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Headlines from week beginning 20 July 2015 |
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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
National Parks are England's nature hotspots – National Parks
England A new assessment by National Parks England has found that England’s
ten National Parks are among the very best places in the country for
wildlife, providing much-needed homes for many of our most rare and
threatened plants and animals. Statistics compiled by National Parks England show that while the
National Parks cover less than 10% of England’s area, they contain much
higher proportions of the most wildlife-rich habitats such as heaths,
fens and ancient woodlands. Up to 80% of some habitats that have been
identified as national priorities for conservation are within the
National Parks. It is not surprising, then, that National Parks are havens for our
native plants and animals3. 87% of conservation priority butterfly
species and 80% of priority orchid species can be found in England’s
National Parks. Dedicated management and reintroduction projects are
helping special species such as the fen raft spider, the freshwater
pearl mussel and the barn owl to thrive and increase their range. Secretary of State for the Environment, Rt Hon Liz Truss MP, said:
"Our National Parks are some of the UK’s most beautiful natural
environments which we want everyone to enjoy. They are home to our
native plants and spectacular wildlife, from the stunning orchids in the
South Downs to the ospreys that return each year to breed in the Lake
District. They boost our rural economies with visitors spending £4bn
each year and bring together local communities helping the countryside
and its businesses to thrive." Read the assessment here
Rare fish returns to South Yorkshire – Environment Agency Sea lamprey found in River Don A rare and protected fish has been caught in the River Don for the
first time in recent history as water quality in the region’s rivers
continues to improve. Two sea lamprey were caught during an Environment Agency fish survey
on the River Don at Crimpsall, Doncaster. Lampreys are an ancient group of eel-like jawless fish that have
lived on earth largely unchanged for 300 million years – appearing about
70 million years before the first dinosaur. The young live in rivers before migrating to the sea. At sea, they
use their suction-cup like mouths to attach themselves to the skin of
fish, rasping away tissue with their sharp probing tongues and teeth.
Adult sea lamprey return to rivers to spawn. These fish are a good indication of the high quality of the river water. Breeding populations occur in North Yorkshire and scientists are currently trying to track down their spawning grounds.
RSPB-led study reveals extent of upland burning across Britain -
RSPB A new study led by the RSPB Centre for Conservation Science has
revealed the extent of moorland burning across Britain’s upland areas.
Burning on moorlands, a mixture of bog and heath habitats, is widely
used to increase the numbers of red grouse that are available for
recreational shooting. Burning was detected in 55 per cent of Special Areas of Conservation
(SACs) and 63 per cent of Special Protection Areas (SPAs) assessed in
the study, and significantly more burning took place within them than on
comparable moorlands outside. These sites are designated under EU
legislation for their conservation importance, and governments are
charged with protecting them from damage and ensuring that they are
restored to the best condition. However, many SACs and SPAs are in
unfavourable condition, with burning identified by governments and
statutory agencies as a primary reason for this poor status. Dr David Douglas, Senior Conservation Scientist at RSPB Scotland and lead author of the study said: “Upland ecosystems are highly sensitive to burning practices. Knowing how much burning takes place and where is crucial to developing sustainable land management policies for these precious environments.” Read the paper here. Douglas, D. J. T.
et al (2015)
Vegetation burning for game management in the UK uplands is increasing
and overlaps spatially with soil carbon and protected areas.
Biological Conservation. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2015.06.014
Rutland Osprey Project soars to new heights as 100th chick fledges –
The Wildlife Trusts The Rutland Osprey Project celebrated a major milestone this week,
when the 100th osprey chick to fledge from a nest in the Rutland Water
area took to the air for the first time
Osprey chick preparing for first flight cpt Leicestershire &
Rutland Wildlife Trust The eight-week-old Osprey is one of 15 chicks to have flown from
eight nests in a record-breaking summer for the project. The fledging
of the 100th chick is the latest landmark for a project that has
successfully restored a population of these magnificent birds of prey to
the skies of central England for the first time in over 150 years. Having been extinct in England since the mid-1800s, 64 six-week-old Scottish ospreys were released at the reservoir in England’s smallest county between 1996 and 2001 in a partnership between reservoir owners, Anglian Water, and the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. The first translocated Osprey returned to breed at its adopted home
in 2001and the number of breeding pairs has gradually increased since
then.
Bees and ants to flourish while the cuckoo flounders – Natural
England Climate change research reveals species most at risk. Wasps, bees, ants and southern species including Dartford warbler and
emperor dragonfly are likely to benefit from climate change in England.
Further north and in the uplands, breeding birds such as curlew and our
much-loved cuckoo, damp-loving mosses and liverworts will be put at
great risk by rising temperatures, according to new research out today. The
report, which assesses the risks and opportunities for species in
England as a result of climate change, has been published by Natural
England in partnership with the British Trust for Ornithology,
University of York, the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and the RSPB.
A more detailed study of 400 species included information on
population trends and took into account other factors that are known to
make species more vulnerable to climate change, such as agricultural
intensification or restriction to small, localised populations. This
analysis found that the proportion of wildlife at risk from climate
change was slightly higher at 35%, with 42% likely to have opportunities
to expand. When looking at 155 species currently listed as being of high
conservation concern, 38% were identified as being at risk, with 39%
potentially benefiting from a changing climate, suggesting climate
change may pose the greatest threat to species already threatened by
other factors. The results reflect the fact that there are more
southerly-distributed species than northern species living in England,
giving greater scope for southerners to flourish from climate warming.
As a result, those at greatest risk are species which are of high
conservation concern, often found in upland habitats, such as twite,
golden plover and mountain crowberry. Other wildlife expected to suffer
include seabirds such as the kittiwake, and some lowland species such as
lapwing, rare spring sedge, orange ladybird and the triangle hammock
spider. In contrast, further population increases are likely for birds
such as avocet and the little egret. Other expected beneficiaries
include the large wainscot and white line dart moths.
Controlling the cost of renewable energy - DECC Renewable energy subsidies revised to ensure consumers are protected
from higher energy bills. Measures to deal with a projected over-allocation of renewable energy
subsidies have been announced today. Reducing energy bills for hard working British families and
businesses and meeting climate goals in the most cost effective way are
Government priorities. The measures set out today will provide better
control over spending and ensure bill payers get the best possible deal
as we continue to move to a low-carbon economy. Announcing the changes to bring costs under control, Energy and
Climate Change Secretary Amber Rudd said: “My priorities are clear. We
need to keep bills as low as possible for hardworking families and
businesses while reducing our emissions in the most cost-effective way.
Our support has driven down the cost of renewable energy significantly.
As costs continue to fall it becomes easier for parts of the renewables
industry to survive without subsidies. We’re taking action to protect
consumers, whilst protecting existing investment”. Financial support for renewable technologies primarily comes in the
form of subsidies which are paid for via energy bills. The total amount
of subsidies available is capped via a mechanism called the Levy Control
Framework (LCF). Reactions:
Controlling
the cost of renewable energy from DECC
We need a convincing low-carbon energy plan from the Government -
CPRE
The Government's entire green subsidies narrative is nonsense –
Friends of the Earth
Rare spider spotted at RSPB Scotland Loch Lomond is first record in
twenty years - RSPB
A rare spider which hasn’t been found in Scotland in 20 years, has
been spotted at RSPB Scotland Loch Lomond. The great otter spider (Pirata piscatorious) was last recorded in
Scotland in 1994 in an area near Crianlarich. Found mostly in wet and
boggy areas, the species is thought to have declined in recent decades,
particularly in the east of Britain, though it is also probably
under-recorded. RSPB Scotland assistant warden, Becky Austin, said: “We were down at
our dragonfly pools running a training course, when I saw this spider
just sitting on the surface of the water. It wasn’t something I
recognised, and it looked unusual, with this really interesting velvety
appearance. We snapped a couple of pictures and sent them off to one of
our spider experts, who came back with the exciting news about how rare
it was. I think it really shows just how important this site continues
to be for wildlife in this part of Scotland, with the variety of
habitats and niches available suiting many different species. It's also
so interesting for us to be working in a place where there’s always a
chance of finding things that we’ve never seen before.” The record comes after the discovery of an equally rare beetle on the
reserve last year, the wonderfully named horsetail sloth weevil, and
other recent sightings including spotted crake, a migratory bird with a
British population thought to be fewer than 200. Chris Cathrine, the South West Scotland area organiser for the
British Arachnological Society Spider Recording Scheme, said: ''This is
a fantastic find! As spiders are generally under-recorded in Scotland,
you can make really interesting discoveries in your local area or even
at home. I'd encourage people to send their records to the Spider
Recording Scheme.”
Owners urged to follow new dog walking code – Natural Resources
Wales As we enjoy sunny days and long, light, evenings, dog owners are
being encouraged to follow a new dog walking code. The new guide, facilitated by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) with
input from a wide range of partners across the UK, gives practical
advice for dog owners on how to make the most of their walks. The Dog Walking Code – the first time such a document has been
produced - will be available on-line, at a variety of visitor
information sites in Wales and at the Royal Welsh Show in Builth Wells
this week. Rhian Jardine, Head of Sustainable Communities for NRW, added: “Dogs
love to get out and play - half of all the visits people make to the
outdoors in the UK are with dogs. This helps people get out and about so
their dog is helping to keep people healthy and to enjoy the local area.
And evidence shows that people are happier if they spend some leisure
time outdoors in a pleasant environment. This simple, ten-point guide
aims to influence how owners manage their dogs, showing respect and
sensitivity towards the places they visit and to others who share the
space with them.” NRW has developed this general advice for dog walkers in partnership with a range of other organisations, each representing specific sectors. Natural England, Kennel Club, Forestry Commission, National Farmers’ Union, NFU Cymru, Ramblers, Ramblers Cymru, National Trust, Country Land and Business Association, Hampshire County Council, The British Horse Society and the British Mountaineering Council have all helped draft the Code. This cross-sector partnership has helped produce guidance that is both fair and accessible to dog owners.
We should all have a right to beauty – Woodland Trust
The report's headline finding is that only householders earning at
least £45,000 a year have full access to beauty, being able to live in
areas with attractive buildings and green spaces with woods and trees.
However, 81% of those surveyed by Mori for the report think that
everyone should be able to access beauty regularly and, overwhelmingly,
respondents said that they found beauty in the natural environment. Beccy Speight, Woodland Trust CEO, said: “It’s unsurprising that the
natural environment is top of the list when people are asked what they
consider beauty to encompass. However, vitally, this report highlights
peoples’ belief that access to beauty is a right, not a luxury. Along
with the evidence of the benefits access to beauty brings, for example
that even the sight of trees can reduce commuter stress, or that more
attractive streets would encourage more people to get out walking, it’s
clear that our green and pleasant land should not be taken for granted.
We have long pushed for policy makers to look to increase access to
nature and green space, whether that’s by creating more woods close to
people, or by including trees in plans for new development. Not only
would this make a huge difference to many peoples’ lives, it’s vital for
the health and prosperity of the nation.” Download the publication from the ResPublica website
Oyster herpesvirus-1 microvariant disease outbreak confirmed in Essex
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Oyster herpesvirus-1 microvariant (OsHV-1 µvar) has been confirmed in
a shellfish fishery in the River Roach, Essex An outbreak of Oyster herpesvirus-1 microvariant (OsHV-1 µvar) has
been confirmed in Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) in the River
Roach, Essex. There are no implications for human health: the virus only affects
Pacific oysters. OsHV-1 µvar is a virulent viral disease affecting the Pacific oyster,
also known as the rock or cupped oyster. This is the only species of
shellfish that is currently known to be susceptible to this virus. The virus is notifiable under the Aquatic Animal Health (England &
Wales) Regulations 2009. Where notifiable diseases are suspected or
confirmed disease control measures are applied in the form of a
designation notice to movements of live and dead aquatic animals,
(including their eggs and/or gametes) and to certain site activities.
The purpose of the movement controls is to restrict the spread of the
disease to other parts of the coast.
Record number of parks achieve the Green Flag Award
In total, 1582 parks, cemeteries, universities, shopping centres and
community gardens in the UK have met the high standard needed to receive
the Green Flag Award or the Green Flag Community Award.
The Green Flag Award scheme is also extending internationally,
including Holland, Australia and New Zealand. For the first time
this year, three parks in the United Arab Emirate of Abu Dhabi have
achieved their Green Flag Award. The award was also piloted this year in
the Republic of Ireland by An Taisce. The Green Flag Awards are judged by an army of more than 700 green
space experts, who volunteer their time to visit applicant sites and
assess them against eight strict criteria, including horticultural
standards, cleanliness, sustainability and community involvement. International Green Flag Award scheme manager Paul Todd said: "We are
delighted to be celebrating another record-breaking year for the Green
Flag Award scheme. All the flags flying this year are a testament to the
efforts of the thousands of men and women, both staff and volunteers,
who work tirelessly to maintain the high standards demanded by the Green
Flag Award."
HS2 Select Committee recommends tunnel extension that would save three
ancient woods – Woodland Trust
If confirmed, such an extension at South Heath Green would save three
ancient woods – Mantle’s Wood, Sibley’s Coppice and Farthings Wood in
Buckinghamshire.
These woods are part of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural
Beauty (AONB), which provides habitat for the rare stag beetle, red
kites, butterflies such as the orange tip and speckled wood as well as
bluebells. Without the extension, 6.2 hectares of ancient woodland would
be lost at Mantle’s Wood alone – the largest single loss on the
whole route - with additional losses at Sibley’s Coppice and Farthings
Wood adding up to a further 3 hectares. Overall, this tunnel extension
could save approximately 9.2 hectares (equivalent to approximately 25
football pitches) of the 44 hectares threatened by Phase 1. The Committee has asked HS2 Ltd to carry out further work to assess
this option which, if considered "satisfactory", would lead to
confirmation that these three woods are safe. The Woodland Trust’s current estimate is that another 94 ancient
woods will suffer loss or damage due to Phase 1 and 2 of HS2 combined.
Rare floating water plant at risk – Canal & River Trust Volunteers are being invited to support a vital ecological project
across the Rochdale and Huddersfield Canals in a bid to protect the
increasingly rare Floating Water Plantain, Luronium natans.
Native only to Europe, its populations are thought to be in steady
decline since the turn of the century as many of its natural habitats
have been lost or lacked management. Canals in the north west of the UK are now one of its remaining
strongholds after it spread along the canal system during the
19th century. Both the Rochdale and Huddersfield Narrow Canals are
designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to their
varied plant populations. The Rochdale Canal is also designated a
Special Area of Conservation due to the presence of Floating Water
Plantain. We are now on the search for volunteers to help carry out ecological
surveys of the canals, including identifying invasive species, mapping
reed fringes and areas of shading and discharge surveys to monitor water
quality. Peter Birch, national environment manager added: “Manmade canals now
provide one of the few areas where we can maintain the conditions for
plants like this to thrive and to support a whole range of wildlife. One
of the main threats to Floating Water Plantain is competition by
invasive species which compete with our native species for light, space
and nutrients so it’s vitally important we eradicate them from the sites
before they kill at risk species such as Floating Water Plantain.” The survey will run throughout August and is part of a wider project
to link isolated populations of plant species to create habitats more
resilient to environmental change, removing invasive and non-native
plant species and improving water quality.
Spring 2015 Monitoring Report Published – Red Squirrels Northern
England We've just released our spring 2015 monitoring report. Firstly, a
massive thank you to all our volunteers for your efforts…we have once
again completed our programme of squirrel surveys across northern
England. 290 sites surveyed by 148 people in 13 weeks. Huge! We cannot
understate what a gigantic team effort this has been once more. A second mild winter, and an incredible natural food crop,
particularly of beech and hazel, has led to extremely favourable
conditions for greys. In this context, it is a great result that red
detection only dropped slightly. No doubt this is down to the hard work
of so many people involved in red squirrel conservation, removing grey
squirrels, and creating the space for reds. Without such intervention,
greys gain the competitive edge to the detriment of red populations, as
has been the pattern for so many years.
England natural environment indicators - Defra This publication covers the indicators developed to assess progress
against the Natural Environment White Paper, published in 2011 under the
2010 to 2015 Coalition Government. Download
England Natural Environment Indicators 2015 (PDF, 3.1MB, 63 pages)
Don’t undermine the laws that protect nature, say nearly half a million
Europeans - Wildlife Trust Calls to defend nature beat the record for responses to European
public consultations Don’t undermine or wreck the laws protecting nature. That’s the
clear and powerful message to the President of the European Commission
and his Commissioners from the majority of nearly half a million people
across Europe (with around one in five of those coming from the UK) who
have so far responded to the consultation on the future of two of
Europe’s nature laws: the Birds and Habitats Directives. As the three-month consultation draws to a close at midnight on
Sunday, conservation and wildlife groups across Europe are delighted
with the level of public support which has exceeded all previous
consultations on any other European law. In Europe, four environmental networks, comprising WWF Europe,
BirdLife International, the European Environmental Bureau and Friends of
the Earth Europe, came together in May launching the Nature Alert
campaign in response to the EU Commission’s suggestion to evaluate
whether the existing EU nature laws should be changed. In the UK, 100 organisations came together under the Joint Links
umbrella: Wildlife and Countryside Link, Scottish Environment Link,
Northern Ireland Environment Link and Wales Environment Link to collect
and submit evidence in support of these vital laws. Geneviève Pons, Director of WWF European Policy Office said on behalf
on the Nature Alert NGO coalition: “At a time when the European Union is
severely tested, the overwhelming support from all corners of the
continent for Europe’s nature laws demonstrates that people can get
together and defend what really matters to them. Europeans care about
their nature, and the Union’s laws that protect it. Now, it is time for
the Commission to listen to the evidence and draw up a plan for nature
protection based on more funding and stronger law enforcement.” Dr Elaine King, Director at Wildlife and Countryside Link, said:
“Threats to the laws that defend nature across the European Union have
been met with a truly staggering response from the public. This shows
how much people care about nature and its future. Wildlife groups across
Europe have campaigned on the potential threats to nature from reforming
these pivotal laws, and Europe’s citizens have heeded the call and
responded. The European Commission must listen to what the public has
said.”
Combatting climate change: a vital safety net for families and
businesses - DECC Energy and Climate Change Secretary Amber Rudd sets out why action on
climate change matters to households and the economy. In her first major speech as Energy and Climate Change Secretary,
Amber Rudd today (24/7/15) set out the Government’s commitment to
tackling climate change while keeping bills down in order to deliver
lasting economic security for hardworking families and businesses. She said that the Government’s approach will help to protect the
economy because failing to act would risk leading to lower growth, fewer
jobs and higher prices. She added that this approach will see action
taken in a way that keeps consumer bills down and encourages businesses
to innovate, grow and create employment, so it does not come at the
expense of prosperity today.
IUCN’s bumblebee campaign – what’s all the buzz about?
- IUCN
The IUCN Red List is the key to understanding the status and trends
of bumblebees, identifying those species that are threatened with
extinction so that appropriate conservation action can be taken. While
we have a fairly good idea of the situation of bumblebees in Europe, our
global knowledge of their conservation status is still patchy, and of
250 species of bumblebees globally, more than 200 still require
assessments. To move forward with these important assessments, the IUCN Red List
is aiming to raise $25,000. Funds will be used to mobilize experts to
gather data on the status and trends of bumblebees worldwide, creating a
database that informs and then fuels conservation action. It will also
help IUCN to reach its overall goal of assessing 160,000 species
worldwide by 2020.
Neonics emergency use application approved -
NFU The NFU has secured the emergency use of neonicotinoid seed
treatments providing much needed protection from the pest cabbage stem
flea beetle for five per cent of the oilseed rape crop in England
amounting to around 30,000ha. The products which farmers will be able to have access to are Modesto
(Bayer) and Cruiser OSR (Syngenta). The emergency use has been granted
for 120 days. Discussions on the logistics of distributing the seed are
underway. NFU Vice President Guy Smith said: “The NFU has worked relentlessly to submit a robust application and we’re glad to finally see a positive result. However, we know that this isn’t enough – flea beetle threat is widespread problem on a national scale and the extremely limited nature of this authorisation is unfortunately not going to help the vast majority of farmers in need of the protection.
Pesticide approval strikes blow for bees -
Buglife Buglife are outraged at the news that the Government will be allowing
the planting of oilseed rape seeds, treated with bee-killing
neonicotinoid insecticides this autumn. These toxic chemicals not only
kill our essential pollinators such as bumblebees and honeybees, but
also useful insects, such as ladybirds, which help keep crop pest
numbers down. Paul Hetherington, Buglife’s Fundraising and Communications Director
said “Although the Government has only allowed these chemicals to be
used on 5% of land grown for oilseed rape, it shows a blatant disregard
for our wildlife and the rules that we have in place to protect the
environment”. Earlier in the year, the National Farmers Union had initially put in an application for neonic-treated oilseed rape seeds to be grown this year but on a larger scale, a request which was subsequently dismissed by the Government’s own Expert Committee on Pesticides (ECP).
Update on the Government’s decision to allow the use of banned
neonicotinoid seed treatments - Bumblebee
Conservation Trust The Bumblebee Conservation Trust is disappointed to learn that the Government has agreed to allow farmers to plant oilseed rape seeds treated with the currently banned neonicotinoid pesticides this autumn, albeit on only 5% of the total OSR area. Galla, E. A. et al (2015)
Implementation of a new index to assess intertidal seaweed communities
as bioindicators for the European Water Framework Directory.
Ecological Indicators. doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.06.035
Siddiga, A. H., Ellison, A. M., Ochs, A., Villar-Leeman, C. & Lau, A.
K. (2015)
Review: How do ecologists select and use indicator species to monitor
ecological change? Insights from 14 years of publication in Ecological
Indicators. Ecological Indicators. doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.06.036
Laidlaw, Rebecca A., Smart, Jennifer, Smart, Mark A. & Gill, Jennifer
A.
The influence of landscape features on nest predation rates of
grassland-breeding waders. Ibis DOI: 10.1111/ibi.12293 One for the rewilders:
Nanxiang Jin, Simon Klein, Fabian Leimig, Gabriela Bischoff and
Randolf Menzel
The neonicotinoid clothianidin interferes with navigation of the
solitary bee Osmia cornuta in a laboratory test. Journal of
Experimental Biology doi: 10.1242/jeb.123612
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CJS is not responsible for content of external sites. Details believed correct but given without prejudice. Disclaimer: the views expressed in these news pages do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of CJS. |
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Describing
the potential shift in distribution of over 3,000 plants and animals
that may occur in England in response to climate change, it’s the
largest and most comprehensive assessment of its kind ever undertaken in
this country. Looking at where suitable climatic conditions for
different species are likely to be found in 2080, given a 2°C increase
in average global temperature, over a quarter (27%) of species were at
high to medium risk of losing a substantial proportion of their
currently suitable ranges. Although just over half (54%) could
potentially expand their ranges, this is not likely to be possible in
many cases because of limited mobility or a lack of suitable habitats.
Today
we are pleased to support the publication of 'A Community Right to
Beauty', a new report by think tank ResPublica.
Today
(23 July), the Green Flag Award scheme has unveiled this year's Award
winners - the mark of a quality park or green space.
Following
evidence heard over the previous two weeks in relation to options for
further Chilterns tunnelling on HS2 Phase 1, Mr Robert Syms MP, Chair of
the High Speed Rail Bill Select Committee, has made a statement. In it,
the Committee concludes that not enough evidence has been heard to
make the case for a long tunnel through the Chilterns but a further
option to extend an existing proposal for a bored tunnel to South Heath
Green may be possible.
Floating
water-plantain via Canal & River Trust
There’s
been a lot of buzz recently around IUCN. The IUCN Red List of Threatened
Species™ has
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