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Headlines from week beginning 14 December 2015 including headlines from Monday 21 December |
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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
A country more flood resilient - Environment
Agency Environment Secretary announces work to identify additional flood
protection measures in Cumbria Work to identify additional flood protection measures for Cumbrian
communities affected by extreme weather events like the record rainfall
seen last weekend was announced by Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss
today (13/12/15). The new Cumbrian Floods Partnership group will consider what
improvements to flood defences in the region may be needed, look at
upstream options for slowing key rivers to reduce the intensity of water
flows at peak times and build stronger links between local residents,
community groups and flood defence planning. The group, who will publish a Cumbria Action Plan next summer, will
be chaired by Floods Minister Rory Stewart and made up of local
authorities, the Environment Agency and community flood defence groups. Elizabeth Truss said: "After seeing first-hand the impact of the
flooding in the north of England it is clear that the growing threat
from more extreme weather events means we must reassure ourselves, and
those communities at risk, that our defences, our modelling and our
future plans are robust." The Environment Secretary also announced today a National Flood
Resilience Review to better protect the country from future flooding and
increasingly extreme weather events. She outlined how her department would look afresh at how we calculate flood risk, in light of recent events, to be delivered by a new cross Government team. This will see Government updating ‘worst case scenario’ planning, considering the future impacts of climate change and carrying out a risk assessment of critical infrastructure, like electricity substations.
40 year slump for UK Butterflies – Butterfly Conservation More than three-quarters of the UK’s butterflies have declined in the
last 40 years with some common species suffering significant slumps, a
major scientific study has revealed. The State of the UK’s Butterflies 2015 report found that 76% of the
UK’s resident and regular migrant butterflies declined in abundance,
occurrence or both over the last four decades. The report, by Butterfly Conservation and the Centre for Ecology &
Hydrology (CEH), found that a number of widespread species such as
the Wall, Essex Skipper and Small Heath now rank amongst the most
severely declining butterflies in the UK.
The findings also reveal that intensive conservation efforts have
started to turn around the fortunes of some of the UK’s most endangered
butterflies. During the last 10 years the numbers of the threatened Duke of
Burgundy have increased by 67% and the Pearl-bordered Fritillary has
experienced a 45% rise in abundance. Download The State of the UK’s Butterflies 2015 report and read it in full here The report found that some once common and widespread species have
become a cause for concern. The Wall, once a common farmland butterfly
across southern Britain, has suffered a 36% fall in occurrence and 25%
drop in abundance since 2005, continuing a longer trend of decline.
All on board for launch of Marine Conservation Zone consultation -
RSPB
The campaign is focused on urging the public to respond to the
Department of the Environment’s public consultation on four proposed
Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) located at Carlingford Lough,
Waterfoot, Rathlin Island and Outer Belfast Lough.
NIMTF believe the establishment of new MCZs is vital to strengthen
and protect vulnerable wildlife and marine communities such as the black
guillemot, seagrass meadows and the ocean quahog, a large clam that
lives buried in the sediment of Belfast Lough.
West Sands dunes transformed by unique partnership – Scottish
Natural Heritage The special dunes at the West Sands in St Andrews are recovering
well, according to a recent survey by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). The dunes, part of the Eden Estuary Site of Special Scientific
Interest (SSSI) and the Firth of Tay and Eden Estuary Special Area of
Conservation, were found to be recovering with new dune-forming plants
present for the first time in several years. In March 2010, the dunes were hit by a storm surge at the same time
as a particularly high tide, highlighting the severe coastal erosion and
flooding of the West Sands. The effects were felt not only at West Sands
but also over the Links Courses, adjacent farmland and along large
stretches of the north east coast of Scotland. Access to the dunes is now managed, with sensitive paths closed off,
and there are now boardwalks and signed dune paths, providing access to
the beach from the car park. Gavin Johnson, Operations Officer with Scottish Natural Heritage
said:
Minister commits £6 million to flood prevention
- Welsh Government Funding of £3 million for progressing flood protection works in St
Asaph during 2016/17 has been announced by Natural Resources Minister
Carl Sargeant. The Minister also confirmed that a further £3 million would be made
available to the Coastal Risk Management Programme - which will use
innovative finance to fund £150m of capital projects for coastal
adaptation and resilience to climate change. The £6 million investment, announced in the budget proposals for
2016-17 earlier this week, supports implementation of the Welsh
Government’s core investment priorities set out in the Wales
Infrastructure Investment Plan. The scheme in St Asaph, when completed, will reduce risk along the
River Elwy in the heart of the city, benefitting those residents who
suffered severe flooding in 2012 and a further near-miss earlier this
winter. It is expected to benefit 414 properties as well as the wider area,
including improvements to St Asaph old bridge, access and recreational
improvements to the foot and cycle-paths, biodiversity enhancements and
the restoration of a small stream. The funding for the Coastal Risk Management Programme will help fund
essential preparatory work needed prior to the construction of
individual coastal risk and adaptation schemes.
UK Govt support for EU nature laws welcomed by Friends of the Earth Today’s (15/12/15) declaration by Environment Minster Rory Stewart
that the UK Government doesn’t support a renegotiation of crucial EU
nature laws, has been welcomed by Friends of the Earth. Speaking in an important debate about the future of nature protection
in Brussels today, Mr Stewart told the EU Environment Council that the
UK does not want to renegotiate European nature directives. The EU
laws protect important sites for nature and iconic species across the
EU. This is the first time that the UK’s position has been clearly set
out in support of the directives. The laws are currently under
review by the European Commission prompting concerns that they will be
weakened. A final decision on whether EU nature directives will be changed will
be made in 2016. But there was strong agreement in today’s
Environment Council that the focus should be on better implementation of
the laws and a majority of Member States did not support opening them up
to renegotiation. Welcoming today’s news, Friends of the Earth CEO Craig Bennett said:
“It’s great news that UK Environment Minister Rory Stewart has backed
crucial European laws that protect our most precious nature sites and
iconic species. Over half a million people throughout Europe have
called for these laws to be maintained and better enforced. Protecting
nature is fundamental to our wellbeing and that of future generations –
weakening laws that protect nature could have a devastating impact. But
nature is in trouble in the UK and across Europe. We need a firm
commitment to enforce these laws and tackle the many threats to our
natural world including, intensive farming and climate change.”
Published ahead of the vote:
Response to the Government’s consultation on restrictions for fracking
- Campaign for National Parks In November the Department of Energy and Climate Change published
‘Surface Development Restrictions for Hydraulic Fracturing’, a
consultation setting out how the Government plans to restrict fracking
on the surface of National Parks and other protected areas. We have
responded to this consultation with a couple of key points. Firstly, we are pleased that proposals would ban surface drilling in
protected areas, and are generally supportive of the Government doing
this through introducing restrictions on licence conditions. However, we are very concerned that the current proposals do not
prevent fracking from taking place under National Parks and other
protected areas, especially as we don’t yet know what the longer-term
effects of this would be on an area’s wildlife and natural beauty. Given
this lack of certainty, there should be a complete ban on hydraulic
fracturing in protected areas at any depth. It is entirely appropriate that such environmentally sensitive areas
should be given stronger protection from fracking. Much of the existing
protection is insufficient as it is set out in guidance which does not
carry the same weight as regulations.
Read our full consultation response
here. Breaking News: MPs vote to allow Fracking under
national parks. The new regulations - which allow drilling from
outside the protected areas - were approved by 298 to 261. Some of the responses
Response to MP’s vote on fracking - National
Trust Yesterday MPs voted in Parliament to allow fracking in National
Parks. Here is the response of the National Trust to this vote: “The
decision by MP’s to allow fracking to happen under National Parks does
nothing to allay our real concerns about the impact of fracking on some
of the most precious landscapes in the UK. The Trust stands by its call
for the Government to rule out fracking in the most sensitive areas –
protected wildlife areas, nature reserves and national parks – and make
them frack-free zones. There is a need to ensure that regulations offer
sufficient protection to our treasured natural and historic environment
“There is an urgent need for more evidence about the impact of fracking
on the hydrology, ecology and geology of landscapes. This is needed for
informed decision-making about any future for fracking in the UK.” The National Trust is a member of a wider coalition of ten organisations that published a report called ‘Are we fit to frack?‘
CPRE disappointment at fracking vote The parliamentary vote to allow fracking under protected areas
undermines Government commitments to safeguard these precious
landscapes, CPRE said today. Rural policy campaigner Emma Marrington said: “CPRE is disappointed
that the Government has voted to allow fracking under National Parks and
Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, along with other protected areas.
This means that fracking infrastructure will be permitted in areas
around our finest landscapes, which would not only cause visual
intrusion and damage tranquillity but would also industrialise the
settings of our National Parks and AONBs. It is particularly worrying
that there was no debate in Parliament on such an important and emotive
issue. Ministers continue to claim that fracking infrastructure will not
be permitted within protected areas, but we still haven’t seen clear
proof that this will be the case. We call on the Government to formalise
the regulations to ensure that there is a clear ban on fracking within
protected landscapes.”
Drinking water & national parks under threat after fracking vote
- Friends of the Earth Controversial new rules, pushed through by the Government today to
allow fracking in protected areas that surround and feed water into
drinking aquifers, put many households’ drinking water at risk of
contamination, Friends of the Earth said today. The plans will also allow fracking under national parks and areas of
outstanding natural beauty – a U-turn on the Minister’s earlier
promise of an ‘outright ban’ on fracking in these areas. The Government
had tried to appease concerns by ruling out fracking in national parks,
and straight through drinking water aquifers, but has been criticised
for still allowing fracking in the protected areas that feed water into
aquifers and under national parks. With the Government plans to open up vast new swathes of the country,
thousands of households’ drinking water could be at risk. Friends of the Earth believes that the government should have allowed
all MPs an opportunity to scrutinise the plans in a full debate in the
House of Commons.
New fracking laws put wildlife at needless risk,
says RSPB The RSPB has expressed its disappointment following the announcement
of new legislation that allows fracking beneath protected areas in
England. Reacting to today’s announcement Martin Harper, RSPB Conservation
Director, said: “We are concerned and disappointed to see today’s
legislation voted through. These new laws will allow fracking 1200m
beneath Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), National Parks and
Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Given that we’re dealing with a
brand new industry, with very little research to point to, the RSPB
believes it would be in the best interests of people and nature to ban
fracking entirely within and beneath these important sites and other
protected areas.” The RSPB is concerned that there is no clear evidence of what a safe
depth is beneath these sites to protect water and wildlife. Permitting
drilling beneath them could encourage fracking wells to be located
nearby, with associated noise, light and chemical pollution posing a
risk to wildlife. Martin added: “Government’s consultation on plans to ban fracking at
the surface in protected areas was a step in the right direction –
although it remains a job half done. Today’s decision, permitting the
extraction of gas and oil beneath these sites, exposes nature to
needless risk.”
And swift on the heels of the vote the first
new licenses were issued:
CPRE outraged at announcement of fracking licences underneath National
Parks and AONBs The announcement that the Government has issued licences to explore
for oil and gas underneath protected areas is outrageous, CPRE said
today (17/12/15). Emma Marrington, rural policy campaigner at the Campaign to Protect
Rural England (CPRE), comments:
Marine strategy part three: UK programme of measures
- defra policy paper This strategy outlines the measures that contribute towards Good
Environmental Status (GES) in UK seas. This strategy outlines the measures that contribute to the
achievement and maintenance of GES in UK seas by 2020. It is the final
part in our marine strategy and complements the existing parts of the
strategy:
Marine strategy part one sets out an initial assessment of our seas
and characteristics, targets and indicators of GES
Marine strategy part two sets out monitoring programmes for
measuring progress towards GES The aim of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) is for EU
member states to put in place measures to achieve GES in their marine
waters by 2020.
Marine strategy part three: UK programme of measures (PDF)
Bovine TB eradication strategy delivering results
- defra The comprehensive strategy to eradicate bovine TB in England is
delivering results with more than half the country on track to be
officially free of the disease by the end of this Parliament,
Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss confirmed today (17/12/15). Badger control operations in Somerset, Gloucestershire and Dorset
were all successful in meeting their targets. The Chief Vet’s advice is
that the results show that industry-led badger control can deliver the
level of effectiveness required to be confident of achieving disease
control benefits. As part of our strategy the government wants to see
badger control over a wider number of areas next year. Bovine TB is the greatest animal health threat to the UK. Dealing
with the disease is costing the taxpayer £100million each year. Last
year alone over 26,000 cattle had to be slaughtered in England to
control the disease, causing devastation and distress for farmers and
rural communities across large swathes of the country. The Low Risk Area, covering over half of England, is on track to
achieve officially TB-free status by the end of 2019. This would be the
first time anywhere in England has enjoyed this status. Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss said: " Our comprehensive
strategy to eradicate bovine TB through tighter cattle controls,
improved biosecurity and badger control is delivering results. We are on
track to deliver TB freedom to more than half of the country by the end
of this Parliament which will boost our trade prospects and is expected
to deliver benefits worth millions of pounds to our dairy and beef
industries. Badger control in the south west has been successful and we
will enable it to take place over a wide number of areas next year. I am
determined to deliver our strategy to tackle bovine TB and eradicate
this devastating disease as soon as possible."
Access the control operation monitoring report.
Badger Vaccine Deployment Project: lesson learned report
- Animal and Plant Health Agency This report considers lessons learnt from the Badger Vaccine
Deployment Project, which was set up to develop practical knowledge of
badger vaccination and to train vaccinators. This report by the Animal and Plant Health Agency sets out the
lessons learned from the Badger Vaccine Deployment Project (BVDP). It
includes some generic information on starting and running a vaccination
campaign and is likely to be of use to those planning to carry out
badger vaccination in the future. The BVDP, which started in in 2010, was designed to develop practical
knowledge on the processes involved in vaccinating badgers and to
facilitate training of lay vaccinators. It concluded in March 2015.
Badger Vaccine Deployment Project: lesson learned report (PDF)
Latest survey shows declining pearl mussel numbers
- Scottish Natural Heritage Freshwater pearl mussels may now be extinct from several rivers in
Scotland, a major new survey from Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has
confirmed. Scotland has 114 rivers and burns that continue to support many of
the world's most important remaining populations of freshwater pearl
mussels. The species is one of the UK’s rarest fresh water molluscs and
was first surveyed in 1998 with low numbers reported in many rivers at
that time. The new SNH report has found freshwater pearl mussels are absent in
11 Scottish rivers where they were previously recorded, and that pearl
mussels appear to be declining nationwide. The prime culprits are
illegal pearl fishing, low numbers of host fish, climate change, poor
water quality, and river alterations. Of the 114 rivers with pearl mussels, the majority continue to show
signs that the pearl mussel populations are breeding. These are the
sites where conservation efforts are actively being focussed. SNH and PAW Scotland have created maps identifying crime hotspots and
are working with Police Scotland to target illegal pearl fishers. The
maps highlight 33 incidents of criminality from 2010 to 2014, and
identify the areas in which most criminal activity has taken place.
Police Scotland is now focusing its efforts on these areas. Iain Sime, SNH’s freshwater and wetlands advisor, said: “This is
disappointing news about a species that is on the brink in parts of
Scotland. Through the Pearls in Peril LIFE+ project we are working with
partners including fishery trusts, SEPA and the forestry sector, to take
action to improve conditions for pearl mussels in many rivers. But to
tackle illegal pearl fishing, continued monitoring of known hot spots is
crucial to at least halt the rate of decline. We would ask anyone who
sees anything suspicious to report it to Police Scotland immediately.” Summary of the pearl mussel report, can be accessed here. View the pearl mussel crime hotspot maps here.
Better implementation not renegotiation needed for the Nature Directives
- RSPB The RSPB warmly welcomes today’s (16/12/15)announcement that the UK
government does not wish to renegotiate the Nature Directives. In a statement given to the EU Environmental Council meeting in
Brussels, UK Environment Minister Rory Stewart said that it was better
implementation of the directives that was needed rather than
renegotiation. Mr Stewart also said “Biodiversity is absolutely at the core of our
society, of our economy, and of course is valuable in and of itself.” Mike Clarke, Chief Executive of the RSPB said: “We welcome the
minister’s commitment to work with others to improve the implementation
of these vital laws, and acknowledge his comments regarding the
challenges that lie ahead. The RSPB is committed to working with all
four governments to improve the way the Nature Directives are put into
practice for wildlife, people and businesses. A focus on implementation
not only provides certainty for business but also allows us to get on
with the job of saving nature.”
RSPB Scotland launches 20 year report on illegal killing of birds of
prey RSPB Scotland has published a detailed 20 year review of the illegal
killing of birds of prey in Scotland, which confirms that 779 protected
raptors were illegally killed between 1994 and 2014. In total, 468 birds of prey were poisoned, 173 were shot and 76 were
caught in illegal traps. There were also seven attempted shootings. The
figures include 104 red kites, 37 golden eagles, 30 hen harriers, 16
goshawks and 10 white-tailed eagles. RSPB Scotland’s specialist Investigations team has been meticulously
documenting the illegal killing of birds of prey in Scotland for 20
years to provide a thorough public record of the scale, location and
methods of wildlife crime. This effort, supported by an extensive body
of peer reviewed science, has shown the severe impact of criminal
activities on some of Scotland’s most iconic and vulnerable bird
species. The report deals only with incidents that have been confirmed as
involving criminal activity, either by post mortem at a government
laboratory or by reliable witnesses. The number of birds actually killed
will therefore be much higher
Response from Scottish Land and Business
Moorland managers’ statement on RSPB birds of prey report Following publication of a new report by RSPB Scotland on the illegal
killing of birds of prey in Scotland, Tim Baynes, director of the
Scottish Moorland Group, said: “The most striking fact about bird of
prey deaths in Scotland is that they declined over the last 20 years and
have fallen dramatically over the last five years in particular. This
substantial drop in cases has been recorded in official statistics
produced by the Scottish Government. “Our condemnation of wildlife crime is unequivocal and we support the
Scottish Government’s Environment Minister in the tough stance she has
taken against those who indulge in this activity. There is a concerted
effort by a number of organisations including Police Scotland, Scottish
Land & Estates and the Scottish Gamekeepers’ Association to eradicate
the problem all together.
The Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) has launched its first crowdfunding campaign which aims to publish the new edition of the Bat Care Guidelines, a vital resource amongst bat carers. This is a great opportunity for our supporters to contribute to this publication. The crowdfunding page can be accessed HERE.
Campaign halves dog fouling on farmland -
Keep Scotland Beautiful A dramatic pilot poster campaign urging dog walkers to clean up after
their pets has more than halved the incidence of dog fouling on
agricultural land.
NFU Scotland, in partnership with Keep Scotland Beautiful, concluded
the pilot study carried out on farms which have had persistent problems
with dog fouling. Four sites on agricultural land - two in the Pentlands, one in
Dumbarton and the other in Motherwell - were monitored by NFU Scotland
and Keep Scotland Beautiful over a six week period during September and
October to assess the impact of high profile posters, first used by
Keep Britain Tidy, in the vicinity. The results showed an overall decrease of 52% in the incidents of dog
fouling recorded over the duration of the project, across all four
sites. Previous research has suggested that some dog owners act
irresponsibly when they think they are not being watched. This was the
main focus of the campaign. Two striking posters with hard-hitting
messages and featuring ‘glow in the dark’ eyes were used to assess
whether dog owner behaviour can be influenced. The significant reduction
in dog fouling recorded over a six week period merits a more extensive
study of long term impacts from such poster campaigns. The Government today announced that it is suspending the sourcing of
BCG vaccine for English badger vaccination schemes, that the 2015 badger
culls were ‘successful in meeting their targets’ and confirmed it wants
to see ‘badger control over a wider number of areas next year’, issuing
new guidance to Natural England that significantly relaxes the current
badger culling licence criteria Paul Wilkinson, head of Living Landscape for The Wildlife Trusts,
said: “We’re exasperated by today’s announcements and condemn any
intention to roll out the badger culls, which have been found to be
repeatedly flawed in their methodology, measures and objectives. They
are a resounding policy failure which should be halted immediately.” Culling badgers is likely to increase the bovine tuberculosis risk to
cattle due to the perturbation effect, where disruption of otherwise
stable badger social groups causes individuals to range beyond their
usual territory and come into contact with neighbouring animals,
increasing the risk of disease transmission. Vaccination does not carry this risk and is the only approach that
can actually reduce the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in badgers.
The Wildlife Trusts are therefore extremely concerned and disappointed
that circumstances have required the suspension of badger vaccination
programmes in England. Three Wildlife Trust projects currently receive
Defra funding, via its Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme (BEVS). There are
eight other Wildlife Trust programmes in operation in England which look
likely to be suspended too. The Wildlife Trusts remain committed
to the delivery of badger vaccination as one of a number of measures
against TB in cattle and will resume vaccination as soon as possible. Paul Wilkinson adds: “We are seeking a meeting with Defra to discuss
the implications of the vaccine shortage for these projects. It would
seem that Government has failed to plan ahead for its badger vaccine
requirements – and all of the hard work of hundreds of volunteers who
have put in thousands of hours of time and effort to help farmers is now
in jeopardy. We recognise that there are external difficulties in
supply, and accept the need to prioritise global human health but
Government ought to have planned ahead and taken action to secure
critical supplies for programmes it had set in train – we are at a loss
to understand why Defra has not put in place long-term supply
arrangements."
Badger vaccinations have been suspended due to global lack of vaccines
- Derbyshire Wildlife Trust We are very disappointed that circumstances have required the
suspension of our successful badger vaccination programme in Edale and
across Derbyshire. However, we recognise that this suspension is a result of limited
supply of the vaccine and the need to prioritise global human health.
Tawny Owls missing from gardens - BTO This is the time of the year when Tawny Owls can be frequently heard,
and even seen, in gardens. This winter, however, fewer people have been
reporting them to the British Trust for Ornithology’s (BTO) Garden
BirdWatch. Could this be a result of a poor breeding season? Keep your
eyes and ears out for these mysterious nocturnal visitors and help us
keep track of their populations.
Tawny Owls are vocal towards the end of the year, as young disperse
to find their own territories and pairs communicate with their classic
‘tu-whit, tu-whoo’ duet. So far this winter, however, this activity has
been scarce with Tawny Owls only being reported by 3.6% of BTO Garden
BirdWatchers, the second lowest figure for this time of year in a
decade. These results come just weeks after Tawny Owl was added to the Amber
list of UK Birds of Conservation Concern due to fears of a long-term
decline. While it's hard to monitor nocturnal birds, there are
indications that the number of breeding Tawny Owls in the UK has fallen
by around a third in the last 25 years. Worryingly, the reasons for this
trend are not fully understood.
Conservation and communities key to MPA plan
- Scottish Government Environment Secretary confirms protection for “valuable marine
environment”. Measures to conserve Scotland’s marine environment and protect
important seabed features will be put in place, Environment Secretary
Richard Lochhead confirmed today (18/12/15).
MPA fisheries decision signals new era for Scottish seas
- Save Scottish Seas Environmental organisations have today (18/12/15) welcomed the
Scottish Government’s announcement on managing fishing within Scotland’s
network of marine protected areas (MPAs). The MPAs include some of the
most vulnerable marine wildlife sites in Europe and some of the 30 areas
designated in the summer of 2014 to protect a range of habitats and
species including flameshell beds and the common skate. However, until
now the areas have been at risk of potentially irreversible damage from
some fishing activities. The new proposals for fisheries management in
the MPAs will help move the most damaging activities away from sensitive
habitats. Calum Duncan, Convenor of Scottish Environment LINK’s Marine Taskforce and Head of Conservation Scotland for Marine Conservation Society said: “Marine protected areas are a vital tool for protecting and restoring the health of our seas. These management proposals for inshore MPAs and SACs are the result of discussions we have been engaged in for over five years. We welcome the proposals as the first step toward protecting many important areas, enabling ecological recovery and helping to secure healthier Scottish seas for future generations, although concerns remain about some places where bottom-towed fishing will still be permitted. These nature conservation measures must also be part of a broader and more progressive approach to spatial management of fisheries throughout our seas. We now need to continue working with all stakeholders to ensure MPAs fulfil their promise of recovering Scotland’s sea life, both for its intrinsic value and for broader public benefit.”
SNH launches pollinator public consultation SNH today (21/12/15) launches a public consultation on a strategy to
protect pollinating insects in Scotland. The strategy sets out the current situation for Scotland’s
pollinators, the reasons why action is needed, and the steps needed for
their conservation. The strategy will help public bodies, NGOs and
members of the public to work together to conserve pollinator species. There are growing concerns that environmental pressures are leading
to declines in the number, diversity and geographic range of
pollinators. Habitat loss, disease, pesticide use and climate change all
possibly contribute to decreased numbers. Pollination is essential for Scotland’s beautiful natural areas and
it also provides economic benefits for many agricultural crops. Scotland’s pollinators include the honey bee, bumble bees, solitary
bees, wasps, hoverflies, other flies, beetles, butterflies and moths.
Pollination services in the UK have an estimated market value benefit of
£430 million, of which at least £43 million is in Scotland. More information on the SNH consultation here. The consultation will end on 14 March 2016.
From Russia with swans: woman’s first ever paramotor ‘migration’
- Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust A champion sportswoman and conservationist will fly 4,500 miles from
the Russian Arctic to Britain next autumn, using just a parachute wing
and strapped to a small propeller engine, in the first ever attempt to
follow Bewick’s swans on their annual migration.
The expedition will uncover new science about the Bewick’s swans,
whose numbers have halved in the last 20 years, and unite people from
different cultures to try to reverse the decline. Sacha Dench, who works for the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) and is
a former British and Australian free-diving champion, will follow the
swans in her paramotor as winter drives them off their breeding grounds.
She will film and make live broadcasts along the way. Her first challenge will be to cross the Russian tundra, one of the
most wild and remote places on earth. Over ten weeks she will cross 11
countries, become the first woman ever to paramotor across the Channel,
and fly along the River Thames through central London. She will face many of the same challenges as the swans, from extreme
weather and polar bears to a hostile landscape of pylons and tall
buildings, as well as struggling to find safe places to land, rest and
refuel.
And finally for this year something suitably
Christmassy!
Festively-dressed spider doing well in new home
- RSPB
One of the UK's rarest spiders is finding its new home in Dorset to
its liking according to a new survey. This arachnid-Santa-wannabe, otherwise known as the ladybird spider –
so-called because of the males’ bright red body covered in black spots,
and black and white legs – was on the brink of extinction in the mid
1980s when a single colony of just 7 individuals was left in the UK.
Since then conservationists have been helping it to spread further
afield. In 2011, it was released into one of the most diverse insect and
spider habitats in the country, the RSPB’s Arne reserve in Dorset.
Surveys carried out this year show that the spiders are doing well and
are now expanding outside of the original release areas. Toby Branston, RSPB Dorset Reserve Ecology Manager said: “It’s great
to see this incredible little spider doing well in its new home. The
hard work has started to pay off. Searches this year have found five new
webs away from the release sites as well as others in their original
‘bottle-homes’. A great sign that the spiders are feeling settled here
at Arne.”
Scientific papers Allen, K. A. Denelle, P. Sánchez Ruiz, F. M., Santana, V. M. & Marrs,
R. H. (2015)
Prescribed moorland burning meets good practice guidelines: A monitoring
case study using aerial photography in the Peak District, UK.
Ecological Indicators doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.11.030 Cardosoa, R. S., Barbozaa, C. A. M., Skinnera, V. B. & Cabrinia T. M.
B. (2015) Crustaceans
as ecological indicators of metropolitan sandy beaches health.
Ecological Indicators doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.11.039 Mathers, K. L., Chadd, R. P., Extence, C. A., Rice, S. P. & Wood, P.
J. (2015)
The implications of an invasive species on the reliability of
macroinvertebrate biomonitoring tools used in freshwater ecological
assessments. Ecological Indicators.
doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.11.051 Greenwood, O., Mossman, H. L., Suggitt, A. J., Curtis, R. J. & Maclean, I. M. D (2015) Using in situ management to conserve biodiversity under climate change. Journal of Applied Ecology DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12602
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Image:
Butterfly Conservation
The
Northern Ireland Marine Task Force (NIMTF), a coalition of ten
environmental organisations including RSPB Northern Ireland, has
launched a campaign to support the designation of areas of marine
conservation importance.
Bewick’s
swans (c) James Lees WWT
Ladybird
spider (image: Ian Hughes /RSPB)
