|
|
|
||||||
|
Headlines from week beginning 28 November 2016 |
|
A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
Restoring Stonehenge’s chalk grassland in world heritage site’s
30th year – The National Trust As Stonehenge celebrates 30 years as a World
Heritage Site, National Trust rangers and volunteers in Wiltshire are
working closely with farmers to restore the chalk grassland landscape
that would have been familiar to the monument’s original builders. The conservation charity owns and cares for more
than 850 hectares (2,100 acres) of the World Heritage Site in Wiltshire,
a place rich in natural and human history with hundreds of globally
important archaeological sites. The project to restore chalk
grassland at Stonehenge began in 2000 and has seen more than 250
hectares of poorer-quality arable farmland have been restored to chalk
grassland. Much of the new grassland is grazed as part of
agri-environment schemes by livestock belonging to local farmers.
The grassland reversion has seen wildlife species return to the
landscape. These include the first sighting around Stonehenge for
decades of an Adonis Blue butterfly in 2008 and the establishment in the
chalk grassland of Sainfoin, a pink-flowered herb. By the end of the year, 216kg of wildflower and
grass seed harvested from nearby Salisbury Plain will have been sown on
grassland surrounding Stonehenge. In some areas a team of half a dozen
National Trust volunteers will plant the seeds by hand. Four tonnes of
seed has been sown since the project started 16 years ago. Keith Steggall, National Trust Area Ranger for the
Stonehenge Landscape, said: “The locally sourced seeds will help to
restore the chalk grassland landscape our ancestors would have known at
the time of Stonehenge. In recent years the land was farmed to grow
crops, with the soil drying out and the top soil was being blown away in
the winds. But by harvesting and sowing the seeds and working with our
tenant farmers to manage the land through grazing, we are succeeding in
both protecting the historic monuments and bringing back the grassland
landscape.” Rob Turner of Manor Farm has worked with the
National Trust since 2003 to revert land around Stonehenge from arable
fields to grassland, which is grazed by 500 Hereford-cross cattle. A
third-generation Wiltshire farmer, Mr Turner said: “It was clear that
the land around Stonehenge needed something a bit different. Since the
project started it’s been a steep learning curve. In farming nothing is
an overnight success, but what we’ve achieved for the farm and for
nature has been good. It’s a bleak spot, but you now see quite a variety
of flowers and birds.”
England’s flood strategy failing, says new study: new approach urgently
needed from government to protect communities and stop costs spiralling
– Green Alliance Public spending on flood risk in England is skewed towards dealing with the after effects of floods, rather than on preventing them, and the misery and damage they cause. Failure to account for the impacts of different forms of land management on flood risk is resulting in millions of pounds in agricultural subsidy being spent in ways that may actually increase vulnerability to flooding. New research from think tank Green Alliance has revealed that, in England:
A major failing
of the current system is its lack of support for natural flood
management methods (NFM), which have been proven to reduce flood risk
when used alongside traditional flood defences. In the North Yorkshire
town of Pickering, methods like creating woody debris barriers in rivers
have reduced peak river flows by as much as 7.5%, which allowed it to
escape the floods in 2012.
Read the report:
Smarter flood risk management in England: investing in resilient
catchments by Green Alliance
Investment in new logging machinery is placing
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) at the cutting edge of the forestry
industry, as well as increasing efficiency and saving money. New harvesting and forwarding machines are being
piloted in conjunction with Komatsu to help the environmental body to
react more quickly to incidents and market demands.
The mapping software in the machines allows NRW to
produce timber to tight specifications, identifying and targeting
specific sizes or types of timber quickly and efficiently to meet
customer requirements and maximise the value of its timber going to
market. It also means that teams can react to outbreaks of
tree disease quickly, where felling is often required within a very
specific time frame under a Statutory Plant Health Notice. The ability to plan and work quicker and more
flexibly also benefits recreational users of the forests – walkers,
mountain bikers and horse riders – as it means NRW can limit the amount
of time paths and trails have to close for felling operations. Ian Sachs, Head of Harvesting for Natural
Resources Wales said: “This pilot is helping to revolutionise the way we
manage our forests, and helping us to set the industry standard. Timber
production is a vital funding stream for our organisation, with 690,000
tonnes of timber being sent to market each year, generating around £15m
a year in income. In addition to this, we also know how important
forests are for tourism, so by improving our operations, we’re also
improving our forests for people and the wider economy.”
Electronic Tracking of Song Birds Shows Roads and Urban Features
Influence Choice of Gardens –
University of Exeter Birds prefer to fly between the gardens of leafy
suburban neighbourhoods to visit bird feeders than city terraces or
new-build estates, a ground-breaking study tracking the behaviour of
hundreds of garden birds has found. A year-long study into the behaviour of over 450
blue tits and great tits found that a suburban neighbourhood with trees,
shrubs and hedges between properties attract far more birds to their
feeders than a Victorian urban terrace or manicured, modern housing
estate. The research led by Dr Daniel Cox, an ecologist
from the University of Exeter, found that garden birds moved more
frequently between gardens that have trees and shrubs, giving them a
safe route to hop and fly from garden to garden and bird feeder to bird
feeder. But they were less likely to move between homes
with paved gardens, or housing estates with manicured lawns but fewer
trees or shrubs. Having roads between gardens also hindered movement,
the research the Movement of feeder-using songbirds: the influence of
urban features, published in the Journal Scientific Reports, found. The academics attached tiny tags with a unique
electronic number onto the legs of 452 blue tits and great tits, two
species which typically visit garden bird feeders. They then attached
scanners to 51 bird feeders, filled with bird seed, in the gardens of
urban terraced homes, a green suburban neighbourhood and a new-build
estate. The academics found individual birds in green
neighbourhoods flew between twice as many gardens as birds in terraced
streets. They also tended to visit bird feeders in a ‘green’
neighbourhood more often. Birds tended not to fly into rows of gardens
in terraced streets that had little vegetation and were paved. Read the paper (open
access). Daniel T. C. Cox, Richard Inger, Steven Hancock, Karen
Anderson & Kevin J. Gaston.
Movement of
feeder-using songbirds: the influence of urban features. Scientific
Reports 6, Article number: 37669 (2016) doi:10.1038/srep37669
Going to dizzy heights to provide rooftop homes for butterflies
– Butterfly Conservation A pioneering conservation project to create an aerial network of
rooftop habitats for Scotland’s butterflies will be getting off the
ground in Edinburgh on 25 November 2016. Glenmorangie’s headquarters along with The Scottish Parliament
building at Holyrood will lead the project in the capital providing new
homes for Edinburgh’s once elusive butterfly, The Northern Brown Argus
as well as other butterfly species.
A ‘Square Metre for Butterflies’ is a partnership between the Royal
Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) and Butterfly Conservation Scotland. The
aim of the joint project is to plant patches of common rock rose - the
favourite food plants of the butterfly caterpillars - on green roofs
surrounding Arthur’s Seat and further afield to encourage the existing
population in the Royal Park to expand and colonise in the newly created
habitats. The Northern Brown Argus is Edinburgh’s butterfly. For years it
existed on Arthur’s Seat with Scottish butterfly watchers in the 1700’s
assuming it was just a slightly different version of the Brown Argus
which it closely resembles. But in 1793, closer inspection revealed that
it was a completely new species. Leonie Alexander, urban biodiversity project officer at RBGE,
explained: “We are creating the network of green roofs across Edinburgh
to encourage the population of Northern Brown Argus to expand into new
areas. Green roofs are perfect because the butterfly is usually found
living at height and these roofs will provide warmth, food and shelter
in the city.”
Saving bees ‘secures food and jobs’, say authors of UN report
– University of Reading
We rely on bees and
other pollinators for things like chocolate and coffee (University of
Reading) The authors of a landmark United Nations report on pollinator decline
- including from the University of Reading, University of East Anglia
and Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in the UK - blame loss of habitat,
climate change and farming changes for the falls. Building ‘bee highways', reducing so-called green deserts, and
helping farmers work with nature could all help, the researchers say in
a new report. Writing in the journal Nature today (28 November), the researchers,
led by the University of Reading, suggest policies that could be adopted
by governments around the world to help pollinators.
Hedgehog Wins Favourite UK Mammal Poll -
Royal Society of Biology
Image: Royal Society of Biology The UK’s only spiny mammal won with 35.9% of the 5,000 votes, more
than double that of the Red Fox, who came in second place with 15.4%.
The Red Squirrel came third with 11.4%, out of a shortlist of 10
charismatic UK mammals. Henry Johnson, hedgehog officer, People’s Trust for Endangered
Species (PTES) said: “We Brits seem to love hedgehogs for a whole range
of reasons, including their cute appearance, their role as slug
controllers and the way the way they have colonised our gardens with
such aplomb. This is why it is so sad to see them decline, with one in
three lost since the millennium.”
The results are in! – Northumberland Wildlife
Trust It’s that time of year when the television channels are full of
results being announced… Strictly Come Dancing, The X Factor and I’m a
Celebrity, but one regional wildlife charity believes it has the results
to push all the other results out of the headlines. For, Northumberland Wildlife Trust has just announced the results
from its first otter survey in 13 years, and they look very impressive.
Conservationists at the charity were very grateful for the support as
the otter is one of the focal species they have worked tirelessly to
conserve for many years. Northumberland otter
through the balsam (Kevin O’Hara) The Trust led the way in otter conservation projects across the
country and carried out an almost continuous annual countywide survey
for signs of the species between 1990 and 2003, using large numbers of
dedicated volunteers. This provided a virtually complete set of presence
and absence data for the county and has been used as the yardstick for
otter conservation efforts in the region ever since. It was, in the end, the success of these conservation efforts, with
over 80% of sites showing signs of otter presence, and a lack of funding
that brought these county-wide otter surveys to a close in 2003.
Global initiative calls for urgent action against invasive alien species
- IUCN
Photo: Asian common toad Duttaphrynus melanostictus (Peter
Nijenhuis) The challenge calls for commitments from governments and
organisations in 11 priority areas, including development of effective
biosecurity measures, increasing the number and scale of invasive alien
species eradications, boosting the resources for invasive alien species
control and addressing priority pathways - the means of
transportation of the species. “Invasive alien species are among the most serious threats to
biodiversity, and have a potentially devastating impact on our food
security, health and economies,” says Inger Andersen, IUCN Director
General. “The launch of the Honolulu Challenge couldn’t be more timely:
concrete action is urgently needed if we want to curb species loss and
meet the Sustainable Development Goals.”
New portal to unlock the power of data to tackle plant health threats
- Defra
Leaves of a sweet chestnut tree (Defra) A new website to improve access to data on plant pests and diseases
has been launched today (29 November) by Defra. The Plant Health
Portal will make it easier for plant health professionals to share
and use vital information on plant pests and diseases, unlocking the
power of data to better assess threats and determine action to tackle
them. The portal was first proposed in 2014’s Plant Biosecurity Strategy for Great Britain, which provided an overview of activity taking place across the UK to improve plant biosecurity. It gives access to a wide range of information about plant health from both Government and non-Government sources, including charities and academic organisations concerned with protecting plant health, like the Royal Horticultural Society. Poorly bat rescued in Deeside by RSPCA Cymru, and now ready for 2017 release - RSPCA RSPCA Cymru has rescued a poorly, long-eared bat
in the Deeside area, saving the vulnerable animal from bad weather
conditions, after it was spotted hanging still and not flying. First seen on 14 November 2016, the bat was found
hanging from underneath a roof lip, about 15 feet from the ground – with
concerned members of the public spotting that the animal had not moved
for a prolonged period of time. After the rescue, Pets at Home provided
mealworms to feed the bat, prior to its transfer to a specialist RSPCA
wildlife facility. Following a spell in RSPCA care, wildlife experts
were content that the bat was again fit and healthy to survive in the
wild. However, due to the cold temperatures, it has been transferred to
a flight aviary, for over-wintering, ahead of release next year.
Hedgehog rescued after getting trapped in recycle box netting
- RSPCA A hedgehog was rescued by the RSPCA after he had
got himself tangled in netting used to cover a household recycling box.
Now the animal welfare charity is urging people to
avoid using the netting if possible as it can be harmful to wildlife. RSPCA inspector Helen Mead was called to rescue
the hog from the box outside a house in Pelican Place, in Witney,
Oxfordshire, on Saturday (26 November). “The hedgehog had managed to get himself
completely tangled around his body and had been struggling to get free,”
said Inspector Mead. “Thankfully, he didn’t have any injuries from the
incident and he was taken to a local wildlife centre to be fully checked
over. He was very lucky, as we do regularly get called to incidents
where the animal tangled in netting is injured seriously, sometimes
fatally. We do urge people to avoid using this netting if possible as it
can be harmful to wildlife, as well as other animals, particularly if
they are attracted to leftover bits of food which may be among the
recycling and use a solid lid instead to cover these boxes.” Polli:Nation survey - results from the first season - OPAL Pollinating insects, such as bees and butterflies,
are in decline across the UK. These insects are homeless and hungry,
suffering from a lack of places to nest and feed. To help reverse this
trend, OPAL teamed up with Polli:Nation, a UK-wide conservation project
working with schools, community groups and individuals to combat
pollinator decline by creating or improving habitat for pollinators. The Polli:Nation survey was launched by OPAL in
April this year to help people measure the impact of habitat
improvements on pollinators. And the first survey season’s results are
now in, at a quick glance:
Take a look at the
full findings
Innovative reintroduction of Sphagnum mosses vital to restoration of
upland peatbogs – Peak District
National Park The plant that formed the blanket bogs of the Peak
District is being reintroduced on a scale never seen before in the UK. Used in the First World War as a wound dressing
due to its antiseptic properties, Sphagnum moss will help heal the scars
on the landscape caused by erosion and pollution from the Industrial
Revolution that has left bare peat exposed.
The team at the Moors for the Future Partnership
is at the forefront of the development of innovative ways to reintroduce
Sphagnum in this often hostile environment. Over the next four years
Sphagnum moss will be reintroduced to over 1700 hectares of the Peak
District National Park and South Pennines with around 1.7 million plug
plants and clumps of this peat-forming moss set to be planted. The
£1.25 million investment is funded from various sources including
Natural England and the EU LIFE programme through the partnership’s
MoorLIFE 2020 project. Matt Buckler, Programme Manager for Conservation
and Land Management at the Moors for the Future Partnership, said:
“Reintroducing Sphagnum moss is a critical part of our work to conserve
and protect active blanket bog and rewet the moors. Sphagnum mosses are
amazing plants that are able to hold between ten and 20 times their
weight in water. These tiny plants play a major role in keeping water on
the hills for longer, reducing the risk of wildfires and of flooding
downstream. Their action in slowing down the flow of water reduces the
erosion of peat which is a vital contribution to climate change targets,
as there is a huge amount of carbon stored in the peat soils of the UK.
The plants act as a filter; cleaning the water before it gets into
reservoirs and saving on costs of water treatment.” Dave O’Hara, Senior Site Manager from RSPB’s Dove
Stone reserve, said: “We’re delighted to be working as part of the Moors
for the Future Partnership to complete these vital works. Partnership
work is fundamental in helping to make a difference to our threatened
peatland landscapes. There is good evidence that blanket bog restoration
can help to conserve upland breeding bird populations, and we want to do
all we can to fulfil the RSPB’s overarching goal to save threatened
birds and wildlife across the UK.”
Access for all at West Yorkshire nature reserve, Fairburn Ings
- RSPB RSPB Fairburn Ings is celebrating after being
presented with an award, recognising accessibility improvements made
across the site, and plans to make even more changes in 2017 thanks to a
new funding grant.
The nature reserve, near Castleford, was awarded
the Open Country ‘Good Access Scheme’ award. Open Country is a
charitable organisation which enables anyone with a disability to access
the countryside through the provision of countryside activities and
information. Launched in 2015, their scheme recognises the best
countryside ‘access for all’ projects in Yorkshire each year.
View of the RSPB Fairburn Ings
nature reserve (image: Chris Gomersall, RSPB) In addition, Fairburn Ings has been awarded over
£30,000 from The Veolia Environmental Trust, which will go towards
further accessibility improvements. Kate Struthers, Fairburn Ings’ Visitor Operations
Manager, said: “We are very proud to accept the award from Open Country
in recognition of our work to make Fairburn accessible for all.
The network of accessible, robust paths across the reserve means that
everyone has the opportunity to glimpse the flash of blue of a
kingfisher, or hear the song of a skylark on a summer’s day.” For more articles about schemes
like this about Overcoming Barriers have look at the most recent edition
of CJS Focus here.
Winners announced at Fields in Trust Awards 2016
– Fields in Trust Rouken Glen Park in East Dunbartonshire has been
named UK's Best Park, as voted by YOU! 2016 at the Fields in Trust
Awards Ceremony at Lord's Cricket Ground in London. The evening also saw
nine other awards given out as Fields in Trust celebrated the
achievements of individuals and organisations who have worked over the
last year to ensure that everyone has access to protected outdoor
recreational space. Rouken Glen Park was named UK's Best Park after a
search to find the country's favourite local green space. The East
Renfrewshire park won the public vote ahead of three other shortlisted
local green spaces to take the 2016 title. A total of 214 parks across
the UK were nominated by park users with over 10,000 votes cast in the
search to find the nation's favourite. Castle Gardens in Antrim, Pontypool Park in
Torfaen and Preston Park Rockery in Brighton had also been in the
running for UK's Best Park and were named the best park in Northern
Ireland, Wales and England respectively at the Awards Ceremony.
Signs of a salmon resurgence on Somerset river
– Environment Agency Environment Agency officers report plenty of
salmon activity in Taunton. Heavy rain invariably brings fears of flooding,
but there’s one creature that looks forward to a spell of wet and wintry
weather – the Atlantic salmon. Adult salmon, some weighing more than 10lb, arrive
in the River Parrett from the sea before entering the Tone at the
confluence of the two rivers near Burrowbridge. The fish wait in the
lower reaches of the river until water levels rise sufficiently to allow
them to swim upstream to spawn. Environment Agency officers out checking flood
defences on the River Tone have seen plenty of activity, including
salmon ascending the fish pass at French Weir, Taunton and leaping near
other river structures. Fish surveys in 2015 revealed an encouraging
increase in the number of young salmon in the tributaries of the Tone.
Salmon parr (juvenile fish) have been found as high up the catchment as
Waterrow where they had previously not been seen for over 20 years. In the past couple of years the Environment Agency
has repaired fish passes at French and Firepool weirs and this has also
made it easier for salmon to swim higher up the catchment. But there are still obstacles on the Tone and more
work is needed to help salmon on their incredible journey upstream.
£2.4m funding boost for Peak District's 'hidden gem'
– Peak District National Park One of the Peak District’s ‘hidden gems’ is
celebrating the award of a £2.4m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund
(HLF). The South West Peak Landscape Partnership’s
Landscape at a Crossroads scheme will develop a better understanding of
this unspoilt corner of the Peak District and help enhance and protect
it in the future. The three counties of Staffordshire, Cheshire and
Derbyshire meet at Three Shires Head at the heart of the South West
Peak. The area features the stunning Roaches gritstone ridge and Axe
Edge Moors where the rivers Dove, Manifold, Goyt, Dane and Wye rise. The
South West Peak is also home to an internationally important breeding
bird community including short-eared owl, merlin and golden plover. Karen Shelley-Jones, South West Peak Landscape
Partnership development officer, said: “We are very excited about how
the HLF grant will help this hidden gem of the Peak District, a land of
peace and quiet unspoilt by tourism. The South West Peak is a crossroads
where the uplands join the lowlands at spectacular gritstone edges, with
close communities and a fierce spirit." Two years after the project received development
funding, the full grant has now been confirmed through the HLF’s
Landscape Partnership programme. The money will help farmers maintain
their businesses while safeguarding and enhancing important habitats
like hay meadows and iconic species such as the curlew. The partnership
will work to improve water quality in rivers and streams, provide field
study opportunities and rural skills apprenticeships, encourage people
to access and enjoy the countryside, protect and restore field barns and
small heritage features and provide plenty of volunteering
opportunities. A total of 18 projects of varying lengths will be
launched over the five-year life of the scheme, with community groups
able to apply for grants of up to £10,000 for their own projects to
benefit the area.
Bees: Wildlife and environment groups call for neonic pesticides ban to be retained - and extended to all crops – Friends of the Earth on behalf of 17 partnership organsiations Seventeen of the UK’s leading wildlife,
conservation and environment groups are calling for the current EU
restrictions on neonicotinoid insecticides to be retained – and extended
to all crops - to protect Britain's bees. In an open letter to the UK government, on the
third anniversary of the EU ban on the bee-harming pesticides, the
organisations say “it is clear that there is now more than enough
evidence to retain the ban and extend it to all crops, and that this is
essential to reverse the decline of bees and other pollinators.” The EU restrictions, which ban the use of three
neonicotinoids on flowering crops, is due to be reviewed next year,
starting with a comprehensive assessment of the scientific evidence of
the threat posed by the pesticides, by the European Food Safety
Authority [EFSA]. The ban was introduced after EFSA concluded that the
chemicals posed a "high acute risk" to honey bees. In the letter, the organisations - Friends of the
Earth, Freshwater Habitats Trust, Sustain, Bat Conservation Trust, RSPB,
Natural Beekeeping Trust, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Soil Association,
Greenpeace UK, Buglife, Environmental Justice Foundation, The Wildlife
Trusts, Angling Trust & Fish Legal, Pesticides Action Network, Butterfly
Conservation and ClientEarth - say: “Since 2013 many more independent
laboratory and field studies have found neonics impairing the ability of
different bee species to feed, navigate and reproduce resulting in
declining populations. The government says it will not hesitate to act
on evidence of harm. The third anniversary of the neonics restrictions
is Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom’s chance to catch up with
scientific evidence and public opinion by keeping and extending the ban
as part of properly protecting Britain’s bees and pollinating insects.” Three of the UK’s leading bee experts also said
today that the scientific case against the use of the three pesticides
has grown over the past three years, and that the restrictions should
continue and be extended to other crops.
South Downs
for all – South Downs National Park in the depths of winter being outdoors in nature
can be good for your wellbeing and mental health and we believe that the
South Downs National Park should be accessible to everyone.
Mel and Jasper (image: South
Downs National Park) Routes are graded based on path gradients and
surface conditions: routes for all, routes for many and routes for some
– for e.g. a route for all will have a smooth surface and a gradient of
no more than 1:10 while routes for some may have low steps up to 10cm in
height and the surface may undulate. In 2015 Mel and Jasper went out to explore our
Seven Sisters route.
SRUC signs up to national wildcat conservation project
– Forestry Commission Scotland Students from Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) have
joined the national fight to protect and save Scotland’s wildcats. The students this week (1/12/16) joined staff from
Scottish Wildcat Action (SWA) – the partnership of more than 20 Scottish
environment agencies – to establish artificial dens at sites on
Scotland’s national forest estate in Glenisla. As well as helping to build six dens at key sites
in the priority areas, the students also helped to set up cameras at
each den site to monitor progress. The work parties were led by
partnership staff from Forestry Commission Scotland and SNH. The dens that the SRUC students’ built will
determine whether wildcats are prepared to use them as safe places. If
they are acceptable to the wildcats, then artificial dens could be more
widely used to encourage them into new areas and to raise young. Victoria Pendry Lecturer Countryside Management
SRUC Elmwood Campus, said: “Working with Forest Enterprise and Scottish
Wildcat Action was an amazing experience for our countryside management
students. Our main ethos is to get our students involved in real
projects allowing them consolidate theory with practical habitat and
species management. The students had a tremendous day constructing dens
and understanding the importance of this project in the protection or
our iconic wildcat. Many thanks to all involved in offering this
valuable opportunity.” Scientific Publications Scholefield, P. et al (2016)
A model of the extent and distribution of woody linear features in rural
Great Britain. Ecology & Evolution DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2607
McGrady, M. J., Hines, J. E., Rollie, C., Smith,
G. D., Morton, E. R., Moore, J. F., Mearns, R. M., Newton, I.,
Murillo-García, O. E. and Oli, M. K. (2016),
Territory occupancy and breeding success of Peregrine Falcons Falco
peregrinus at various stages of population recovery. Ibis.
Accepted Author Manuscript. doi:10.1111/ibi.12443
;jsessionid=0543B297D78145F836C1E5D578C559B0.f02t04 Mark W. Wilson, Darío Fernández-Bellon, Sandra
Irwin, and John O’Halloran.
Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus population trends in relation to
wind farms. Bird Study Vol. 0 , Iss. 0,0 DOI:
10.1080/00063657.2016.1262815 Nikolas P. Bertholdt, Jennifer A. Gill, Rebecca A.
Laidlaw, and Jennifer Smart.
Landscape effects on nest site selection and nest success of Northern
Lapwing Vanellus vanellus in lowland wet grasslands
Bird Study Vol.
0 , Iss. 0,0 DOI: 10.1080/00063657.2016.1262816 Armstrong, D. P. (2016),
Population responses of a native bird species to rat control. Jour.
Wild. Mgmt.. doi:10.1002/jwmg.21202
|
|
|
|
CJS is not responsible for content of external sites. Details believed correct but given without prejudice. Disclaimer: the views expressed in these news pages do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of CJS. |
|
|
Cwm
Rhaeadr Forest towards Mynydd Du in the Brecon Beacons (image: NRW)
Northern
Brown Argus (Butterfly Conservation)
World
food supplies and jobs are at risk unless urgent action is taken to stop
global declines of pollinators, leading scientists have warned.
The
hedgehog has been voted the Favourite UK Mammal with a huge majority in
the Royal Society of Biology’s public vote.
In
June 2015, the Trust received a substantial legacy from Berwick resident
and member for over 15 years, Vera Wainwright with a specific request
that the gift was applied to an otter project in Northumberland.
A
new global initiative to reduce the impacts of invasive alien species –
the Honolulu Challenge - has been launched today (29 November) by 33
organizations and institutions. The launch follows a call for urgent
action on invasive alien species made by experts, governments and NGOs
at the recent IUCN World Conservation Congress in Honolulu. 
The
new data portal will provide easier access to the plant health
information required to assess and respond to threats.
Sphagnum
moss ready to be planted on the moors (image: Peak District National
Park)
Miles
without stiles are a series of routes in the National Park created to be
suitable for people with limited abilities. This includes wheelchair
users, families with pushchairs, dog walkers with less active dogs and
the visually impaired.
