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Headlines from week beginning 7 May 2018 |
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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
Forestry on the up says Ewing - Forestry
Commission Scotland With an increase of funding resulting in more woodland creation,
buoyant timber prices and a strong demand for wood, Rural Economy
Secretary, Fergus Ewing says conditions for growth have never been
better in the forestry sector.
Wales to become first ‘Refill Nation’ in the World
- Welsh Government The Environment Minister Hannah Blythyn has announced plans to
consolidate Wales’s place as the leading UK nation for recycling and
reducing waste, as well as her ambition for Wales to be the World’s
first ‘Refill Nation.’ To become the UK’s first ‘Refill Nation’, work will get underway to
improve access to drinking water in public places across Wales. The
Welsh Government will work with City to Sea on developing the Refill
campaign for Wales, as well as working closely with water companies in
Wales and more widely with our businesses, charities and major events.
The work will also include a behavioural change campaign to help people
see the value of water and make tap water their first choice for
hydration. The Minister will also announce an additional £15 million of capital
funding to further improve Local Authority recycling collection systems
and infrastructure, including for plastics. Speaking at the Senedd today, Hannah Blythyn will announce the key findings of the research on Extended Producer Responsibility which focused on reducing and recycling waste and reducing litter from six types of food and drink packaging. Responding to the report, the Minister confirmed that the Welsh
Government will work with Defra and other devolved administrations
Community Links Fund - Scottish Government Budget more than doubled for walking and cycling projects. A
fund, which supports the introduction of new walking and cycling
infrastructure, will be more than doubled, Transport Minister Humza
Yousaf has announced. £36m will be available through the Community
Links Fund in 2018/19, the highest amount since it was launched in 2010. The fund has previously helped projects like the cycling and walking
path between Elgin and Lhanbryde, a cycle path linking Glasgow City
Centre with its southern suburbs, and plans to redesign Stirling Road in
Dunblane. Mr Yousaf said: “We want Scotland to be an active nation, where
people lead healthier and more active lifestyles. Cyclists often tell me
they want to see more safe cycling infrastructure, which I fully endorse
and is one of the reasons why this is the highest amount we’ve ever
invested in the Community Links Fund. We want this extra money to create
pleasant and safe routes which make it easier for people of all ages to
choose to walk and cycle as part of their everyday lives. This is a
great opportunity for organisations to bring forward projects that will
encourage people to make active travel a bigger part of their daily
lives and realise the health and environmental benefits that come with
it."
Malham Peregrine Project attracts 250,000th visitor
- Yorkshire Dales National Park A man from East Morton near Keighley became the quarter of a
millionth visitor to the peregrine falcon public viewpoint at Malham
Cove. Jamie Brown, 25, came to the viewpoint just as the male
peregrine swooped from a cliff ledge to fly at speed above the heads of
onlookers. The Malham Peregrine Project is a partnership between
the RSPB and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA) and is
now in its 16th year. Mr Brown, who was on a visit home to see his parents, said he’d loved
seeing the peregrine: “It was great to see him through the telescopes
up on the ledge – and amazing when he flew above our heads. I love
coming home to see the Dales and get the fresh air – the nearest I get
to wildlife now is at Richmond Park [in south London].” The peregrines’ nest site is high up on the Cove. Unlike last year,
the nest is well into a crevice, rather than close to the edge, so it is
difficult to get sight of it. However, it is now known that this year’s
chicks have hatched, because the adult male was today seen taking food
into the nest for the first time. YDNPA Wildlife Officer, Ian Court, said: “Thank you to Jamie for
posing for photos. He realised what a big moment it was for the Malham
Peregrine Project to receive its 250,000th visitor. The peregrines at
Malham have been huge for the Yorkshire Dales National Park, both from
the point of view of enthusing people about wildlife and drawing people
in to the benefit of the local economy. I’ve had children jumping up
and down with excitement after seeing a peregrine for the first time.”
Benefits of primary school gardening -
Horticultural Trades Association of this year’s National Children’s Gardening Week (26 May-3 June) a
report has been published by the HTA on the uptake and benefits of
school gardening in UK primary schools. Together, we help children grow - The state of primary school
gardening in the UK – highlights that 9 out of 10 primary schools run
gardening activities. 94% of primary school heads and deputies believe
that school gardening benefits either pupils’ health, mental wellbeing,
social skills, concentration or learning. In spite of this though
schools have only 33p per pupil to spend on the activity, and are in
need of more funding and volunteer support. The report highlights the tremendous job that schools are doing with
limited resources. With more support they could deliver even more
benefits for the UK’s children. School gardening has been shown to
have many benefits to health and wellbeing. These benefits include:
Download:
Together we help children grow, the state of primary school gardening in
the UK report (PDF)
New funding for Chesil Beach Little Tern project
- Dorset Wildlife Trust The Isle and Royal Manor of Portland Court Leet have generously
doubled their annual contribution to the Chesil Beach Little Tern
Project, helping to secure a safe future for this important seabird
colony. As stewards of the Crown common land on Portland, the Court Leet play
an important role in overseeing various activities. They are perhaps
best known for administering the beach hut rentals and of course beating
the bounds, but their support in helping ensure the survival of the
little terns on Chesil is less well known. They have been partners in the current recovery project since its
inception in 2009 after the colony had suffered a steep decline in
numbers and was on the verge of extinction. The terns nest on that part
of the beach which is common land and consequently the Court felt it was
appropriate to help out. The Chesil Beach Little Tern Recovery Project is a partnership
between the Portland Court Leet, The Crown Estates, Natural England,
Dorset Wildlife Trust, Chesil Bank and the Fleet Nature Reserve and the
RSPB who manage the project.
Since 2009 the terns have begun a dramatic recovery through the
introduction of new management techniques and an increased wardening
presence. As well as employing seasonal wardens the project has come to
rely on a growing band of local volunteers with more than 50 people
assisting in the 24/7 wardening last year. 2017 was yet again a record breaking year. The colony has grown from
just 10 pairs in 2009 to 38 pairs. And 73 fledglings, the most ever
recorded at Chesil, left the beach with their parents to fly back to
West Africa for the winter. In fact for the second year running the
Chesil colony was the most successful in the whole of the British Isles
in terms of productivity (1.92 fledglings per pair) and in the top five
for total numbers of fledglings.
And finally for Tuesday: We have an exclusive article from Fields in Trust all about their research in CJS Focus on Greenspace, due for publication on Monday 21 May, watch our social media for more details.
Beavers' do dam good work cleaning water, research reveals
– Devon Wildlife Trust Beavers could help clean up polluted rivers and stem the loss of
valuable soils from farms, new research shows.
The research, led by hydrologist Professor Richard Brazier, found
that the work of a single family of beavers had removed high levels of
sediment, nitrogen and phosphorus from the water that flowed through
their 2.5 hectare enclosure. Beavers have been shown to reduce pollution entering water supplies. Photo, Michael Symes All the work of one family: The family of beavers, which have lived
in fenced site at a secret location in West Devon since 2011, have built
13 dams, slowing the flow of water and creating a series of deep ponds
along the course of what was once a small stream. Researchers measured the amount of sediment suspended, phosphorus and
nitrogen in water running into the site and then compared this to water
as it ran out of the site having passed through the beavers’ ponds and
dams. They also measured the amount of sediment, phosphorus and nitrogen
trapped by the dams in each of the ponds. Their results showed the dams had trapped more than 100 tonnes of
sediment, 70% of which was soil, which had eroded from ‘intensively
managed grassland’ fields upstream. Further investigation revealed that
this sediment contained high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus,
which are nutrients known to create problems for the wildlife in rivers
and streams and which also need to be removed from human water supplies
to meet drinking-quality standards. Access the report: You can read the
full research report ‘Sediment
and Nutrient Storage in a Beaver Engineered Wetland’ is published in
the academic journal, Earth Processes and Landforms.
World’s largest rodent eradication project a success: South Georgia
declared rodent-free!
Habitat Restoration Project Timeline Infographic
(image: SGHT) After nearly a decade of planning and four
sub-Antarctic seasons of work by an exceptional international team, the
South Georgia Heritage Trust (SGHT) has today [Tuesday 8 May] declared
South Georgia free of rodents for the first time since humans arrived on
the island more than two centuries ago. Professor Mike Richardson,
Chairman of the SGHT Habitat Restoration Project Steering Committee
said: “South Georgia Heritage Trust is delighted to declare that its
Habitat Restoration Project is complete and that invasive rodents have
been successfully eradicated from the island. It has been a privilege to
work on this conservation project, the largest of its kind anywhere in
the world, and I am immensely proud of what the small charity has
achieved - it has been a huge team effort.
Titchmarsh: “Make a metre for pollinators” –
Butterfly Conservation Alan Titchmarsh is calling on gardeners to make a metre for wildlife
this summer by providing a refuge for struggling butterflies, moths and
other pollinators. Butterfly Conservation’s (BC) Vice-president and celebrity gardener
Alan, is launching the charity’s ‘Plots
for Pollinators’ campaign. The project encourages people to set aside one square metre of their
garden or outdoor space to plant a nectar-rich flowerbed, or a colourful
container garden. Alan said: “The future of our butterflies, moths and other
pollinating insects is under threat, as the places where they live are
disappearing. Pollinating insects are important for the fertilisation of many
crops, as well as other plants, trees and wild flowers. Gardens can act as important refuges for pollinators, which are
increasingly under threat from habitat loss, agricultural
intensification and climate change. Previously widespread species, such as the Small Tortoiseshell and
Garden Tiger moth, have seen their numbers plummet in recent years.
Help protect our ground nesting birds this spring and summer
– Cairngorms National Park
(image: Cairngorms National Park) At this time of year the Park is a particularly important breeding
area for ground nesting birds such as capercaillie, lapwings, curlews
and hen harriers to name a few. At this time of year our woodlands,
moorlands and farmlands are where these species like to nest and raise
their chicks – they don’t nest up trees; they prefer the ground and are
therefore so much more vulnerable to predation and disturbance. Which is
why the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA), as the Outdoor Access
Authority, is asking dog owners to be particularly careful when out and
about over these next few months. Residents and visitors alike are being asked to be mindful that
ground nesting birds could be close by. If you know or suspect a nest is
close, try your best to avoid it and give a wide berth to young birds or
to adult birds that seem to be distressed. If in doubt, you could stay
on main paths and tracks, put your dog on a lead or keep it under very
close control. Andy Ford, Cairngorms Nature Manager said: “Ground nesting birds are
extremely vulnerable, and with some very rare species in the Cairngorms
National Park, we need to do all we can to help them. We know that our
dogs mean no harm but if disturbed, birds may be prevented from
settling, or if already nesting they will fly away from their nests,
neglecting their eggs or chicks.”
Recovery of nature must be at heart of government’s proposals for the
future of food, farming and the environment –
The Wildlife Trusts Call to recognise the value of wild places as government consultation
closes
Hare rape seed oil field (c) Chris Gomersall
2020VISION
However, The Wildlife Trusts’ consultation response asked for a more
ambitious strategy to arrest decades of wildlife decline and allow
natural ecosystems to recover.
Rescue effort saves rare eggs after spring flooding
– Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust Unseasonal April downpours have forced tens of thousands of birds to
nest away from the safety of the wetlands after their habitat in the
Fens, East Anglia became submerged.
(image: Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust)
Hannah Ward, RSPB Project Manager at Project Godwit, said: “The Nene and Ouse Washes in The Fens are two of just a handful of
sites in the UK where black-tailed godwit breed. Historically, they nest
on the washes, but the high water has forced them onto wheat fields
where eggs have been fused to the mud and the tall crops conceal
potential predators. Due to the conditions these eggs have been
subjected to, we are anticipating a reduction in the numbers of eggs
that hatch.” Conservationists have been using a technique known as head-starting –
raising young birds from eggs collected in the wild – to help boost the
UK godwit population. Their numbers at the Ouse Washes are now
critically low but it’s hoped that head-starting in combination with the
creation of wetland habitat could restore the population to the numbers
seen in the 1970s.
Waterbird survey celebrates platinum anniversary
- BTO The BTO/RSPB/JNCC Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS), one of the longest
running citizen science surveys in the world, is celebrating its 70th
anniversary. As World Migratory Bird Day nears on Saturday 12th May, the
latest WeBS report, Waterbirds in the UK 2016/17, has been released,
reporting on 110 waterbird populations. The UK is of international
importance for millions of migratory waterbirds which spend the winter
here or pass through on their way to their breeding grounds in the north
and east.
21 years of Operation Easter: is the end in sight for egg collecting?
– National Wildlife Crime Unit Operation Easter comes of age this year as it celebrates 21 years of
protecting nests from egg collectors.
(image: NWCU) The operation has helped to notch up a long list of convictions and
now hopes to eradicate illegal egg collecting within a generation. But
that won’t mean the work is over. It’ll continue to share intelligence
on the trade in the eggs of wild birds, as well as protecting nesting
birds from disturbance caused by over-zealous bird watchers and
photographers approaching too close or by people intent on stealing
chicks for falconry or destroying eggs or chicks for game or livestock
protection purposes. The Chair of PAW Scotland, Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham
MSP said: “Over the last 21 years Operation Easter has played a vital
role in Scotland’s efforts to tackle wildlife crime, by protecting many
of our wonderful bird species from egg collectors.
New environment law to deliver a Green Brexit
- Defra Environmental Principles and Governance Bill announced as
consultation launches on new body to hold government to account. A new Environmental Principles and Governance Bill will ensure
environmental protections will not be weakened as we leave the EU, the
government has confirmed. A consultation has started today on the contents of the Environmental
Principles and Governance Bill, which will establish a world-leading
body to hold government to account for environmental outcomes. The body will support our commitment to be the first generation to
leave our environment in a better state than that in which we inherited
it. It will provide scrutiny and advice as we protect and enhance our
precious landscapes, wildlife and natural assets and would be able to
hold government to account on environmental legislation.
Scottish communities benefit from £6million Bags of Help funding
- greenspace scotland Community groups from across Scotland joined MSPs, Tesco colleagues
and partners at a celebration event at the Scottish Parliament
yesterday. The event celebrated over 2000 community projects across
Scotland receiving £6 million from the Tesco Bags of Help programme.
The event was organised to mark the success of the supermarket’s
flagship community grant scheme, Bags of Help. The initiative sees
grants raised from the sale of carrier bags awarded to thousands of
local community projects every year. To mark the success of the project so far, Tesco and greenspace
scotland invited representatives from more than 30 groups and partners
to an exclusive Parliamentary event at Holyrood. Tesco works with
environmental charities greenspace scotland and Groundwork to put the
funding into action. Emma Halliday, community enabler coordinator at greenspace scotland,
said: “Bags of Help is breathing life into community projects all over
Scotland. Working on the frontline of these projects, alongside Tesco,
we see projects going from an idea, right through to completion. The
funding is having a real impact on communities and this event will raise
awareness of that.”
Fight against throwaway culture - Scottish
Government Experts from retail, the waste and chemical industries, the public
sector and academia have joined a Scottish Government panel tackling
plastic pollution. The government has also appointed current Electoral Commissioner Dame
Sue Bruce as chair of the Expert Panel on Environmental Charges and
Other Measures, a group that will provide advice on dealing with
disposable cups and plastic straws. Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: “Scotland has
demonstrated leadership in tackling plastic pollution. We were the first
country in the UK to commit to introducing a deposit return scheme and
we are currently consulting on proposals to ban the manufacture and sale
of plastic-stemmed cotton buds, one of the items most commonly found on
our beaches. But I want to go further, and the creation of our
expert panel is an important step towards seriously addressing this
issue in Scotland. The panel’s expertise and skills from across waste,
legal, retail and public sectors as well providing a voice for young
people and disabled people, will help us identify the bold actions we
can take in Scotland to encourage long-term, sustainable changes in
consumer and producer behaviour.”
Royal Horticultural Society rebrands pollinator plant label
- RHS The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has announced it is changing
the name of Perfect for Pollinators - a logo used by retailers to show
UK gardeners the flowering plants best for bees, butterflies and
hoverflies – to Plants for Pollinators.
Launched in 2011 in response to research that revealed a lack of
flowering plants for pollinators, the RHS had been reviewing the logo
after studies found that some of the plants carrying it contained traces
of pesticides. While the RHS encourages responsible growing practices, it cannot, as
a charity, police how hundreds of thousands of plants are grown each
year within the horticultural trade. Rather than get rid of the brand
altogether – which would undermine efforts to boost pollinator numbers –
it was decided to change the name to Plants for Pollinators; showing
gardeners those flowering plants that are attractive to pollinators
without commenting on the way in which they have been grown. The RHS has also made available to gardeners a list of organic
nurseries and will be working with the industry over the coming months
to see how information about how plants have been grown can be shared
with gardeners to help them make better informed decisions.
Genetic clues reveal origins of killer fungus behind the ‘amphibian
plague’ A deadly fungus responsible for the devastation of amphibian
populations around the world may have originated in East Asia, new
research has found. Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), known as chytrid fungus, has
long been identified as a cause of the decline and extinction of species
of frogs, toads, newts and other amphibians across several continents.
Chytrid is distributed around the world but to date it has remained
unclear where killer strains of the pathogen first emerged. Now, new research published in the journal Science and led by
researchers at Imperial College London alongside partners including ZSL
(Zoological Society of London), suggests the killer fungus currently
ravaging global amphibian populations originated in East Asia. The researchers highlight the need to tighten biosecurity across
borders, including a potential ban on trade in amphibians as pets to
ensure the survival of vulnerable species. Dr Simon O’Hanlon, from the Department of Infectious Disease
Epidemiology at Imperial and first author of the paper, said:
“Biologists have known since the 1990s that Bd was behind the decline of
many amphibian species, but until now we haven’t been able to identify
exactly where it came from. In our paper, we solve this problem and show
that the lineage which has caused such devastation can be traced back to
East Asia.” According to the researchers, human movement of amphibians – such as
through the pet trade – has directly contributed to spreading the
pathogen around the world. They add that the paper provides strong
evidence for a ban on trade in amphibians from Asia, due to the high
risk associated with exporting previously unknown strains of chytrid out
of this region. The group also highlights the threat of another amphibian pathogen
which has also emerged from Asia (B. salamandrivorans or BSal) affecting
salamanders in Europe and whose spread is also linked with the global
trade in pet amphibians from Asia. Professor Matthew Fisher, from the School of Public Health at
Imperial, said: “Our research not only points to East Asia as ground
zero for this deadly fungal pathogen, but suggests we have only
uncovered the tip of the iceberg of chytrid diversity in Asia.
Therefore, until the ongoing trade in infected amphibians is halted, we
will continue to put our irreplaceable global amphibian biodiversity
recklessly at risk.”
Find out more about the research Access the paper: Simon J. O’Hanlon et
al
Recent Asian origin of chytrid fungi causing global amphibian declines
Science 11 May 2018:Vol. 360, Issue 6389, pp. 621-627 DOI:
10.1126/science.aar1965
Scientific Publications Jacob Nabe, Nielsen, Floris M van Beest, Volker Grimm, Richard M
Sibly, Jonas Teilmann & Paul M Thompson.
Predicting the impacts of anthropogenic disturbances on marine
populations. Conservation Letters. DOI: 10.1111/conl.12563
Richard D. Woods, Michael Kings, Guillam E. McIvor & Alex Thornton
Caller
characteristics influence recruitment to collective anti-predator events
in jackdaws Scientific Reports doi:10.1038/s41598-018-25793-y
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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. |
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Image:
© Andy Morffew via Dorset Wildlife Trust
The
study, undertaken by scientists at the University of Exeter using a
captive beaver trial run by the Devon Wildlife Trust, has demonstrated
the significant impact the animals have had on reducing the flow of
tonnes of soil and nutrients from nearby fields into a local river
system.
Three rodent detection dogs covered a total of 2420km, with
their two female dog handlers walking 1608km, searching for signs of
rats and mice as part of a comprehensive monitoring survey
The
Cairngorms National Park is a very important place for wildlife and
we’re lucky enough to have some of the UK’s rarest species on our
doorstep – and we all have a role to play in helping them to thrive.
Last
night the government consultation on the future of food, farming and the
environment once we leave the EU closed after receiving over 44,000
responses. This is a huge moment for the future of our natural heritage
and wildlife – and so The Wildlife Trusts were among those who submitted
responses.
Conservationists,
trying to protect the rare black-tailed godwit, discovered clutches of
their eggs on nearby farmland, trapped in mud, sparking fears over their
future. Thankfully, farmers and conservationists were able to work
together to help save the eggs.
The
annual campaign was developed in Scotland and is now facilitated by the
National Wildlife Crime Unit based in Stirling, in conjunction with UK
Police Forces and partner agencies. It has always been fully supported
and approved by the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW)
Scotland.
The
new Plants for Pollinators label (image: RHS)
