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Headlines from week beginning 25 July 2016 |
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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
National Parks UK and Mission Explore launch new adventure children’s
book for National Parks Week - National Parks
UK Today (25 July) marks the beginning of National Parks Week, the UK
National Park family's annual celebration of Britain's breathing
spaces. Taking place between Monday 25 July and Sunday 31 July, this
year's National Parks Week theme is ‘adventure’. To get the Week off to a flying start, National Parks UK are
launching their new adventure children’s book. National Parks UK have
teamed up with Mission Explore to produce the pocket sized book filled
with challenges and adventures for children to try out and keep a record
of when they are in one of the UK’s 15 National Parks. Parks UK. Each member of the UK National Park family is a unique
place, ideally suited for discovery, curiosity and creativity.Mae'n
amser mentro! It's time to explore!"” The book will be sold at a cost of £5.00 per copy and for this the
reader can expect to be entertained by over 90 fun-filled pages,
jam-packed with weird and wonderful ideas of things to do whilst at a
National Park. It is aimed at encouraging children to explore the
enormous world of the National Parks and engage them with all the
brilliant things that are on offer throughout the UK. The book is
available from outlets in the National Parks or online at
www.nationalparks.gov.uk/missionexplore “Our book challenges the owner to become an extreme explorer,
natural navigator and wildlife watcher in one of our 15 awesome National
Parks.” Said Kathryn Cook, UK Director, National Parks UK. “Missions
range from simple tasks to more challenging ones. An example of a
simpler task would be ‘Eat like a local’, encouraging children to try
food produced by local businesses. At the other end of the scale there
are challenges to ‘Go on a poo hunt’ and ‘Get stung’. Go explore our UK
National Parks and have fun! All of the challenges were voted for by schoolchildren from all over
the UK and the favourites were selected to be published. Lynx UK Trust
select Kielder and Borders as their preferred trial reintroduction site
- Lynx UK Trust After several months of consultations with national stakeholders and
ongoing research, the Lynx UK Trust, who are leading efforts to
reintroduce Eurasian lynx to the UK, have identified Kielder Forest as
their preferred site for a trial reintroduction, and will now begin
local level consultations across the region. It was just over a year ago that the Lynx UK Trust announced their
hopes to reintroduce Eurasian lynx to the British Isles. Suggesting five
potential sites for a trial reintroduction they introduced many people
to these mysterious and beautiful forest cats that shy away from human
contact, and offer a pivotal role in the ecosystem controlling an
unchecked deer population overgrazing our forests. After several
months of autumn and spring consultations with national stakeholders
including farming unions, wildlife groups and statutory agencies the
Trust have now identified Kielder Forest, spanning Northumberland and
the Scottish Borders, as their preferred site for a trial reintroduction
to take place. A range of research was carried out alongside consultations, and is
presented in a site selection document commissioned by the Trust and
produced by AECOM, identifying several key factors favouring Kielder:
“Within the team we always suspected Kielder had the right mixture,”
comments Dr Paul O'Donoghue, Chief Scientific Advisor for the Trust,
“but it was important to really investigate what each site offered and
to pay real attention to what stakeholders were telling us. Balancing up
the many factors Kielder has continually stood out as a place where the
lynx can flourish and bring huge benefits to the local community.”
Access the full press release here (PDF) Site selection report from AECOM is available here (PDF)
Reaction:
NSA calls for full and independent consultation of any lynx release
licence application – National Sheep Association
Image: NSA report Phil Stocker, NSA Chief Executive, says: “We are dismayed that Lynx
UK Trust is still pursuing plans to release lynx, as we do not share
their belief that the UK has any suitable locations. We are too small an
island and too densely populated.”
Download the NSA report on the wider consequences of the introduction of
Eurasian lynx to the UK.
Why the RSPB is withdrawing support for the Hen Harrier Action Plan
- Martin Harper's blog, RSPB Community The voluntary approach of the Hen Harrier Action Plan has failed,
leaving licensing as the only viable option. I’m generally very patient. My natural preference is to build
partnerships and work to make positive change from the inside with those
who want to abide by the law and deliver progress. However, sometimes that approach simply doesn’t work and there can be
no clearer example of that right now than hen harriers, where illegal
killing of this rare bird remains its most significant threat. The RSPB played a full part in the production of Defra’s Hen Harrier
Action Plan and despite
disagreeing with certain points (notably brood management),
welcomed its publication earlier this year. However, at the time, I
noted the need for immediate progress to help build trust in the
approach. Unfortunately this has not happened. All of this adds up to a picture which shows that the commitments
made in the Hen Harrier Action Plan are not being delivered. People are
still breaking the law and not enough is being done within the grouse
shooting community to effect change. Some will argue that we should be more patient as behavioural change
takes time. But the hen harrier does not have time on its side and
the longer hen harriers remain on the brink, the greater public
antipathy towards intensive grouse shooting will become. Hen harriers and other birds of prey in our uplands will not recover
without a completely different approach. We have therefore decided to withdraw our support from Defra’s Hen
Harrier Action Plan. We have come to this conclusion because we believe that reform to
protect the hen harrier will only come through licensing of driven
grouse shooting where, for example, crimes committed on estates managed
for shooting should result in the withdrawal of their right to operate.
A licensing system isn’t about tarring everyone with the same brush,
or blaming a whole community for the actions of the few. Quite the
opposite: it is effectively a targeted ban that will stamp out illegal
activity and drive up the environmental standards of shooting.
Reaction:
BASC disappointed as RSPB quits hen harrier programme BASC has expressed disappointment at the RSPB’s withdrawal from the
Hen Harrier Action Plan but rejects the society’s claims that licensing
grouse moors will benefit the raptor. The Hen Harrier Action Plan, produced by stakeholder organisations
working with Defra and Natural England, seeks to increase the number of
hen harriers through the implementation of six initiatives. These
include a reintroduction programme, nest and winter roost protection and
diversionary feeding. The RSPB has now abandoned the programme just seven months after its
introduction, but BASC believes sustained co-operation between
organisations remains the only way forward for hen harriers. Glynn Evans, BASC’s head of game and deer management, said: “We are
saddened that the RSPB has walked away from the recovery programme
before it even had a chance to bed in. They have left before the
development of some aspects of the plan could begin. There is no way the
success or otherwise of such a scheme can be accurately assessed after
only seven months. A lot of work went into establishing the six
long-term actions which stakeholders and groups believed would help
stabilize then, ultimately, increase population levels of these rare
birds."
Reaction:
RSPB pull out of Hen Harrier Recovery plan -
Moorland Association Statement by Moorland Association director, Amanda Anderson:
Reaction:
Countryside Alliance statement on RSPB withdrawal from Hen Harrier
Action Plan It is extremely disappointing that the RSPB has chosen to withdraw
from the Hen Harrier Joint Recovery Plan – a plan that goes a long way
to resolving one of the most divisive issues in upland conservation by
securing a future for the hen harrier alongside economically viable
driven grouse shooting. The Hen Harrier Joint Action Plan (HHJAP) took
years to produce, bringing together key stakeholders who care deeply
about the future of the uplands, and uniting them behind a long term
strategy. Now, less than seven months after the plan was published by
Defra, and having given it no time at all to work, the RSPB has
jettisoned it in favour of a policy that is entirely of its own
invention, and one that has no support from landowners.
Organisations take action to regulate grazing at Greenham Common
- BBOWT West Berkshire Council, the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust and
the Greenham and Crookham Commons Commission are working together to
ensure that the correct number of livestock are grazing on Greenham
Common.
Cattle and ponies have been a part of Greenham and Crookham Commons
for hundreds of years, with only a few decades when the Commons were
used by the military. Cattle do a great job of eating grass and bushes
to create perfect conditions for the rare wildlife that lives on the
Common; part of the Common is protected as a Site of Special Scientific
Interest because of the wildlife habitats. Some local residents have Commoners’ Rights that include grazing
cattle on the Common. Each Commoner is allowed to graze a specific
number of cattle, which is determined by a Register of Rights. However,
some of the Commoners, and farmers who lease the rights from other
Commoners, currently have more livestock on the Common than they have
the right to. In some cases the leases have expired, and the cattle
should not be grazing on the Common. Wildlife experts and visitors to the Common have raised concerns that
there are too many cattle grazing there, especially during the winter.
This leads to over-grazing, damage to the fragile habitats, and a loss
of wildlife. West Berkshire Council, which owns the land, the local Wildlife
Trust, which looks after the land on behalf of the Council, and the
Greenham and Crookham Commons Commission, which is responsible for
maintaining the Register of Rights, have agreed to write to the
Commoners and farmers asking them to remove any livestock that should
not be there. The letters will be sent before the end of July. Chris Tufnell, Chair of the
Greenham and Crookham Commons Commission, said: “Some of the
Commoners who are grazing the correct number of cattle are calling for
us to take action against those who have too many cattle. It’s not fair
that the grass is being eaten by cattle that shouldn’t be there.” This is not a new problem. The remains of a ‘pound’ are located to
the south of the common, which archaeologists have dated to at least the
1800s. This would have held trespassing livestock that were seized from
the common by the ‘Pound Keeper’ who is listed in the 1841 census for
Greenham. If you want to see rare birds then Derbyshire
is the place to be!
Sabine's gull at Carr Vale, image: Dave Came A Sabine’s gull has been visiting Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s Carr
Vale Nature Reserve near Bolsover this month. This is the first time one has been seen at this reserve and only the
seventh ever to be recorded in Derbyshire, the last being in 1997 at
Ogston reservoir almost 20 years ago!
Caspian tern at Carr Vale, Richard Taylor Caspian terns are extremely rare visitors to the UK. Nick Brown of
Derbyshire Wildlife said, “We think there are only around 290 records of
Caspian terns in the UK and most of these sightings have been coastal.
It is extremely rare to see one in Derbyshire, this is only the 9th
record. I was lucky enough to see one at Willington Gravel Pits in
1993!”
Human ‘super predator’ more terrifying than bears, wolves and dogs –
Western University
A new study by Western University demonstrates that smaller
carnivores, like European badgers, that may be prey to large carnivores,
actually perceive humans as far more frightening. Globally, humans now
kill smaller carnivores at much higher rates than large carnivores do,
and these results indicate that smaller carnivores have learned to fear
the human ‘super predator’ far more than they fear their traditional
enemies. These findings by Liana Zanette and Michael Clinchy from Western’s
Faculty of Science, in collaboration with celebrated British biologist
David Macdonald from University of Oxford‘s Wildlife Conservation
Research Unit (WildCRU) and others, were published this week
in Behavioral Ecology. Read the paper: Clinch, M. et al
Fear of the human “super predator” far exceeds the fear of large
carnivores in a model mesocarnivore. Behavioral Ecology (2016)
doi: 10.1093/beheco/arw117
South Scotland Golden Eagle Project secures £1 million Heritage Lottery
Fund boost - Issued by Scottish Natural
Heritage on behalf of the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project The scheme aims to boost numbers of the iconic bird to up to 16 pairs
in Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders – with the potential
to release eagle chicks into the wild in the years ahead. CCTV ‘eagle
cams’ will give the public an opportunity to keep an eagle eye on the
chicks as they grow. At present, there are only two to four pairs in the
south of the country with limited nesting success.
In 2008, Scottish Land & Estates and RSPB Scotland formed a joint
proposal to work together to try and understand what was limiting the
golden eagle population in the South of Scotland. Detailed ecological
work was carried out and a report on the findings was published in 2014
by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). Following an approach by Scottish
Land & Estates, RSPB Scotland and Buccleuch to the Minister, a
partnership was formed to take forward work to reinforce the population;
the Langholm Initiative, SNH and Forestry Commission Scotland have
subsequently joined the partnership. The partnership will now begin a
public consultation involving a wide range of stakeholders. This new project builds on a 2014 SNH report, which found that
southern Scotland could potentially support up to 16 pairs. Presently,
there are only two to four pairs, with limited nesting success. Work is
planned to examine how food supplies could be improved and nest sites be
made secure, identify additional habitat management measures that may be
needed, and if necessary, consider prospects for bringing eaglets into
the area for release to reinforce the existing population. Dr Cat Barlow has been appointed as project manager, and is currently
forming a small support team. The team will focus on identifying
areas/sites and management measures which should benefit the birds.
Guided by the National Species Reintroduction Code, the team is
undertaking a formal assessment of habitat and other management measures
to reinforce the population. Details of the public consultation will be made available shortly on
the project’s website, www.goldeneaglessouthofscotland.co.uk . In
addition, the project team will hold meetings with the main stakeholders
in south Scotland, and will develop a formal and detailed project plan
for consideration by the HLF over the winter period.
New chapter for Coigach and Assynt Living Landscape Partnership
- Scottish Wildlife Trust
Coigach and Assynt Living
Landscape Partnership has received funding worth £2.9 million from
the Heritage Lottery Fund, with additional support from other
funders, to enable delivery of a wide range of projects over the next
five years. This support will enable Project Partners to deliver twenty eight
projects that will collectively enhance the area’s natural, built and
cultural heritage. Highlights include: creating and expanding native
woodland, offering outdoor learning to all local schools, major repairs
to the approach and summit paths of Suilven, and work to excavate and
stabilise the Iron Age Clachtoll Broch. Jonathan Hughes, Chief Executive, Scottish Wildlife Trust said: “With
these generous awards from HLF, the Lund Fund and many others, we now
have the opportunity to achieve something very special for the
landscapes, the wildlife and the communities of Coigach and Assynt.
Through seeking to work in true partnership with local communities,
neighbouring landowners and fellow conservation charities, the Scottish
Wildlife Trust has already achieved so much more than it ever could by
going it alone. Having been personally involved in this project from the
beginning I’m thrilled this funding is now in place and look forward to
seeing work on the ground becoming a reality in the months and years
ahead.” A team of six staff will be employed to assist in the delivery of the
individual projects, ensure the overall scheme has a meaningful and
lasting impact, and to encourage wide community engagement and
involvement with the scheme, through a range of volunteering and
training opportunities and an outreach programme.
The humble stick revealed as the must-have toy for summer
- National Trust Recent research has shown that children are now spending only half as
much time playing outdoors as their parents’ generation did. If you’re
concerned that your kids aren’t getting enough time out in the fresh air
then help is at hand – in the form of the simple stick. We conducted a survey which showed that 84% of parents believe that
playing outdoors makes their children more imaginative and creative,
while 96% felt it was important for children to have a connection with
nature. These findings are supported by Child Developmental Psychologist Dr.
Sam Wass, who said ‘Being outdoors, with space to run around, is
something that benefits all children… they have to use their imagination
and their own creativity much more they do when they are indoors,
watching screen media. [These] are vital life skills that will help
children stay attuned to nature and to the environment throughout their
adult lives.’ The survey also analysed the benefits of a range of toys, with the
simple stick voted the best for fuelling children’s imaginative play and
creativity.
10 things you can do to help the sea this National Marine Week (23 July
– 7 August)
In the UK, you’re never more than 70 miles from the coast – but even
if you can’t make it to the seaside this National Marine Week, there are
still lots of small, easy things to do to help our amazing UK marine
life. Emily Cunningham tells us more... 1. Say no to single use: bags, bottles and coffee cups 2. No Straw, thanks 3. Ban the microbead 4. Choose Phosphate-free detergent 5. No more Balloon or Sky Lantern releases 6. Only flush the 3Ps 7. Check for misconnections 8. Do a 2 minute beach clean (or street clean) 9. Become a Friend of MCZs! 10. Choose sustainable fish Every summer, Wildlife Trusts across the UK join together to
celebrate the amazing marine wildlife found all around the coasts of the
UK. This year we’re taking you to the REAL rocky horror show – a
celebration of all the weird and wonderful characters found in our
rockpools. You can learn more at
wildlifetrusts.org/rockpools And here's some marine focused news for
National Marine Week.
Extensive population of carpet sea-squirt found off Herne Bay -
Marine Biological Association
Shot by Debbie Phillips, a member of Canterbury Divers, during a
drift dive off Herne Bay on the north Kent coast earlier this month, the
footage shows an extensive population of the sea squirt, in places
covering over 50% of the sea bed. D. vexillum was first found in
the UK in 2008 and was first reported on the shore in north Kent in
2011, but an extensive subtidal occurrence on the open sea bed is a
worrying further step in the colonisation of UK waters by this invasive
species.
Have scientists discovered a new species of whale?
- Whale and Dolphin Conservation A new species of beaked whale may have been discovered, according to
a new paper published in
Marine Mammal Science. It follows the discovery of a dead whale that washed up on a beach in
Alaska in 2014. Initially it was thought to be a
Baird's
beaked whale but it soon become clear that the creature, which
measured over seven metres long, was a different species altogether. Having compared the skull and DNA with that of whales known to
inhabit the North Pacific, along with an analysis of records from
whaling fleets, the authors of the report believe it is likely to be an
entirely new species, one that Japanese fishermen called "karasu" or
raven, due to its black colouration. Samples were also compared with the
remains of other whales matching a similar description that were held in
the the US and Japan, which turned out to be this new species. At the moment, the whale has still to be formally named and
recognised throughout the scientific community, but the possible
discovery of a new species of 25ft long whale once again highlights how
little we still know about life in the oceans. As with some other
species of beaked whale, the challenge for scientists now is to observe
the whale alive in the wild and find out how many there are and where
they inhabit.
Old-Fashioned Horse Power Moves Mighty Oaks!
- Surrey Wildlife Trust
Heavy horse power was brought in to move two giant oak trees at a
woodland nature reserve near Guildford. The 200-year-old oaks, which
were blown down in storms in March, are destined for use in the
restoration of a local boardwalk. Surrey Hills Horseman Daniel Brown and his comtois horse Tooky worked
in perfect harmony as they tackled the removal job at Cucknell’s Wood –
a Surrey Wildlife Trust site near Shamley Green, Guildford. As a
crowd of volunteers and locals looked on, Tooky flexed his muscles to
shift two tonnes of solid English oak – the traditional way. Surrey Wildlife Trust Ranger Leo Jennings said horses had been chosen
rather than heavy machinery, because of their minimal impact on the
ancient woodland and ability to access tricky sites. “The ideal solution for ancient woodland sites with soft soil is
heavy horses,” he said. “These gentle giants can turn on the spot, they
have an infallible traction control system, they can step over obstacles
and they do not wheel-spin! Although they sometimes work more slowly
than machinery, they leave barely any mark and this is vital to ensuring
the structure of the ancient woodland soil is not destroyed and is a far
more appropriate tool for a nature reserve. Sometimes the old ways are
the best.” The huge oaks will now be processed at the Trust’s own sawmill at
Norbury Park, near Dorking, before being used to rebuild a rotting
boardwalk at the Trust’s nature reserve on Chitty’s Common, near
Guildford.
National forest estate offers ideal habitats for Scottish Wildcats.
- Forestry Commission Scotland Building artificial dens to try to encourage Scottish wildcats to
settle and breed on Scotland’s national forest estate is just one of the
measures being taken in a multi-agency conservation project to save the
‘Highland tiger’. The first national conservation effort to halt the
loss of wildcats and restore viable populations in the Highlands,
Scottish Wildcat Action is an ambitious five-year project involving more
than 20 leading professional conservation organisations, including
Forest Enterprise Scotland, SWT, SNH and RZSS.
Kenny Kortland, Species Ecologist with Forest Enterprise Scotland,
said; "Wildcats prosper in a mosaic of habitats - in Scotland they
tend to select areas with forests for them to shelter in, but with
adjacent open areas or grass and scrubland nearby for hunting. Well
managed, commercial forests - with mixed age classes of trees and grassy
clear-fell areas and riparian zones - are thought to be ideal for
wildcats, so it makes sense that we would have a part to play in this
project. We’ve helped the team build up their knowledge local sightings
and of our forests - some of which, like Clashindarroch and Glen Doll
forests, are huge and in remote areas. Hundreds of hectares have already
been surveyed with camera traps, and these have recorded a wide range of
species – including wildcats.” The surveys also found that in most cases Scottish wildcats were
sharing territory with or were living adjacent to feral cats, hybrid
cats and un-neutered pet cats, presenting a huge risk of further
hybridisation and of disease being passed into the wildcat population. 100 mile donation towards National Park paths - Lake District National Park To help with the extra wear and tear from hundreds of pairs of
running feet during this weekend’s Lakeland 100 event, organisers will
be donating £10,000 towards the much needed path repairs on the 100-mile
route. The Lakeland 100 is an annual running event in the Lake District,
covering 100 miles around the National Park in 40 hours. The £10,000
donation will be spent on essential repairs to Welter Beck bridge near
Ullswater and on footpath repair work in Langdale Lake District National Park Project Ranger, Phil Clague, said: “It is
fantastic when the organisers of large events are willing to give
towards maintaining the precious landscape which they use. High numbers
of people can have a real impact on the tracks and trails of the
National Park. The Lakeland 100 donation will help to address this – and
will bring welcome improvements for everyone using these paths.” Marc Laithwaite of Lakeland 100 said “The Montane Lakeland 50 and 100 is now in its ninth year and since it started in 2008, we have been dedicated to giving back to the local community and the Lake District National Park. We have funded several repair projects and this year, we’re excited to be part of a three year project to improve the footpath in Great Langdale valley. The fact that this section of footpath is on the event course, means that the competitors can see first hand how their contributions are being used to make a difference for all outdoor enthusiasts. We are keen to ensure that our event continues year after year and giving back is a critical part of the process. If we want this stunning landscape to be accessible for years to come, then it’s everyone’s responsibility to help.”
Priority marine life catalogued - Scottish
Natural Heritage A colourful and intriguing catalogue of some of Scotland’s most
important marine wildlife has been published today (Thursday 28/7) by
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).
Illustrated with photos and maps, the catalogue describes Scotland’s
81 Priority Marine Features (PMFs). PMFs are the habitats and species
considered to be conservation priorities in Scottish waters, many of
which are star attractions for thousands of wildlife tourists that visit
Scotland each year. Our coasts and seas are home to around 8,000 animal and plant species
and the PMF list is used to help target marine conservation work in
Scotland. The list includes 55 species, ranging from small and
relatively stationary creatures such as the heart cockle, fireworks
anemone and northern feather star, to large highly mobile animals like
the minke whale, Risso’s dolphin and common skate. The 26 habitat types
on the list include maerl and flame shell beds, serpulid aggregations,
cold-water coral reefs and seamount communities. The descriptions cover
each feature’s characteristics, environmental preferences, distribution
and status. Produced in partnership with Marine Scotland and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), Descriptions of Scottish Priority Marine Features can be downloaded free of charge from the SNH website.
Licence for buzzard control - Natural England Natural England issued a licence last night (28/7/16) permitting the
control of up to 10 buzzards to prevent serious damage to young
pheasants. The licence is time-limited with stringent conditions and is based on
the law, policy and best available evidence. It follows rigorous
assessment after other methods had been tried unsuccessfully over a
5-year period. It is stipulated that the licence must be used in combination with
non-lethal measures and only on buzzards in and immediately around the
animal pens - not on passing birds. These conditions are designed to
make the licensed activity both proportionate and effective and we will
continue to work with the applicant to assess this. Reaction: Bad
news for a Friday: RSPB reaction to Natural England issuing license to
control up to 10 buzzards - Martin Harper's
blog, RSPB Community Many of the readers of this blog will remember ‘buzzardgate’,
the
subsequent u-turn and
the licences granted to control buzzards in 2013. The thorny issue of licenses for buzzard control reappeared today
when Natural England issued a licence permitting the control of up to 10
buzzards to “prevent serious damage to young pheasants”. The killing of a recovering British bird of prey to protect an
introduced gamebird for the benefit of commercial interest is
wrong. The decision sets a worrying precedent. What will be next? Red
kites, peregrines, hen harriers? Reaction:Grant
of Buzzard Licence - National
Gamekeepers Association The NGO has issued the following statement in response to Natural
England announcing earlier today that it has issued a licence for the
control of up to 10 buzzards to prevent serious damage to young
pheasants. Buzzards are now very common and widespread, with a UK population of
at least 300,000. Their numbers are increasing faster than virtually any
other British bird. Like all wild birds, they are protected by law but
can also be controlled under licence for certain well-defined purposes.
They have, for example, been shot at UK airports for many years. The law has allowed for licences like this since 1981 and Natural
England, the Government's licensing authority, issues hundreds of
licences every year for a wide range of species, many of them much less
common than the buzzard. NE is not allowed to issue any licence that
would harm the conservation status of the bird concerned. We are making no further comment on the particulars of the licence that NE has granted today.
London’s stunning stag beetles: globally endangered but still strong in
south London - London Wildlife Trust The stag beetle, Britain’s largest beetle, is globally-endangered and
is rare or extinct across much of Britain, but they’re hanging on in
London’s parks and gardens, especially in south London. London stag beetle by Julie Ramsden London Wildlife Trust has been asking the public to record sightings
of stag beetles via their website, and has received over 800 sightings
this year, with the majority of reports coming from south London. This
has been one of the ‘best’ years for records since the Trust started
collecting stag beetle sightings in 1997, and further helps to identify
priorities for their conservation, Mathew Frith, director of conservation at London Wildlife Trust said:
“The skewed distribution of stag beetles across London still isn’t fully
understood, so the more sightings we can record the better. Beetle
friendly sites can be found all over London, and yet we get the majority
of our reports from gardens, parks and streets in the south." "We do know that the beetles can be quite site-specific as the
females rarely take to the air, so their dispersion is slow and can be
constrained by rivers as well as roads, buildings and other artificial
obstacles. What is very obvious though is that many Londoners are awed
by this amazing animal and have shared their excitement with the Trust.
This gives us confidence that efforts to protect and conserve their
habitats – woodlands with lots of dead wood – will continue to secure
public support.” If you have seen a stag beetle in London you can
share your
sighting with the Trust online here.
Largest ever study reveals globally protected areas benefit broad range
of species - University of Sussex The world’s protected areas do benefit a broad range of species –
scientists from a collaborative research project led by the University
of Sussex have discovered for the first-time. The study, carried out by the University of Sussex working together
with the Natural History Museum and the UN Environment Programme’s World
Conservation Monitoring Centre, is the largest ever analysis of globally
protected areas. By analysing biodiversity samples taken from
1,939 sites inside and 4,592 sites outside 359 protected areas,
scientists have discovered the protected area samples contain 15 percent
more individuals and 11 percent more species compared to samples from
unprotected sites. The research was carried out by using a new
global biodiversity database (the PREDICTS database) which contains data
for approximately over one percent of all known species and spans 48
countries and 101 ecoregions - the most comprehensive biodiversity
sample of terrestrial protected areas to ever be examined.
Co-lead author of the study, Dr Claudia Gray, from the University of
Sussex, said: “Previously, regional or global studies of protected areas
have mostly used information from satellite photos, to look at changes
in forest cover. Instead, we used a particularly exciting new dataset,
which brings together information collected on the ground by hundreds of
scientists all over the world. We have been able to show for the
first-time how protection effects thousands of species, including
plants, mammals, birds and insects. This has provided us with important
insights into these areas - which previous studies were not able to do.” From the study, scientists also discovered protection is most
effective when human use of land for crops, pasture and plantations is
minimised. The results suggest that better management across the
existing protected area network could more than double its
effectiveness. Read the paper: Claudia L. Gray,
Samantha L. L. Hill, Tim Newbold, Lawrence N. Hudson, Luca Börger, Sara
Contu, Andrew J. Hoskins, Simon Ferrier, Andy Purvis & Jörn P. W.
Scharlemann Local
biodiversity is higher inside than outside terrestrial protected areas
worldwide. Nature Communicationsdoi:10.1038/ncomms12306
National Trust rangers in Brecon Beacons call in helicopter help for
essential path conservation work - National
Trust As the nation celebrates National Parks Week (25-31 July), National
Trust rangers have called in helicopter support to carry out essential
conservation work on footpaths on Corn Du, the second highest peak in
the Brecon Beacons National Park, South Wales.
Over two days earlier this month a fuel-efficient SD2 Squirrel
helicopter flew 160 tonnes of local sandstone to rangers on Corn Du. One
tonne of this ‘scalping’ stone will cover around two metres of footpath. An estimated 300,000 people visit National Trust places in the Brecon
Beacons every year. By regularly repairing footpaths, rangers from the
conservation charity help minimise soil erosion on the hill and prevent
damage to the rare plants that grow on the hillside, such as Purple
Saxifrage, the most southerly arctic-alpine plant in Britain. The National Trust cares for over 3,300 hectares (8,200 acres) and 43
miles of path in the Welsh National Park, including southern Britain’s
highest mountain, Pen-y-Fan. Rob Reith, National Trust Lead Ranger, has been repairing paths in the Brecon Beacons for thirty years. He said: “Protecting the landscape from erosion caused by walkers and the weather takes time and money. We’re able to perform essential path maintenance thanks to the generosity of our volunteers and supporters.”
Scientific Publications Stillfried, M. et al (2016)
Do cities represent sources, sinks or isolated islands for urban wild
boar population structure? Journal of Applied Ecology
DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12756 Navarro, J. et al (2016) Feathered Detectives: Real-Time GPS Tracking of Scavenging Gulls Pinpoints Illegal Waste Dumping. Plos One. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0159974
Zimmerling, J. R. and Francis, C. M. (2016),
Bat mortality due to wind turbines in Canada. The Journal of
Wildlife Management. doi: 10.1002/jwmg.21128 Lars Straub, Laura Villamar-Bouza, Selina Bruckner, Panuwan
Chantawannakul, Laurent Gauthier, Kitiphong Khongphinitbunjong, Gina
Retschnig, Aline Troxler, Beatriz Vidondo, Peter Neumann, Geoffrey R.
Williams
Neonicotinoid insecticides can serve as inadvertent insect
contraceptives. Proceedings of the Royal Society: biological
sciences Published 27 July 2016.DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.0506
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Following
today’s (Monday 25 July) announcement by Lynx UK Trust that it has
identified Kielder Forest as a suitable location for releasing lynx into
the British countryside, the National Sheep Association (NSA) is
stressing the need for the correct steps to be taken and any licence
application to be fully and independently consulted on.
Cattle
at Greenham Common. image Rob Appleby
Bird
more commonly seen in the Arctic Circle spotted in Derbyshire for first
time in 19 years
Bears,
wolves and other large carnivores are frightening beasts but the fear
they inspire in their prey pales in comparison to that caused by the
human ‘super predator.’
Golden
Eagle in flight (image Copyright Laurie Campbell via SNH)
Ben
Mor Coigach (image: Richard Williams
Grey
seal (image copyright Alex Mustard/2020VISION
We
have recently received a video of an extensive subtidal occurrence of
the non-native carpet sea-squirt (Didemnum vexillum).
Daniel
Brown and Tooky (credit: Surrey Wildlife Trust)
wildcat
camera trap (image: Forestry Commission Scotland)
Flame
shell bed, (image copyright: Ben James via SNH)
Largest
study of biodiversity inside and outside Globally protected areas
(copyright
National Trust Images / Graham Bettiss)
