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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
The
British Wildlife Photography Awards 2017 A Celebration of British Wildlife The British Wildlife Photography Awards proudly announce the winners for 2017. The awards celebrate both the work of amateur and professional photographers and the beauty and diversity of British wildlife. Winning images are chosen from thousands of entries in fifteen separate categories including a category for film and two junior categories to encourage young people to connect with nature through photography. In winter, pied wagtails roost communally in urban areas, both for
protection and for the additional warmth given off by buildings and
lights. This extra degree or two can make the difference in harsh
weather. Here, a single individual out of hundreds is silhouetted by the
lights of Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport. “Living near London I'm always amazed by how nature can benefit from
urban areas. There are many urban pied wagtail roosts across the UK
during winter and they are incredibly important for the birds survival
during these harder times, both for the additional warmth our buildings
generate but also because there's safety in numbers. I waited for a cold
night when their numbers swell. After about 30 minutes I hadn't
seen a single wagtail, however, it wasn't long until hundreds were
dropping in to the trees next to the terminal building, all calling
away. It's an impressive site to see and once the initial excitement was
over I spent time looking for birds I could isolate against interesting
background lighting. The birds soon tuck their heads under their wing to
sleep which doesn't make the silhouette as pleasing, you have to get
lucky with one waking up briefly to have a look around.” Daniel Trim.
CJS is delighted once again to sponsor the Botanical Britain category, this year the winning image is by Steve Palmer of common reeds. Common Reeds, Lindow Common, Wilmslow, Cheshire, by Steve Palmer
Congratulations to all the winning photographers. It's lovely to
recognise the names of some previous CJS subscribers amongst the
winners! Published tomorrow (7 November) The Book - British Wildlife
Photography Awards 8 showcases the very best entries from the British
Wildlife Photography Awards in 2017. This stunning coffee table book is
a celebration of British wildlife as captured on camera by today’s best
amateur and professional photographers. (Lovely Christmas present for
all wildlife lovers!) And watch out for the travelling exhibition of the photographs.
Red squirrel reintroduction success with breeding and natural expansion
- Trees for Life A project by Trees for Life relocating red squirrels to their old
forest homes in northwest Scotland has been boosted by evidence of
breeding and natural expansion by the new populations. The conservation charity is reintroducing squirrels to suitable
native woodlands in the Highlands, from which the species has been lost.
Because reds travel between trees and avoid crossing large open spaces,
they can’t return to these isolated forest fragments on their own.
“Early indications are that this could be a real wildlife success
story. The new squirrel populations are not only flourishing and
breeding in their new homes, they are also starting to spread out into
new areas – with squirrels being sighted as far as 15 kilometres away,”
said Becky Priestley, Trees for Life’s Wildlife Officer. The project’s initial relocations took place between the springs of
2016 and 2017, with the first 33 squirrels from Inverness-shire and
Moray released at Shieldaig in Wester Ross. This was followed by 22 more
released at the Coulin Estate next to Beinn Eighe National Nature
Reserve near Kinlochewe, and 30 at Plockton, which is owned by
landowners including The National Trust for Scotland. Trees for Life now has evidence of the relocated squirrels breeding
two years in a row at Shieldaig, and also of breeding at Plockton. Natural recolonisation of other areas appears to have begun from
Shieldaig. During 2016, the squirrels spread throughout much of the
habitat, with one sighting 13 kilometres away beyond Loch Torridon.
There have been further sightings in the same area during 2017, and
others two kilometres further away, at Inveralligin.
More success - additional congratulations to photographer Peter Cairns for winning the Documentary Series category of the BWPA with a series of six images following the translocation of the squirrels. View the series.
Scotland's parks and greenspaces in decline -
greenspace scotland The 2017 Greenspace Use and Attitude survey published by greenspace
scotland today(6/11) shows the downward trend in the deteriorating
quality of Scotland’s parks and greenspaces has continued. Whilst
the survey confirms that Scots still love their parks, with over 90% of
urban Scots saying it is important to have greenspace in their local
area, the quality of Scotland’s parks and greenspaces has continued to
decline, and this means that fewer people are using their local
greenspaces regularly. Read the full survey
report, and
executive summary (both PDF)
800 years on from the Charter of the Forest, we’re calling for improved
access to woodland - Ramblers Eight hundred years ago today (6 November 1217) the Charter of the
Forest granted ordinary people the right to access royal forests. This
was the first step in a campaign spanning centuries seeking the legal
guarantee of freedom for people to access our beautiful landscapes. Today, only around 40% of woodland in England and Wales is available
for people to fully explore, compared to the UK average of 50%. And much
of this 40% doesn’t have a permanent right of access, meaning it could
be closed off at any time. A recent YouGov survey commissioned by the Ramblers revealed that
people in England are most interested in seeing increased access to
woods and forests over other types of land. Our chief executive, Vanessa Griffiths said: “The Ramblers has been
leading the way in opening up access to the countryside for everyone,
and we’ve come such a long way from the times when land would be
reserved for the sole use of aristocracy. We know how people love to
wander through their local woodlands, enjoying the peace and beauty, but
not everyone has access to enjoy these simple pleasures. And, although
the government pledged in 2013 to increase access to woodland, very
little progress has been made. With compelling evidence that a walk in
the woods can do wonders for wellbeing, we want to see this change.” We want to gather your thoughts on what you’d like the future of
access to look like for the next 800 years. Please let us know in our
survey:
www.ramblers.org.uk/accesssurvey.
Bees' Needs Champions awards celebrate pollinator heroes
– Defra Lord Gardiner presented 17 pollinator 'champions' with certificates
at the annual Bees' Needs Champions awards at Kew Gardens. A ‘Bee City’ and a successful reintroduction scheme for the
short-haired bumblebee are among the innovative projects highlighted
today by Defra Minister Lord Gardiner as inspirational examples of
action to protect our pollinators.
School
children accepting award (Defra) The annual Bees’
Needs Champions awards, hosted at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew,
celebrated 17 bee boosting projects from volunteers, schools, charities
and councils across the country which are helping pollinators thrive
both in the countryside and in our towns and cities. From buzzing bumble bees to beautiful butterflies, the UK’s 1,500
species of pollinators play a crucial role, helping our flowers, fruit
trees and crops to grow and contributing £400-680million per year due to
improved productivity. Speaking at the Bees’ Needs Champions Awards, Minister for Rural Affairs and Biosecurity Lord Gardiner said: “We must all be thankful for our essential pollinators who do such vital work on our behalf, flying from crop to crop, tree to tree, helping us to grow our food. The champions I had the pleasure to meet today are doing exceptional things to return the favour and look after our pollinators. We must not leave them to it. We can all play a part."
Surge in seahorse sightings shows importance of River Thames for
wildlife - Zoological Society of London Latest discoveries at Greenwich provide further evidence of estuary
ecosystem’s renaissance Marine biologists from international conservation charity ZSL
(Zoological Society of London) working on the River Thames are excited
to report more evidence of seahorses living in London’s iconic waterway.
The sighting of a sixth individual animal in the past two months alone,
compared with previous averages of just one or two annual sightings,
underlines the importance of the Thames and its estuary as a haven for
wildlife.
Short-snouted
seahorse (image: Anna Cucknell / ZSL) The most recent sighting of a short-snouted seahorse (Hippocampus
hippocampus) was recorded by an ecological survey team working at
Greenwich on behalf of Tideway. It is not yet known what might have
caused this recent surge in sightings. Commenting on the team’s latest discovery, Anna Cucknell – Estuaries
& Wetlands Conservation Manager for ZSL – said: “We’re really excited to
be finding more and more evidence suggesting seahorses are resident in
the Thames. The limited research work to date suggests that two species
in particular now call London’s estuary home: the short-snouted seahorse
and the spiny seahorse (Hippocampus guttulatus). Both tend to prefer
shallow coastal waters and estuaries, so we shouldn’t be too shocked to
find them here. But the fact both species typically have small home
ranges and don’t tend to travel far gives reason to believe that the
seahorses we’ve found recently are permanent residents rather than
occasional visitors. Beyond that, there’s currently a real lack of
scientific data on the wider status and populations of these two
seahorse species in the Thames and throughout their range, so we’re
hopeful these recent finds will attract the attention of funders to help
us understand more about these amazing animals.” These seahorse sightings are just the latest indicator of how
biodiverse and important the Thames is for a number of species: from
tiny invertebrates like shrimp and insect larvae; to over 125 species of
fish, including the Critically Endangered European eel (Anguilla
anguilla); and apex predators like the harbour seal (Phoca vitulina),
grey seal (Halichoerus grypus), tope (Galeorhinus galeus) and
smooth-hound (Mustelus mustelus). It highlights how little we know about
many of the species inhabiting the estuary running through the nation’s
capital.
Planning without the people: Scots feel they have been left out of the
system - National Trust for Scotland A survey commissioned by the National Trust for Scotland shows that a
majority of people feel they have no influence on local planning
decisions and that the planning system needs to do more protect and
enhance our heritage. The Trust arranged a survey of 1,025 Scots aged over 16 years in
August of this year. The survey sample was weighted to reflect the
country’s socio-demographic distribution. The key findings were:
The backdrop to the survey is a review being conducted the Scottish
Government as a prelude to a proposed Planning Bill, which recognises
the system needs to work better. However, the consultation paper issued
by civil servants in January 2017 referenced ‘housing’ 75 times,
‘greenspace’ three times and ‘natural heritage’ only once. There
were no references at all to ‘amenity’, ‘beauty’, ‘landscape,’
‘recreation’ or ‘sustainable development.’ The research shows that the
new bill must go further than just housing if it is to meet public
expectations. Download the full report (pdf)
Bright future for Forestry Commission in England
- defra The Environment Minister has announced new arrangements for the
Forestry Commission in England.
(Copyright
Natural England New changes to strengthen the role of the Forestry Commission and
protect England’s forests for future generations have been announced
today by Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey. From April 2019 Scottish Ministers will take on full responsibility
for their national forests – meaning the Forestry Commission will remain
in England, continuing to protect, improve and expand some of the
country’s best-known landscapes, from the Forest of Dean to
Northumberland’s Kielder Forest. The Commission will continue to manage more than 250,000 hectares of
England’s Public Forest Estate, with a new board of Commissioners
established to oversee this. The world-renowned Forest Research will remain as an agency of the
Forestry Commission, working closely with partners across the UK. These arrangements provide certainty for the Commission and its
staff, helping some of our most precious landscapes thrive into the
future. The new Board of Commissioners will bring strong experience in
commercial, community and environmental backgrounds that will complement
the work of the new organisation. The English, Scottish and Welsh Governments will continue to work
together to commission forest research, sustain high standards for
forestry in the UK, and protect trees against pests and diseases.
Green community ambitions, up to £400,000 to boost the environment. Communities across the central belt can bring environmental and
health benefits to their areas by bidding for a share of a fund worth up
to £400,000. The 2018-19 round of the Central Scotland Green Network (CSGN)
funding will offer investment to projects promoting active travel,
woodland planting, community growing and restoring land. Since 2010 £6.3
million has been invested in more than 180 projects. Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform
Roseanna Cunningham opened the latest round of funding on a visit to the
New Caledonian Woodlands Ltd, which received investment in the 2017-18
round. She said: “Since 2010 this investment has helped more than 180
projects improve green spaces in their local areas. Whether that’s been
through community growing, woodland planting or increasing awareness of
cycle and walking routes, each of these community projects is playing a
role in our ambitions to create a cleaner and greener Scotland. As I
prepare to discuss Scotland’s green ambitions at the UN climate change
convention this weekend, it’s more important than ever that we recognise
how these small individual actions can play a role in reducing
emissions, and why getting together to improve our green spaces is so
crucial.”
Statement on RSPB’s Birdcrime report - Peak
District National Park
The
Peak District National Park has issued a statement in response to the
recent RSPB Birdcrime report.
Sarah Fowler, chief executive of the Peak District National Park,
said: "Killing birds of prey is illegal. I am appalled by the
persecution of any protected species, no matter what the circumstances.
The RSPB’s latest Birdcrime report brings the plight of birds of prey to
the fore. It shows what we are up against in trying to reverse the
fortunes of birds of prey. I welcome the recent acknowledgement from
shooting organisations that the killing of raptors to protect game birds
is part of the problem. It is – and it is damaging to their interests. I
welcome and wholeheartedly support their condemnation of such activity.
Being able to watch birds of prey in the Peak District National Park
should be part of everyone’s experience. We have been working with
landowners, gamekeepers and partners since 2011 to remedy the situation
locally but it is clear from the results that much more needs to be
done." See the original news from RSPB here and download the birdcrime report here.
Britain’s loudest bird in rude health – RSPB Britain’s loudest bird, once extinct in the UK, has enjoyed its best
year since records began, according to a new survey. The bittern – a
kind of heron – is doing well following intensive conservation efforts. Bitterns are highly secretive wetland birds and live most of their
time within dense stands of reed, making them very difficult to survey.
However, scientists count bitterns by listening for the male’s
foghorn-like booming call, and this year numbers increased to at least
164, recorded at 71 sites. That compares to 162 at 78 sites in 2016, and
is a positive sign that bitterns are back from the brink and thriving. The annual monitoring, organised by the RSPB, found that the number
of booming males in Somerset increased by two, from 47 to 49 boomers,
although there was a slight drop this year in the core areas in eastern
England; Suffolk Coast, Norfolk Broads and The Fens. Booming was also
reported from three new sites, and there was an increase in Wales this
year. Bitterns were considered extinct as a breeding species in the UK by
the 1870s. Following recolonisation early in the 20th Century, numbers
of bitterns increased to a peak of about 80 booming males in the 1950s,
but then fell to fewer than 20 in the 1990s, with similar declines
witnessed in many other countries in Western Europe. By 1997, there
were only eleven booming male bitterns in the UK; these were mainly
within Norfolk and Suffolk, with a small outlying population at Leighton
Moss, in Lancashire. Simon Wotton, Senior Conservation Scientist at the RSPB, said: “In the late 1990s, the bittern was heading towards extinction once again in the UK. But, thanks to conservation efforts to restore and create its preferred habitat of wet reedbed,
Environment Secretary backs further restrictions on neonicotinoid
pesticides – Defra Michael Gove says the UK supports further restrictions on the use of
neonicotinoids due to their effects on bees and other pollinators. Tougher restrictions on neonicotinoid pesticides are justified by the
growing weight of scientific evidence they are harmful to bees and other
pollinators, Environment Secretary Michael Gove said today.
Setting
out the UK’s position, the Secretary of State said the UK supports
further restrictions on the use of these pesticides. Unless the
scientific evidence changes, the government will maintain these
increased restrictions post-Brexit. Bee resting on a flower (image: Defra) This follows advice from the
UK government’s advisory body on pesticides which said scientific
evidence now suggests the environmental risks posed by neonicotinoids –
particularly to our bees and pollinators – are greater than previously
understood, supporting the case for further restrictions. Research estimates the value of the UK’s 1,500 species of pollinators
to crops at £400-680million per year due to improved productivity. Environment Secretary Michael Gove said: Since December 2013, the EU has banned the use of three
neonicotinoids – Clothianidin, Imidacloprid and Thiamethoxam – on a
number of crops attractive to bees, such as oilseed rape. Response:
Finally UK follows science and backs bee saving pesticide ban
– Buglife Today Michael Gove has announced the most radical, and much to be
welcomed, shift in the UK’s position on neonicotinoids since Buglife
first wrote to Defra ministers in 2008 raising concerns about risks to
wild bees and aquatic life. Evidence this year from Canada put harmful impacts, from the
persistent contamination of the countryside with dust and washed off
neonicotinoids, beyond all reasonable doubt. However, there was
enough evidence a year ago for the European Food Standards Authority to
determine that they presented a high risk to wild bees, and enough
evidence for Buglife to call for a precautionary ban in its report
reviewing scientific evidence in 2009. Under Hilary Benn the Defra response to concerns about the impacts of
neonicotinoids on wildlife in 2009 was deflection, which evolved in 2012
under Owen Paterson into determined rejection, until the EC intervened
to impose a partial ban in 2013. Since 2013 the UK Government’s
position has been unenthusiastic compliance, with two derogations being
granted in 2014 and 2015 allowing farmers to use neonicotinoid seed
treatments. Today’s policy change follows new advice from the Expert Committee on
Pesticides and puts the UK firmly behind moves to extend the existing
partial ban in both time and scope. The EC plans to bring an
overdue proposal to include all outdoor crops in the ban to a Council
meeting in December. Response:
NFU reaction to neonicotinoids announcement
– NFU The UK supports further restrictions on the use of neonicotinoids,
Michael Gove has said. Setting out the UK's position in a
Defra press release, the Secretary of State said 'the UK supports
further restrictions on the use of these pesticides. Unless the
scientific evidence changes, the government will maintain these
increased restrictions post-Brexit.' NFU comment: “We deeply regret the decision the Government has taken on this issue
as we don’t believe the evidence justifies this abrupt change in policy.
We will continue to speak to the Government about how the impact of the
decision can best be mitigated so that farmers can maintain sustainable
and productive cropping systems.” Dr Hartfield was also quoted in The Guardian today, he said: “Farmers are acutely aware that bees play a crucial role in food production and have done an enormous amount to help them.” But he said the committee’s finding of “unacceptable effects” came despite their acknowledgement of a gap in understanding in whether neonicotinoids damage overall ecosystem services.
UK's first marine Landscape Partnership secures £5m for North East
Coastline - Durham Heritage Coast The Tyne to Tees, Shores and Seas - Seascape Partnership has been
awarded £2.9m by the Heritage Lottery Fund to develop and deliver the
UK's first marine Landscape Partnership Scheme. Boosted by a further £2m
in partnership funding, this scheme will deliver over 30 projects to
benefit the coast, marine environment and coastal communities of South
Shields, Sunderland, Durham and Hartlepool.
The Seascape Partnership encompasses a wide range of local, regional
and national partners. The HLF grant is exciting news for everyone with
an interest in marine and coastal zone management and community
engagement, as Emily Cunningham, who developed and wrote the successful
bid on behalf of the Seascape Partnership explains: "We're absolutely
thrilled that HLF has funded the UK's first marine Landscape Partnership
Scheme. It's going to enable us to re-engage coastal communities with
their heritage, igniting stewardship and working together to realise the
potential of this special coastline."
Threatened sand dunes set for a golden future thanks to National Lottery
funding - Heritage Lottery Fund A third of England and Wales’s threatened sand dunes have a brighter
future thanks to a pioneering National Lottery funded conservation and
restoration project, unveiled today. Sand dunes are listed as the habitat most at risk in Europe.
They are a sanctuary for endangered plants and animals like the dune
gentian and sand lizard. However, many are being smothered and
fixed by a tide of invasive scrub, becoming sterile, grassy hillocks.
Now
the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has given initial support for a
£4.1million grant to an innovative four-year partnership project,
Dynamic Dunescapes, which will restore some of the most important sand
dune landscapes in England and Wales. Natural England, National Trust, Plantlife, The Wildlife Trusts and
Natural Resources Wales will work with local coastal communities to
conserve and restore up to 7000ha in nine areas across England
and Wales.
Natural England’s Chairman, Andrew Sells, said: “We’re really excited
about this fantastic project to save our dunes and give more people the
opportunity to learn about our fascinating wildlife. Dunes are not only
a backdrop to a day at the seaside – they are home to some of our rarest
species and are in desperate need of help. That’s why we’re working with
our partners from across the conservation movement – spanning two
countries – to tackle this problem together.” The project will concentrate on improving the condition of nine
identified dune cluster sites at: Lincolnshire Sand Hills; Studland
Dunes, Dorset; North Cornwall Coast; Braunton Burrows; North Devon
Coast; Swansea/Neath Port Talbot; Carmarthen; Anglesey/Gwynedd; Sefton
Coast; and Cumbrian Coast/Solway.
Forest School set to help 1000s more children
- Lancashire Wildlife Trust Lancashire Wildlife Trust have received a generous £116K from players
of People’s Postcode Lottery, to deliver another year of their Forest
School Project across Manchester and Liverpool. The project is aimed at
reconnecting urban children back with nature and wildlife through
bushcraft activities at weekly sessions. Senior Forest School Project Officer Vicki McDermott said, "We are
really excited to be continuing our fantastic Forest School work across
Manchester and Liverpool. We have an amazing opportunity to offer this
unique experience to more children, young people and their teachers and
it's all thanks to the players of the People's Postcode Lottery!" The funding means that Lancashire Wildlife Trust can now expand the
project to include a further four schools each in Manchester and
Liverpool, as well as supporting previous cohorts with study days,
training days and new ideas for their Forest School sessions. Forest School benefits children in many different ways. Whether
that’s enhancing their confidence to answer questions in class,
increasing their resilience to difficult life situations or improving
the communication skills of children who have English as an additional
language; no child comes away from the programme worse off.
Good initiatives exist but more action needed to tackle marine plastics
- IUCN A new IUCN Europe report shows that a number of policy initiatives
are already in place to protect our oceans from plastic pollution –
however Europe can still do more to protect our oceans from plastics. By 2050, an estimated 99% of sea birds will have ingested plastic.
Plastic does not biodegrade once in the ocean but instead breaks down
into microplastics that are now found in most marine waters globally.
Micro-plastics can even be found in marine products for human
consumption, such as sea salt. The importance of the issue of marine
plastic litter is overwhelming. A new report by IUCN explores national policies in EU Member States
tackling marine plastic litter. The report does not intend to be
comprehensive but it indicates that there are still important gaps in
legislation, in particular related to the issue of microplastics. This
is also because there are still significant gaps in knowledge,
especially about the global releases of microplastics – although recent
reports such as the IUCN study 'Primary
microplastics in the oceans' are helping to address this. “The IUCN report shows there is currently strong political interest
and understanding of the need for accelerated action on marine plastic
litter,” said Luc Bas, Director of IUCN’s European Regional Office,
adding, “the upcoming EU Plastics Strategy is an opportunity to help
coordinate action at EU level, set a level playing field, and define a
higher level of ambition for the EU and its Member States to tackle
marine plastic waste.”
Download the full report (PDF) Scientific Publications Jalonen, R., Valette, M., Boshier, D., Duminil, J. and Thomas, E.,
Forest and landscape restoration severely constrained by a lack of
attention to the quantity and quality of tree seed: Insights from a
global survey. Conservation Letters. Accepted Author Manuscript.
doi:10.1111/conl.12424 Gallo, T., Lehrer, E. W., Fidino, M., Kilgour, R. J., Wolff, P. J.
and Magle, S.
Need for multiscale planning for conservation of urban bats.
Conservation Biology. Accepted Author Manuscript. doi:10.1111/cobi.13047
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