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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.

 

As Monday was the Glorious (or inglorious depending on your viewpoint) Twelfth the news for Monday was dominated by grouse shooting and moorland management

 

Labour demands review into driven grouse shooting - The Labour Party

Labour’s Shadow Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary, Sue Hayman MP, will today call for a review into ‘driven’ grouse shooting – which the next Labour government will launch, if the Conservatives refuse. Today (12 August), is known as the Glorious Twelfth – or the Inglorious Twelfth to animal rights and environmental campaigners – and marks the beginning of the four-month grouse shooting season.

The proposed review would consider viable alternatives to driven grouse shooting, including simulated shooting and wildlife tourism. It would also examine the economic and environmental impacts of driven grouse shooting, which is the most common mode of hunting grouse.

Labour is calling for the review in light of extensive evidence that driven grouse shooting causes substantial environmental damage Red Grouse (image: Brian Taylor / unsplash)

Red Grouse (image: Brian Taylor / unsplash)

 

Responses:

Countryside Alliance respond to Labour’s call for review into driven grouse shooting 

It is quite extraordinary that in the present political turmoil and with all the serious environmental issues facing the world the Labour Party has chosen to launch a thinly veiled political attack on grouse shooting. It is clear that the shadow Secretary of State would benefit greatly from speaking to people on the ground who are actually involved in grouse moor management and we would be happy to arrange this.

Adrian Blackmore, the CA’s Director of shooting says: "Those with any knowledge of grouse shooting and its associated management will know that some of the claims being made by labour are complete nonsense, and if an independent review into grouse shooting would help increase Labour’s understanding of its considerable environmental, economic and social benefits, then it should be welcomed. Anyone who claims that there are viable alternatives to grouse shooting must have first undertaken a thorough assessment of the environmental, social, and economic consequences that would arise as a result. These are the three dimensions to the core of mainstream sustainability that have been identified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and anyone wanting to see a change to the status quo has a responsibility to ensure that any alternative land use is at least as beneficial."

 

BASC statement on Labour’s demand for grouse shooting review

 

Response to Labour calls for grouse shooting review - defra in the media blog

There is national media coverage this morning of calls from the Labour Party for the government to launch a review of driven grouse shooting.

While we recognise many people have strongly held views on grouse shooting, we are also clear that shooting activities bring many benefits to the rural economy and the environment, in particular for wildlife and habitat conservation.

  

Other related news 

Rural organisations have appealed to politicians to recognise the value of grouse shooting ahead of one of the most important seasons in generations. - published by BASC

The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), the Scottish Gamekeepers Association (SGA), Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) and the Scottish Association for Country Sports (SACS) have together issued a joint statement asking for the social, economic and environmental contribution of moorland management to be appreciated.

The organisations’ statement begins: "The start of the grouse shooting season marks the culmination of a year-round effort in Scotland’s most remote hills and glens to manage land for a wide range of social, economic and environmental benefits. This season, more than any other, has been accompanied by frenetic activity from anti-grouse moor campaigners seeking to tarnish the vital role grouse moors play in supporting our rural communities. We appeal to politicians from all parties to recognise the contribution that grouse moors make at a time when the Scottish Government’s review of moorland management should soon be published. The last 20 years has seen a significant culture change in grouse moor management, and our organisations remain determined to stamp out the remaining incidents of raptor persecution which have already fallen to their lowest recorded levels according to official statistics. This is a hugely important season but also one that we enter with significant optimism for the future. Repeated claims are made about alternative land uses to grouse shooting but these have already been examined in a government-commissioned scientific report published in the last year. It concluded that the land capability for agriculture is low, as is the forestry capability. It takes into account a range of factors such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Special Protection Areas and carbon storage in peatland – all elements ignored by anti-grouse moor campaigners."

Click through to read the full statement 

 

Record-breaking year for hen harrier breeding - Natural England

It has been a record breeding season for hen harriers in England according to figures from Natural England.  

Hen harriers have enjoyed a record year for breeding success in England, Natural England has announced today (11 August).

2019 has been a highly successful year for the iconic bird of prey in England, with a total of 15 nests producing 15 successful breeding pairs and 47 chicks – improving on the previous highpoint of 46 set in 2006.

The positive result means the last two years have produced 81 fledged chicks, surpassing the total for the previous five years put together (55). The chicks have also hatched in a wider variety of areas this year, including in Northumberland, Yorkshire Dales, Nidderdale, Derbyshire and Lancashire - leading to hopes that a corner has been turned in the restoration of the hen harrier population.

Tony Juniper, Chairman of Natural England, said: " I’d like to thank all of the organisations, staff and volunteers who’ve helped to make this a better breeding season for one of England’s most iconic birds.  While it is very welcome to see this improvement, we must remember that the hen harrier is still very far from where it should be as a breeding species in England, not least due to illegal persecution. I will be working with Natural England colleagues to pursue all options for the recovery of this wonderful bird, a creature that inspires and brings joy to so many people. It would be a tragic loss for our country, children and grandchildren if this majestic bird was to remain so scarce, or even disappear, in the future. Once again a wide range of organisations have come together to work in partnership to make sure that the hen harrier chicks are well looked after and protected for the future. This collective effort has helped improve the communication and liaison between land managers."

 

Managing ash trees affected by ash dieback: operations note 46a - Forestry Commission guidance

Supplementary guidance for land managers who are responsible for individual and small groups of ash trees that are likely to be infected by ash dieback.

Download the Managing ash trees affected by ash dieback: operations note 46a (PDF)

 

Badger rescued by RSPCA after getting trapped … at military live firing range! - RSPCA

Badger trapped in the pit (image: RSPCA)A badger has been rescued by the RSPCA after getting himself trapped in the precarious surroundings of a military live firing range in Caldicot!

Badger trapped in the pit (image: RSPCA)

RSPCA Cymru was alerted after the badger fell some five-foot down a concrete pit at the Rogiet Moor Range, on Tuesday (7 August). The pits are usually used for military personnel to fire from. The alarm was sounded by the warden for the military firing range, who has been thanked by the RSPCA.

An officer from the animal welfare charity attended, and was able to reach the badger with a grasper, before releasing him to the wild at a nearby safe location.   Fortunately the badger has no injuries or welfare problems, and RSPCA Cymru say they are “delighted” with the “happy ending”.

 

Rising traffic driving children off local streets – Living Streets

New research commissioned by UK walking charity, Living Streets has revealed that 60 per cent of children aged 4-11 never play out on their local street according to their parents – up from 50 per cent a decade ago.

The YouGov poll asked parents with children aged 4-11 whether their local street was a safe and welcoming place that their child could enjoy, over a third (36%) disagreed.

People were asked what the most noticeable changes to their local streets have been since they were a child, the vast majority said higher traffic volume (74%).

It comes after Department for Transport figures revealed an increase in child pedestrian fatalities last year, from 38 per cent to 58 per cent.

Jenni Wiggle, Senior Director, Living Streets said: “We want families to feel happy to let their children play out on their local streets so they can enjoy being active and making friends, but that won’t happen without change. We’re paying the price for our car-dependency with rising inactivity, congestion and air pollution. Encouraging people out of their cars for those short, everyday journeys can reduce the amount of traffic on our streets and start to transform our streets into cleaner, safer and more welcoming places for people of all ages."

The research also revealed that over a third of people (34%) know no more than two of their neighbours, of which nine per cent know none of them. 

Less contact with neighbours (61%), fewer local shops (57%) and a rise in anti-social behaviour (56%) were other noticeable changes people reported about their local streets since they were a child.

The research was carried out by Living Streets, formerly the Pedestrians Association, to mark their 90th anniversary. The charity’s ambitions as it heads towards its centenary include a lower default speed limit of 20mph for roads in built up areas; a revision of the Highway Code to improve safety for people walking and cycling; and a network of walking routes in every town and city.

 

New technique can show links between prey and microplastics – University of Exeter

A brand new method has been developed by scientists at Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) and the University of Exeter, in collaboration with Abertay University and Greenpeace Research Laboratories, to investigate links between top predator diets and the amount of microplastic they consume through their prey, offering potential insights into the exposure of animals in the ocean and on land to microplastics.

With an estimated 9.6-25.4 million tonnes of plastic estimated to enter the sea annually by 2025, and microplastics in particular being found on the highest mountains and deepest seas, new techniques are needed to trace, investigate and analyse this growing concern.

The development of this new non-invasive method was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). It combines two existing techniques to analyse wild grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) scats (faeces), for prey species in the seals’ diet and the presence of microplastics.

The first part of the method uses metabarcoding, a molecular technique that assesses the DNA present in the scat to identify which prey species have been eaten by the seal. The second part then isolates the microplastics, allowing researchers to assess the quantity of the microplastics and record characteristics, such as shape and colour, which generates a better understanding of their sources.

By looking at both of these factors together, the method allows scientists to see whether there are links between the levels of microplastic exposure in these top predator species and whether this is related to the type of prey they are eating. This is particularly useful because top predators, such as seals, tend to consume microplastics through trophic transfer; that is, by eating prey that have already consumed microplastics themselves, which passes to the predator.

 

DNA tests of UK waters could help catch invasive species early – University of Southampton

A team of scientists from the University of Southampton, Bangor University and the National Oceanography Centre have discovered several artificially introduced species in the coastal waters of southern England, using a technique that could help the early detection of non-native species if adopted more widely.

Among the species identified during the study was Cephalothrix simula, a worm, originating from the North West Pacific Ocean, which contains neurotoxins that are potentially fatal if they enter the human body.

The researchers, led by Luke Holman, a PhD student at the University of Southampton, collected water and sediment from four marinas around the UK and analysed the DNA of each sample to determine which species had been present in the ecosystems.

Organisms leave traces of their DNA in water systems through a variety of means, for example fish can lose scales and many species can release sperm or eggs during the spawning season. The team were able to extract this genetic material, known as environmental DNA (eDNA), and compare it to global DNA databases to identify the presence of species.

Luke Holman said “We are enormously excited about the potential for eDNA in the detection of invasive species. This initial work gives us confidence that the technique could be invaluable both for catching invasions early on and also for monitoring the success of eradication efforts.”

 

‘Flagship grouse moor research’ driving policy change challenged – The Moorland Association

The Moorland Association today called for the government to ‘hit the pause button’ on making decisions over the impact of heather burning on grouse moorland following the publication of a new scientific report, which has found previous research to be ‘flawed’ and ‘unreliable.’

Scientists from Lancaster and York Universities have published a critical analysis of a key five-year study which claimed that upland moor burning has ‘clear negative effects on aquatic invertebrates, river water quality, peat hydrology, peat chemistry, peat structure and peat surface temperatures’.

The study, called the EMBER project which had been undertaken by Leeds University and was published in 2014, was widely regarded as the most definitive research produced about burning impacts on blanket bog ecosystems.

However, a new report casts major doubts on the EMBER Project, its findings and conclusions. A peer-reviewed critique by scientists Dr Mark Ashby, of the Lancaster Environment Centre at Lancaster University and Dr Andreas Heinemeyer, of the Stockholm Environment Institute at the University of York, identified and discussed ‘significant overlooked flaws’ in the project design. 

They suggested that the findings of the project were currently unreliable and conclusions should be treated with caution by policy-makers who ‘need to re-examine the strengths and limitations of the prescribed burning evidence base’. Because the EMBER study design and statistical analysis confounded management with site, the results ‘cannot solely be attributed to burning management’.

Amanda Anderson, Director of the Moorland Association, said: “This is a very interesting analysis with potentially far reaching consequences. We strongly urge Defra to take account of these latest findings and to hit the pause button on upcoming legislation. If such large flaws were overlooked in this high-profile study, then it is likely that the wider evidence base contains similar flaws.”

Read the full critique : Ashby, M. A. & Heinemeyer, A. Prescribed burning impacts on ecosystem services in the British uplands: A methodological critique of the EMBER project. Journal of Applied Ecology. DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13476 (Open access)

 

Scientists poke a hole in the age of trees – Brunel University London

Some of Britain’s most majestic ancient trees are probably not as ancient as we previously thought, one of the country’s leading tree-ageing experts has suggested.

(image: Brunel University London)(image: Brunel University London)

Until now, the ages of some of Britain’s best-loved trees, including yews, sweet chestnuts and oaks, have largely been estimated from measuring the girth of their trunks – measurements which often result in a tree being declared hundreds or sometimes thousands of years old.

But a series of new studies using alternative techniques – such as taking a core from the tree and measuring the rings – have demonstrated that using such girth measurements can drastically overestimate the age of a tree, suggesting that many of Britain’s oldest trees are likely much younger than previously reported.

“There’s an awful lot of myths when it comes to trees – it goes back to the Celtic and Viking times and even before that – a lot of mythology,” said Dr Andy Moir, a research fellow at Brunel University London who specialises in ageing trees from their rings. “The older they are the more mystique they have. The situation with most ancient trees is that we measure its girth and then use that to calculate the age. There are different formulas you can use, but it’s usually ‘White’s formula.’ But it can be incredibly inaccurate, as White admits himself – it depends on the situation, it depends on the species, on whether it’s getting a lot of light, on the geology. The size of trees planted at the same time around the same location can vary enormously, which shows that the formula for calculating the age of trees is often really inaccurate – what I’m trying to do now is make tree ageing a bit more accurate.”

 

Improved sewage treatment has increased biodiversity over past 30 years - Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

A higher standard of wastewater treatment in the UK has been linked to substantial improvements in a river’s biodiversity over the past 30 years, ensuring a welcome success story for wildlife, say scientists.

The River Ray is downstream from Swindon's large wastewater treatment plant (image: CEH)The River Ray is downstream from Swindon's large wastewater treatment plant (image: CEH)

The Centre for Ecology & Hydrology analysed data from the regular monitoring of both chemicals and invertebrates in the River Ray in Wiltshire by the Environment Agency and its predecessors between 1977 and 2016. This Thames tributary is downstream from Swindon’s large wastewater treatment plant.

The Defra-funded study found that, since 1991, there has been a steady increase in both the diversity and abundance of freshwater invertebrates, which play a vital and varied role in an ecosystem’s food chain. The water is cleaner due to a reduction in ammonia (a chemical present in human sewage that is potentially toxic to animals) plus an increase in oxygen levels (as a result of less organic matter being discharged into the river).

The findings, published in the journal Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, echo other research which indicates there has been an increase in the biodiversity of many rivers across the UK. This latest analysis, which carefully examines four decades of chemistry and invertebrates data, offers an explanation why this has happened.

Read the Paper: Andrew C. Johnson, Monika D. Jürgens, François K. Edwards, Peter M. Scarlett, Helen M. Vincent, Peter von der Ohe. 2019. What Works? The Influence Of Changing Wastewater Treatment Type, Including Tertiary Granular Activated Charcoal On Downstream Macroinvertebrate Biodiversity Over Time. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. DOI: 10.1002/etc.4460

 

Turtle power – Zoological Society of London

Endangered armour-plated turtles find new home at ZSL London Zoo

Image: Zoological Society of LondonKeepers at ZSL London Zoo have given a home to four rescued turtles with heads so large they can’t pull them into their shells.

(image: Zoological Society of London)

The four aptly named big-headed turtles arrived at the Zoo at the end of 2018, after being rescued from smugglers trying to illegally import them into Canada labelled as toys, and have been settling in behind the scenes ever since – in the care of the Zoo’s expert herpetology team. 

Now, one of the surprisingly charismatic turtles - named Lady Triệu by keepers after a famous Vietnamese warrioress - has moved into a new exhibit in the Zoo’s Reptile House, giving visitors the chance to come face-to-face with the unusual reptile – the only one of her kind in a UK zoo.

ZSL senior reptile keeper Daniel Kane said: “When we heard that these incredible turtles were in need of a new home we began making plans to welcome them to the Reptile House; we felt they had a lot to teach our visitors about the dangers facing reptiles and amphibians in the wild and knew we had the expertise to give them the specialised care they need.”

Using information gathered from their extensive work with reptiles and amphibians in Vietnam to recreate the turtle’s new home, ZSL London Zoo’s keepers made sure their new home has rocky areas to explore and aquatic foliage to shelter in.

“Lady Triệu has taken to her new home like a turtle to water, and we have been watching her closely as she’s busied herself exploring every inch of the aquatic abode,” explained Dan. “These turtles’ heads are so large that unlike others they can’t retract them into their shells; to compensate, nature has given them armour plating from head to tail and a very sharp beak to fend off predators - plus a feisty attitude to go with it! Big-headed turtles may not be conventionally cute with their disproportionately large heads and whip-like tails, but they represent a vitally important and unique branch of the evolutionary tree and have so much to teach us about animal adaptions. There is literally no other species like them on earth.”

Hailing from the upper mountainous regions of Central China to mainland Southeast Asia, big-headed turtles are threatened by hunting for their meat and the international pet trade and are classified as Endangered on the IUCN’s Red List of threatened species.

 

Nominate your National Park heroes - Peak District National Park

UK National Parks are calling for nominations to the Volunteer Awards 2019.

The annual awards celebrate the hard work and commitment of people who regularly dedicate thousands of hours of service and effort to help protect Britain’s 15 national parks.

Every year in the Peak District alone, some 400 National Park volunteer rangers clock up around 60,000 hours to care for the landscape and help others enjoy the area, and conservation volunteers spend around 3,000 days enhancing sites. Volunteers also take part in activities with the Moors for the Future Partnership and assist the Peak District National Park Authority in outreach activities, surveys and more.

Dave Cramp, who organizes the conservation volunteers for the Peak District National Park, said: “The awards recognise people’s efforts who have gone above and beyond the usual expectations of voluntary service in looking after the environment or our heritage in some way. I am very proud to say our volunteers have won these awards in the past and we know incredible work is being achieved by volunteers throughout the National Park. It would be fantastic to see more awards this year to celebrate what they do. I hope the public will take the opportunity to nominate people and projects in the Peak District National Park.”

  

History made as first pair of Savi’s warbler nest in Wales - RSPB

25 years of wetland restoration on Anglesey leads to Savi’s warblers nesting at RSPB Cors Ddyga nature reserve. This is the latest special wildlife to establish a home here. For the first time in Wales, a pair of Savi’s warblers have nested on the RSPB Cors Ddyga reserve on Anglesey.

Credit: Steve CulleyFollowing the discovery of a lone male Savi’s warbler spotted by warden Ken Maurice on 14 June, a second bird was seen a month later. Volunteers kept a close watch and saw behaviour that confirmed the birds were breeding, including carrying food to unseen nest.

Credit: Steve Culley

Savi’s warblers, known for their long, buzzing trill that carries across reedbeds, are very rare visitors, with only eight previous sightings in Wales, including one at RSPB Cors Ddyga back in 1999. While common in southern Europe, they are at the very limit of their range here. Most records are of singing males that stay just for a few days, which makes the nesting an exciting result for the staff, volunteers and bird watchers on the reserve.

This nesting follows the successful establishment of other rare species on the reserve. Bitterns, elusive birds famous for their cryptic plumage and booming call and Marsh Harriers have again nested on the reserve for the fourth consecutive year. Prior to 2016, neither species had nested in Wales for several decades.

 

HS2: Ancient woodlands on borrowed time - Woodland Trust

Swathes of ancient woodland are living on borrowed time as HS2 starts to force its way through our countryside, says the Woodland Trust.

More than three hectares of the stunning Broadwells Wood in Warwickshire will be lost to HS2. (Photo: Phil Formby/WTML)Preparatory work for Phase 1, including the forced eviction of bats and badgers, has already started despite Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordering a review into spending on the environmentally destructive scheme.

More than three hectares of the stunning Broadwells Wood in Warwickshire will be lost to HS2. (Photo: Phil Formby/WTML)

Now the Trust is calling for its supporters to lobby upcoming review chairman, Douglas Oakervee, (a former chairman of HS2), Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and HS2 minister Paul Maynard to fully consider the evidence around the environmental impacts of the project as well, while halting all advance work until the review is complete.

Director of Conservation and External Affairs Abi Bunker said: “There is a danger that the review will be looking into the business case for HS2, completely ignoring the value of our ancient woodlands and other important wildlife habitats to the fabric and wellbeing of this country. Ancient woodland is one of our most precious natural habitats. It cannot be moved. It cannot be replaced and we may well lose many of our greatest national assets and habitats – assets that can never be replaced – to a scheme that might not even happen. The fact we are losing ancient woodland at all is terrible. To lose it needlessly would be a travesty. This destruction cannot be allowed to go ahead. Time is of the essence. We need people to act fast and apply pressure to the Government to make them realise that HS2 will cost far more than money, and that destroying our precious woodlands is a one-time mistake that will be looked back on in shock by future generations. Our ancient woodlands and the unique species they support are on borrowed time. We need Government to listen before it’s too late to save them from careless destruction.”

 

English water companies commit to planting 11 million new trees by 2030 - Yorkshire Water

(image: Yorkshire Water)Water companies in England have today announced ambitious plans to plant 11 million trees, part of a wider commitment to improve the natural environment, to support their goal of achieving a carbon neutral water industry by 2030.

(image: Yorkshire Water)

The joint proposals will see trees planted on around 6,000 hectares of land across England together with work to restore original woodland and improve natural habitats that themselves provide carbon capture. While some of this land is owned by the water companies themselves, additional land will be provided by partners such as local authorities, The National Trust, The Wildlife Trusts and The RSPB.

Local partnerships with councils and regional NGOs will ensure that projects include urban tree planting, to bring much needed health and wellbeing benefits to communities in towns and cities. In addition, The Woodland Trust has agreed to work with all the water companies to help identify sites and manage the planting programme once it is developed.

Many water companies already work with charities on habitat improvement and regional planting programmes. This initiative will see those local partnerships taken to a national level to ensure that the industry achieves its ambitious plan. Water companies will also look to join forces with existing initiatives such as the National Forest and Northern Forest.

 

Lyme disease in England and Wales more common in older white women, study finds - University of Liverpool

Patients with Lyme disease in England and Wales hospitals appear to be predominantly white, female and living in areas of low deprivation, according to a new study by the University of Liverpool and Public Health England.

The study, which examined data on 2,361 hospital patients collected between 1998 and 2015, also found an increase in Lyme disease incidence over time, with the number of new cases peaking in August each year and higher rates in central southern and western England. The findings, published today in BMC Public Health, may inform and help target health promotion messages.

Lead author Dr John Tulloch, who is based at the NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, said: “In the United Kingdom information relating to infected Lyme disease patients’ characteristics, where they live and how they are managed within the National Health Service is not fully understood. Through our analysis of NHS hospital data we were able to identify demographic information about Lyme disease patients accessing hospitals for management and treatment and, for the first time, start to describe how they progress through the healthcare system.”

The authors identified 2,259 Lyme disease patients within anonymised health records in England and 102 patients within records in Wales, respectively. Out of all identified cases, 60.1% were women or girls, with peaks of new cases at the ages between six and ten, and 61 and 65 years. Out of the 1,877 patients for whom ethnicity information was recorded 96% self-identified as white.

Dr Tulloch added: “Being aware of the signs and symptoms of Lyme disease is important so that patients can receive early diagnosis and treatment from their family doctor. Symptoms typically develop up to three weeks after being bitten by a tick and include a spreading circular red rash or flu-like symptoms.”

 

Glasgow biodiversity projects share £367k Nature fund cash – Scottish Natural Heritage

Common frogs (Rana temporaria) ©Lorne GillThree nature projects will share £367,000 to create better homes for wildlife around Glasgow. The projects are among the recipients of Scottish Natural Heritage’s (SNH’s) Biodiversity Challenge Fund.

Common frogs (Rana temporaria) ©Lorne Gill

Scottish Canals will use £130k to create an important habitat for fish, birds and amphibians in North Glasgow; the Seven Lochs Partnership will develop green corridors for wildlife and attractive, species-rich places for people with an £80k award; and Buglife’s Central Scotland B-Lines project will use its £157k to create a coast-to-coast network for nature.

The Seven Lochs project will make a large urban habitat network across 21 sites and an area of about 2000 hectares, including new wetlands and grasslands and extending Local Nature Reserves. A small team of volunteers will be formed – the Species Rich Networks Team (SpRiNT) – and provided with training to carry out specialist habitat creation and management. The project will involve a range of organisations including Glasgow City Council, North Lanarkshire Council, Scottish Wildlife Trust, The Conservation Volunteers and the Northern Corridor Conservation Volunteers.

Scottish Canals will create floating wetland habitats on the canal at Pinkston Basin. The project will complement current work at the nearby Claypits Nature Reserve, installing more than 3,600 native aquatic plants on floating platforms to attract a variety of pollinating insects, amphibians, birds and fish. Wetlands are a high priority habitat in Scotland and the project will create a wetland refuge in the heart of the city, located between the significant regeneration currently taking place at Sighthill and Dundashill as part of the North Glasgow Integrated Water Management System.

 

Scientific Publications

Terrer, C. et al Nitrogen and phosphorus constrain the CO2 fertilization of global plant biomass. Nature Climate Change. DOI:10.1038/s41558-019-0545-2

 

Pugh et al (2019) Important role of forest disturbances in the global biomass turnover and carbon sinks. Nature Geoscience. DOI:10.1038/s41561-019-0427-2

 

Holland, A. M., Schauber, E. M., Nielsen, C. K. and Hellgren, E. C. (2019), River otter and mink occupancy dynamics in riparian systems. Jour. Wild. Mgmt.. doi:10.1002/jwmg.21745 (open Access) 

 

Martín, B., Torralvo, C.A., Elias, G. et al. Are Western European ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) shortening their migration distances? Evidence from trends of the wintering population in the Iberian Peninsula Eur J Wildl Res (2019) 65: 72. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-019-1311-5 

 

Hettyey, A. , Üveges, B. , Móricz, Á. M., Drahos, L. , Capon, R. J., Van Buskirk, J. , Tóth, Z. and Bókony, V. (2019), Predator induced changes in the chemical defence of a vertebrate. J Anim Ecol. Accepted Author Manuscript. doi:10.1111/1365-2656.13083

 

Paul M. Evans, Adrian C. Newton, Elena Cantarello, Neil Sanderson, Davey L. Jones, Nadia Barsoum, Joan E. Cottrell, Stuart W. A'Hara, Lauren Fuller, Testing the relative sensitivity of 102 ecological variables as indicators of woodland condition in the New Forest, UK Ecological Indicators, doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2019.105575.

 

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