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Headlines from the week beginning 29 June 2015 |
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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
Study
finds pet owners reluctant to face up to their cats’ kill count –
Queen Mary University London Cat owners fail to realise the impact of their cat on wildlife
according to new research, published today, from QMUL and the University
of Exeter.
The researchers studied cats from two UK villages, Mawnan Smith in
Cornwall and Thornhill near Stirling. They found that although cat
owners were broadly aware of whether their cat was predatory or not,
those with a predatory cat had little idea of how many prey items it
typically caught. Regardless of the amount of prey returned by their cats, the majority
of cat owners did not agree that cats are harmful to wildlife and were
against suggestions that they should keep their cat inside as a control
measure. They were however willing to consider neutering which is
generally associated with cat welfare. The results, which are published in Ecology and Evolution, indicate
that management options to control cat predation are likely to be
unsuccessful unless they focus on cat welfare. Professor Matthew Evans, Professor of Ecology at Queen Mary
University of London, said: “In this paper we examined how aware cat
owners were of the predatory behaviour of their pet. Owners proved to be
remarkably unaware of the predatory behaviour of their cat, they also
did not agree with any measures that might limit the impact that cats
have on local wildlife. This study illustrates how difficult it would be to change the
behaviour of cat owners if they are both unaware of how many animals are
killed by their pet and resistant to control measures.
The UK's National Parks are now accepting nominations for the annual
National Parks Volunteer Awards. The Awards are a way of thanking
volunteers for the thousands of hours of service they offer up each year
to help make the National Parks some of Britain's most treasured
landscapes. Nominations are being accepted in four categories – Individual, Young
Person, Group, and Project. The group and project winners will receive a
£1,000 bursary toward future volunteering efforts. The individual and
young person winners will receive outdoor gear. Nominations are being
accepted until midnight 20 September 2015. "The Volunteer Awards are among our favourite projects of the year,"
said National Parks UK Director Kathryn Cook. "We love the awards
because they serve as an opportunity to celebrate all the amazing and
inspirational work taking place across the 15 National Parks. The awards
recognise the hard work of volunteers deemed to have gone above and
beyond the usual expectations of volunteer service. Past award
recipients include a young man who travelled by bus and sometimes
skateboard to attend volunteer events, a fascinating project to "heal"
the damage caused by wildfire with wool, and an inspiring individual who
found volunteering helps ease the challenges caused by mental health
issues.”
Unintended consequences of Land Reform plans revealed - BASC
Image: BASC The Land Reform (Scotland) Bill proposes the reintroduction of
sporting rates for shoots and deer forests. Much of shooting in Scotland
is run as much as a recreation as a business and 88% of shooting
businesses either break even or run at a loss. This additional tax
burden – including an increase of up to 58% on employment related tax
burdens – would result in shoot closures and job losses in rural
Scotland which is already vulnerable in terms of social and economic
disadvantage. Job losses in these areas would hit local communities
particularly hard.
Urgent action needed now to avoid increasing costs and impacts of
climate change in the UK - Committee on Climate Change Early action in the new Parliament is needed to keep the UK’s
emissions reductions on track and to adapt to climate change, the
Committee on Climate Change says today.
The UK also needs to prepare for the inevitable impacts of climate
change caused by continuing emissions. The Committee’s evaluation of the
UK National Adaptation Programme concludes that more households will be
at high risk of flooding, despite the increase in spending on flood
defence. In addition, farming in some of the most productive parts of
the country is at risk within a generation, and higher temperatures pose
risks to health that are not being properly addressed.
Reactions
RSPB response to Committee on Climate Change report: Wildlife must not
be overlooked
The RSPB is urging Government not to overlook wildlife as the UK
responds to the impacts of climate change outlined in a major report
released today [Tuesday 30th June]. The Committee on Climate Change report highlights that the UK is
heavily exposed to the likely effects of climate change. Martin Harper, RSPB Conservation Director, added: “We know that
wildlife across Britain will be increasingly affected by climate change
– we’re already seeing changes on RSPB nature reserves and in the wider
countryside. This report on the early stages of the UK’s adaptation
plans should serve as a wake-up call to Government about the natural
environment. It shows that some progress has been made but there is
still a great deal of work to do in order to safeguard nature and avoid
the worst impacts on people and nature.”
Uniting
nations for a green and pleasant land – GWCT The way we manage the land is changing. A new report highlights a way
which is better for wildlife, crop production, soil and water, as well
as people. A ground-breaking study reviewing The Role of Agroecology in
Sustainable Intensification has taken a multi-national approach. It was
commissioned by the Land Use Policy Group (LUPG), funded by Scottish
Natural Heritage and Natural Resources Wales and written by two leading
English farming research institutions; the Organic Research Centre, and
the GWCT’s Allerton Project.
Dr Alastair Leake from the GWCT’s Allerton Project and contributor to
the report explains; “We are now demanding more and more from our farmed
land, requiring it to increase food production to cope with a rapidly
expanding national population while delivering more for nature and
people. To do this we need to have the right tools in the box and to
share knowledge on how we inject agroecology into sustainable
intensification.” The 151 page report covers big issues and takes a close look at the
relationship between sustainable intensification and agroecology. Both
are wide ranging subjects and the report raises important questions,
particularly on how readily these concepts will be adopted by the
average farming business in England, Scotland and Wales without loss of
productivity and economic viability. To download the full report here
New strain of amphibian fungus found in the UK - ZSL
Studies have shown the endangered great crested
newt is highly susceptible to the pathogen. Image (c) Mihai Leu. Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (B.sal) has become established in a
few wild amphibian populations in parts of Europe where it is causing
devastating population declines. It is thought to be spread
internationally by the amphibian trade. ZSL is now urging all concerned, including people who have pet
amphibians, amphibian keepers, pet traders and scientists, to take great
care and take simple measures to prevent this new strain from spreading
to wild amphibian populations. Species at risk in the wild include the
endangered great crested newt, which studies have shown is highly
susceptible to the pathogen.
Green Light Given to New Potash Mine – North York Moors NPA Plans for the world’s largest potash mine were today (30 June)
approved by Members of the North York Moors National Park Authority
(NYMNPA). The mine head at Dove’s Nest Farm near Whitby and much of its
associated infrastructure will be within the North York Moors, a very
sensitive and highly protected landscape. Andy Wilson, Chief Executive of the NYMNPA said: “Today’s decision is
the culmination of hard work, of thorough examination and in-depth
discussions of the largest planning application this National Park, and
indeed any English National Park, has had to consider. I appreciate that
there will be many disappointed by today’s decision but Members felt
that the long term benefits for the local, regional and national economy
were transformational. This truly exceptional nature plus the measures
proposed by the company to mitigate harm and deliver widespread
environmental benefits to the Park over a long period of time tipped the
balance in favour of approval.” Members acknowledged the considerable harm a development the size of
the proposed mine will have on the special qualities of the North York
Moors, particularly during the construction phase. They felt however
that the projected long-term economic and social benefits to some of the
most deprived parts of the region outweighed these concerns and provided
the truly exceptional circumstances required by national planning policy
to grant approval to a major development within a National Park. The applicant, York Potash, estimates that the new potash mine could
create up to 1,000 jobs and would also bring revenue benefits at a
national level. Resources to compensate for the harmful impacts of the
development will be paid by the Company over 100 years. The funding will
be used for a variety of projects including tree planting and increased
promotion of the wider North York Moors to potential visitors. The long
term impacts of these would be of huge benefit to the biodiversity of
the Park. The NYMNPA will work closely with York Potash during the construction
phase and beyond to ensure the detailed conditions associated with the
approval of the plans are met. Chris Fraser, Managing Director and CEO of Sirius, comments: 'This is
really just the beginning for the Company - we have made a major step
forward and now have a pathway to reaching production and unlocking ever
more value for our shareholders. We are grateful to the members of the
Authority for their positive consideration of the application and we
thank our many loyal supporters, investors and customers for their
patience in helping us to get to this stage. The case for the Project
has always been compelling because it will not only generate so many
jobs and economic benefits, but also because it is accompanied by such
extensive mitigations, safeguards and environmentally sensitive design.
We now look forward to delivering it." The Company will provide a separate update to the market next week
which will provide a full status update and detail the next steps and
milestones on the way to reaching first production.
Media Statement on the result of the North York Moors National Park
Authority Special Planning Meeting to discuss York Potash application
- Campaign for National Parks Following the North York Moors National Park Authority decision today
to approve the York Potash application, Ruth Bradshaw, Policy and
Campaigns Manager at the Campaign for National Parks said: “We’re really
disappointed that NPA members have approved the construction of the
world’s largest potash mine in the North York Moors. We have long
maintained that this project is completely incompatible with National
Park purposes and that the promised economic benefits could never
justify the huge damage that it would do to the area’s landscape and
wildlife and to the local tourism economy. There was clear evidence of
the planning grounds for refusing this project in the report produced by
NPA officers but there has also been huge pressure for NPA members to
approve a project which has been widely promoted as bringing employment
to the area, even though many of the jobs will not go to local people.
The only way to ensure that the full implications of this extensive
proposal, with its multiple and complex applications is for there
to be a public inquiry covering the whole of the York Potash project and
for the final decision to be made by the Secretary of State. We called
for such a public inquiry months ago as it would ensure that decisions
are based on an accurate understanding of the overall costs and benefits
of the whole project and would allow expert witnesses to provide
evidence on some of the complex issues that need to be considered. Given
there are strong planning grounds for refusing this application, we are
confident that any public inquiry would result in today’s decision being
overturned so we can finally see an end to this threat to the North York
Moors. As a last resort, we will also be considering a legal challenge
of the decision, given that this is such an important test case of the
protection for National Parks in national planning policy. We have six
weeks to apply for a judicial review so we now need to decide whether
there are grounds for such a challenge,” Other reactions to yesterday's planning
decision:
North York Moors National Park authority approves York Potash
application – Open Spaces Society
Third Heathrow runway would be full frontal assault on Green Belt and
tranquillity - CPRE The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) condemned today’s
decision of the Airports Commission to recommend a third runway at
Heathrow. If it is ever built, the proposed Heathrow north western runway would
be expected to:
Ralph Smyth, transport campaign manager at the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), comments: “The recommendation today for a third runway at Heathrow casts a dark shadow over a wide swathe of the south east. Besides the destruction of much of the ancient village of Harmondsworth to make way for the new runway, a much wider area is at threat. On top of the almost relentless din of jet engines, runaway development and traffic would shatter the remaining fragments of tranquil countryside in the south east, already one of the most densely overflown areas in the world. All of the options short-listed by the Airports Commission would have a devastating impact on the countryside, directly as well as indirectly. But, equally, they would undermine the national imperative of rebalancing our economy away from the overheated south east. London already has 50% more flights to it than any other city in the world and enough’s enough. We believe that the growing political consensus over the need for a Northern Powerhouse will effectively pull the rug from under the Commission’s report . We now need a national spatial plan to rebalance growth and aviation, making the most of the ample spare capacity in other airports. While the Airports Commission in some ways set new standards for public engagement, it was clear that its terms of reference were rigged from the start. Another new runway in the south east was the foregone conclusion, preventing proper consideration of greater use of high speed rail or an ambitious regional rebalancing strategy.”
Large-scale changes in environment revealed through land cover map of
the UK – University of Leicester
University of Leicester free land cover map of
the UK reveals national loss of habitats and agricultural land CORINE land cover map 2012 for the UK A map of Leicestershire’s land cover in 2012 has also been made
available, showing artificial surfaces, agricultural areas, forest
areas, wetlands and water bodies in the county. Professor Heiko Balzter, Director of the Centre for Landscape and
Climate Research at the University of Leicester and leader of the study,
said: “Environmental information from satellites is hugely important to
keep a check on the quality of life in the UK. The European land
monitoring service turns satellite data into policy-relevant
information. The CORINE map is the only consistent European information
on land cover change that allows a comparison with our neighbours.” The 2006-2012 land cover map reveals that an area of 225,200 hectares
(over 2,250 km2) or 1% of the total area of the UK showed a change in
land cover / use from 2006 to 2012. Altogether, 167 different types of
change were seen from the satellite images. The dominant change was clear-cutting of coniferous forest (over
100,000 hectares). Almost 50,000 hectares were regrowing or being
replanted with coniferous forest, but clear-cutting far exceeded
replanting of coniferous forest. In addition to the new land cover map, the previous 2006 land cover
map has also been corrected by the team and updated to make sure the
change results more closely reflect reality.
We're
backing beavers - RSPB
And we’re not alone – RSPB Scotland is just one member of a coalition
of more than 20 Scottish environmental organisations, all calling for
beavers to make a comeback. The group also wants the current wild populations in mid-Argyll and
Tayside to be added to, and is pushing for permission for further
licensed releases across other appropriate areas of Scotland.
The organisations, which, combined, represent more than a quarter of
a million members, agree that a positive outcome for beavers will help
ensure that Scotland continues to position itself at the forefront of
international biodiversity conservation. We see beavers as a missing
element in Scottish environment. There is both an ecological and moral
imperative to restore this ‘keystone’ species to benefit our depleted
freshwater ecosystems. We also believe that the majority of Scotland’s
people are ready and willing to live alongside beavers once again and
that this strengthens Scotland’s reputation as a modern society that
truly values its environment. The organisations state that there is now sufficient suitable habitat in Scotland to support a thriving and self-sustaining beaver population. Existing research, and experiences from other European countries, show that beavers can flourish in a wide range of freshwater habitats, and that the restoration of beaver populations would have multiple benefits. Beavers would offer a valuable means of restoring freshwater habitats, and increasing the diversity and robustness of ecosystems in the face of threats such as climate change, habitat fragmentation and pollution from surrounding land. The collective agrees that, as a keystone species in wetland and freshwater ecosystems, the beaver will provide tangible and significant ecological benefits for a wide range of other species through the habitats and ecological niches they create, allowing other species to flourish.
A boost for bees: £900 million Countryside Stewardship scheme -
Defra Bees are to benefit from £900 million for a new scheme to protect our
countryside, Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss announced today (1
July). Over the next five years the new Countryside Stewardship scheme
will offer grants to help improve our environment and countryside – with
£85 million set aside to support projects in 2016, including those that
improve pollen and nectar sources. Bees and pollinators are one of four
main priorities for the scheme, which is being run on a competitive
basis for the first time this year.
Applications will be ranked and money only awarded to those who will
make the biggest improvements in their local area. Extra points will be
given to agreements working to support bees and pollinators and other
farm wildlife. Work could include year-round food, shelter and nesting
places that wild pollinators, birds and other farm wildlife need to
survive and thrive; sowing nectar flower and winter bird food mixes; or
increasing flower resources on grassland and on field margins and
managing hedgerows. Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss said: 'This is the first ever
countryside stewardship scheme that specifically combines help for bees
and pollinators as well as wildlife, woodland and rivers. This will mean
more margins and meadows with colourful wildflowers in our countryside.
Productive farming goes hand in hand with improving the environment.' Evidence suggests there can be meaningful benefits for farm wildlife
if the right combination of environmentally-friendly farming practices
are adopted on just 3 per cent or more of land. Countryside Stewardship grants will help pay for thousands of
individual agreements across the country with a special focus on four
priorities:
Securing the future of soil and the goods and services it provides - new
£1.6m project - Centre for Ecology & Hydrology The world's soil resources are being put under increasing pressure
and there is an urgent need to ensure that soils found across different
landscapes continue to deliver vital goods and services for humans. A
team of scientists, including from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
(CEH), are now investigating through a new project how we can provide
sustainable soil management practices in the face of current and future
environmental change. The project will see a collaborative team of scientists investigate
how soils in different ecosystems, ranging from intensive agriculture
through to extensive, semi-natural systems, support these ecosystem
services, and to what extent they are able to cope with environmental
pressures from climate change and human activity. They will also look at how management might be used to improve the
delivery of the vital ecosystem services provided by soils. The
scientists will aim to identify which management practices will benefit
the widest range of services, and where trade-offs, such as improving
soil fertility but decreasing water quality, might occur. Dr Rob Griffiths, Dr Niall McNamara and Dr Jeanette Whitaker from the
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology will work with scientists from Rothamsted
Research, Lancaster University, the University of Aberdeen and Imperial
College London on the £1.6 million project which is funded by the
Natural Environment Research Council's Soils Security Programme. Dr Rob Griffiths said, "Many of the ecosystem services provided by
soils are dependent on the build-up of organic matter. It is incredible
that we still don’t really understand the details of how vegetation
turns into soil, and then how the soil is maintained under climate or
land use change to provide us with these life-sustaining services."
Landfill funds help restore Upper Ray Meadows habitats for wading birds
The Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust will begin a programme of work
to help wildlife get access to wet areas within the Upper Ray Meadows
nature reserve in April 2016, after receiving the money from
grant-giving body WREN’s FCC Biodiversity Action Fund. Estelle Bailey, the Trust’s Chief Executive, hopes the two-year
project will create a lasting biodiversity hotspot suitable for breeding
waders such as lapwing and curlew, as well as other threatened flora and
fauna. Estelle said: “We are extremely grateful to WREN for backing the
Upper River Ray - Enhancing and Restoring Floodplain Meadows project.
Without support of this kind we really are in danger of losing some of
our most endangered habitats, along with the rare and threatened species
that rely on them for their survival.” Reactions to yesterday's announcement about a
third runway at Heathrow
Natural environment must not be sidelined as part of airports debate
– Woodland Trust Responding to today's announcement, Beccy Speight, Woodland Trust
Chief Executive, said: “Regardless of today's recommendation, what must
be recognised is that ‘environmental impact’ should not only be used, as
has consistently been the case as part of the expansion debate, as a
term to refer to noise and vibration in relation to people and their
homes, with damage to the natural environment seemingly just a secondary
complication. Any risk of loss or damage to the natural environment, and
especially to irreplaceable habitats like ancient woodland or ancient
trees, must be taken just as seriously, and every possible avenue
investigated to avoid it if we are to adapt to threats such as climate
change, and so that communities can exercise their right to a healthy
lifestyle. In alignment with its manifesto commitment to deliver new
infrastructure in an environmentally sensitive way, Government must now
not only seek to avoid loss, but also to integrate new trees and woods
into any development plans if expansion goes ahead as recommended by the
Airports Commission today, remembering that this is not just about the
footprint of a new runway, but all the surrounding development likely to
be required that will add more strain on the UK’s natural environment in
the long term.”
Wildlife sites threatened by proposed Heathrow expansion – London
Wildlife Trust London Wildlife Trust is disappointed – but unsurprised - to learn of
the recommendation from the Davies Commission that a new North West
runway at Heathrow Airport is the preferred option for airport
expansion. The options considered by the Commission didn’t even consider
expansion outside of London, or consider the case of no expansion; a
fundamental flaw if the UK is to effectively meet its carbon emission
targets and be a world leader on climate change adaptation. Specifically
we are not convinced by the business case for expansion; official
figures point to the trend of a 'general decline' in business flights,
acknowledged by the Airports Commission itself. Only about 11% of
flights abroad are now accounted for by business travel. UK regional
airports have ample capacity to accommodate additional business routes
if needed. However, there has been a huge growth of short-haul leisure
flights including within Europe. Seven out of 10 of all flights are
taken by just 15% of UK residents, yet all of London’s residents will be
impacted by this recommendation. We urge the Government to reject the
recommendation.
New tool will measure impact of man-made noise on sea-mammals –
University of St Andrews
Changes in natural patterns of animal behaviour and health resulting
from them being disturbed may alter the conservation status of a
population if the activity affects the ability of individuals to
survive, breed or grow. However, information to forecast
population-level consequences of such changes is often lacking. The
project team developed an interim framework to assess impacts when
evidence is sparse. Crucially, the model shows how daily effects of
being disturbed, which are often straightforward to estimate, can be
scaled by the duration of disturbance and to multiple sources of
disturbance. One important application for the PCOD framework is in the marine
industry. Many industries use practices that involve the generation of
underwater noise. These include shipping, oil and gas exploration,
defence activities and port, harbour and renewable energy construction.
For example, offshore wind turbines are installed using a method called
‘pile driving’ – which effectively involves a large hammer driving
foundation posts into the seabed – which generates short pulsed sounds
every few seconds. The potential risk of injury and/or disturbance to
marine mammals during these noise-producing activities has been
identified as a key consenting risk for offshore wind projects in UK
waters, but many other noise sources are less stringently regulated. The tool has been designed to use the kind of information that is likely to be provided by developers in Environmental Statements and Habitats Regulations Assessments, and currently covers five key priority species in the UK: bottlenose dolphins, harbour porpoises, minke whales, and harbour and grey seals. However, the approach can be applied to other marine and terrestrial species. The study is published in the journal Methods in Ecology and Evolution.
Double boost for species as major work starts at Angus river –
Scottish Natural Heritage Improvements at an Angus river as part of a £3.5 million UK project
to improve habitat for freshwater pearl mussels and salmon are set to go
ahead next week. The Pearls in Peril project (PIP) will see 873 metres of boulder bank
protection removed from sections of the River South Esk and its White
Water tributary in Glen Clova and Glen Doll. Work is expected to start
on 6 July. The South Esk is a site of European importance as a Special Area of
Conservation (SAC) for its pearl mussels and salmon. And it is high
priority site due to an increase in illegal exploitation reported in the
area. The bank protection was installed in the 1990s to limit riverbank
erosion and channel movement. This reduced river habitat quality for
freshwater pearl mussels, salmon and trout. And the boulders’ removal
will make the riverbank more accessible for water voles around one of
the restoration sites. Dr Lorna Wilkie, project officer from the Pearls in Peril Project,
said: “Freshwater pearl mussels in the River South Esk have been
affected by pollution, illegal fishing, and river engineering. Habitat
loss has made it impossible for populations to recover. But by
increasing suitable habitat for juvenile mussels and spawning salmon PIP
aims to increase their number and distribution. Although changes to the
river environment will be immediately noticeable, we do not expect to
see an increase in the mussel population for many years. Freshwater
pearl mussels are very slow-growing – they don’t start breeding until
they are 15-20 years old and can live for up to 120 years. PIP is a
project with long-term aims.”
Environment Agency reveals ‘secret seven’ fish – Environment Agency A 400-million-year-old rare blood-sucking creature once eaten by
Vikings and a relic from the Ice Age top the Environment Agency’s
‘secret seven’ list of England’s rarest fish, which it unveiled today. The seven species are lamprey, Arctic charr, vendace, spined loach,
allis shad, twaite shad and smelt. All seven species of fish are a
conservation priority at a national and international level. The reasons for their previous decline include historically poor
water quality, barriers to migration and a changing climate. But now,
all seven are starting to thrive again thanks to work by the Environment
Agency and other conservation groups. Alastair Driver, Environment Agency national biodiversity manager,
said: 'These rare fish are the unknown jewels of our rivers. The
Environment Agency has a range of projects to support them and although
England’s rivers are the healthiest for 20 years, there is still more to
be done to improve their chances. Reintroducing meanders, breeding fish
and removing weirs are among our key work to help these little-known
fish thrive.'
Ocean life facing a corrosive future - new report – IUCN The ocean moderates human-induced global warming but at the cost of
profound alterations to its physics, chemistry, ecology and ecosystems
services. These are the findings of a report published today in Science
by the Oceans 2015 Initiative and co-authored by IUCN World Commission
on Protected Areas Marine Vice Chair, Dan Laffoley. The report evaluates and compares two scenarios under two potential
carbon dioxide emissions pathways over this century. Both carry high
risks to vulnerable ecosystems, such as warm-water corals and
mid-latitude bivalve species (molluscs), but a business-as-usual
scenario was projected to be particularly devastating with a high risk
of widespread species mortalities. Lead author, Jean-Pierre Gattuso, Senior Scientist at CNRS (Centre
National de la Recherche Scientifique, France), hopes that the findings
of the report will generate the political will to enforce meaningful
cuts in carbon dioxide emissions, stating "The oceans have been
minimally considered at previous climate negotiations; our study
provides compelling arguments for a radical change at COP21 (the UN
climate summit in Paris in December)".
Draconian Government cuts threaten the fabric of our English National
Parks - Campaign for National Parks Cuts of up to 40% in real terms to National Park Authority Government
funding in England have led to more than 225 job losses over the past
five years and huge impacts on the services they are able to provide.
New information about the impacts of these cuts was published today
(Fri) by the Campaign for National Parks. This was based on responses to
Freedom of Information requests sent to all ten National Parks in
England. The cuts mean that National Park Authorities in England received
£44.7m for 2015/6 compared with £56m in 2010/11. Based on an English
population of 53.5m, National Parks cost the English taxpayer just 83.5p
per year. They have led to the closure of or reductions in public transport
services – affecting people wanting to visit and explore our treasured
landscapes. But they have also led to the closure of information
centres, an end to much work to rights of way to keep footpaths open and
a halt to many Authorities work on climate change, flood defence and
conservation. Project and programmes that have had to stop include:
Red kite confirmed shot in County Down – RSPB Northern Ireland RSPB Northern Ireland has said its ‘worst fears have been confirmed’
after tests proved a red kite found dead in County Down was deliberately
shot. The female bird was discovered near Katesbridge on 20 May and it was
recovered by the PSNI and the Northern Ireland Raptor Study Group. The
death is a real blow to the small population of this magnificent bird of
prey in Northern Ireland. Red kites were persecuted to extinction more than 200 years ago. Back
in 2008 RSPB NI joined forces with the Welsh Kite Trust and the Golden
Eagle Trust to reintroduce the species to Northern Ireland’s skies. It’s thought the population will only reach a sustainable level once
around 50 pairs are established. The bird which was found shot was born in Wales in 2010 and was part
of the re-introduction scheme’s final release. The bird was found near a nest site usually occupied by a male and female known as Black K and Black M. Worryingly, they have not been seen in recent months and their nest, which was freshly lined in preparation for breeding, has not been active for weeks. And some good news to end the week…
Rare butterfly returns to Exmoor – Exmoor National Park
Butterfly Conservation (BC) and the National Trust have worked
closely with the National Park Authority to introduce the Heath
Fritillary into newly created coppiced clearings at Hawkcombe near
Porlock, Somerset. Following extensive work by the Park Authority to create suitable
coppice clearings within their woodland at Hawkcombe Wood, the right
habitats have now been created and it is hoped the diminutive fritillary
will thrive on the site following the introduction. The Heath Fritillary is one of the UK’s rarest and most threatened
butterflies and is restricted to just four locations in the UK - Exmoor
on the Devon and Somerset border, the Tamar Valley on the Devon and
Cornwall border, the Blean Woods in Kent and the South Essex Woodlands. Jenny Plackett, Butterfly Conservation’s Two Moors Threatened
Butterflies Project Officer, said: “I am really delighted that the
butterflies have bred at the new site and made it through their first
year. More colonies in Exmoor will undoubtedly make the population here
stronger and we are hopeful that the butterfly will spread into new
sites from Hawkcombe.”
Coquet Island reaches 100 - RSPB
It is a success story that can be attributed to a programme of
ongoing conservation work over the past 15 years on the island, aimed at
reversing the fortunes of the red-listed threatened species.
Roseate terns have never been very common and have suffered global
declines since the 20th century. RSPB Coquet Island, situated off the
Northumberland coast, is their only regular UK breeding colony. The RSPB began successfully managing the island for roseate tern
conservation in 2000 with the introduction of nest boxes on specially
created shingle terraces. Paul Morrison, warden at RSPB Coquet Island, said:“The whole project
kicked off when I visited Rockabill in Southern Ireland, which is home
to Europe’s largest roseate tern colony. I noticed they used boxes there
so I brought the idea back to Coquet Island. Roseates like to nest in
tight communities in sheltered locations, so the boxes on terraces are
perfect for them.” The nest boxes had an immediate effect with the number of pairs
breeding on the island rising from 24 in 1999 to 34 the following year.
Since then, the RSPB on Coquet Island has continued to turn around the
fortunes of roseate terns in the face of continuing national decline.
Scientific publications Piper, A. T. et al. (2015)
Response of seaward-migrating European eel (Anguilla anguilla)
to manipulated flow fields. The Royal Society Proceedings B. DOI:
10.1098/rspb.2015.1098 Wenger, A. S. et al (2015)
Effects of reduced water quality on coral reefs in and out of no-take
marine reserves. Conservation Biology. DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12576 Ogden, R. et al. (2015)
Population structure and dispersal patterns in Scottish Golden Eagles
Aquila chrysaetos revealed by molecular genetic analysis of
territorial birds. Ibis. DOI: 10.1111/ibi.12282 Jantz, S. M. et al (2015)
Future habitat loss and extinctions driven by land-use change in
biodiversity hotspots under four scenarios of climate-change mitigation.
Conservation Biology. DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12549
McCloskey RM, Unsworth RKF. (2015)
Decreasing seagrass density
negatively influences associated fauna. PeerJ 3:e1053
Ou, M. et al. (2015)
Responses of pink salmon to CO2-induced aquatic acidification.
Nature Climate Change. doi:10.1038/nclimate2694
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Cats
are increasingly earning themselves a reputation as wildlife killers
with estimates of animals killed every year by domestic cats in the UK
numbering into the millions. This new study on the attitudes of cat
owners suggests that proposals to keep cats indoors in order to preserve
wildlife would not be well received.
The
British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) has warned that
the removal of sporting rates relief will have devastating consequences
for rural Scotland and will damage rural livelihoods, conservation, jobs
and tourism. BASC has published evidence revealing the far-reaching and
negative unintended consequences the plans will have for Scotland.
Image:
Committee on Climate Change
27%
of blanket bog have lost peat-forming vegetation due to regular burning
(Image: RSPB - Jerry Wilson)
A
new report on agroecology shows how farmed land can provide for wildlife
as well as people and do it better for both. (Credit: Malcolm Brockless,
GWCT)
A
newly-discovered species of chytrid fungus which can infect and kill a
wide range of newts and salamanders has been found in captive UK
populations for the first time by scientists from the Zoological Society
of London’s (ZSL’s) Institute of Zoology. 
Large-scale
changes to the environment of the United Kingdom, including an apparent
loss of habitats and agricultural land, have been revealed through an
updated national map of land cover launched by Leicester researchers
together with consultancy company Specto Natura.
We’ve
written to Dr Aileen McLeod, Minister for Environment, Climate Change
and Land Reform, calling for the beaver to be fully reintroduced and
recognised by the Scottish Government as a resident, native species in
Scotland. 
Rare
wading birds could soon be a more familiar sight around the Upper River
Ray area after plans to restore and enhance an area of floodplain
meadows received a £130,000 funding boost.
A
team of scientists from the University of St Andrews has developed a new
computer modelling tool for assessing the impact of noise from human
disturbance, such as offshore wind development, on marine mammal
populations. The team, led by Professor John Harwood of the School of
Biology, has created the interim Population Consequences of Disturbance
(PCOD) framework for assessing the consequences of human-induced
noise-disturbance on animal populations. 
The
population of one of the UK’s rarest butterflies has been strengthened
following the introduction of the Heath Fritillary to a new site in the
Exmoor National Park.
The
UK’s rarest breeding seabird, the roseate tern, is enjoying a bumper
breeding season on RSPB Coquet Island with a hundred pairs currently
nesting at the Northumberland site.
