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Headlines from week beginning 30 November 2015 |
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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
New report: Nearly a quarter of all school children in London are
exposed to illegal and harmful levels of air pollution – Policy
Exchange Nearly 25% of all school children in London and 44% of the Capital’s
workforce are exposed to levels of air pollution that exceed legal and
healthy limits. A new report, Up in the Air, by leading think tank Policy Exchange
and King’s College London, analyses data from over 100 air quality
monitoring sites across London. It shows the most polluted parts of the
Capital currently have levels of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) nearly four
times the legal limit. The research finds that 12.5% of the total area
of the Capital currently exceeds the legal limit for NO2, and that
deprived parts of London are more likely to be affected.
Environment Agency reveals top flood-tackling gadgets The Environment Agency has revealed unusual kit used to tackle
flooding including a remote-controlled robot called Mr Nosey.
The Environment Agency has revealed its armoury of unusual kit used
to tackle the spectre of flooding including lasers, solar-powered
cameras, a gadget-laden incident vehicle and its latest ‘weapon’ - a
remote-controlled robot called Mr Nosey. Mr Nosey is a new invention being used to investigate causes of
flooding that people can’t reach, such as blocked tunnels and
underground culverts. Fitting into spaces as small as 6 inches in
diameter, he uses the camera on his nose to inspect underground tunnels
more than a mile long. There are more than one million miles of culverts in England that can
cause flooding to homes and businesses when blocked. Items which have
been found down culverts include old lawnmowers, children’s toys and
Christmas trees. The robot, which weighs 30kg to prevent it from being swept away in
fast-flowing water, travels through underground tunnels while sending
real-time images to the surface so that Environment Agency staff can
assess the damage or blockages below. John Curtin, the Environment Agency’s Executive Director of Flood
Risk Management, said: “Almost 5 million people in England live in areas
at risk of flooding and innovations ranging from little gadgets like Mr
Nosey to our new state of the art incident vehicles are hugely
important. They are the little brothers to our larger scale flood
defences, such as the iconic Thames Barrier, but all of them help us to
reduce that risk. As winter approaches, we also encourage people to
prepare for potential flooding by checking the flood risk in their area
and signing up to free flood warnings.”
Schoolboy’s new app boosts fight against poachers - BASC Teenager Aaron Christiansen has created an app for reporting poaching
as part of Project Poacher, a new national campaign to combat wildlife
crime. The 15-year-old’s app, created in his spare time, makes it easy to
use a mobile phone to report to the police suspicious activities that
might be linked to poaching. The app can be downloaded free on Android, Apple and Windows phones
and takes the user step-by-step through creating a report and allows
them to pinpoint their location using the phone’s GPS.
This data can be sent to the police together with information about
the type of incident, vehicles or suspects and any other witnesses; the
app also provides extra information about poaching legislation. Aaron, from Clutton in Cheshire, said; “I have thoroughly enjoyed the
challenge and experience I have gained. My future goals include taking
computing at A-level and then studying computer science at university.” Aaron was recruited by PC Tony Owens, of Cheshire Constabulary, who
is playing a major role in the project. After failing to find help at a
local university, he sought help from Bishop Heber School, Malpas. The
sixth form were involved with exams, so the head of computer studies
recommended Aaron. To find out more about the
prevention of wildlife crime read our
interview with a Wildlife Crime Officer in the Focus on Wildlife &
Animal Work.
England Coast Path funding protected - Ramblers
Chancellor George Osborne presented his Autumn Statement last week,
detailing £20bn of budget cuts intended to eliminate the budget deficit,
including spending reductions at DEFRA averaging around 30 percent over
the next four years.
Given the substantial cuts expected, we’ve been working hard to
ensure that the government maintains its commitment to construct the
England Coast Path by 2020, so that the substantial momentum, experience
and benefits realised to date are not lost. The government has now given a clear indication that they intend to
follow through on their pledge. Responding to a Parliamentary Question,
DEFRA Minister Rory Stewart confirmed that funding to complete the
coastal path around England by 2020 will be protected.
Badger vaccination project to be suspended – Welsh Government Deputy Minister for Farming and Food, Rebecca Evans, has announced
that due to a global shortage of the BCG vaccine, she has suspended
sourcing of BCG for badger vaccination in Wales. The World Health Organisation has called on all countries to review
their BCG usage to ensure that countries with the highest human TB rates
receive priority and to target individuals who will benefit most from
BCG vaccination. The Welsh Government put in an order for Badger BCG for 2016 through
Defra which procures the vaccine on an England, Wales and Northern
Ireland basis. Due to a backlog in production of the BCG vaccine for use
in humans globally, SSI - the only company that has the marketing
authorisation to produce Badger BCG - has said that it will not be
producing Badger BCG until further notice. Badger vaccine is the same
formula as the vaccine used in humans.
RSPB Scotland responds to the second conviction for wildlife vicarious
liability offences - RSPB
Ian Thomson, RSPB Scotland’s Head of Investigations said “It is
shocking that in 21st century Scotland, someone employed as a
professional gamekeeper has not only unlawfully targeted protected birds
of prey, but has used a trap that has been illegal for decades. It is
also appalling that a game farmer is so preoccupied with the production
of pheasants for sport shooting that he has disregarded his
responsibility to ensure that his employee was complying with the law.
The recent Review of Wildlife Crime Penalties recognised that sentences
for wildlife crimes are too low and we hope the Scottish Government
implements the recommendations made by the review panel as soon as
possible.
Working with Kew Gardens to preserve Devon's trees – Devon Wildlife
Trust
Devon Wildlife Trust has spent this autumn conducting a very
different kind of harvest.
Climate change adaptation in Europe: tracking progress and sharing
know-how - European Environment Agency An increasing number of initiatives and measures are being put in
place to adapt to current and potential impacts of climate change at
European, national, regional and local levels. It is now critical to
understand better which actions work in which contexts and why. Where do
countries stand in terms of tracking climate change adaptation in their
territories? A new report by the European Environment Agency provides an
overview of national monitoring, reporting and evaluation (MRE) systems
in European countries. Climate change impacts vary across Europe. Some regions are projected
to face increasing water stress and drought, while others will
experience floods. Different policies and actions therefore need to be
put in place to meet adaptation needs and potential impacts specific to
each area. To evaluate whether actions are effective and efficient,
European countries need to collect and analyse information on adaptation
policies in their territories. This knowledge allows for a better
understanding of how and why certain actions work in certain contexts,
which in turn supports the development of adaptation policies and
measures. The European Environment Agency (EEA) report ‘National monitoring,
reporting and evaluation of climate change adaptation in Europe’
consolidates emerging information on MRE systems at national level in
European countries. It looks at the most recent activities from European
countries, provides insights into key aspects (e.g. drivers, governance,
methodology and information channels) and reflects on current practices
as well as on future issues that might be relevant for those working in
this area. The report includes national-level case studies.
New report reveals more than one-quarter of UK birds in need of urgent
help - RSPB The latest assessment of the status of all the UK’s 244 bird species
– Birds of Conservation Concern 4 – shows that 67 species are now of
‘highest conservation concern’ and have been placed on the assessment’s
Red List. The revised Red List now includes even more well-known birds,
including the curlew, puffin and nightingale, joining other familiar
species such as the turtle dove, cuckoo and starling. Alarmingly, the Red List now accounts for more than one-quarter (27%)
of the UK species. This is far higher than the last assessment in 2009,
when 52 species (21%) were on the Red List. Most of the 67 species were
placed on the Red List because of their severe declines, having halved
in numbers or range in the UK in recent decades. Others remain well
below historical levels, or are considered under threat of global
extinction. Birds of Conservation Concern 4 is a report compiled by a coalition
of the UK’s leading bird conservation and monitoring organisations
reviewing the status of all regularly occurring birds in the UK, Channel
Islands and Isle of Man. Each species was assessed against a set of
objective criteria and placed on the Green, Amber or Red List –
indicating an increasing level of conservation concern.
Amongst the species new to the Red List are five upland species, most
notably the curlew; it was recently highlighted as possibly the UK’s
bird of highest conservation priority because of UK and international
declines, and the global importance of its UK population. It is joined
by dotterel, whinchat, grey wagtail and merlin whose addition to the Red
List highlights that many of the UK’s upland species are in increasing
trouble, with the total number of upland birds red listed now standing
at 12. The decline of widespread woodland birds is a theme which has
continued to develop since the compilation of the last list in 2009.
Three species of seabird also join the Red List for the first time the
puffin, shag and kittiwake. However, the 2015 assessment does contain some good news and
demonstrates that targeted conservation action can make a real
difference. Three species (bittern, nightjar and dunlin) have been
removed from the Red List and added to Amber. In addition to these
successes, an additional 22 species have moved from the Amber to the
Green list; meaning they are now of the lowest conservation concern. A more indepth analysis from
BTO The full lists are available in the
BOCC4 summary leaflet or the
full article published in British Birds (PDF), is avaialble from
their website.
Beautiful Buckinghamshire nature reserves to be looked after by the
Wildlife Trust - BBOWT “This is a great day for wildlife in Buckinghamshire and everyone who
enjoys visiting these very special places,” said Estelle Bailey, the
Wildlife Trust’s Chief. “The chalk grassland sites at Bacombe and here
at Grangelands complement the nature reserves that we manage elsewhere
in the Chilterns. Pavis Woods, which include Black and Northill woods,
are just across the lane from our Dancersend reserve near Wendover, and
give exciting new walking routes in beautiful ancient woodland.” Christopher Williams Head of Conservation for Buckinghamshire,
added: “Many people will remember that the Wildlife Trust used to
manage the superb Grangelands and the Rifle Range at Kimble from the
1960s to 1990s, when it was renowned as a field studies site. Countless
student ecologists learnt to identify chalk grassland flowers, plants
and butterflies here. It is such a wildlife-rich site, especially for
orchids and butterflies, that it will become a firm favourite among our
members.”
£1m forestry fund opens for business - ConFor Confor has welcomed the launch of a £1 million fund by the UK
Government to support forestry planting in England. The fund was confirmed in a letter from Chancellor George Osborne to
Confor Chief Executive Stuart Goodall last month - and publicly
announced by Forestry Minister Rory Stewart at Confor's Westminster
conference three weeks ago. It was launched officially yesterday (Wednesday December 2) as the
Woodland Creation Planning Grant (WCPG) and is described as "a new grant
to support the preparation of plans to design multi-purpose woodlands in
England with a significant productive component". The Forestry Commission England website says: "It will contribute
towards the costs of gathering and analysing the information land
managers need to consider to ensure their proposals take account of any
impacts on: forestry and the natural environment; landscape; water; and
the historic environment. There will also be provision to support
engagement with stakeholders." Stuart Goodall said: "I am very pleased to see that this fund is open
for business so soon after Confor received confirmation from the
Chancellor and Rory Stewart that the money would be made available to
the industry. It is vital that there is an increase in new productive
planting to support the future success of the forestry and timber
sector, and this fund should play a key role in making that planting
happen." The FCE website says any proposals "will need to meet some basic
criteria, being at least 30 hectares in area and showing potential to
benefit the forestry sector in the long-term through the provision of
timber or other wood products". Details of the fund and how to apply can be found
here.
Statistical news release: index of abundance for Scottish terrestrial
breeding birds, 1994 to 2014 - Scottish
Natural Heritage Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has today released the latest figures
tracking the abundance of Scotland’s terrestrial breeding birds.
Over the long term (1994-2014), the combined abundance for 66 species
of terrestrial breeding bird showed a steady increase up to the
mid-2000s but has since declined. There is no significant difference
between the start and end of the time series. Using the unsmoothed
indices, over the short-term (2013-2014), the upland index increased by
7%, farmland by 14%, woodland by 16% and all-species index by 15%. This
increase may be partly down to improved breeding season conditions in
2014. Analysis of habitat specific trends did show some change: woodland
birds increased by 63%; farmland birds showed a steady increase up to
the late-2000s but have since declined, so there is no significant
difference between 1994 and 2014; and upland birds decreased
significantly by 19%. There are numerous explanations for the long-term
trends observed. These differ between species and include the conditions
experienced in wintering areas (e.g. chiffchaff), the ability of some
birds to exploit different food sources (e.g. goldfinch) or land use
changes (e.g. curlew).
The full statistical publication can be accessed here. Reaction from
BTO:
Curlews and other upland birds are in decline The latest official statistics for Scotland’s terrestrial birds show
significant declines for upland birds, such as the Curlew, but more
positive trends elsewhere. The Index of Abundance for Scottish Terrestrial Breeding Birds,
published today by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), shows that the
long-term trend (1994-2014) for upland birds is a continuing decline,
down by 19% since 1994. Birds utilising other habitats have shown more
positive changes, however, with woodland birds up by 63%, whilst the
trend for farmland birds has shown a 10% increase. Curlew is one of the upland species that has shown the greatest
decline (-49%) and is now considered to be the UK’s highest conservation
priority. The factors driving national Curlew declines are thought to
include land-use change, forestry, the impact of generalist predators
and the interplay between these. Black Grouse have also declined, by
47%, with habitat change and nest predation likely to be important
factors. The Dotterel is a wading bird which breeds at high altitude in
the Scottish uplands and has also shown alarming declines, falling by
60% between 1994 and 2014. Among woodland birds, the Great Spotted Woodpecker has shown the
greatest increase, up by 603% between 1994 and 2014. Climate change and
garden feeding may be helping numbers to increase. Willow Warbler has
shown disturbing declines in England but is doing much better in
Scotland, up by 56% long-term. Climate change is again a likely factor,
along with the presence of abundant suitable habitat. The House Martin,
another bird that is struggling south of the border, is doing
particularly well north of it, up by 242% since 1994. Drivers of
population change for this species are less well understood, and BTO are
running a UK-wide survey in 2016 to find out more. The Farmland Bird Indicator in Scotland shows mixed fortunes. Species
such as Goldfinch, Corncrake, Common Whitethroat and Reed Bunting are
all doing well but Kestrel (-77%) and Lapwing (-58%) have fared less
well, the former showing the greatest decline of any index species since
1994. Agricultural intensification and predation are likely to be the
main drivers of Lapwing decline. The full report can be accessed
here.
Curlew should be UK's top conservation concern says RSPB Scotland
Bringing England’s wildlife ‘back from the brink’ of extinction
- Natural England More than 100 species of England’s most threatened wildlife could be
saved from extinction thanks to a new £4.6M grant from the Heritage
Lottery Fund.
Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has approved the development stage and
provided initial funding for ‘Back from the Brink’, a partnership
project that brings together a range of conservation organisations to
focus on protecting key threatened species – such as the grey long-eared
bat, pasque flower, sand lizard, and Duke of Burgundy butterfly – from
extinction. The programme is being run by Natural England and the Partnership for
Species Conservation – a coalition of seven of the UK’s leading wildlife
charities (Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, Bat Conservation Trust,
Buglife, Bumblebee Conservation Trust, Butterfly Conservation,
Plantlife, and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds). By
working together at sites across the country, ‘Back from the Brink’ will
save 20 species from extinction and help another 118 species that are
under threat move to a more certain future. Melanie Hughes, Natural England’s Director of Innovation and Reform,
has welcomed today’s announcement, saying: It’s fantastic that we’ve
been able to secure this funding to support the recovery of some of our
most threatened species – something we believe will make a real
difference to our environment and heritage. This is a great example of
conservation organisations coming together; coordinating our efforts and
combining our expertise to protect England’s most important wildlife. We
know that people care about the fate of our endangered wildlife, and
this programme focuses on inspiring local communities to enjoy and learn
about the vulnerable species local to them and across England, and how
they can take positive action to improve their habitats." Tom Tew, HLF Trustee, said: We think this programme can be a
game-changer for wildlife - and it will get thousands of people involved
in learning about and protecting some of England’s most endangered
species. There is too often a lack of awareness here about the dramatic
decline of our native species and if we don’t act soon it will be too
late. With our support, Natural England will bring together a wide range
of NGO partners to work cohesively on a programme of initiatives right
across the country, from coast to heath, from bumblebees to bats, to
make a real difference to many of our endangered species." Once the development stage is completed in September 2016, the
partnership hopes to secure the next phase of funding from HLF, which
would mean the project would be up and running for four years until
2020.
Rescued seabird from Wales found in Brazil -
RSPCA A Manx Shearwater which was cared for by the RSPCA after it was blown
off course – has been found four years after it was released – thousands
of miles away in Brazil. The bird was rescued from Haverfordwest in September 2011, and was in
need of a wash and some rest and recuperation. It was released a few
days later at Saunton in North Devon. The body of this bird was
sadly found a few days ago on 20 November at Extremoz, Natal, Rio Grande
do Norte, Brazil. A Ringing Recovery Report reported the information
back to the RSPCA. RSPCA inspector Keith Hogben, who rescued scores of Manx Shearwaters
back in 2011, said: “It is sad to hear that this bird had died, although
it had survived for four years and the distance from the release
location was 6,990 km. It goes to show that the rescue and
rehabilitation that the birds received was the correct course of action.
Also it highlights the skills that the staff at West Hatch have and
their expertise in this area. There were hundreds Shearwaters taken to
West Hatch and over 400 were released."
Weak links push migratory birds toward extinction
- University of Queensland
University of Queensland scientists are calling for greater
international collaboration to save the world’s migratory birds, with
research finding more than 90 per cent of species are inadequately
protected due to poorly coordinated conservation efforts. The Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for
Environmental Decisions (CEED) research team found many species of
migratory bird were at risk of extinction due to habitat loss along
their flight paths. Dr Claire Runge, from UQ’s School of Geography, Planning and
Environmental Management, said more than half of all migratory bird
species travelling the world’s main flyways has suffered serious
population declines in the past 30 years. “This is due mainly to unequal
and ineffective protection across their migratory range and the places
they stop to refuel along their routes,” she said. The research found
huge gaps in conservation efforts to protect migratory birds,
particularly across China, India and parts of Africa and South America.
Dr Runge said a typical migratory bird relied on many different
geographic locations for food, rest and breeding. “So even if we protect
most of their breeding grounds, it’s still not enough. Threats somewhere
else can affect the entire population,” she said. “The chain can be
broken at any link.” Science 4 December 2015: 350 (6265), 1255-1258.
[DOI:10.1126/science.aac9180]
Scientific Publications Pearson, C. E., Ormerod, S. J., Symondson, W. O. C & Vaughan, I. P.
(2015)
Resolving large-scale pressures on species and ecosystems: propensity
modelling identifies agricultural effects on streams. Journal of
Applied Ecology. DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12586
Żmihorski, M., Pärt, T., Gustafson, T. & Berg, Å. (2015)
Effects of water level and grassland management on alpha and beta
diversity of birds in restored wetlands. Journal of Applied Ecology.
DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12588
Lisa J. Blanken, Frank van Langevelde & Coby van Dooremalen. Interaction
between Varroa destructor and imidacloprid reduces flight capacity of
honeybees Proceedings of the Royal Society: biological sciences
DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.1738
Hock, Karlo et al Controlling range expansion in habitat networks by adaptively targeting source populations. Conservation Biology DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12665
Russell, James C et al.
Importance of lethal control of invasive predators for island
conservation. Conservation Biology DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12666
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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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With
lights for eyes and a camera for a nose, Mr Nosey travels through
underground tunnels a mile long (Environment Agency)
Image:
BASC
Today
(Tuesday 2 Dec) we’re celebrating the government’s confirmation that
funding to complete the England Coast Path by 2020 will be protected,
despite recently announced reductions to the Department for Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs’ (DEFRA) budget.
Buzzard
Image: Niall Benvie
Image: Devon Wildlife Trust
The
breeding population of curlew has declined 62% since 1970
Sand
lizard © Chris Davis, ARC
