|
A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
Climate change has a dangerous twin that is killing the UK’s countryside
even more quickly – Chris Packham’s UK
Bioblitz We know that climate change is exacting a catastrophic impact across
the planet and upon the UK’s wildlife, but running in a clear parallel
is another system in chaos – the earth’s nitrogen cycle. As we and our
politicians grapple to understand the huge upset in the carbon cycle,
exacerbated by our excessive consumption, little attention is focused on
this equally dangerous phenomenon. And its being fuelled in the fields
of our countryside. Chris says ‘This is simply not on people’s radar, even most
environmentalists are not aware of the enormous danger this imbalance
represents, and yet its effects are plain to see. I’m certain that over
the next ten days we will find that the excessive use of nitrogenous
fertilizers is having a disastrous impact on the UK’s wildlife.’
He adds ‘Human production of fixed nitrogen is now five times higher
than it was just 60 years ago, and the planet has never had this much
fixed nitrogen ever in its history. The potential consequences are every
bit as terrifying as climate change.’ Chris Packham’s Bioblitz started on Saturday 14th July. For 10 days,
he and a team of experts will be visiting 50 wildlife sites in Scotland,
Northern Ireland, England and Wales to highlight the extent to which the
nation’s wildlife is under threat. One of the threats facing our wildlife is the addition of chemicals
to our countryside, including nitrogen.
Cranes here to stay, new model predicts - WWT The UK’s tallest bird – the common crane – is here to stay and we
could have as many as 275 breeding pairs within 50 years, according to
the
latest population model from scientists at the University of Exeter, WWT
and RSPB published in Animal Conservation. Crane with chick at WWT Slimbridge © Mark Hughes Cranes recolonised the East of England in 1979 after being extinct in
the UK for 400 years. Since then conservationists have done what they
can to support the small population. However, cranes breed slowly and
for the next two decades their numbers remained low, leaving them at
continued risk of a second extinction. According to the new population model, an important part of the
growth was due to new arrivals from continental Europe until 2010, when
conservationists started to import eggs and release fledgling cranes in
the West of England as part of the Great Crane Project. By 2014 the Great Crane Project had reinforced the UK crane
population with 90 new birds. According to the model, the result is
likely to be an increase of 50% in the number of breeding cranes we can
expect in the UK in 50 years’ time. Dr Andrea Soriano-Redondo led the research as part of her PhD. She
said: “Any small and newly established group is particularly vulnerable
to random events such as an outbreak of disease. Knowing how many there
are isn’t enough to predict whether they’re safe. Understanding the
interplay between new arrivals, births and deaths enables us to judge
the risks they face and predict their future with far more certainty.” Cranes start to breed when they’re around four years old. They can
live for 30 years or more, but even in a successful breeding season they
only rear one or two chicks.
New project seeks Welsh volunteers to help save one of the world’s
rarest sharks – ZSL In an exciting collaboration between fishers and conservationists, a
new project focused on demystifying the threats and history of the
Critically
Endangered Angelshark (Squatina squatina) off the coast of
Wales, launches today, 17 July 2018. A juvenile Angelshark (Squatina squatina) ©
Michael Sealey Fishers, divers, school children and those over the age of 60 - and
everyone in between - are being asked to get involved in this pioneering
new project that aims to safeguard this unique species, once abundant in
Welsh waters. ‘The Angel Shark Project: Wales’ led by international conservation
charity ZSL (Zoological Society of London) and Natural Resources Wales
(NRW) will be run alongside twelve other partner organisations. The
project aims to shine a spotlight on one of the world’s rarest sharks by
working with five coastal communities across Wales. Data gathered from
community memories, historical research, fisher knowledge and citizen
science surveys, will help build a better understanding and conservation
plan for the species. Joanna Barker, Marine and Freshwater Project Manager at ZSL said: “We
have an exciting opportunity to understand and improve the status of
Angelsharks in Wales, which is potentially one of the last strongholds
for this amazing shark. Our approach of combining conservation and
social science is a method that we hope will provide benefits to both
the population of Angelsharks, but also to local communities we’re
working with that rely on the ocean for their livelihood”.
Multi-million pound project to reopen UK's longest river to protected
fish species – Canal & River Trust Work begins this week on a major UK wildlife project on the River
Severn thanks largely to £10.8m from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) –
using
National Lottery players’ money - and £6m from the European Union LIFE
programme. Diglis Weir (Canal River Trust) The £19.7m project is one of the largest of its kind ever attempted
in Europe, and also one of the biggest natural environment schemes ever
supported by HLF. 'Unlocking the Severn for People and Wildlife' is
being run by the Trust, Severn Rivers Trust, Environment Agency and
Natural England. The project will reopen 158 miles of the River
Severn to fish,
by creating routes around physical barriers that currently prevent
migration to critical spawning grounds. This will help to secure the
long-term future of many of the UK’s declining and protected fish
species, particularly the now threatened twaite and allis shad which
hundreds of years ago were a staple food in the court of Henry III. State of the art fish passes Many of these two shad species and possibly sea and river lamprey
that we unable to migrate beyond Diglis became extinct in the upper
reaches of the river following the installation of locks and weirs
needed to allow navigation that powered the industrial revolution in the
1700s. State of the art fish passes will now be installed on four
navigation weirs on the River Severn and fish passage improvements made
at two sites on the River Teme. Sir Peter Luff, chair of the Heritage Lottery Fund, said: "The
National Lottery is one of the biggest funders of the UK’s natural
heritage, so it’s entirely fitting it is supporting 'Unlocking the
Severn for People and Wildlife'. The shad may be almost unknown now, but
it was the fish of kings and queens, from Henry III to Elizabeth I and
Charles II.”
Commonwealth countries unite to tackle ocean plastic pollution
- Defra Countries across the Commonwealth meet to discuss next steps in
tackling plastic entering the marine environment. Four more countries have signed up to UK and Vanuatu-led efforts to
tackle ocean plastic, announced Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey
today as she hosted the first meeting of the Commonwealth Clean Oceans
Alliance (CCOA). The Alliance, which was announced by the Prime Minister during the
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London (16-18 April), aims
to unite countries around the Commonwealth so they can work together to
turn the tide on plastic entering the marine environment. It sees each
country pledging to take action – be this by a ban on microbeads, a
commitment to cutting down on single use plastic bags, or other steps to
eliminate avoidable plastic waste. High Commissioners from over 30 Commonwealth countries, including
Tanzania and Nigeria who have not formally signed up to the Alliance,
met in London today to share the ambitions and expertise they have and
reiterate their commitment to healthy oceans.
Perthshire ospreys take maiden flights -
Scottish Wildlife Trust Both osprey chicks at the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Loch of the Lowes
Visitor Centre and Wildlife Reserve near Dunkeld have now taken their
maiden flights.
The
youngest bird, LN1, took off from the nest on the afternoon of Tuesday
17 July. (image: Scottish Wildlife Trust) Both chicks have spent the last few weeks stretching their wing
muscles and briefly hovering on the nest. Reserve Manager Rab Potter said: “Now that both chicks are in the air
it is a great time to visit Loch of the Lowes to catch a glimpse of
these birds as they get to grips with flying ahead of their long
migration south for winter. The chicks were both ringed by a licensed bird ringer on Monday 2
July. They were given the ring numbers PT0 and LN1 and both birds are
believed to be male. Parent birds LM12 and LF15 have been breeding together at Loch of the
Lowes since 2015. They have successfully raised 10 chicks in that time.
Milestone for managing seas in South of England reached
- Marine Management Organisation The Government has now adopted England’s South Marine Plan, which
brings a new approach to managing the seas between Kent and Devon. The new marine plan provides a policy framework which will be used to
help inform decision-making on what activities take place in the marine
environment and where how the marine environment is developed, protected
and improved in the next 20 years. It will inform and guide decisions by
regulators managing the development of industry in marine and coastal
areas, while conserving and enhancing the environment and recognising
leisure uses. The plan will help business realise the economic benefits available
from the Marine Plan area whilst ensuring the marine environment remains
protected. Covering an area of approximately 1,700 kilometres of
coastline and over 21,000 square kilometres of sea, the plan stretches
from Folkestone in Kent to the River Dart in Devon. This is a very
dynamic marine area incorporating 9 world heritage sites and some of the
busiest shipping channels in Europe.
Record numbers of dormice - Hunthouse Wood -
Worcestershire Wildlife Trust
Record
numbers of dormice are being found in surveys of a Wyre Forest woodland. Dormouse at Hunthouse Wood (c) Dom Cragg Volunteer surveyors, monitoring populations of the rare mammal on
behalf of Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, discovered 17 dormice including
adults and young in 2017. Monitoring of dormice in the Trust’s Hunthouse Wood near Clows Top
has been taking place for more than eight years. Dom Cragg, the Trust’s conservation officer responsible for the wood,
explained “We’re delighted by the results of this latest survey. Dormice
are one of our most elusive species of wildlife and it can be very hard
to know precisely just how many individuals there are on a site. “It’s unusual to find so many early in the surveying year. It
indicates that they’re doing well so we’re looking forward to finding
them in good numbers later in the year.
New hope for red squirrels - Natural
Resources Wales Work to boost red squirrel populations in North Wales is proving
successful as Natural Resources Wales (NRW) captures footage of a young
squirrel.
(image:
Natural Resources Wales) Earlier this year, NRW released seven red squirrels in Clocaenog
Forest as part of a project to secure their future. And now, wildlife cameras have provided the first evidence of
breeding, capturing videos of a young squirrel exploring outside. Rhys Jenkins, Conservation and Heritage Manager, Natural Resources
Wales, said: “Red squirrels are such an important part of our
environment, our heritage and our culture in Wales and we have a duty to
protect them for future generations. We believe two of the females we
released have had young and the video shows one of the baby squirrels -
it is a bit shaky on its feet but great to see. But what’s really
interesting is that it has a pale tip on its tail which is
characteristic of Welsh genetics. This has lead us to think that one of
the females we released bred with a wild Clocaenog male which is really
exciting – and shows how well they are settling in.” They are being monitored closely by NRW and local volunteers from Red
Squirrels Trust Wales who regularly check cameras in the forest to see
where the squirrels are going and how they are doing. This contributes to a UK-wide collaboration called Red Squirrels
United (RSU).
Councils urged to adopt bee-friendly grass-cutting and introduce
pollinator action plans - Buglife
Cutting parks less helps flowers and helps
pollinators © S Burgess Policies such as cutting areas of grass less frequently in parks and
roadside verges to allow wild flowers to grow aren’t just good for bees
- they can save councils thousands of pounds too. Dorset County Council saves around £93,000 a year by only cutting
rural road verges when needed, Burnley Borough Council estimates that it
saves around £60,000 per annum from cutting back on grass-cutting to
help pollinators, and Monmouthshire County Council estimates that the
saving made from a reduction in highway verge mowing is approximately
£35,000 each year. Buglife and Friends of the Earth have produced a comprehensive guide
for councils setting out policies that would help pollinators in their
area. Habitat loss is a major contributor towards pollinator decline,
and the guide includes easy, cost-effective measures to protect and
restore pollinator-friendly habitats in their local areas.
First ever habitat connectivity report using species data shows positive
impact of policies on butterflies -
University of Reading Butterflies are benefitting from environmental action to increase
their habitats, scientists have argued following a pioneering government
report. Research published today on the ability of butterflies to move around
the countryside shows butterflies, including much-loved species like the
Speckled Wood butterfly, have recovered significantly since a worrying
decline at the end of the last millennium.
This
connectivity data, published for the first time by the University of
Reading, Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), Centre for Ecology
and Hydrology and Butterfly Conservation, is important as it could allow
conservationists to better manage landscapes for biodiversity, if
updated regularly. (image: University of Reading)
University of Reading scientists analysed 33 butterfly species, using
data from a long-term monitoring scheme, the UK Butterfly Monitoring
Scheme between 1980 and 2016, to show the long-term trend in
connectivity.
Attenborough: ‘Watching butterflies is good for you!’ Sir David Attenborough has spoken of the mental health benefits of
watching butterflies as he urged the public to take part in the world’s
biggest butterfly survey over the next three weeks.
The
UK’s butterflies are basking in the best summer conditions for more than
a decade with hot sunny weather enabling widespread species to fly, feed
and breed. Sir David Attenborough with identification chart (image:
Butterfly Conservation) The Big Butterfly Count launches today (20/7/18) and Butterfly
Conservation President Sir David said that taking part not only
generates important data on butterflies but also provides participants
with precious time out from the stresses of life. Research has indicated that spending time in nature, for example
watching wildlife, can have positive benefits for mental health and
wellbeing. Sir David explained: “I have been privileged to have witnessed some
truly breath-taking wildlife spectacles in far-flung locations but some
of my most memorable experiences have happened when I’ve been simply
sitting and watching the wildlife that lives where I do. A few precious
moments spent watching a stunning Red Admiral or Peacock butterfly
feeding amongst the flowers in my garden never fails to bring me great
pleasure. Spending time with nature offers us all precious breathing
space away from the stresses and strains of modern life, it enables us
to experience joy and wonder, to slow down and to appreciate the
wildlife that lives side-by-side with us.” Butterfly Conservation is being supported by mental health charity
Mind to champion the benefits of spending time in nature. Stephen
Buckley, Head of Information at Mind, said: “We’re delighted to see that
Butterfly Conservation is promoting the mental health benefits of
getting outdoors. At Mind, we have found that being in nature can have a
powerful, grounding effect, with research indicating that it can help
alleviate mental health problems like depression and anxiety." The Count runs from 20 July to 12 August. Taking part in the Count is
easy - find a sunny spot anywhere in the UK and spend 15 minutes
counting the butterflies you see and then submit sightings online at
www.bigbutterflycount.org or
via the free Big Butterfly Count app.
Ordnance Survey’s 100 biggest parks in Britain
- OS With the summer holidays upon us and a heatwave showing no signs of
letting up, Ordnance Survey (OS) has revealed the 100 biggest public
parks in Britain. The list, which covers England, Scotland and Wales, was created after
a study of OS Open Greenspace Data. Its publication coincides with Love
Parks Week, an annual initiative encouraging people to get outside and
enjoy their favourite parks or visit somewhere new. Added together the size of the top 100 public parks (397.57 km²)
creates a green space bigger than the size of the Isle of Wight
(370km²). Windsor Great Park in Berkshire, with its famous Long Walk and deer
park, tops the list as Britain’s biggest. It measures 28.53 km² and
dwarves the others in size by comparison. Second biggest is Cannock Chase Country Park in Staffordshire
(19.56km²), with Rutland Water coming third (16.95km²) Greater London has the most parks in the top 100 with six, (6.
Richmond, 26. Hainault, 32 Bushy Park, 49. Wimbledon Common, 63. Hampton
Court, 77. Belhus Woods) followed by neighbouring Essex with five. Scotland has 18 parks that make the list, while Wales has six. OS Managing Director for Leisure, Nick Giles, said: “We are fortunate
to live in a country characterised by huge public parks and green spaces
to get outside in and enjoy. Click through to see the 100 Biggest Parks in Britain list in full.
Woodlands
Awards 2018 by woodlands.co.uk The Woodlands Awards are now in their second year, after the
successful launch in 2017. We have made a few changes, but the intention remains the same: to
celebrate – and give due recognition to – all the wonderful and
innovative things that are taking place in the woodlands sector year on
year. And this year we have two new categories to consider: Best Woodland
Sculpture, and – just for fun – Best Woodland Hair (or/and Beard). There are fourteen awards altogether, divided into two groups: awards
for individuals (woodland owners and users) and awards for enterprises
(woodland organisations, businesses, educational programmes and so on). Deadline for all submissions: 31 July 2018.
Critically endangered fen orchid flowers for first time in 40 years
- Plantlife Beautiful fenland species returns from localised extinction following
pioneering work by Plantlife and Suffolk Wildlife Trust. The critically endangered fen orchid has flowered for the first time
in Suffolk since 1975.
The
return of the rare orchid, which was locally extinct and whose location
cannot be disclosed for security reasons, is the result of a partnership
between Suffolk Wildlife Trust and British conservation charity
Plantlife. Fen orchid (image: Plantlife) The species, which is notable for its pale, yellow blooms and is
dependent on the unique, open conditions of fenland, disappeared from
the county due to habitat loss – a result of wetland being reclaimed for
agricultural use or fens being allowed to “scrub over” and slowly revert
to woodland. For the past 30 years Suffolk Wildlife Trust has been working to
restore a number of fenland sites by improving the amount of water,
removing encroaching scrub and re-instating traditional mowing
techniques. While birds, dragonflies, damselflies and other mobile species have
returned to the fens, the unique plant communities have needed more
direct action. In 2017, with habitat again suitable for the fen orchid, Plantlife
began a programme of translocations to sites in the valley fens, the
culmination of a ten year conservation strategy funded by Natural
England. The fact they are now flowering for the first time in over 40
years is hugely significant and is the result of painstaking work
between Plantlife, Suffolk Wildlife Trust and other members of the
partnership (RSPB, Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Butterfly Conservation and
the Broads Authority) to bring this species back from the brink of
extinction.
Swaledale survey highlights need for ecological network investment
- Yorkshire Dales National Park Special Scientific Interest has found that only 60% of them are, by
area, in good condition. The survey – which was carried out between May and September last
year – and was the first of its type for Swaledale – confirms that
significant investment is needed to create a resilient habitat network. A summary of the survey results has been published today (20/7). It
shows that less than 10% of native semi-natural woodland, rock outcrops
and upland flushes, and only 23% upland hay meadow, was in good
condition. More encouragingly, 80% of blanket bog, by far the largest
priority habitat surveyed, was in good condition.
Swaledale,
by Stephen Garnett YDNPA. The Swaledale survey was part of a ten-year programme of surveys
funded by the National Park Authority. When completed in 2020, they
will give a much better picture of the condition of priority habitats
right across the National Park. YDNPA Member Champion for Natural Environment, Ian McPherson,
said: “There are pockets of astonishing beauty and diversity in
Swaledale but, as in other parts of the National Park, too many of our
nationally-important habitats are in a poor to middling condition. Much
of the data confirms what we already suspected from previous surveys of
habitats inside Sites of Special Scientific Interest"
Read the report (PDF) The latest review of the overall trends and status of priority
habitats and species in the Yorkshire Dales National Park can be found
here.
Scientific Publications
Schmaljohann, H. , Müller, F. , Klinner, T. and Eikenaar, C.
Potential age differences in the migratory behaviour of a nocturnal
songbird migrant during autumn and spring J Avian Biol 49: e01815.
doi:10.1111/jav.01815
Sophie A. Comer-Warner, Paul Romeijn, Daren C. Gooddy, Sami Ullah,
Nicholas Kettridge, Benjamin Marchant, David M. Hannah & Stefan Krause
Thermal
sensitivity of CO2 and CH4 emissions varies with streambed sediment
properties Nature Communications volume 9, Article number: 2803
(2018)
|
|
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. |