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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
Ten fantastic trees vying to be England's Tree of the Year
–
Woodland Trust
The Isle of Wight's Dragon Tree is the stuff of legends. Photo: Sienna Anderson But there are also some interesting oddities worthy of winning the
title, including Norfolk’s twisted conifer and Colchester Castle’s
Sycamore that has been on top of the stronghold since the 1820s. The Woodland Trust’s annual competition is designed to highlight and
celebrate the best trees in the country. Once again it’s being supported
by the award winning horticulturalist and TV personality David Domoney. A carefully chosen panel of eager and knowledgeable judges spent a
day debating the positives of hundreds of trees to find the very best
trees that England has to offer. Ten visually stunning trees all with
wonderful stories have made the shortlist. We’re asking the public to go online at woodlandtrust.org.uk/treeoftheyear to
choose their favourite, to ultimately find England’s Tree of the Year
for 2019. David Domoney said: “The Woodland Trust’s Tree of the Year celebrates the marvel and beauty of trees in our country. They are such an important part of our cities and countryside, not only for their beauty, but also for the health benefits they offer to all living creatures. Choosing the one tree that stands out from the rest is a hard decision, take a look for yourself. Vote for your favourite on the Woodland Trust’s website to crown England’s Tree of the Year for 201
Community can get involved in new Swindon urban meadows project
– Swindon Borough Council A project to enhance urban meadows and forest habitats while
improving people’s health and wellbeing is about to be launched in
Swindon. Swindon Borough Council has teamed up with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust
(WWT) to deliver the three-year programme, the Forest Meadows Project,
which will include 12 sites within the borough covering more than 170
hectares. Most of the meadow and forest sites are located along the corridor of
the River Ray, but the project will also link to other areas including
Sevenfields, the Lawns and WWT reserves where wonderful meadows already
exist. The project, which is being funded by the Council with £80,000 in
Section 106 developer contributions and other biodiversity grants, will
be led by WWT, who will work with the Council, parish councils and local
community groups. It will involve sustaining existing meadows by establishing annual
maintenance programmes to form traditional ‘hay meadows’ as well as more
intensive management of other locations such as stripping existing
vegetation and re-sowing and planting wildflowers. Grazing animals such as cattle could also be introduced on some of
the areas in order to improve biodiversity and sustain the management of
the sites. Some community groups, such as those in Highworth, Hreod Burna and
Rivermead, already manage the sites and the project will support them to
improve their meadows and hopefully recruit new members., Where there is limited or no current community activity, such as at
Mouldon Hill, WWT and the Council will work with parish councils to
establish new community groups. One of the main focuses of the project will be to link in with
existing health and wellbeing groups in Swindon to encourage their
members to get involved in a wide range of activities from the sowing
and planting of wildflowers through to the biological monitoring of
sites for wildlife such as butterflies and moths.
Pioneering study into microplastic levels in UK water supplies
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology The Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) has carried out a
comprehensive study of microplastics for the UK and Irish water
industry. Until now, there has been limited information about the levels at
which microplastic particles are found at different points in the water
cycle. But, in the first comprehensive research of its kind to date, CEH
carried out sampling at a total of 16 different water company premises
across the country in order to assess how much of the microplastic
material was removed by treatment plants. Half the sites tested were water treatment works (WTW), which take
water from upland reservoirs, aquifers or rivers and turn it into
drinking water. The other eight were wastewater treatment works (WwTW),
which treat wastewater before it is discharged into rivers The study was commissioned by UKWIR – the UK and Irish water
industry’s research body – so it could better understand where and in
what quantities microplastic particles exist within the wastewater
treatment and water supply systems. This will support the water
companies’ aim to provide safe, healthy drinking water supplies while
protecting the environment. The study will also help to determine the
future direction and research needs in and around the water and
terrestrial environment. Standard approaches to measuring microplastic particles in water,
wastewater and the solid residues from the associated treatment
processes (sludge) do not yet exist, and the CEH study will support the
development of a robust approach to the sampling and detection of
microplastic particles in the treated water cycle.
NFU unveils its plan for British farming to deliver net zero
– National Farmers Union The NFU will today (10 September) unveil its vision of how British
farming hopes to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. The NFU's new report, Achieving Net Zero: Farming’s 2040 Goal, sets
out three pillars of activity that will help the industry to reach its
ambitious goal. These are:
The first of these pillars is about reducing emissions, using a wide
variety of techniques to enhance productivity and deliver the same
output or more from every farm, and working smarter to use fewer inputs. The second is about increasing farming’s ability to capture more
carbon though bigger hedgerows, more trees and woodland, enhancing soil
organic matter and conserving existing carbon stores in grassland and
pasture. The third pillar involves displacing greenhouse gas emissions from
fossil fuels and removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through
bioenergy and bio-based materials such as hemp fibre and sheep’s wool. NFU President Minette Batters said: “There is no doubt that climate
change is one of the biggest challenges of our time and rising rapidly
on the political agenda both at home and globally. Representing British
farming, we recognise our unique position as both a source and a store
for greenhouse gas emissions and, importantly, how we can build on our
work so far to deliver climate neutral farming in the next 20 years. We
aspire to be producing the most climate-friendly food in the world. The
carbon footprint of British red meat is only 40 per cent of the world
average. And we can go further, whether that is through improving our
productivity, using our own land to take up and store carbon, planting
hedgerows and trees to capture even more, and boosting our renewable
energy output. We know that there is no single answer to the climate
change challenge facing us all.”
Wildlife and wind farms: Are British gulls staying safe in the winter
sun? – BTO New research by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), published
today in the Journal of Applied Ecology, shows that Lesser Black-backed
Gulls breeding in Britain could be vulnerable to collisions with wind
turbines whilst on migration and during the winter months, as well as
during the breeding season.
Lesser
Black-backed Gull, by Gary Clewley / BTO There are now estimated to be more than 341,000 wind turbines
installed and spinning on the planet as part of global initiatives to
tackle carbon emissions. It is important to understand how these
structures might affect wildlife. In this study, BTO researchers fitted
state-of-the art GPS tags to Lesser Black-backed Gulls breeding at three
major UK colonies in order to track their movements throughout the year.
By combining the data from the tags with information on wind turbine
locations they were able to establish how vulnerable this species might
be to collisions. Access the paper: Thaxter, C. B. et
al. Avian
vulnerability to wind farm collision through the year: Insights from
lesser black-backed gulls (Larus fuscus) tracked from multiple
breeding colonies. (open access) Journal of Applied Ecology. DOI:
10.1111/1365-2664.13488
Defra responds to Wild Justice challenge: releasing gamebirds on
protected sites Defra will review the way in which the release of gamebirds on or
near protected sites in England is managed following a proposed legal
challenge. The way in which the release of gamebirds on or near protected sites
(Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservation) in England
is managed will be reviewed following a proposed legal challenge, Defra
has today (11 September 2019) confirmed. This will not result in any immediate changes for owners or occupiers
of land. In response to a pre-action protocol (PAP) letter from Wild Justice, Defra accepted in principle the annual release of non-native gamebirds, specifically the Common Pheasant and Red-legged Partridge, can be considered a ‘plan or project’ requiring appropriate assessment within the meaning of the Habitats Directive. While not accepting the argument that current laws do not provide for
appropriate assessment in such cases, Defra proposes to undertake a
review to consider the legislative arrangements around the relevant
activities and whether there are ways in which their effectiveness could
be improved. The detail of this review will be developed over the coming
weeks.
OWSMRF - Working together to understand the impact of offshore wind
energy on marine birds
- JNCC
With
UK offshore wind ambitions set to increase by 2030, an industry-led
forum to better understand how large-scale development may impact marine
birds was launched today. The Offshore Wind Strategic Monitoring and Research Forum (OWSMRF)
led by six offshore wind developers – EDF-Renewables, Equinor, Innogy,
Ørsted, ScottishPower Renewables, and Vattenfall – is being delivered by
JNCC. © Matt Parsons With UK offshore wind power to increase capacity to 30 gigawatts (GW)
by 2030, there is a need to better understand the potential impact of
such development on marine birds. OWSMRF will enable government nature
conservation advisors, NGOs, experts and regulators to highlight
critical knowledge gaps to developers. This collaborative approach will
help to identify, prioritise and develop further research and evidence.
In its pilot year the focus will be on marine birds, specifically
kittiwakes. JNCC’s Director of Marine, John Goold, said: “This forum offers a
unique opportunity to rapidly identify and progress high quality
research that will facilitate future offshore wind development while
ensuring long-term sustainable use of the marine environment. We are
looking forward to the opportunities this pilot year brings.”
Booming year for bitterns - RSPB Record year for booming bitterns Britain’s loudest bird has battled extinction not once but twice.
Bitterns
completely disappeared from Britain in the 1870s. Although the shy bird
with a booming voice made a comeback in the 20th century, bitterns were
back at the brink of extinction by 1997 when numbers dropped to just 11
males. (credit: Andy Hay) Two EU-funded projects helped revive bittern (a type of heron)
numbers once again. This year the RSPB is celebrating the bitterns’ best
year since records began, with over 100 male booming bitterns recorded
on the charity’s reserves for the first time and almost 200 across the
UK. Despite its claim to fame as Britain’s loudest bird, bitterns are
highly secretive. With their well camouflaged, pale, buffy-brown
plumage, bitterns spend most of their time hiding in dense stands of
reed and are so elusive scientists count them by listening for the
males’ distinctive booming call. Simon Wotton, RSPB Senior Conservation Scientist, said: “Bitterns are
one of our most charismatic birds. Their astonishing recovery from the
brink of extinction is a real conservation success story and example of
what is possible through targeted efforts to restore wildlife habitat. “It’s a delight to hear their distinctive booming call echoing across
the reedbeds every year as more and more bitterns are making new or
restored wetlands their home.” Since 2006, there has been a year-on-year increase in the number of
bitterns making their home in Britain. This year numbers reached record
levels once more with 198 males recorded at 89 sites. This compares to
188 at 82 sites in 2018.
Badger cull expansion makes no sense -
Cornwall Wildlife Trust Defra has announced an expansion to the badger culls in Cornwall and horrifyingly, 83% of Cornwall is now in a badger cull zone.
This
is one of ten new badger cull areas covering a huge area across the UK.
The culls are Government policy and are being carried out by cull
companies in an effort to reduce TB in cattle. However, opinion is
divided on how effective the culls are and whether they should be
happening at all. There is huge frustration amongst wildlife groups
because badger vaccination, which is a viable alternative, is not being
sufficiently recognised or funded by Defra. Badger by Richard Birchett Cheryl Marriott, Head of Conservation at Cornwall Wildlife Trust
says, “The cull expansion is hard to stomach. We have shown in Cornwall
that roll-out of badger vaccination in partnership with farmers is
practical and viable and we are here ready and willing to expand it.
Vaccination is in everyone’s interest and is supported by the public who
are ultimately the customers of our farmers. Why continue to drive a
wedge between the farming community and the wider public with more
badger culls when we have a non-lethal alternative ready to go?” Cornwall Wildlife Trust has already started to vaccinate badgers on
their nature reserves and in an area of mid-Cornwall in partnership with
farmers. There is also a vaccination programme happening in Penwith led
by Zoological Society of London. These vaccination programmes will
continue and the Trust would like to hear from farmers and landowners
who are interested in joining them.
Fundamental shift away from single use packaging necessary, say MPs
- Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee has today called
for the government to focus on reducing all single use packaging – not
just plastic – in its latest report on Plastic food and drink packaging. Reusable and refillable packaging systems should be reviewed The Committee, which looked specifically at food and drink packaging,
has recommended that the Government should conduct a review of reusable
and refillable packaging systems to determine what works and where
Government intervention might be appropriate. In addition, Parliament should lead by example, with the ambition to
remove single use packaging from all its catering facilities. The Committee also supported Government proposals to improve the
recycling rate with extended producer responsibility, a Deposit Return
Scheme and consistency in recycling collections. The Committee has called for a modulated plastic packaging tax, with
lower fees for higher levels of recycled content. Furthermore, imported,
filled packaging should not be exempt from the tax as this could damage
UK manufacturing. Reaction:
Disappointment at UK Government inaction to tackle root causes of
plastic pollution - Environmental
Investigation Agency A report published today by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Committee (EFRA) criticises the UK Government for not placing enough
emphasis on reducing single-use plastic food and drink packaging. It states that prevention is the most important way to reduce waste
and greater effort needs to be put into this: “A fundamental shift away
from all single-use food and drink packaging, plastic or otherwise, is
vital for the future protection of the environment.” It further notes “it is disappointing that comparatively little
emphasis has been placed … on reducing plastic waste [by the
Government].” The report, Plastic Food and Drink Packaging, recognises that
recycling is not enough, despite this being the main focus of industry
and Government initiatives to date, and states it is “shocking that [the
Government] does not know how much plastic packaging is placed on market
in the UK, nor how much is really recycled.” Plastic Food and Drink Packaging also warns against a simple
substitution of one single-use material for another, noting that “all
food and drink packaging materials, whether plastic or another material,
has an environmental impact”. This includes non-conventional plastics
such as compostable packaging, which the report does not support a
general increase in use. A shift towards reusable and refillable packaging ranges will be
critical for achieving an absolute reduction in packaging waste and the
report welcomes the trials and ‘zero waste’ initiatives seen to date. It
notes, however, that “these changes are unlikely to enable a revolution
in the way most consumers shop unless they are widely available” and
encourages greater emphasis to be given to scaling up these solutions. Read the full report:
Plastic food and drink packaging
University of Saskatchewan led study shows insecticides threaten
survival of wild birds - University of
Saskatchewan New research at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) shows how the
world’s most widely used insecticides could be partly responsible for a
dramatic decline in songbird populations. The study, to be published in the journal Science on Sept. 13, is the
first experiment to track the effects of a neonicotinoid pesticide on
birds in the wild. “Our study shows that this is bigger than the bees—birds can also be harmed by modern neonicotinoid pesticides, which should worry us all,” said biologist Bridget Stutchbury of York University one of the research collaborators.
Access the paper: By Margaret L. Eng,
Bridget J. M. Stutchbury, Christy A. Morrissey.
A
neonicotinoid insecticide reduces fueling and delays migration in
songbirds. Science13 Sep 2019 : 1177-1180
The Year of the Painted Lady - Butterfly
Conservation In just three weeks this summer, nearly half a million Painted Lady
butterflies were counted as part of the 10th UK-wide Big Butterfly
Count, run by Butterfly Conservation and sponsored by B&Q. The
wildlife charity can confirm that 2019 has been a ‘Painted Lady Year’ –
a natural phenomenon that happens about once in a decade, when unusually
high numbers of this migratory butterfly arrive in the UK.
Painted
Lady butterfly (image: AndrewCooper / Butterfly Conservation) It is too early to tell how 2019 compares to the last ‘Painted Lady
Year’ in 2009, but the number seen in this year’s Big Butterfly Count
was almost 30 times greater than in the 2018 survey, equating to an
increase per Count of 2498% on the year before. Several other common species have experienced a bumper summer, helped
by the fine weather. The Peacock had its best summer since 2014, with counts up a massive
235% on last year. The Marbled White experienced a 264% increase and
there was a 64% rise in counts for the colourful red and black Six-spot
Burnet moth. Populations of Red Admiral and Gatekeeper were up 138% and 95%
respectively compared to the same period last year and the beleaguered
Small Tortoiseshell had its best Big Butterfly Count result since 2014,
with around 70,000 spotted this summer. Despite this, scientists remain concerned about the Small
Tortoiseshell’s long-term future - this once common and widespread
butterfly has declined by 78% since the 1970s. The Big Butterfly Count results can be found at
www.bigbutterflycount.org
and these will be used by scientists to see how the UK’s common species
are faring and where to target future conservation work.
General licences: survey marks new phase of review
- defra / Natural England Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers launches public survey as part
of planned review of general licences to manage wild birds in England. Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers today (12 September) launched
a public survey as part of a planned review of general licences to
manage wild birds in England. The aim of the review is to ensure the licensing system is robust,
striking the right balance between the protection of wild birds and the
activities people such as landowners and farmers need to carry out for
specific purposes, such as protecting livestock or crops and for
conservation purposes. Defra is leading this review in close partnership
with Natural England. As a first step, Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers has launched
a 12-week online survey to gather evidence on the control that
stakeholders consider is required under general licence. This is one
strand of the review, with a series of stakeholder workshops also
planned to run in parallel. In parallel with the survey, Defra and Natural England will be
conducting a series of workshops with interested groups in the autumn,
covering particular topics such as activity on protected sites.
General licences for wild birds: survey on management measures in
England Seeking views on what general licences to kill or take wild birds
should cover. We're also asking for evidence on issues like record
keeping.
Woodland sounds boost wellbeing, according to new study
- The National Trust The crunch of snapping twigs underfoot. Lilting birdsong from above.
The rustling of trees in the breeze. Woodland sounds have been shown to
have a direct impact on our wellbeing, making us more relaxed, less
stressed and less anxious. A new mental chronometry study commissioned by the National Trust
explored how soaking up the sounds of the natural world affects people,
and found it relaxes us more than if we listen to a voiced meditation
app, and in the tests, reduced feelings of stress and anxiety by over a
fifth. The data highlights how being immersed in the sounds of woodlands can
positively affect our overall levels of wellbeing, and shows that time
spent listening to the sounds of the natural world has a direct impact
on how we feel. Dr Eleanor Ratcliffe, Lecturer in Environmental Psychology,
University of Surrey, comments: “There is a large body of scientific
evidence demonstrating that experience of nature can benefit health and
wellbeing, including recovery from everyday psychological stress. Much
of this research has focused on visual experiences, but more recent work
has shown that the sounds of the outdoors, such as birdsong, wind, and
water, can also improve mood and reduce stress. These sounds offer a way
to connect with nature no matter where you are.” Nation’s Favourite Woodland Sounds 1. Birdsong
Bicycles, traffic cones, fridge components, underpants and safes
- Canal and River Trust One of the country’s biggest canal clean-ups removes 1.8 tonnes of
rubbish, comprising 809 Kgs of plastic (almost 50% of rubbish). 1.8 tonnes of rubbish, comprising 809 Kgs of plastic waste has been
removed from a 10-mile stretch of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in one of
the country’s biggest canal clean-ups. Almost 300 colleagues from Asda House took time out to make a
difference and help tackle the plastic pollution crisis, supported by us
here at the Trust. Bicycles, traffic cones, spare tyres, safes, men’s underpants, shoes,
and even the inside of a fridge, were among the hundreds of items
removed by volunteers, with many taking the opportunity to get afloat on
the water by canoe and boat. Rubbish and plastic waste collected over five days (2-6 September) by
Asda and the Trust was taken to a nearby responsible waste disposal
company in Leeds. Maltings Organic Treatment Ltd weighed the rubbish
daily and the company will also be recycling the plastic items collected
from the canal into a bench. Colleagues originally predicted that the
amount of plastic collected throughout the week would be enough to make
one bench, however the 809 Kgs found on the litter pick actually equates
to nine whole benches. Sean McGinley, our Yorkshire & North East director, added: “It’s
amazing to see what lurks beneath our waterways and I wonder how some of
these items have ended up in our waterways. Our charity spends around
£1million a year dealing with litter and fly-tipping, money that could
be better spent elsewhere. We’re delighted to see the difference Asda
volunteers have made and hope the experience has helped people to get to
know their local canal and how we look after it.”
Peatland restoration of the Cheviot reaches new heights in battle
against Climate Change! - Northumberland
National Park Authority A major peatland restoration project covering an area roughly the
size of 241 football pitches, has just got underway on the summit of the
Cheviot, the highest peak in Northumberland National Park to help in the
fight against climate change. England’s peatlands play a significant role in storing carbon and are
capable of capturing and storing large amounts of carbon dioxide, as
well as being wonderful habitats in their own right. Erosion caused by
weather, grazing or land use can expose the peat and lead to the release
of carbon into atmosphere. The project is one of the largest
peatland restoration projects in the North of England covering 151
hectares and will prevent an estimated 585 tonnes of carbon dioxide
being released into the atmosphere each year, once restored – equivalent
to the greenhouse gases emitted by an average car travelling 1.43
million miles.
Following considerable preparation and planning due to the remoteness
of the area and sensitivity of the site, work has just started. The
summit plateau, usually home to a few hardy walkers, species of birds
and insects, will have specialist diggers working to reshape the peat
haggs to enable plants to grow and prevent further erosion. Later
in the year native plants, including heathers, cottongrass and sphagnum
mosses will be harvested from the valley below and flown up by
helicopter to be planted and help protect the bare peat. Gill Thompson, ecologist at Northumberland National Park, explains
“The peatland restoration on the Cheviot is the highest altitude project
to be undertaken as part of The North of England Peat Partnership, and
it does present a number of challenges – not only in terms of getting
machinery to the summit but also people, as every day the team working
on the project need to walk an hour up Northumberland’s highest hill to
get to work, but the views are stunning!"
Scientific publications Rose, D. C. et al.
Calling for a new agenda for conservation science to create
evidence-informed policy (open access) Biological Conservation. DOI:
10.1016/j.biocon.2019.108222
Bas Boots, Connor William Russell, and Dannielle Senga Green
Effects of
Microplastics in Soil Ecosystems: Above and Below Ground
Environ. Sci. Technol DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b03304
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