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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
The Big Pathwatch reveals 59,000 problems on our path network
- Ramblers Ramblers has today, 14 November 2016, released the
results of the Big Pathwatch, the nation’s biggest ever footpath survey.
The good news is that the problem is far from
insurmountable – and we are now calling for everyone to take
responsibility for their local paths by walking them and reporting any
problems they find using the free Pathwatch app. Read the report, a summary is also available.
Branching out for the Hair Streak with Elm
- Buglife White letter hairstreak (image: ©Roger Key via Buglife) Buglife’s Urban Buzz project, together with the
City of Cardiff Council will be planting several varieties of elm tree
on five sites in Cardiff between Bute Park and Forest Farm to provide
important habitat for the White-letter hairstreak butterfly which has
declined by 53% in the UK since the 1970s. Elm trees, once common
across Britain, have drastically declined since the 1970s, when Dutch
elm disease ravaged populations across the country. The White-letter
hairstreak breeds and lays eggs on elms and so also suffered when they
lost this vital food source for their caterpillars. Michelle Bales, Conservation Officer for the Urban
Buzz project said “If we really want to make a difference to declining
insect populations it is important to provide habitat not only for the
adult forms, such as butterflies, but all stages of the insect’s life
cycle which is often overlooked”. There are a few known populations in Cardiff and
it is these which the project is targeting to ensure habitat for these
insects. Russel Hobson, Head of Butterfly Conservation Wales, provided
advice on elm trees for White-letter Hairstreak. He said: “Bute Park is
a known hotspot for this butterfly in Cardiff so it is great that the
Urban Buzz Project is able to link up populations so they continue to
thrive in future.” A range of elm tree species will be planted to
increase the number of trees at specific sites. As well as these
varieties, Buglife have secured 25 trees bred from Dutch elm resistant
trees from The Conservation Foundation.
Competitive males are a blessing and a curse, study reveals
- Queen Mary University of London Showy ornaments used by the male of the species in competition for
mates, such as the long tail of a peacock or shaggy mane of a lion,
could indicate a species' risk of decline in a changing climate,
according to a new study from Queen Mary University of London
(QMUL). Males of many animal species compete for mates, either by producing
showy ornaments to attract females, such as the plumes and bright
colours of male Birds of Paradise, or, like stags and elephant seals, by
fighting with other males for access to mates. Scientists have shown
over the last few years that in many of these cases the winning males
are fitter because they carry genes that make them better adapted to the
environment – the so called ‘good genes’ effect. The researchers from QMUL’s School of Biological and Chemical
Sciences investigated whether these ‘sexually selected’ animals might be
better able to cope with changes in the environment such as increasing
temperatures or acidity. Using a sophisticated mathematical simulation model that integrates
both ecological and evolutionary processes, the researchers found that
sexually selected species can adapt faster to new environments, and are
less likely to go extinct. There is a twist in this peacock’s tail
though - this effect only happens when the animal populations are large.
When the populations are small, the presence of competitive males can
actually make a population more likely to become extinct.
Oxfordshire's baby bittern boom - RSPB The first bitterns to breed in Oxfordshire for
more than 150 years have been recorded at the RSPB Otmoor reserve,
thanks to the hard work of volunteers.
This is welcome news for these enigmatic birds,
who’ve had a tumultuous history in the UK. In the late 19th century they
had vanished from our shores; prized as a medieval banquet dish, they
were hit by hunting and by loss of their reedbed habitat. They started
to re-colonise slowly at the beginning of the 20th century, but due to
continuing habitat loss their numbers slumped yet again, and by 1997
there were only eleven booming males across the country. At Otmoor, the RSPB and the Environment Agency
have been working together to bring bitterns back to Oxfordshire. An
army of volunteers invested countless hours to transform bare mud
islands into a wildlife haven, planting more than 150,000 reed seedlings
by hand over seven years. Now the reedbed has matured, it is the
centrepiece of the reserve, home not only to the elusive bitterns but
also otters, marsh harriers and cranes. David Wilding, RSPB Site Manager at Otmoor, said:
“We are delighted to finally have bitterns breeding in Oxfordshire once
again, and with the amazing habitats created at Otmoor we hope to hear
bitterns booming here for years to come. We owe much of this success to
our brilliant team of volunteers. Otmoor has also benefitted from
generous funding and we are extremely grateful to each of our funders
as, without their support, this achievement would simply not have been
possible.”
Praise for Peak District paths – Peak
District National Park The Peak District National Park has been praised
following the biggest-ever survey of the nation’s footpaths, bridleways
and byways. The Big Pathwatch study by The Ramblers found that
in areas of special designation such as National Parks, rights of way
are considerably more likely to be well maintained. Of all National
Parks in England and Wales, the Peak District had the highest proportion
(85%) of paths well kept and signposted, compared to the national
average of 56%. Mike Rhodes, access and rights of way manager at
the Peak District National Park, said: “Most people who visit the Peak
District come to walk, so it’s essential that our rights of way are well
managed and maintained. It’s great news that the paths in the National
Park have been recognised by The Ramblers as being well kept and
signposted and therefore more enjoyable to walk. This corresponds with
our own surveys, which regularly show that between 85-90% are open and
easy to use. This is a result of a close collaboration between our
Ranger Service, local Highways authorities, landowners and local user
groups, who together make the Peak District a welcoming place to
visit.’’
Mycologists become rarer than the species they study
- Plantlife Fears over demise in fungi experts prompts new
project Despite the enormous interest in edible wild
fungi, the decline in expert mycologists has hit an all time low in the
UK with a 70% decline in the last 20 years. Today, less than a dozen remain in employed posts.
As a result Plantlife Cymru are launching a new project which aims to
create a new generation of fungi experts.
Pink
Ballerina (Hygrocybe calyptriformis) (image: © Ray-Woods via Plantlife) Why? For its size, Wales is one of the richest
countries in the world for fungi. It supports for example over half the
UK’s grassland fungi, 112 species in total, many of which are incredibly
rare and in decline. With a drastic shortage in experts to conserve them
they risk disappearing without anyone knowing. But thankfully the Wonderful Waxcaps of Wales have
been thrown a much needed lifeline. Plantlife Cymru are delighted to
announce that they have received £24,900 of support from the Heritage
Lottery Fund to develop a new 3-year project starting in 2017 which aims
to engage at least 12,000 people across Wales – including school
children, land owners, local communities and budding new experts whom
will become Waxcap Fungi Apprentices, going on to study and conserve
these threatened species and their habitats. Anita Daimond from Plantlife Cymru said “We’re
delighted that the HLF has given us this support and we will be working
with schools, communities, conservation partners and land owners across
Wales to breathe new life into what has become an almost forgotten field
of science. Welsh grasslands are home to some extraordinarily beautiful
fungi but these wild and wonderful waxcaps are highly sensitive to
ploughing and the application of fertilizers so they need urgent care
and protection. The current shortage of fungi experts meant their future
looked bleak but we are confident that this new project will help by
finding and training the next generation of fungi fanatics.”
find out more about the project.
UK leading global fight against illegal wildlife trade
- defra The UK will commit an additional £13 million to
new measures tackling the illegal wildlife trade, doubling its
investment, Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom announced today (17/11)
at the Hanoi Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade. The
Secretary of State also confirmed the UK would call world leaders
together once more in 2018 at a conference in London to ensure
international commitments to stop the illegal wildlife trade are
delivered. Speaking at the meeting of global leaders in
Vietnam, the Environment Secretary welcomed the agreement for decisive
action on the black market trade threatening the world’s most endangered
wild animals. And she announced a new UK-China arrangement to
train African border forces to spot and tackle smugglers pedalling
illegal animal products. The UK will also work with Vietnamese
authorities to improve border security in the South East Asian nation,
working with airports and airlines to stop smugglers trafficking illegal
goods out of the country. The illegal wildlife trade has brought
world populations of iconic species like elephants and rhinos to crisis
levels in recent years. Almost 150,000 African elephants have been lost
to poaching in the last decade and at least two rhinos are killed every
day. The Environment Secretary outlined new targeted
UK-led initiatives, including British military training for
anti-poaching forces in key African states. This is alongside financial
support for global action by Interpol and other intergovernmental
organisations.
Global Peatlands Initiative launched to address climate change
- Ramsar Peatlands only cover 3% of the land surface; they
contain twice as much carbon as the entire biomass of the world’s
forests. Drained peatlands are responsible for up to 5% of
anthropogenic carbon emissions A new global initiative, launched today (17/11) at
the climate change conference COP22 in Marrakech, aims to reduce global
greenhouse gas emissions by protecting peatlands – the world’s largest
terrestrial organic carbon stock.
Rare farmland bird reaches major milestone
- RSPB The cirl bunting – one of Britain’s most
threatened farmland birds – has continued its trail blazing comeback
from the brink of extinction after the UK population reached more than
1000 pairs, according to the latest national survey by the RSPB. The dramatic rise in the population of the cirl
bunting to 1078 pairs comes at a time when many other farmland birds
continue to struggle. The jump in numbers follows a 25-year project
between the RSPB and local farmers in the south west of England to help
manage their land in a cirl bunting friendly way providing year round
food supplies and habitat for the threatened species. Under the Cirl Bunting Recovery Programme, led by
the RSPB, advisers worked with farmers to help them take up Countryside
Stewardship Schemes to manage their land for cirl buntings. These
options include growing spring barley that after harvest is left as
weedy stubble to provide seed food during the colder months and planting
margins of grassland at the edge of their arable fields, which provides
insects and spiders for summer food. The initiative has led to an
incredible 8-fold increase in the number of cirl buntings in the UK,
from being on the brink of extinction in 1991 to a more stable
population of 1078 pairs in 2016. It is hoped numbers will continue to
climb and colonies will spread into other parts of southern England
where they were once common and widespread before suffering huge
declines as a result of the loss of their food sources and nesting
sites. Martin Harper, RSPB Conservation Director, said:
“The recovery of this charming little bird is a remarkable conservation
success and shows what can be achieved when farmers, conservationists
and nature work together. To go from being on the brink of extinction to
have over a thousand pairs in just 25 years – bucking the overall
downward trend for most farmland birds – highlights how effective this
project has been. It is down to the care and hard work farmers in
Devon and Cornwall have put in on their land using the tailored schemes
that has made this remarkable comeback possible. The success is one of
the best examples of how conservation groups and farmers can work
together to achieve amazing results for wildlife. Without this action
the cirl bunting would have almost certainly disappeared from our shores
altogether.”
Treasury must factor in long term impact of policies on environment
- Environmental Audit Committee, UK Parliament The Environmental Audit Committee is calling for
the Treasury to "green-check" all its decisions after a major
investigation into its approach found that it puts short term priorities
over long term sustainability – potentially increasing costs to the
economy in the future, and harming investor confidence. Government performance The Chair Mary Creagh MP, said: "The Treasury is
highly influential and uniquely placed to ensure the whole of Government
works to promote sustainability. But we have seen considerable evidence
that it fails to do this. The Treasury tends not to take full account
of the long term environmental costs and benefits of decisions which
would reduce costs for taxpayers and consumers in the long run. On the
carbon capture and storage competition and zero carbon homes we saw the
Treasury riding roughshod over departments, cancelling long-established
environmental programmes at short notice with no consultation, costing
businesses and the taxpayer tens of millions of pounds. With a week to
go until the next Autumn Statement, we hope our inquiry will be a
wake-up call to the Treasury." The Treasury, through its control over government
spending, taxation policy and regulation is arguably the most important
department for ensuring the UK meets its environmental obligations.
However, the Treasury is failing adequately to factor in long-term
environmental risks into its decisions and is not doing enough to
encourage departments to work together on environmental issues – such as
air quality, decarbonisation, energy and resource efficiency. If the Treasury is going to improve its
performance and provide greater leadership on environmental
sustainability it must:
Supporting Documentation:
Read the report summary
Read the full report: Sustainability and HM Treasury
Scotland’s woodland birds up two-thirds overall since 1994
– Scottish Natural Heritage Woodland birds have increased by 68 percent
overall since 1994, according to a new report from Scottish Natural
Heritage (SNH). The Official Statistic for Terrestrial Breeding
Birds, published today, reveals mixed fortunes for birds in Scotland,
with woodland and farmland birds increasing and upland birds decreasing
overall.
Goldfinch
(image: SNH) Some woodlands bird populations have increased
hugely, such as great spotted woodpeckers, which have increased by 530
percent, and chiffchaffs, which have increased by 752 percent. The
reasons for changes aren’t certain, but changes in how woodland is
managed may be starting to help woodland birds. As well, the effect of
climate change is making a big difference for some woodland birds in
Scotland – improved conditions in their wintering areas have helped
chiffchaffs, for example. Willow warblers and tree pipits are also good
examples, showing more positive trends in Scotland than further south.
Willow warblers have increased by 46 percent, with tree pipits up 86
percent. Farmland birds have also increased overall, with
long-term increases in several species, including goldfinch (429%),
great tit (176%), magpie (143%), corncrake (127%) and whitethroat (99%).
Unfortunately, declines continue among waders, with lapwing (down 53%)
and oystercatchers (down 40%) experiencing large declines. But targeted
management for these species through the Scottish Rural Development
Programme is helping boost populations in some areas. The most negative trend is in upland birds which are, in general, declining. There are some success stories though, including increasing numbers of golden eagles with the most recent national survey showing an increase to an estimated 508 breeding pairs (up 19%). As well, cuckoos in the uplands are bucking the trend with a 129% increase, compared to a decline in UK as a whole. A recent study by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) has shown that this may be due to cuckoos from different habitats choosing different migration routes.
Growing partnership to enable planting of 250,000 trees
- TCV We are proud to annouce the launch of this year’s
I Dig Trees programme that will see 250,000 trees being planted in
communities across the United Kingdom. I Dig Trees is a partnership between The
Conservation Volunteers and OVO Energy, one of the UK’s most innovative
independent energy suppliers. This year’s I Dig Trees programme is
growing bigger and better than ever as OVO aims to plant 250,000 trees,
together with TCV and thousands of volunteers in over 1,250 community
spaces across the UK - most notably in urban areas that would benefit
considerably from the tree planting. This will be achieved with
approximately 62,000 hours of community volunteering. All trees planted
are native species and all will be planted in the UK, directly impacting
our local communities. The programme launches this month and there are
multiple ways in which people can get involved. Members of the public
can register their community group to receive one of the 1,250 free
community tree planting packs, through the My Community Digs Trees
initiative on the TCV website. Alternatively, people can volunteers to
take part in the tree planting at a location near them. TCV recognise the critical role that trees play in
maintaining the delicate ecosystem and tree planting programmes have
long formed a key part of TCV’s nationwide activities, alongside
improving the country’s public health. The programme will also take
strides towards TCV’s aim of creating healthy, happy communities for
everyone across the country. The programmes hope to involve and inspire
volunteers of all ages and backgrounds to get involved with their
natural environment, be more active and make the most of their outdoor
spaces.
Government’s scientists’ new proposals to help restore England’s seas
are welcomed by leading conservation charities
– Wildlife Trusts New Marine Conservation Zones proposed for English
Waters. The Government’s scientific advisors have provided
proposals on where a final set of Marine Conservation Zones are needed
around England. Leading marine conservation charities, the Marine
Conservation Society and The Wildlife Trusts are excited about the
plans, which are a positive step forward towards restoring our seas. The sites are being proposed for protection by the
Joint Nature Conservation Committee and Natural England. They would form
the third and final round of Marine Conservation Zone designations
around England. In the previous two tranches, only 50 protected sites
have been created in English waters, falling far short of the amount of
protection scientists say is needed to safeguard our seas. These new
plans with approximately 50 further sites could help turn that around. Melissa Moore, Marine Conservation Society said
“the 50 Marine Conservation Zones being recommended by the government’s
scientific advisors are essential to ensure we are protecting examples
of all habitats. They will allow a proportion of our seas to begin to
recover from over a century of damage and contribute to the restoration
of biodiversity in our seas. We call on Government to include all these
sites in their third tranche consultation next summer.” Joan Edwards, The Wildlife Trusts said “UK seas
are home to a stunning array of wildlife, as well as playing a vital
role in the planet’s life-support system. If designated as Marine
Conservation Zones, these 50 new sites will help to establish a proper
network of protected areas in our seas. This is a huge step towards
ensuring that future generations will be able to rely on healthy and
productive seas, rich in wildlife.”
Lake District receives £3m flood recovery cash boost
– Lake District National Park In December 2015, severe flooding left its mark on
the Lake District National Park. Of the 3113km of rights of way we look
after, 562km were affected, leaving us with a repair bill of
£5.8million, and limiting access and enjoyment for those who live, work
and visit the National Park.
Dipper
Bridge before and after (image: Lake District National Park) By October we completed 33 repairs to key sites
across the Park, made possible by donations from organisations such as
Friends of the Lake District and LDNP reserves. But with limited funds
available, this was just the start. We are delighted to announce on Friday 18
November, a £3million grant will kick-start ‘Routes to Resilience’, our
18-month flood recovery programme. This cash injection has come from the Rural
Payments Agency’s ‘Cumbria Countryside Access Fund’, using funding from
the European Rural Development Programme. An additional £500,000 has
been allocated to Cumbria County Council and £500,000 to The Canal and
Rivers Trust. Richard Leafe, Chief Executive of the Lake
District National Park, said: “This year we’ve made a start on repairing
some of the areas most affected by the floods, but with limited funding
from our own resources and donations, it’s been a challenge. This £3m is
fantastic news. It will allow us to launch our extensive recovery
programme that will not only reconnect flood-damaged public rights of
ways, but also make them more robust and resilient for the future. We
are confident Routes to Resilience will benefit everyone who enjoys the
Lake District and also bring a much-needed boost to the local economy.
Our park rangers are ready to get started to reconnect the Lake
District!” A team of 11 new rangers have been recruited
specially for Routes to Resilience. They will join our existing staff to
carry out much needed repairs across the Park for the benefit of
visitors, businesses, locals and landowners.
West Pennine Moors becomes largest protected wildlife site in a decade
– Natural England One of the country’s most precious landscapes has
been given special legal protection for its nationally important
wildlife and habitats.
Calf
Hey reservoir, Haslingden Grane (image: © Natural England The West Pennine Moors is the largest new site of
special scientific interest (SSSI) notified by Natural England since
2004, covering a total of 76 square kilometres between Chorley,
Blackburn, Bolton and Haslingden in Lancashire and Greater Manchester. This move reflects the national significance of
the area and its combination of upland habitats, moorland fringe
grasslands and woodland, which support an impressive array of breeding
birds. Merlin, curlew, snipe, lapwing and redshank nest in the area and
there are large breeding colonies of both black-headed and Mediterranean
Gulls. Natural England’s Chief Executive, James Cross,
said: The West Pennine Moors provide a dramatic backdrop
to the surrounding towns and the wild, open spaces have been enjoyed by
generations of locals and visitors alike. The hills also provide clean
drinking water for thousands of households and their ability to store
water plays a vital role in reducing flood risk in urban areas
downstream. Natural England will work with owners and land
managers to continue to protect and enhance the wildlife importance of
the area, whilst maximising the other benefits from the moors. This
includes sensitive management of blanket bogs through careful grazing by
cattle or sheep, and maintaining water levels at or around the surface
of the peat to make sure the habitat is at its healthiest.
Scientific Publications M.A. Equiza, M. Calvo-Polanco, D. Cirelli, J.
Señorans, M. Wartenbe, C. Saunders, J.J. Zwiazek,
Long-term impact of road salt (NaCl) on soil and urban trees in
Edmonton, Canada, Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, ISSN 1618-8667,
DOI: 10.1016/j.ufug.2016.11.003. Carrizo, S. F., Lengyel, S., Kapusi, F., Szabolcs,
M., Kasperidus, H. D., Scholz, M., Markovic, D., Freyhof, J., Cid, N.,
Cardoso, A. C. and Darwall, W. (2016),
Critical catchments for freshwater biodiversity conservation in Europe:
identification, prioritisation and gap-analysis. J Appl Ecol.
Accepted Author Manuscript. doi:10.1111/1365-2664.12842
Alan D. Fox, Lea-Anne Henry, David W. Corne, J.
Murray Roberts Vaugoyeau, M., Meylan, S. and Biard, C. (2016), How does an increase in minimum daily temperatures during incubation influence reproduction in the great tit (Parus major)?. J Avian Biol. Accepted Author Manuscript. doi:10.1111/jav.01208
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