|
A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
HLF funding launches project which will transform green spaces across
Glasgow and help people discover their local wildlife
- RSPB Scotland The funding will help to transform areas into green spaces that are
perfect for wildlife
Globe
thistle in flower (Image: Andy Hay, RSPB) A new project that aims to create more wildlife gardens across
Glasgow has been given the green light, after receiving a grant of
£40,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). ‘Dear Green Future’ is a
partnership initiative between RSPB Scotland and Glasgow University
Wildlife Garden Group, and will be led by young people and students. The
funding will help to transform areas into green spaces that are perfect
for wildlife and for people, and will also go towards community events,
and a cultural research project. RSPB Scotland’s Fiona Weir said: “We work with a lot of young people,
and they’re often full of energy and creativity. Thanks to HLF, this
project will allow an outlet for all that ingenuity, and provide an
amazing opportunity for people who want to get involved with Glasgow’s
green spaces through practical conservation and citizen science.”
As well as developing wildlife gardens, the project will also involve
elements of life-long learning, with workshops for local communities on
subjects such as foraging and wildlife identification. Students will
also have the opportunity to interview people who remember the 1988
Glasgow garden festival and investigate Glasgow’s evolution from an
industrial city to the place it is today. The project will run from summer 2015 until summer 2017, concluding
with an exhibition at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum showcasing
the discoveries and achievements of the young people involved.
Severe droughts could lead to widespread losses of butterflies by 2050
- CEH Widespread drought-sensitive butterfly population extinctions could
occur in the UK as early as 2050 according to a new study published
today in the scientific journal Nature Climate Change. However, the authors conclude that substantial greenhouse gas
emission reductions combined with better management of landscapes, in
particular reducing habitat fragmentation, will greatly improve the
chances of drought-sensitive butterflies flying until at least 2100. The study was led by Dr Tom Oliver from the UK’s Centre for Ecology &
Hydrology (CEH) in collaboration with colleagues from CEH, the charity
Butterfly Conservation, Natural England and the University of Exeter. Lead author Dr Tom Oliver from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
said, “The results are worrying. Until I started this research, I hadn’t
quite realised the magnitude and potential impacts from climate change.
For drought-sensitive butterflies, and potentially other taxa,
widespread population extinctions are expected by 2050. To limit these
loses, both habitat restoration and reducing CO2 emissions have a role.
In fact, a combination of both is necessary.” The team identified six species of drought-sensitive butterfly -
ringlet, speckled wood, large skipper, large white, small white and
green-veined white - as having a low probability of persistence by 2050
even under most favourable emissions scenario. Butterflies were chosen
for this study as they are amongst the best studied groups of species
with good records of year-to-year changes in abundance, but there are
many other drought sensitive groups which may be similarly affected. Dr Oliver adds, “We consider the average response across Great
Britain. Losses are likely to be more severe in drier areas with more
intensive land use, whilst wetter areas with less fragmented habitat
will provide refugia. We assume that butterflies won’t have time to
evolve to become more drought-tolerant, because their populations are
already small, and evolution would need to be very rapid. The study
looked at butterflies but the conclusions are potentially valid for
other species such as birds, beetles, moths and dragonflies.” Access the paper:Tom H. Oliver, Harry
H. Marshall, Mike D. Morecroft, Tom Brereton, Christel Prudhomme, Chris
Huntingford. 2015.
Interacting effects of climate change and habitat fragmentation on
drought-sensitive butterflies. Nature Climate Change. DOI:
10.1038/nclimate2746 The Guardian has a picture gallery of the butterflies under threat here.
Protecting marine mammals at heart of new guidance for marine energy
sector - St Andrews University Sea mammals, such as dolphins and grey seals, will be better
protected from new wave and tidal energy developments, thanks to new
guidance led by researchers at the University of St Andrews. Dolphin (image: SMRU) The University’s Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU), SMRU Consulting,
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and the Scottish Association for Marine
Science (SAMS) have published [Monday 10 August] new guidance on marine
mammal surveying requirements at energy sites in Wales. Marine
mammals are potentially at risk from being struck by moving parts, or
being disturbed from areas where the energy devices are located. The new
guidance will help plan in advance what data and information should be
gathered to allow robust assessments of possible impact on marine
mammals. Over the next five years, €100 million of EU structural
funds have been prioritised for marine energy in Wales which, along with
two wave and tidal stream ‘Demonstration Zones’ and seabed lease
agreements for a further four projects, positions the nation in a
leading role in marine energy. However, Welsh waters are home to
species including bottlenose dolphins, porpoises and grey seals, all of
which are protected under European legislation, which includes the
provision of Special Areas of Conservation. Traditional approaches
to assessing risk to marine life, for example those used for large
offshore wind projects, may not always deliver the useful information
required to underpin environmental assessments. Dr Carol Sparling from SMRU Consulting, said: “This new guidance will
allow developers to take a proportionate and robust approach to the
gathering of data required to underpin their environmental assessments
to assure the safety of local sea mammal populations. This
guidance will also allow developers to focus on specific risks presented
by individual projects rather than the existing ‘one size fits all’
approach.” The step-by-step guide for an initial assessment of risk will help
provide a ‘roadmap’ to developers and their consultants to navigate
pre-application surveys.
Native Plants Alone May Not be the Best Option for Pollinating Insects
in UK Gardens - RHS New Royal Horticultural Society research identifies that a mix of
plants from around the world may be the most effective way to sustain
pollinators • Research reveals a mixture of native and non-native ornamental
plants may provide the best resources for pollinating insects in gardens New research from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), with support
from the Wildlife Gardening Forum, has found that pollinators in the UK
do not always prefer native plants in gardens. Access the paper: Salisbury, A. et al
(2015)
Enhancing gardens as habitats for flower-visiting aerial insects
(pollinators): should we plant native or exotic species? Journal of
Applied Ecology. DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12499
Newly identified tadpole disease found across the globe – University
of Exeter Scientists have found that a newly identified and highly infectious
tadpole disease is found in a diverse range of frog populations across
the world. The discovery sheds new light on some of the threats facing
fragile frog populations, which are in decline worldwide. The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences, led by the University of Exeter and the Natural
History Museum, describes the molecular methods used to test frog
tadpoles for a newly identified infectious agent. Tadpoles from six countries across three continents were tested for
‘protists’ – single celled microbes with complex cells which store their
DNA in a nucleus, like human cells. The previously unidentified parasite
was present in tadpole livers in both tropical and temperate sites, and
across all continents tested. The infectious agent was identified as a
distant relative of Perkinsea sp., a marine parasites found in animals
and algae. Professor Thomas Richards from the University of Exeter said: "Global
frog populations are suffering serious declines and infectious disease
has been shown to be a significant factor. Our work has revealed a
previously unidentified microbial group that infects tadpole livers in
frog populations across the globe.”
Queen bees reign again on Dungeness reserve - RSPB Sightings of three short-haired bumblebee workers on an RSPB nature
reserve mark a new milestone for a reintroduction project aimed at
bringing this native species back to the UK. The bumblebees were spotted on four consecutive days on RSPB’s
Dungeness reserve in Kent, which is a first for the project. Short-haired bumblebees were declared extinct in the UK in 2000,
almost certainly due to the loss of 97% of ancient wild flower meadows
on
which
they depend. They were last recorded in Dungeness in 1988. Each year since 2012 around 50 queen bees from Sweden have been
released on the Dungeness reserve as part of this pioneering project,
led by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust (BBCT), RSPB, Natural England
and Hymettus. Image: Jesper Mattias Consistent sightings of worker bees over the last three years reveals
that the queens have successfully nested and produced young, a strong
indication that the bees are finding sufficient food to build colonies. BBCT’s Dr Nikki Gammans, Short-haired Bumblebee Project Manager,
said: 'This is a thrilling discovery and shows that conservation for
bumblebees really can work. Populations of at least three other rare
bumblebees are now found in locations across the release zone not
recorded in for over 10 years and their abundance is increasing across
south Kent and East Sussex.' The project has massive support from over 100 landowners and the
local community in the Dungeness and Romney Marsh area of south-east
England. Thanks to farmers and conservation groups, around 1,000
hectares of flower-rich habitats are being managed for the bees, helping
several other rare bumblebee species and many pollinators, too.
Rare short-eared owls and kestrels see record levels of breeding success
in Scotland’s glen – The Moorland Association
An
experienced bird ringer has found numbers of endangered owls on grouse
moor areas in Perthshire are bucking national trends. Neil
Morrison claims a partnership between conservationists and gamekeepers
is making the difference. Image: The Moorland Association For two decades, the owl expert, licensed to ring birds by BTO
(British Trust for Ornithology) Scotland, has counted numbers of various
bird species in three neighbouring glens comprising grouse moor and
farmland and said the short-eared owl population was among the strongest
in the UK. At least 18 pairs of the amber-listed birds of prey have bred in the
past two years and kestrels, declining alarmingly across Britain, are
thriving, with 11 breeding pairs recorded since 2014. His communication with the gamekeeping staff has also recently
allowed BBC Natural World programmers to film owls hunting. The raptor
specialist believes warring factions should learn to put differences
aside so birdlife can be the winner and said he had reaped benefits from
working with gamekeepers and landowners.
Worrying decline in days out by the coast – National Trust A YouGov study has revealed a worrying 20 per cent decline in the
number of people visiting the coast since 2005. The research we
commissioned also found that over half the nation hasn’t had a single
day trip to the coast in the last year. A steady decline in the nation’s feelings of connectedness to the
coast, particularly in young people, was also confirmed by the
comparative study of 9,000 people over the last decade. Only one in
seven 18-24 year olds felt that their happiest childhood memory is being
by the sea, which is half the national average. Not having enough spare time was given as the biggest reason stopping
people hitting the shores. Other barriers were that the coast is too
busy when the weather is nice, too expensive and lacks easy transport
links. Many people said they would rather go abroad. Yet nearly 90 per cent of adults in England, Wales and Northern
Ireland think of our coast as a national treasure, the research showed.
And the majority of people agreed that it’s important for children to
experience the UK’s seaside.
Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment: 2015 to 2016 –
Natural England Results for the seventh year of the MENE survey which provides data
on how people use the natural environment in England.
Download the results here. (PDF,
425KB, 5 pages)
A consortium led by the RSPB has been named as the preferred bidder
to design, build and operate a new visitor centre and to manage the
stunning natural habitats within Robin Hood's Sherwood Forest Country
Park. One of the UK’s leading nature conservation charities – the RSPB –
has come out on top in a procurement process organised by
Nottinghamshire County Council for a new visitor centre and to take on
the conservation management of Sherwood Forest Country Park, which forms
part of Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve (NNR). Around 350,000 visitors visit Nottinghamshire's world-famous Sherwood
Forest country park each year and the hugely successful Robin Hood
Festival will again take place next year. The County Council's management contract also requires the preferred
bidder to deliver on effective conservation of the country park within
the wider NNR, which features England's Tree of the Year, the Major Oak.
Surveys reveal Fingle Woods to be wildlife hotspot – Woodland Trust Wildlife surveys carried out at Fingle Woods in Devon have revealed
that the site contains some of the richest diversity found in woodland
in the South West of England. The ecological surveys carried out thanks to funding from the
Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) were undertaken to better understand the
levels of biodiversity in the woods and inform our management plans in
partnership with the National Trust. The key findings of the surveys include:
Faster decision making on shale gas for economic growth and energy
security - DECC Shale gas planning applications will be fast-tracked through a new,
dedicated planning process, under measures announced today (13 August
2015). Amber Rudd and Greg Clark today announced plans that will ensure
local people have a strong say over the development of shale exploration
in their area – but will ensure communities and the industry benefit
from a swift process for developing safe and suitable new sites. Energy and climate change Secretary Amber Rudd said: "As a One Nation
Government, we are backing the safe development of shale gas because
it’s good for jobs giving hardworking people and their families more
financial security, good for our energy security and part of our plan to
decarbonise the economy. We need more secure, home grown energy supplies
– and shale gas must play a part in that. To ensure we get this industry
up and running we can’t have a planning system that sees applications
dragged out for months, or even years on end. Oversight by the Health
and Safety Executive and the Environment Agency of shale developments
makes our commitment to safety and the environment crystal clear. We now
need, above all else, a system that delivers timely planning decisions
and works effectively for local people and developers." Local communities will remain fully involved in planning decisions
with any shale application – whether decided by councils or government.
And demanding planning rules to ensure shale development happens only at
appropriate sites remain unchanged. On top of this, strong safety and
environmental safeguards are also already in place through the
regulatory regime to ensure shale exploration and extraction is safe and
only happens in appropriate places. As a quasi-judicial process planning
applications will always be considered with due process and a fair
hearing – but today’s measures will prevent the long delays that mean
uncertainty both for business and for local residents. Reactions
Fast-tracking fracking takes power away from local communities –
CPRE
Govt to fast-track fracking through planning system – Friends of the
Earth
New National Nature Reserve will be UK’s largest - SNH The UK’s newest and largest National Nature Reserve (NNR) – The Great
Trossachs Forest – took a step closer to reality today (13 August),
after it was approved by the Board of Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).
The Great Trossachs Forest NNR, which lies at the heart of the Loch
Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, is home to magnificent wildlife in
an area within an hour’s drive for 80% of Scotland’s population. Scotland’s newest reserve covers a swathe of land from Inversnaid on
the east bank of Loch Lomond, through Loch Katrine and Glen Finglas and
almost as far as Callander.
Nightjar success at Sherwood Forest Nature Reserve – Nottinghamshire
Wildlife Trust
Nottinghamshire
Wildlife Trust has today hailed the success of efforts to restore
heathland habitat in the heart of Sherwood Forest. Over the past three years, the charity, which cares for around 900
hectares of nature reserves across Nottinghamshire, has been working to
restore open heathland habitat at its Strawberry Hill Heath nature
reserve which lies between Rainworth and Mansfield, in the heart of the
Sherwood Forest landscape.
In 2013 around 300 trees were felled to help revert wooded areas back
to the original heathland and as a result, areas of heather and
grassland are now thriving. In 2014 two areas were fenced off to provide
safe breeding areas for ground nesting birds such as the elusive
nightjar, an increasingly rare species. The work was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund as part of a wider
project which also involved working with local children and young people
to highlight the importance of the wildlife and history of Sherwood
Forest. Nightjars were known to be present in the area as a result of
previous monitoring and survey work, but none had been officially
recorded on the Strawberry Hill Heath site. Now, just over a year on
from the creation of the nesting areas a pair has been recorded –
raising hope that the nature reserve will become a new regular breeding
site for the birds.
First-ever baby kingfisher at Bog Meadows Nature Reserve has birders in
a flutter – Ulster Wildlife
One
of the first recorded sightings of a baby kingfisher at Bog Meadows
Nature Reserve, in west Belfast, has caused a flurry of excitement among
local birding enthusiasts.
The dazzling blue bird turned up in a mist net when volunteer bird
ringers were conducting one of their regular morning visits to record,
ring, and release breeding birds. An adult kingfisher, caught earlier this summer, was the first-ever
kingfisher to be discovered by the bird ringers since they started
running the bird ringing site at Bog Meadows in 1995. “We’re absolutely thrilled to find kingfishers, right here in the
heart of Belfast,” said local bird ringer, Aidan Crean from Friends of
Bog Meadows. “Bog Meadows is one of the last remaining wildlife sites in
the city, but due to its relative isolation and bustling location beside
the M1, it’s an unlikely spot to see these very vulnerable and shy
birds. However, the fortunes of this wetland habitat have been
transformed, thanks to conservation work carried out by Ulster Wildlife,
creating an ideal location for kingfishers and other wetland-loving
creatures to thrive.” Over recent years, Ulster Wildlife has undertaken major habitat
improvement works at Bog Meadows from deepening and widening ponds and
ditches, and removing invasive species to controlling scrub, to help
rejuvenate the wetland.
Havergate Island wardens rediscover species feared lost in 2013 storm
surge- RSPB
Wildlife
on Havergate Island has bounced back since 2013 storm surge saw the
North Sea inundate the nature reserve Image: Chris Gomersall Wardens at the RSPB’s Havergate Island nature reserve have
rediscovered several species they had feared had lost from the island
when the North Sea overwhelmed the island’s sea wall during the tidal
surge that hit the East Anglian coast in December 2013. Surveys carried out in 2014 failed to find some plants that had been
established on the island, including the uncommon yellow vetch. It was
feared that yellow vetch had been lost from the reserve’s community of
saltmarsh plants, but surveys this year found it growing again in a
restricted area on the south end of the island. More than a year-and-a-half after the winter tidal surge that wreaked
havoc on the Suffolk Coast, wardens at RSPB Havergate Island nature
reserve have reported that some of the hardest hit wildlife is showing
signs of recovery. Havergate’s famous population of brown hares has made a remarkable
recovery and their numbers are almost back to pre-storm surge levels.
After the flooding, as few as six hares remained on the island, but a
recent count recorded a healthy population of as many as 18, with this
year’s leverets (young hares) seen lazing on the shingle in amongst the
gorse bushes and adults chasing each other along the sea walls.
Welsh wildlife charity voted UK’S best environment project
- Heritage Lottery Fund The 360 Observatory on the Cors Dyfi nature reserve in Mid Wales
received over 10,000 votes to win the Best Environment project in this
year’s National Lottery Awards - the annual search to find the UK’s
favourite Lottery funded projects. The observatory which is run by Montgomery Wildlife Trust, was the
only Welsh project competing against six other projects from all over
the UK to win this award. They win a £2,000 cash prize, an iconic
National Lottery Awards trophy, and will attend a star-studded awards
ceremony – The National Lottery Stars – broadcast on BBC One on 21
September. The observatory sits in the middle of a remote Welsh wetland, on the
Cors Dyfi nature reserve near Machynlleth, allowing people to get a
unique view of a rich mix of wildlife – in particular the rare ospreys
that nest less than 200m away. Emyr Evans, manager of the project, said: “It’s an honour that over
10,000 people voted to recognise us as the Best Environment project, and
I’m proud we’ve gained this national recognition. It’s a testament to
the hard work and belief of our staff, volunteers, and our many
supporters that we have won this prestigious award. National
Lottery funding allowed us to design and build an observatory for
everyone, where families can come and ask questions, where teachers and
pupils can learn about the environment, where older people can enjoy
nature, and where the community can volunteer and help communicate with
visitors - there isn’t a building anywhere in Britain like it.”
A boost for golden eagles in South Scotland -
Scottish Natural Heritage
Building
on a report published by Scottish Natural Heritage last year, a new
project will help boost the number of golden eagles in the South of
Scotland. The project will look in detail at further work needed to
revive the population, and build on the excellent partnership forged to
realise the ambition of having more of these birds in the south.
Dr McLeod formally launched the South of Scotland Golden Eagle
Project at Langholm Moor this morning (14/8/15). The importance of such conservation projects has been underlined by
recent incidences of raptor persecution. Dr McLeod commented: “Golden eagles are truly magnificent birds and
it is very exciting that the South of Scotland could potentially support
more than a dozen pairs. This new project at Langholm Moor is a great
opportunity to re-establish this species in this area along with all the
environmental and economic benefits that brings. “It is particularly encouraging to see so many partners working hard
to return golden eagles to the skies above the South of Scotland, in a
way that enables grouse shooting to co-exist alongside birds of prey. I
am absolutely determined that the persecution of raptors will not be
tolerated under any circumstances. The Scottish Government has already
taken action to put an end to the illegal killing of wild birds and I
will continue to take whatever steps are necessary, which could include
further tightening the law.” This project has its roots in a joint initiative between Scottish
Land & Estates and RSPB Scotland who came together in the summer of 2008
to produce a proposal with the aim of trying to understand what was
limiting the golden eagle population in the South of Scotland. This
resulted, last year, in a Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) published
report ‘Golden Eagles in the South of Scotland: an overview’. This new
project builds on the 2014 report published by Scottish Natural Heritage
(SNH), which found that Southern Scotland could potentially support up
to 11 to 13 pairs. Presently, there are no more than two to four pairs
of golden eagles in Southern Scotland, with limited nesting success. Following an approach last year by Scottish Land & Estates, RSPB
Scotland and Buccleuch Estates to the Minister, a partnership has been
formed to take the work forward, along with SNH. The partnership is
currently looking to involve a wide range of stakeholders. Dr Cat Barlow has been appointed as project manager to take the work
forward. A project team has now been formed. The team will focus on
further assessing the viability of the golden eagle population, and
identifying areas/sites and management measures which could benefit the
birds. Guided by the National Species Reintroduction Code, the team will
undertake a formal assessment of habitat and other management measures
to reinforce the population. Read the full commissioned Report no 626 by Drs Paul Haworth and Alan Fielding ‘Golden Eagles in the South of Scotland: an overview’ here (pdf)
Taking the Lead - Managing access with dogs to reduce impacts on land
management - SNH Publication Dog walking is one of the main reasons why many people visit the
outdoors, with research showing that one or more dogs accompanies an
adult on 48% of all visits to the Scottish countryside. Dog walking
makes an important contribution to people's enjoyment of the outdoors,
as well as their physical health and wellbeing and wider appreciation of
nature and landscapes. However, issues associated with the proper
control of dogs remain one of the problems most often cited by land
managers, and can be time consuming for access authorities to deal with.
The NEW guidance provided here is aimed at land managers who are
experiencing dog-related access issues, and at access officers and
others who may also have a role in helping to address these concerns.
The overall aim is to support both responsible access by dog walkers and
responsible management by landowners.
Latest news on the England Coast Path from
Natural England
England Coast Path: South Bents to Amble Natural England has begun to investigate how to improve coastal
access along a 69 km stretch of the Northumberland coast between South
Bents and Amble. This new access is expected to be ready in 2017 to
2018. England Coast Path: Walney Island Natural England has begun to investigate how to improve coastal
access along a 35 km stretch of the Cumbrian coast around Walney Island.
The route will start and finish on the Walney side of Jubilee (Walney)
Bridge and eventually link up with the main route. This new access is
expected to be ready in 2017.
Importing trees and plants to England and Wales from the EU
- detailed guidance from Animal and Plant Health Agency (defra) Find out the restrictions on bringing certain plants and trees into England and Wales from the EU and how you must notify these imports.
Scientific publications Byers, J. E. et al (2015)
Invasion Expansion:
Time since introduction best predicts global ranges of marine invaders.
Nature Communications doi:10.1038/srep12436 Kühsel, S. & Blüthgen, N. (2015)
High diversity stabilizes the thermal resilience of pollinator
communities in intensively managed grasslands. Nature
Communications. doi:10.1038/ncomms8989
Emma Stone, Matt R. K. Zeale, Stuart E. Newson, William J. Browne, Stephen Harris & Gareth Jones Managing Conflict between Bats and Humans: The Response of Soprano Pipistrelles (Pipistrellus pygmaeus) to Exclusion from Roosts in Houses PLOS DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0131825
|
|
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. |