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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
Heathrow takes vital step towards carbon neutrality
– Heathrow
Image: Heathrow Heathrow has announced its investment in an unique project in UK
aviation: the restoration of UK peatlands to offset carbon emissions.
Working with the Lancashire Wildlife Trust and DEFRA, Heathrow’s first
restoration priority will be Little Woolden Moss, part of Chat Moss
which is a larger area of peat bog land, west of Manchester, it has been
subject to commercial peat extraction for over 15 years. The restoration of the UK’s peatland bogs, forms part of Heathrow’s
plans to be a carbon neutral airport by 2020. By supporting research
into the climate benefits of peatland restoration, Heathrow hopes to
show that projects like this will make a good option for airlines’
CORSIA commitments – an international agreement to deliver carbon
neutral growth in aviation from 2020. This pilot project will also help
explore opportunities for peatland to deliver cost effective carbon
offsetting alongside a range of other benefits including biodiversity,
water quality, and flood protection.
Small Tortoiseshell crashes despite heatwave
– Butterfly Conservation
Numbers of one of the UK’s best known garden butterflies have
plummeted this summer despite the record-breaking hot weather, results
from the Big Butterfly Count have revealed. The
Small Tortoiseshell suffered its worst summer in the history of the Big
Butterfly Count with sightings falling by 32% compared to last year. Image: Butterfly Conservation Just 23,000 Small Tortoiseshell were counted by participants across
the UK during the three-week recording period which coincided with the
joint hottest summer on record. The population of the once common and widespread Small Tortoiseshell
has collapsed by 75% since the 1970s and there are now growing concerns
amongst scientists for the butterfly’s long-term future. Reasons for the ongoing decline are being investigated with climate
change, pollution and parasites all possible culprits. The hot, dry weather experienced across the UK this summer should
have helped most butterflies, but the Small Tortoiseshell was not the
only species to suffer a slump. Populations of Red Admiral and Comma were well down, 73% and 40%
respectively compared to the high numbers seen in the same period last
year, and Gatekeeper fell by 54%. But many other common species were seen in improved numbers in
response to the glorious summer weather. The three white butterflies enjoyed a bumper summer, each recording
large increases compared to last year.
Gove calls for 30 per cent of world’s oceans to be protected by 2030
- Defra UK government makes ambitious call to treble internationally-agreed
targets for ocean protection.
Image:
Defra UK calls for third of world’s oceans to be safeguarded by 2030 Current global targets for protected areas to treble under ambitious
plans Marine protection top of agenda at UN General Assembly in New York Environment Secretary Michael Gove has today called for a third of
the world’s oceans to be protected by 2030. Globally, less than 10 per cent of the world’s seas are currently
designated as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) – one of the most important
ways to protect precious sea life and habitats from damaging activity. Now, the UK is backing ambitious calls to treble
internationally-agreed targets for protected areas, meaning 30 per cent
of the world’s seas would be safeguarded as MPAs by 2030. This will build on the UK’s global leadership in protecting the
marine environment – with over 200,000 square miles of Britain’s
coastline already protected and recent proposals for 41 new Marine
Conservation Zones marking the most significant expansion of the ‘Blue
Belt’ to date.
Birdcrime Report: RSPB calls on governments to help end the illegal
persecution of birds of prey – RSPB The UK’s birds of prey continue to be at risk according the latest
Birdcrime report which has revealed a minimum of 68 confirmed incidents
of detected illegal bird of prey persecution in 2017. Birdcrime 2017 – the only report summarising offences against birds
of prey (also known as raptors) in the UK – revealed 48 shooting, 9
poisoning, 3 trapping, 4 nest destruction and 4 other incidents of
illegal persecution against raptors. However, evidence suggests these
figures are just the tip of the iceberg with many illegal killings going
undetected or unreported.
Hen harrier Circus cyaneus, female manoeuvering in flight,
Geltsdale, Cumbria (RSPB) And it’s not only detection that is a problem. There were just four
raptor persecution-related prosecutions in 2017 and only a single
conviction. Among the victims found were both rare species such as hen and marsh
harriers, peregrine falcons, and short-eared owls as well as more common
species such as red kites and buzzards, putting the ongoing recovery of
some of these species at risk. The report also revealed that more than three quarters (55) of the
confirmed incidents took place in England. However, incidents weren’t
confined to England, with the report highlighting confirmed case in
Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. Martin Harper, RSPB Conservation Director, said: “Birds of prey are
part of our heritage and inspire us. We should all be able to enjoy
seeing these magnificent birds, however illegal activity continues to
put species at risk. There are laws in place to protect these birds but
they are clearly not being respected or adequately enforced. We need
governments across the UK to do more to tackle illegal killing to
protect our raptors for us and for future generations to enjoy. ” For the full copy of Birdcrime 2017 report
click here
Common Weed Killer Linked to Bee Deaths –
University of Texas at Austin The world’s most widely used weed killer may also be indirectly
killing bees. New research from The University of Texas at Austin shows
that honey bees exposed to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup,
lose some of the beneficial bacteria in their guts and are more
susceptible
to infection and death from harmful bacteria.
Scientists believe this is evidence that glyphosate might be
contributing to the decline of honey bees and native bees around the
world. “We need better guidelines for glyphosate use, especially regarding
bee exposure, because right now the guidelines assume bees are not
harmed by the herbicide,” said Erick Motta, the graduate student who led
the research, along with professor Nancy Moran. “Our study shows that’s
not true.” The findings are published
this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
(open access) Because glyphosate interferes with an important enzyme found in
plants and microorganisms, but not in animals, it has long been assumed
to be nontoxic to animals, including humans and bees. But this latest
study shows that by altering a bee’s gut microbiome — the ecosystem of
bacteria living in the bee’s digestive tract, including those that
protect it from harmful bacteria — glyphosate compromises its ability to
fight infection. The researchers exposed honey bees to glyphosate at levels known to
occur in crop fields, yards and roadsides. The researchers painted the
bees’ backs with colored dots so they could be tracked and later
recaptured. Three days later, they observed that the herbicide
significantly reduced healthy gut microbiota. Of eight dominant species
of healthy bacteria in the exposed bees, four were found to be less
abundant. The hardest hit bacterial species, Snodgrassella alvi, is a
critical microbe that helps bees process food and defend against
pathogens.
Royal recognition for National Park Authority’s Apprenticeship Scheme
– North York Moors National Park Authority An exceptional apprenticeship scheme in the North York Moors National
Park has been honoured with a prestigious 2018 Princess Royal Training
Award. The National Park Authority now stands alongside 47 other UK
companies - including John Lewis, GSK and the Royal Air Force – that
have each been recognised for their outstanding training and development
programmes. Representatives from the National Park Authority will
receive the Award from HRH The Princess Royal at a ceremony in late
October.
Image: NYMNPA The North York Moors National Park launched its apprenticeship
programme in 2002, with a small team of environmental conservation
apprentices. Since this time, the scheme has supported 120 young people
to become ‘job ready’, directly addressing local skills shortages
through their training and development programme. The Authority now
employs 17 apprentices across business administration, tourism and
conservation, making up 14% of total staff. Ian Nicholls, Head of Corporate Services at the National Park
Authority said: “We are delighted to be recognised for our commitment to
providing outstanding training for young people, something almost every
member of Staff at the Authority is involved with in some way.”
Scotland at heart of new global alliance for greener cities
– Scottish Wildlife Trust
The International Union for Conservation of Nature has launched a
global initiative which aims to create greener, more liveable cities
that will improve
the health, well-being and prosperity of people living in urban areas
with support from Arcadia, a charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter
Baldwin. The IUCN Urban Nature Alliance will be hosted by the Trust in
Edinburgh. Image: Scottish Wildlife Trust “We are now an urban animal for the first time in human history but
we are still failing to design our cities in a way which incorporates
nature,” says Jonny Hughes, Chair of the new Alliance and Chief
Executive of the Scottish Wildlife Trust. “Cities need nature more than
ever as we face up to a rapidly changing climate and nothing short of a
green design revolution is likely to make this happen. The IUCN Urban
Nature Alliance will help drive the change required by developing a
standard index against which any city in the world will be able to
assess and monitor the health of their green infrastructure, water and
other natural capital assets.” The new Alliance will raise awareness of the value of ecosystems in
urban areas, and of how these ecosystems can help address urban
challenges including air pollution, flooding and health problems caused
by lack of access to quality green spaces. It will also develop a City
Nature Index, providing a standardised way for cities to measure the
quality of their underlying stock of natural resources – known as
‘natural capital’. This Index will be piloted in five cities, including
Edinburgh, and will be available for use by governments, civil society
and researchers.
This
Sunday, 30 September is the first ever
National GetOutside Day with the aim of getting 1 million people
active outdoors across the UK. National GetOutside Day, organised by
Ordnance Survey, falls within ukactive's European Week of Sport. It sees
a huge range of events taking place across the country in a bid to
improve the health of the nation by getting more people, more active,
more often. Regardless of age, ability, gender or religion, National GetOutside
Day is about getting the nation moving outside. The outdoors is free, and the benefits are endless. So, we’re
encouraging everyone to put down those screens, step out of their front
door with family and friends and have some fun! Find out what events are taking place near you, visit the website to
find out more os.uk/getoutsideday
£8m funding brings nature to Scotland’s cities
- Scottish Natural Heritage
From
weirs and wetlands, to urban nature reserves, to natural play areas and
parks, the search is on for 10 projects that help nature bloom in the
most disadvantaged areas of Scotland’s towns and cities. (image: Scottish Natural Heritage) The call comes as Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) today announces a
further £8m funding, in the latest phase of its ambitious Green
Infrastructure Fund. The Fund - SNH’s largest to date for improving the urban environment
in Scotland’s towns and cities – is being delivered in two phases. The
first is due to complete in 2019, and will deliver 7 major capital
infrastructure projects and 12 community engagement projects, including: Transformation of a derelict golf course in South Lanarkshire into a
new urban park Outdoor recreational space in the Middlefield community in Aberdeen,
with weirs and wetlands helping reduce the town’s flood risk Creation of a Local Nature Reserve and new water management scheme
around the Forth & Clyde Canal in Glasgow, opening up surrounding vacant
and derelict sites for regeneration. SNH announced today it is inviting bids for a share in a further £8m
funding from up to 10 major projects. It is expected the successful
projects will support some of Scotland’s more deprived urban
communities to make best use of their local environment, help tackle the
effects of climate change, attract business and boost job
opportunities.
Environmental charities call for Government not to undermine National
Parks with careless words - Campaign to
Protect Rural England An open letter from 19 organisations calls for strong messages from
Government to avoid undermining designated landscapes.
The
letter which was co-ordinated by Campaign for National Parks and
supported by charities including Campaign to Protect Rural England and
the National Trust, takes particular issue with the use of a
controversial mine to justify further development in areas that are
protected for their wildlife, beauty and recreational opportunities. Environmental charities call for Government
not to undermine National Parks with careless words (image: CPRE) Minister for Business and Industry, Richard Harrington MP, used the
example of the Woodsmith Mine in the North York Moors National Park
while giving evidence to the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
(BEIS) select committee over the summer. The coalition of charities is
concerned that the Minister’s evidence did not accurately reflect the
negative environmental and landscape impacts of inappropriate
development, such as the Woodsmith Mine. The letter states: 'Implying that such development has no negative
impacts is particularly disappointing at a time when designated
landscapes are getting a lot of positive coverage following the launch
of the Glover Review of England’s designated landscapes in May. It is
also inconsistent with the messages in the 25 Year Environment Plan,
which was launched by the Prime Minister in January.' The BEIS committee was considering a proposed new planning policy for
new nuclear disposal infrastructure and their report concluded that
designated landscapes should not be ruled out as possible locations,
putting at risk National Parks.
Scotland’s wintering wading birds could be losers in climate change
- Scottish Natural Heritage
Climate
change could be a factor in the decline of Scotland’s wading birds,
including redshank, golden plover and lapwing, according to new figures
published by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) today (Thursday). Scotland’s wintering wading birds could be losers
in climate change: Redshank (image: SNH)
Simon Foster, SNH’s Trends & Indicator Analyst, said: “Scotland is on
the migration route known as the East Atlantic Flyway and many wildfowl
and wader species breed in the Arctic and fly here to winter at one of
50 Scottish sites of international importance. “While climate change and
food availability are likely causes for the decline, there are some
species, where other factors may be at play. More research is needed to
better understand these, and develop ways to help improve numbers of
waders, including purple sandpipers and turnstone. Changes in the Arctic
need to be better understood especially for long distance migratory
waders as well as what is happening on their wintering areas. We are
working together with international researchers and volunteers to help
our wintering waders.”
Wetlands, the most economically valuable and among the most
biodiverse ecosystems in the world, are disappearing three times faster
than forests with severe consequences for our future unless urgent
action is taken to ensure their survival, warns a new report by the
Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Approximately 35 per cent of the world’s wetlands were lost between
1970-2015 with annual rates of loss accelerating from 2000, according to
the first-ever
Global Wetland Outlook of the Ramsar Convention, a global treaty
ratified by 170 countries to protect wetlands and promote their wise
use. The report shows every region is affected. Losses have been driven by megatrends such as climate change,
population increase, urbanization, particularly of coastal zones and
river deltas, and changing consumption patterns that have all fuelled
changes to land and water use and to agriculture. Wetlands, which include lakes, rivers, marshes and peatlands as well
as coastal and marine areas such as estuaries, lagoons, mangroves and
coral reefs, are currently estimated to cover more than 12.1 million
km2, an area greater than Greenland. Between 13-18 per cent of them are
on the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance, which are
protected sites. Wetlands are critical to human and planet life. Directly or
indirectly, they provide almost all of the world’s consumption of
freshwater. More than one billion people depend on them for a living and
40 per cent of the world’s species live and breed in wetlands. They are
a vital source for food, raw materials, genetic resources for medicines,
and hydropower; they mitigate floods, protect coastlines and build
community resilience to disasters, and they play an important role in
transport, tourism and the cultural and spiritual well-being of people.
Fish and chips: Eels microchipped to track movements of a species on the
brink - WWT Wild eels are being microchipped, similar to the way people microchip
their pets, in an attempt by conservationists from WWT to better
understand their activity.
Microchip
scanner checking an eel at WWT Slimbridge © Neil Aldridge
Slimbridge is situated on the banks of the Severn, a very important
river system for eels. The study is part of a broader eel conservation
project being undertaken by WWT in partnership with Bristol Water. The
project aims to improve eel access around the site, and will eventually
extend to the wider Severn Vale in an effort to help this globally
critically endangered species. Eels famously travel thousands of miles across the Atlantic to the
Sargasso Sea to breed. Their young drift back to Europe, where millions
end up in the Severn where they mature in freshwater. Traditionally,
eels would live out their lives in the wetlands of the Severn Vale
before completing their life cycle by returning to the North Atlantic
Ocean. However much of this wetland habitat has been lost or degraded,
and the eels’ movements prevented by pumps and sluices in the
waterways.
River Weaver wildlife protected in new wetland habitat
- Canal & River Trust Reed buntings and marsh marigolds are among dozens of species of
plants and animals now flourishing in a new protected home on the banks
of the River Weaver Navigation near Northwich. We have created Hartford Wetlands Nature Reserve on the Davenham side
of the river, close to the distinctive Blue Bridge which carries the
A556 road across the river in north Cheshire. Trust staff and volunteers from Marshalls Arm, Vale Royal and Crewe
Conservation groups have all worked together to construct a public
boardwalk, install interpretation and carry out vegetation management at
the reserve, which covers an area of several football pitches.
Wildlife Therapy Garden Gives MS Patients Space to Enjoy Nature
- Avon Wildlife Trust
A
wildlife therapy garden overflowing with wildflowers and buzzing with
bees and butterflies, officially opens today at the West of England MS
Therapy Centre in Bradley Stoke after a six-month partnership between
the Centre and Avon Wildlife Trust (AWT), with support and funding from
Rolls Royce, Tesco Bags of Help, Daikin Air Conditioning UK, The Mall
Fountain Fund, The Douglas Arter Foundation and Wessex Watermark. (image: Avon Wildlife Trust)
Forest vandalism at Clashindarroch - Forestry
Commission Scotland Forest Enterprise Scotland has called in the police to help trace a
vandal who is attempting to sabotage efforts to conserve Scottish
Wildcats. Police Scotland has been advised that a number of catch and release
traps – part of an exercise to determine vole population levels in
Clashindarroch Forest – had been opened up, emptied and discarded.
This latest act of sabotage follows the theft of camera traps
earlier this year. Kenny Kortland, Species Ecologist with Forest Enterprise Scotland,
said; “Vandalism of this sort is clearly against the spirit of the
Scotland Outdoor Access Code and, more importantly, is an attempt to
disrupt our efforts, as part of Scottish Wildcat Action, to help
conserve Scotland’s endangered and dwindling wildcat population. Whoever
did this obviously has no interest in saving wildcats - these traps were
well hidden so not discovered by accident and it would seem like a
deliberate act of sabotage. We would urge anyone with any information
about this crime to contact the police.” Anyone with any information or knowledge of the crime is urged to
contact police Scotland on 101 and quote incident reference
1336-25/9/18.
British public asked to listen out for owls -
BTO The British Trust for Ornithology is asking the great British public
to participate in a national study of Tawny Owls and their calling
behaviour, by listening out for them this autumn and winter. Tawny Owl
populations are thought to be in decline and the species has recently
been added to the Amber List of Birds of Conservation Concern. A new study is urgently needed because Tawny Owl populations are
thought to be in decline and BTO researchers wish to understand more
about the impacts of urbanisation and light pollution on their
populations. Anyone can participate, and members of the public are asked
to listen out for calling Tawny Owls from their garden, local park or
piece of woodland. Tawny owl couple (image: Laurence Liddy / BTO) The Tawny Owl is arguably our best known owl; even if you have never
seen one you will probably recognise the 'twit-twoo' call uttered in
harmony by a pair of Tawny Owls. The call of the female is an eerie
'kewick' and that of the male in reply is a shivering, 'whoo'. Put
together and you get 'kewick-whoo' or put another way, 'twit-twoo'. http://www.bto.org/owls or
email gbw@bto.org for more information.
The survey runs from 30 September 2018 – 31 March 2019. You don’t have
to commit to listening every week, but you’ll be providing valuable data
by recording for as many weeks as you can
No moor burning on upland peat bogs - RSPB The RSPB is calling on the Government to honour its commitment to end
the damaging practice of setting fire to England’s upland peat bogs,
especially on grouse moors. This Monday (1 October) marks the start of the new burning season,
which permits land managers to set fire to areas of moorland (a practice
known as rotational burning), including peat bogs, to encourage new
heather growth and provide favourable conditions for red grouse. Upland peat bogs (especially blanket bog) provide a valuable array of
public benefits including providing a home for wildlife, countering
climate change by locking up carbon, reducing flood risk, purifying
drinking water and slowing the spread of wildfire. However, the majority of upland peat bogs are in a poor state, with
only an estimated 4% of them in England in a healthy condition. They
have been affected by a range of damaging activities for many years
including burning. Following pressure from the European Commission to end burning on
blanket bogs, Natural England is attempting to negotiate the end of
rotational burning on blanket bog across over 100 grouse moors. While
some shooting estates have already agreed to stop rotational burning on
bogs, a number of these have then been given permission by Natural
England to continue to use fire to remove heather as part of a wider
programme of work to supposedly restore damaged peat bogs. This so
called ‘restoration burning’ is a misnomer: Natural England’s own
evidence shows that burning actually damage peat bogs by drying them
out, thereby robbing the public of their numerous benefits. Pat Thompson, RSPB Senior Land Use Policy Officer, said: “It’s a
quarter of a century since stubble burning on fields was banned in the
UK over environmental and safety concerns. Now it’s time for burning on
our precious upland peat bogs to be similarly consigned to history. As
the burning season gets underway, we will, along with others, be
watching to see if Government commitments to stop rotational burning
actually result in less burning. Our peat bogs are too important
for both people and wildlife for us to sit back and let them be damaged
any further”.
PCB pollution threatens to wipe out killer whales
- ZSL More than forty years since the first initiatives were taken to ban
the use of PCBs, the chemical pollutants remain a deadly threat to
animals at the top of the food chain. A new study, published in the journal Science today (27 September
2018) shows that the current concentrations of PCBs can lead to the
disappearance of half of the world’s populations of killer whales, from
the most heavily contaminated areas, within a period of just 30-50
years.
When
killer whales like these hunt small fish like herring, the exposure to
PCBs is much less than if they fed on large fish or marine mammals
(Image: © Audun Rikardsen via ZSL)
Killer whales (Orcinus orca) form the last link in a long
food chain and are among the mammals with the highest level of PCBs
(polychlorinated biphenyls) in their tissue. Researchers have measured
values as high as 1300 milligrams per kilo in the fatty tissue (blubber)
of killer whales. For comparison, a large number of studies show that
animals with PCB levels as low as 50 milligrams per kilo of tissue may
show signs of infertility and severe impacts on the immune system. Together with colleagues from a range of international universities
and research institutions, researchers from ZSL and Aarhus University
have documented that the number of killer whales is rapidly declining in
10 out of the 19 killer whale populations investigated. The species may
disappear entirely from several areas within a few decades. Dr Paul Jepson from ZSL’s Institute of Zoology, co-author and killer
whale expert said: “The research suggests that the efforts have not been
effective enough to avoid the accumulation of PCBs in high trophic level
species that live as long as the killer whale does. There is therefore
an urgent need for further initiatives than those under the Stockholm
Convention.” Access the paper: Jean-Pierre
Desforges, et al
Predicting
global killer whale population collapse from PCB pollution.
Science28 Sep 2018 : 1373-1376 DOI:
10.1126/science.aat1953
New research from international experts published today in Science
magazine shows half of the world’s Orca populations are likely to be
wiped out by an invisible chemical pollutant in our oceans Killer whale wipe out warning prompts calls for urgent Government
action New research from international experts published today in Science
magazine shows half of the world’s Orca populations are likely to be
wiped out by an invisible chemical pollutant in our oceans. Thirteen UK
wildlife charities are calling for action from the UK Government in the
Environment Act and at the Stockholm Convention in May 2019 to help
prevent further polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) toxic chemical waste
entering our oceans and killing our mammals. Jennifer Lonsdale, Chair of Wildlife and Countryside Link’s Whales
Group said: ‘This is a global red alert on the state of our oceans. Half
of the world’s killer whales may be wiped out because companies created
toxic products and did not dispose of them safely. With more than 80% of
the world’s stocks of PCBs still in existence the worst of this
pollution crisis could be yet to come. Legally-binding targets must be
agreed for every country to safely destroy these materials. If the UK
Government wants its Environment Act to be world-leading, it must set
ambitious targets on PCB disposal and protect against further chemical
pollution of our waters.’ The Stockholm Convention put in place a global framework on the use
of PCBs, which came into force in 2004. However, the controls it
outlined lacked the teeth to prevent further PCB pollution. There is no clear compliance mechanism in place to ensure all PCB
stocks are destroyed by member states by the target date of 2028.
Combined with ineffective storage and disposal, this lack of action is
resulting in existing stocks slowly and continuously leaking into water
sources. A coalition of wildlife charities, co-ordinated by Wildlife and
Countryside Link, are today calling for all countries attending the
Stockholm convention in May 2019 to commit to legally binding targets
and establishing an operational compliance and enforcement mechanism.
Details on what this should include are available in this
briefing. The NGOs are urging the UK Government to lead the way by
including binding targets on PCBs in the upcoming Environment Act. Further comments from Humane Society
International, IFAW, Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), Whale and Dolphin
Conservation (WDC) CHEM Trust, and Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust can
be found
here.
Tracking Britain’s rarest lizard - BIAZA Marwell Wildlife is using tiny radio tags to track the movements of
sand lizards reintroduced to the wild. The Hampshire conservation charity fitted transmitters to 24 sand
lizards released at Eelmoor Marsh Site of Special Scientific Interest at
Farnborough to help understand their movements and habitat use. The
tags, attached using veterinary surgical glue and a strip of surgical
tape, will fall off after a short period of time or when the lizard
sheds its skin and, at just 0.29 grams, each tiny tag is less than five
per cent of the body weight of a sand lizard.
Tagged
sand lizard (image: Paul Drane, BIAZA) The study is being carried out as part of an initiative to
re-establish the species at Eelmoor Marsh. Marwell Wildlife and
University of Southampton PhD student, Rachel Gardner, said: “Because
they blend into the environment and spend time foraging and hiding in
dense undergrowth, sand lizards can be incredibly difficult to see.
Being able to track them in this way is really exciting - I can’t wait
to see how far they go, how quickly, and exactly how they use the
habitat.” She added: “Having spent the last year rearing the lizards in
captivity, it’s wonderful to finally release them into their natural
habitat and apply this novel technology to see how they do.”
Scientific Publications
Marine Pollution Bulletin: Securing a future for seagrass
- World Seagrass Association Announcing the publication of a World Seagrass Association special
journal issue:
Securing a future for seagrass, edited by Mike van Keulen, Lina
Mtwana Nordlund and Leanne C. Cullen-Unsworth in Marine Pollution
Bulletin Volume 134, p 1–232 (September 2018). Twenty six papers presenting contemporary research across the
spectrum of seagrass research—see
our blog post
for more details.
Boakes, E. H., Fuller, R. A. & McGowan, P. J. K. (2018)
The extirpation of species outside protected areas. Conservation
Letters. DOI: 10.1111/conl.12608 (Open Access) Nina J. O’Hanlon & Ruedi G. Nager (2018) Identifying
habitat-driven spatial variation in colony size of Herring Gulls Larus
argentatus, Bird Study, DOI: 10.1080/00063657.2018.1518970
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