fantastic that the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s world-class
landscape has once again been recognised as one the best in the world. “This adds to the growing list of accolades the National Park has
received in recent years and will provide a great boost to the area as
businesses prepare for the Whitsun half term and the start of another
summer season.” The Pembrokeshire Coast’s beaches have also recently received the
Condé Nast seal of approval, with both Barafundle Bay and Whitesands
both being named among the best beaches in Britain.
England’s Natura 2000 sites: new report -
Natural England Report on how to improve Natura 2000 sites in England published. A report published by Natural England’s improvement programme for
England’s Natura 2000 sites (IPENS) project sets out a blueprint for the
long-term management of 338 of England’s important nature sites. Natura 2000 is a European designation (including Special Protection
Areas and Special Areas of Conservation ) that protects important
natural habitats and species. Natura 2000 sites include some of the
country’s most familiar landscapes including the Northumberland coast,
the New Forest, the Norfolk Broads and Salisbury Plain.
The
Culm Grasslands Special Area of Conservation supports the largest
population of marsh fritillary butterfly in the UK, Marsh fritillary
butterfly © Alan Drewitt/Natural England
Many Natura 2000 sites are being adequately conserved and meet their
conservation objectives. However, others are not yet in a healthy state
due to a number of pressures. The 2-year IPENS project involved more
than 650 different organisations and has significantly improved the
understanding of what needs to be done to protect and enhance the Natura
2000 network in England. This is the first time that this information has been drawn together
for all of England’s Natura 2000 sites.
A site improvement plan has been produced covering every Natura 2000
site in England. The plans present the best available evidence in
support of actions required to achieve and maintain sites in a good
condition. More than 6,000 specific actions have been identified in the
individual plans.
The
summary report from the IPENS project is available for download from
the Natural England publications catalogue. The IPENS report has been
published to coincide with
European Natura 2000 Day Thursday 21 May 2015. Reactions to the publication of the State of
Nature report published yesterday
One very close to home:
Fishy tales from the classroom - North York
Moors National Park Authority Atlantic salmon in the river Esk got a boost this week when children
from Goathland Primary School released 70 young fry they had raised in
their classroom into the river at Beck Hole. The salmon were raised from
eggs in a special hatchery tank as part of an annual ‘Salmon in the
Classroom’ project organised by the North York Moors National Park
Authority (NYMNPA) in partnership with the Yorkshire Esk Rivers Trust. The tank was installed in the classroom in March and staff from the
NYMNPA talked to the children about the various animals that live in the
river including the freshwater pearl mussel which depends on salmon and
trout as a host for its larvae. The whole school has been involved in
looking after the young salmon and a display has been created showcasing
the children’s artwork inspired by their fishy guests. The river Esk is the only river in Yorkshire with a freshwater pearl
mussel population but numbers are in drastic decline. With the help of
landowners, the NYMNPA is carrying out restoration work on the river to
benefit freshwater pearl mussels and a host of other species. It is also
involved in a captive breeding programme in the hope that juvenile pearl
mussels can be re-introduced to the Esk to bolster the existing ageing
population. Pollution and sediment build up, decline in fish populations
and habitat degradation are all reasons for their decline. Susan Chadwick, Head Teacher at Goathland Primary School, said: “This
has been a wonderful experience for the children who have delighted in
watching the fish develop from eggs to small fry. They have all been
very diligent in feeding the fish and monitoring the temperature in the
tank to make sure they don’t get too warm, and have proudly shown them
off to parents and visitors to the school. I think they’ll miss seeing
them develop further but equally are looking forward to letting them get
on with the next stage of their life in the river Esk.” The NYMNPA has been running the ‘Salmon in the Classroom’ project
since 2009 working with a different primary school in the Esk Valley
each year.
MyParkScotland - join us in the park -
Greenspace Scotland
Let's keep to the bee line - RSPB as part of
The Bee Coalition The Bee Coalition has reacted with dismay to news that the National
Farmers Union is attempting to sidestep an EU ban on neonicotinoids,
pesticides known to be harmful to bees. The NFU has applied for an emergency licence to apply neonicotinoid seed treatments to oilseed rape crops sown this autumn. The chemicals are currently under an EU-wide ban because of evidence that they pose a risk to bees and other pollinators. Research by independent scientists has continued to strengthen this evidence and raised further concerns that neonicotinoids could potentially harm other wildlife as well. Bees are crucial to food production Peter Lundgren is a Lincolnshire farmer who grows oilseed rape and
other combinable crops. He stopped using neonicotinoids in 2013. Peter
said: “So far I am managing well without neonicotinoids and I am
constantly looking to improve my system further. Any pesticide can have
unwanted impacts, but with sprays these can be minimised by following
best practice, like only spraying if pest thresholds are exceeded. For
me this is one of the advantages of moving away from seed treatments,
where you have to make a decision even before the growing season starts.
And the cost to my business of not using neonicotinoid seed treatment
is minimal - just £2.20 per hectare. As far as I’m concerned this cost
is outweighed by the importance of conserving our pollinator
populations.” Dave Timms, of Friends of the Earth, said: “Bees are crucial for our
food and farming. In a month when the Government’s Chief Scientist has
highlighted the growing evidence that neonicotinoids are posing a threat
to our wildlife, it is particularly worrying that the NFU continues to
take this blinkered approach." Ellie Crane, RSPB, said: "Declining pollinator populations, degraded
soils, disappearing farmland birds: these are challenges the sector
urgently needs to face up to. Given the evidence that the use of
neonicotinoids could be contributing to these environmental losses, the
only responsible approach is to stop using them while the necessary
research is carried out.” Matt Shardlow, Buglife, said: “The evidence is resounding:
neonicotinoids destroy populations of wild bees. To risk further damage
to our pollinator life support system would be highly irresponsible.
This ban-busting application must be firmly rejected.” Last year, a similar application by Syngenta for an exemption to the
ban was withdrawn after a petition signed by over 200,000 people was
handed in at Downing Street.
Original press release from NFU on 15 May Farmers across the country are continuing to suffer heavy losses
through oilseed rape crop damage following restrictions to the
availability of neonicotinoids, the NFU said today. This has resulted in an emergency use application by the NFU to allow
farmers to use seed treatments in rapeseed this autumn being submitted
to Government. NFU Vice President Guy Smith said: “Since last autumn we have heard
from hundreds of our members growing oilseed rape that establishing the
crop has become far more difficult and expensive, if not impossible,
without neonicotinoid seed dressing. Because of this we want the
authorities to allow farmers to use the seed treatments they need to
make growing oilseed rape viable. Similar applications are being made
elsewhere in the EU and, of course, neonicotinoids continue to be used
by oilseed rape growers across the world. NFU combinable crops board chairman Mike Hambly added: “It has already been increasingly difficult for arable farmers to control problems like cabbage stem flea beetle and turnip yellows virus (spread by peach potato aphids) as well as many weed species such as blackgrass due to the reduced number of products available for control and resistance developing against those products that remain. The problem will only get worse if more products go, with vast ‘unintended’ consequences for farmers and wider society.”
Badger vaccination programme to expand - The
Wildlife Trusts
Badger
(image credit Jon Hawkins, via Wildlife Trusts One of the regions considered most at risk of the spread of bovine
tuberculosis (bTB) will see badgers vaccinated over the next four years,
following a cash boost Vaccination starts this month in an area focussing on land in and
around Edale and the Peak District National Park Derbyshire Wildlife Trust will receive £98,600 from the Department of
Environmental, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) under its Badger Edge
Vaccination Scheme. Vaccination starts this month in an area focussing
on 26km2 of farmland and National Trust land, in and around Edale and
the Peak District National Park. The award builds on work already undertaken by Derbyshire Wildlife
Trust during 2014 following a successful public appeal to kick-start a
vaccination programme, which raised over £54,000. Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s Badger Vaccination Programme is now
considered one of the most successful models in the country and is being
developed in close partnership with the National Trust, National Farmers
Union (NFU), Derbyshire’s Badger Group and the Country Land and Business
Association (CLA). The partnership scheme is now worth an estimated
£350,000 in Derbyshire alone, when taking into account volunteer time on
top of Defra’s award and generous public donations. It is one of 13
Wildlife Trust-led vaccination schemes across England and Wales. Tim Birch, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s Head of Advocacy and
Conservation Strategy, said “We are delighted to receive funding from the Government to further
develop our important work vaccinating badgers in Derbyshire. We are
working closely with multiple partners to ensure that our Badger
Vaccination Programme expands and is successfully delivered. We believe
that badger vaccination is now being recognised as a very important tool
for helping deal with the bovine TB crisis in cattle across England
along with other important actions including the development of a cattle
vaccine.” The partnership between Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and the National
Trust is proving that ongoing vaccination of badgers is of crucial
importance in the efforts to help deal with the bovine TB crisis. Tim
Birch adds: The Wildlife Trusts renew calls to this Government to demonstrate
leadership and support in confronting bovine TB with an effective and
sustainable long-term strategy. An ongoing key focus on cattle
measures is also vital
Report from the Mammal Society on research
published in Mammal Review
How we report interactions with badgers impacts on how we treat them
- Mammal Society The way in which people think and talk about wildlife matters for the
support for and effectiveness of nature conservation, and thus for the
coexistence of humans and wildlife. New research published in Mammal
Review has analysed badger (Meles meles) framings (how badgers are
viewed and described) in the Netherlands and has shown how the
perception of these mammals has altered over the last century (1900 –
2013): badgers are now regarded more favourably than in the past. Despite a substantial increase in the badger population in the
Netherlands which has led to more confrontations with humans (collisions
with vehicles, damage to crops and gardens), negative reporting in the
Dutch media declined; it is now nearly absent and cases of badger
persecution are seldom reported. This is in stark contrast to the UK,
where badgers remain highly controversial as a result of the ongoing
debate over culling wild badgers to control the spread of bovine
tuberculosis (bTB). Access the paper: Runhaar H, Runhaar M,
Vink H (2015)
Reports on badgers Meles meles in Dutch newspapers 1900–2013: same
animals, different framings? Mammal Review. DOI:
10.1111/mam.12040 Scientific Publications Hastie, G. D., Russell, D. J.F., McConnell, B., Moss, S., Thompson,
D., Janik, V. M. (2015),
Sound exposure in harbour seals during the installation of an offshore
wind farm: predictions of auditory damage. Journal of Applied
Ecology, doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.12403 Laura Henckel, Luca Börger, Helmut Meiss, Sabrina Gaba, Vincent
Bretagnolle.
Organic fields sustain weed metacommunity dynamics in farmland
landscapes Proc. R. Soc. b : Biological Sciences DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.0002.
Cook, R. M., Holmes, S. J., Fryer, R. J. (2015), Grey seal predation impairs recovery of an over-exploited fish stock. Journal of Applied Ecology. doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.12439
Whiteside, Mark A., Sage, Rufus & Madden, Joah R.
Diet complexity in early life affects survival in released pheasants by
altering foraging efficiency, food choice, handling skills, and gut
morphology. Journal of Animal Ecology. DOI:
10.1111/1365-2656.12401
Derkzen, Marthe L., van Teeffelen, Astrid J.A. & Verburg, Peter H.
Quantifying urban ecosystem services based on high-resolution data of
urban green space: an assessment for Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Journal of Applied Ecology DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12469 Gregory N. Bratman, Gretchen C. Daily, Benjamin J. Levy, James J.
Gross,
The benefits of nature experience: Improved affect and cognition,
Landscape and Urban Planning, Volume 138, June 2015, Pages 41-50, ISSN
0169-2046, DOI: /10.1016/j.landurbplan.2015.02.005.
Ceaușu, S., Hofmann, M., Navarro, L. M., Carver, S., Verburg, P. H.
and Pereira, H. M. (2015),
Mapping opportunities and challenges for rewilding in Europe.
Conservation Biology. doi: 10.1111/cobi.12533 Hodge, I., Hauck, J. and Bonn, A. (2015),
The alignment of agricultural and nature conservation policies in the
European Union. Conservation Biology. doi: 10.1111/cobi.12531 Maiorano, L., Amori, G., Montemaggiori, A., Rondinini, C., Santini,
L., Saura, S. and Boitani, L. (2015),
On how much biodiversity is covered in Europe by national protected
areas and by the Natura 2000 network: insights from terrestrial
vertebrates. Conservation Biology. doi: 10.1111/cobi.12535 Batáry, P., Dicks, L. V., Kleijn, D. and Sutherland, W. J. (2015),
The role of agri-environment schemes in conservation and environmental
management. Conservation Biology. doi: 10.1111/cobi.12536
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