CJS Logo & link to homepage

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

 

Fresh hope for rare and endangered plant - Scottish Natural Heritage

Alpine blue-sowthistle © RBGEAlpine blue-sowthistle © RBGE

Conservationists working to ensure the survival of the rare and endangered alpine blue-sowthistle in Scotland are attempting to establish a new population of the species.

The beautiful but elusive flower has now been planted along a small gorge at the Water of Clunie in the centre of the village of Braemar in Aberdeenshire, where it is hoped it will thrive.

The joint project between Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) also includes new signage to bring the story of the rare plant alive for visitors and locals.

Alpine blue-sowthistle (Cicerbita alpina) is an extremely rare plant in the UK, with only four populations known to survive naturally in the wild, on ledges and in gullies on remote mountains in the eastern Cairngorms.

It is thought that the plant’s distribution in Scotland may have been wider in the past but has been reduced by grazing.

The species is identified in the Scottish Government’s Biodiversity Route Map to 2020 as a target for conservation action. 

RBGE and SNH have been working on a long-running project to better understand the plant’s genetics and to establish new populations, including at relatively low altitudes.

SNH Operations Officer Mike Smedley said: “The planting site by the Water of Clunie is one of several chosen to see whether it is possible to establish this species at relatively low altitude. If successful, flowers could be visible from the bridge as early as next year and at such a popular tourist spot in the heart of Braemar, this is a great opportunity to showcase nature conservation in action to thousands of people each year.”

Martine Borge, Scottish Rare Plants Conservation Horticulturist at RBGE, said: "The future of this delicate and luminous plant is very uncertain in Scotland. Like many of Scotland's rare plants it needs a lot of support from horticulturists, scientists and members of the public to ensure it can recover from such a vulnerable position and help safeguard Scotland's biodiversity."

 

Pervasive pesticides: the cocktail effect - Wildlife & Countryside Link

A new report from the Soil Association and Pesticide Action Network UK shows that the ‘cocktail effect’ – dangerous interactions between different pesticide chemicals – is going untested and unchecked, with potentially dire consequences for our wildlife and our health.

Navigating the evidence and safety tests needed to show a single type of pesticide active chemical is safe, is seriously tricky. Take neonicotinoids, highly toxic insecticides now known to be harmful to wildlife. These were banned two decades after they had already done severe damage and following probably more research and debate than any pesticide before them.

But pesticides such as neonicotinoids are largely tested as if they exist in isolation. The reality is there are around 300 pesticide active chemicals approved for use in Europe and many for the UK. One arable farmer that we asked used around 45 different pesticide actives on their farm every year.

Given that wildlife is continuing to plummet, and the policy opportunities and of course threats of Brexit, we decided to explore this issue.

With Pesticide Action Network UK, we recently launched our joint report, the ‘Cocktail Effect’. This refers to harmful interactions between pesticides and other chemicals, both to our own health and that of wildlife.

Our review of this effect found that there is a serious lack of evidence and monitoring of the impacts of pesticide cocktails, as well as only a handful of studies testing for multiple pesticide residues in the countryside.

However, the evidence that does exist shows that flowers, soil, river water, and even bee colonies, can contain 10 or more different pesticides in a single sample. Other studies have found potential harmful effects on birds, earthworms, fish and daphnia among others 

 

Ambitious project launched to map genomes of all life in British Isles - University of Cambridge

An unprecedented insight into the diverse range of species on the British Isles will be made possible by Wellcome funding to the Darwin Tree of Life project.

The £9.4m funding will support a collaboration of ten research institutes, museums and associated organisations to launch the first phase of sequencing all the species on the British Isles. This will see the teams collect and ‘barcode’ around 8000 key British species of animal, plant and fungi, and deliver high-quality genomes of 2000 species. 

Exploring the genomes – the entire DNA - of these species will give an unprecedented insight into how life on Earth evolved. It will uncover new genes, proteins and metabolic pathways to help develop drugs for infectious and inherited diseases. 

Liverwort (Pellia epiphylla) Credit: Jim HaseloffLiverwort (Pellia epiphylla) Credit: Jim Haseloff

At a time when many species are under threat from climate change and human development, the data will also help characterise, catalogue and support conservation of global biodiversity for future generations.

“This project is the start of a transformation for biological research. It will change our relationship to the natural world by enabling us to understand life as never before,” said Professor Richard Durbin in Cambridge University’s Department of Genetics, who will lead the University’s involvement in the collaboration. “It will create a knowledge resource for others to build on, just as we’ve seen with the Human Genome Project for human health.”

From the small fraction of the Earth’s species that have been sequenced, enormous advances have been made in knowledge and biomedicine. From plants, a number of lifesaving drugs have been discovered and are now being created in the lab – such as artemisinin for malaria and taxol for cancer.

Assembling the full genetic barcode of each species from the millions of genetic fragments generated in the sequencing process will rely on the University of Cambridge’s expertise in computational analysis. 

 

Scientists find no evidence for ‘Insect Armageddon’ – but there’s still cause for concern – University of York

The Large Emerald (Geometra papilionaria). These moths feed on birch trees, which are very sensitive to dry conditions and drought. Credit: Dr Callum MacgregorResearchers who set out to test the widespread theory that the UK is experiencing an alarming plunge in insect numbers have found no evidence for ‘Insect Armageddon’.

The Large Emerald (Geometra papilionaria). These moths feed on birch trees, which are very sensitive to dry conditions and drought. Credit: Dr Callum Macgregor

Instead, the researchers from the University of York found peaks and troughs in moth populations over a period of 50 years. They suggest changing weather patterns and climate change could be an explanation.

The study tracked the amount of moths – which the researchers measured by estimating the combined weight, or “biomass” of all moths in a given area - between 1967 and 2017.  The findings reveal there is around twice the combined weight of moths in the present day compared with the 1960s.

While there has been a gradual decline in the amount of moths at a rate of around 10% per decade since the early 1980s, this came after a steep increase between the late 1960s and 1982. 

 

New research about pine martens gives hope for this endangered species – Queen’s University Belfast

Researchers from Queen’s have discovered that pine martens (Martes martes) are more opportunistic and adaptable, in terms of their diet, than previously thought.

A pine marten. Credit Joshua TwinningA pine marten. Credit Joshua Twinning

The findings, published earlier this year in the European Journal of Wildlife Research, present a hopeful outlook for this endangered species, as its adaptability might be key to its future success providing continued legal protection, and provision of suitable habitat.

The results of this research, funded by wildlife charity People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES), show that despite their diets differing in each location, the eating habits of pine martens remained the same: they focused on a few staple food items and supplemented these throughout the year with seasonally available treats. The seasonal fluctuations in their diet was already documented, but the fact that every population across the range followed the same pattern, was not.

Joshua Twining, PhD Student from the School of Biological Sciences at Queen’s University Belfast, who led the project, explains: “The results are quite fascinating; it’s clear that pine martens are not only true opportunistic omnivores, but they’re also highly adaptable, and unlike many other species, they can switch their diet depending on what’s available around them at any given time.”

 

Hedge your bets and plant a natural screen, says RHS

Gardeners should consider swapping walls and fences for hedges, says the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), as new research shows how they provide a range of frontline environmental services. The call forms part of the charity’s Greening Great Britain campaign which urges the public to turn urban concrete corners into thriving green spaces.
Analysis by the charity of 44 of the most popular hedges, found that as well as mitigating flooding, capturing pollutants and acting as a sound barrier they can also be used to help heat and cool the home. Hedge species in urban environments were also found to provide a crucial resource for a wide diversity of animal species through the provision of shelter, nest sites, food resources and corridors for movement.
The best all-round performers suitable for UK gardens include beech, holly, privet, western red cedar and rose.
The varying structure of hedges makes them well suited for specific roles. Those with hairy, rough and oval leaves, were found to better capture and retain particulates with dense, but porous canopies capturing the most. A yew canopy exposed to roadside pollution can accumulate and retain, for example, four times more particles than Photinia which has smoother leaves and is less dense. 
Meanwhile wide, tall and layered evergreen species have been shown to act as sound barriers with English yew (Taxus baccata) and western red cedar (Thuja plicata) found to be the top performing.

 

Wildlife Trusts call for urgent action for insects, as new report reveals true impacts of unnoticed invertebrate apocalypse - Avon Wildlife Trust

A new report, Insect Declines and Why They Matter, commissioned by a group of Wildlife Trusts in the south west has revealed conclusively that drastic declines in insect numbers look set to have far-reaching consequences for wildlife and people. 

The new report, authored by invertebrate expert Dave Goulson, Professor of Biology at the University of Sussex, highlights the real and lasting knock on effects of the declines on insect eating birds, bats, and fish, and also the cost to society in terms of the millions in lost revenue and broken ecosystems.

In parallel to revealing the urgency of the problem, the report however also highlights a clear path to reversing the worrying rate of decline and suggests measures that could take the nation off the route to what is an imminent ecological disaster. The Trusts believe that with a coordinated and concerted action from government, local authorities, food growers and the public, insect populations can recover and thrive once more so they can fulfil their incredibly important roles in the ecosystems that support all life.

Prof Goulson, author of the report, says: “Insects make up the bulk of known species on earth and are integral to the functioning of terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems, performing vital roles such as pollination, seed dispersal and nutrient cycling. They are also food for numerous larger animals, including birds, bats, fish, amphibians and lizards. If we don’t stop the decline of our insects there will be profound consequences for all life on earth. And it’s not just our wild bees and pollinators that are declining – these trends are mirrored across a great many of other invertebrate species. Of serious concern is the little we know about the fate of many of the more obscure invertebrates that are also crucial to healthy ecosystems. What we do know however is that the main causes of decline include habitat loss and fragmentation, and the overuse of pesticides. Wild insects are routinely exposed to complex cocktails of toxins which can cause either death or disorientation and weakened immune and digestive systems.”

Click here to view the report. 

  

Body language key to zoo animal welfare - University of Exeter

Watching the behaviour and body language of zoo animals could be the key to understanding and improving their welfare, new research suggests

Traditionally, zoos have focussed on more straightforward measures such as whether animals are eating, sleeping and breeding.

The new review, by the University of Exeter and the University of Winchester, says zoos have made vast improvements in recent years, but closer observation of animal behaviour – a method called Qualitative Behavioural Assessment, developed in livestock farming – could reveal even more about their psychological state. 

A macaw looking curious/interested (credit Paul Rose)An animal’s posture, facial movements and activity levels are among the things that might reveal whether it is excited, calm, interested, nervous, relaxed, etc.

“Zookeepers are dedicated and knowledgeable about their animals, and they will often recognise the psychological state of an animal by its behaviour and body language,” said Dr Paul Rose, of the University of Exeter.

A macaw looking curious/interested (credit Paul Rose)

“What we are suggesting is a more consistent version of this, carried out over time. Certain behaviours will indicate certain moods in a particular species, and we should build our knowledge of this for different species that live in zoos. For example, lions have a wide range of facial expressions, and research on these expressions could help zoos understand the animals’ state of mind. This information could then be used to improve welfare by adjusting enclosures, diets, feeding times or any number of other aspects of the way animals are kept.”

Dr Rose conducts much of his research at WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre, and is currently examining how the swans there might reveal their psychological state via their behavioural expression.  “We’re looking at how much time they spend investigating and exploring their habitat, which could show that they’re feeling emotions like being bold or confident or interested,” he said. “When they’re apprehensive or unsure, they appear to move less and be more vigilant, and keep their feathers compressed close to their bodies.”

The study evaluates existing research on Qualitative Behavioural Assessment, much of it from farming, and suggests research opportunities and practices that could be adopted by zoos.

 

New leader for The Wildlife Trusts - environmental campaigner Craig Bennett - The Wildlife Trusts

Craig Bennett, has been appointed as the new CEO of The Wildlife Trusts.

One of the UK’s leading environmental campaigners, Craig Bennett, has been appointed as the new CEO of The Wildlife Trusts. Craig brings with him huge knowledge and experience of nature conservation issues, campaigning and leadership within the sector.

Early in his career, which spans over 20 years, Craig led a move to bring peat cutting to an end on Thorne and Hatfield Moors and he helped secure better wildlife legislation through The Countryside and Rights of Way Act. More recently, Craig has led successful campaigns to highlight climate change and to protect and restore bees.

Craig will join The Wildlife Trusts – a UK-wide group of 46 nature conservation charities – a year into their campaign for a Wilder Future. Though a time of great political uncertainty and ecological crisis, The Wildlife Trusts are determined to reverse nature’s decline, restore broken ecosystems and enable people to take action for nature. They are uniquely placed to do so because the Trusts are a grassroots movement with land and sea management expertise; they have the ability to reconnect people with the natural world and to work with local communities everywhere.

 

NBN Award winners 2019 - National Biodiversity Network

Winners and runners-up of the 2019 NBN Awards for Wildlife Recording (image: NBN)The winners and runners up of the NBN Awards for Wildlife Recording 2019 were announced at the Albert Hall, Nottingham during an evening ceremony on Wednesday 13 November 2019.

Winners and runners-up of the 2019 NBN Awards for Wildlife Recording

(image: NBN)

These national Awards recognise and celebrate the outstanding contributions adults and young people are making to wildlife recording and data sharing, which is helping to improve our understanding of the UK’s biodiversity.

There are five Award categories:

  • NBN Young Person’s Award (open to individuals aged 11-20)
  • NBN Newcomer Award (open to individuals 21 years +)
  • NBN Award for wildlife recording – Marine (open to individuals 21 years +)
  • NBN Award for wildlife recording – Terrestrial (open to individuals 21 years +)
  • NBN Group Award (no age restrictions)

NBN Young Person’s Award 2019

Michael Sinclair, (age 15, from Glasgow, Strathclyde) is the winner of the NBN Young Person’s Award 2019. Michael records birds, moths and bats and is an ambassador for the Cameron Bespolka Trust as well as being a Young Rewildling Ambassador for Scotland the Big Picture.

Michael Sinclair, winner of the NBN Young Person’s Award 2019, says: “With our nature under ever-greater threat, I think it’s so important to record and share information that will help us understand how different species are affected by challenges like habitat loss, climate change and environmental pollution."

  

Rising from the ashes - John Innes Centre

For the past decade the outlook has been gloomy for European ash trees devastated by Ash dieback and facing the threat of more invasive pests.

(image: John Innes Centre)Now the latest scientific research brings better news. It reveals that European ash has moderately good resistance to the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) a beetle which has severely affected ash species in the USA and some parts of Russia.

(image: John Innes Centre)

Tests on a selection of ash species show that European ash – while not immune to initial attack by the EAB – has the resources to restrict the beetle’s development.

The study finds that the frequency with which larvae of the EAB developed to later stages in European ash was much lower than in the highly-susceptible black ash. But European ash had similar resistance to that of Manchurian ash which co-exists with the beetle in East Asia.

Previously, researchers were concerned that if EAB arrived in Britain, any native European ash trees that hadn’t succumbed to ash dieback may be finished off by the beetle.

But, explains Professor James Brown of the John Innes Centre, one of the authors of the study, the picture is more positive. “In the long term we predict that ash in the UK will gradually evolve greater resistance to ash dieback as a result of natural selection. We expect that healthy trees may suffer some harm from emerald ash borer but not be severely damaged.”

  

Tree with a 'face' leads battle against Dutch elm disease in the Scottish Highlands - Woodland Trust

Credit: Niall Benvie / WTMLScotland’s newly named Tree of the Year has been adopted as symbolic leader of a campaign to halt the spread of Dutch elm disease in the Highlands.  The 'Last Ent of Affric' is marshaling its forces for the battle of the glens as the beetle behind the infection travels west.

Credit: Niall Benvie / WTML

Alasdair Firth of Woodland Trust Scotland said: “Dutch elm disease has swept round the North-East of Scotland to Inverness and is now making its way along the Great Glen towards the west coast. There are healthy elm populations on the west coast now under threat. The ElmWatch campaign launched today aims to stop the spread of the disease and carry out research to secure the future of the species.”

Dr Euan Bowditch of the Wooded Landscapes Research Group at Inverness College UHI said: “The disease is directly spread by beetles, but ultimately by people. We are seeing Dutch elm disease move through major road arteries in the Highlands – along the Great Glen but also north along the A9, and out towards Ullapool on the A835. The beetles are hitch-hiking their way across the Highlands, most likely through the transport of diseased wood that will infect and kill more trees. If we can limit the movement of infected elm wood, we can give healthy elm populations, such as those in the west, a shot at survival.”

Government agency Scottish Forestry is urging the public to avoid moving elm timber and firewood across the disease frontline – and has produced a map.

   

Confor announces new forestry awards for 2020

Three new awards will be presented at Confor’s expanded Forestry Dinner & Awards Evening in February 2020.

Along with the well-established Dedicated Service to Forestry Award, there are new awards for leadership, innovation and communication - to be presented at The Sheraton Grand Hotel in Edinburgh on Tuesday, 25 February..

“The new awards build on the success of the 2019 dinner and the positive growth of the industry,” said Confor CEO Stuart Goodall. “The Dedicated Service to Forestry Award is the premier industry award, but we wanted to reward excellence more widely across the sector. We are delighted that we are able to award these new prizes, thanks to great support from our sponsors James Jones & Sons, Scottish Woodlands, Forestry & Land Scotland and Forestry Commission.

“We now want the industry to come forward and make nominations for the new awards, to ensure we find some truly worthy winners.”

The three new awards are:

  • Future Forestry Leader Award – to an individual with outstanding skills, who has the potential to be a leader in the forestry and timber sector - someone showing initiative, passion and making a real difference to the sector - sponsored by James Jones & Sons Ltd.
  • Changing Attitudes Award - to an individual or business promoting the forestry and wood sector in a positive and impactful way - through personal engagement, campaigning or communication, social media or other ways - sponsored by Scottish Woodlands Ltd.
  • Innovation and Research Award – to a business or individual delivering successful innovation and/or research which has clearly demonstrated greater productivity or efficiency in the forestry and wood industry - sponsored by Forestry Commission and Forestry & Land Scotland.

Nominations close on 28th January 2020 Click through or details,

  

Stanford researchers explore how citizens can become agents of environmental change - Stanford University

Some programs work better than others when it comes to involving citizens in preserving the environment. After reviewing those that worked, Stanford researchers propose a blueprint for how others can educate people to maximize their impact. 

If you like to walk in the woods, raft a river, dig in a garden or look at butterflies, you could become an agent of change. 

Science and policy may not be enough to solve complex environmental challenges ranging from species extinction to water pollution, but actively engaged citizens could tip the balance, according to a new Stanford-led study that provides a blueprint for empowering people to turn the tide of environmental destruction. In Biological Conservation, the researchers outline four key facets of programs that have been successful in motivating and training people to have a meaningful impact. 

“Effective environmental education moves people to persistent action through engaging with issues in relevant ways,” said study lead author Nicole Ardoin. “Without it, making sustained change on environmental and sustainability issues simply is not possible.”

Environmental education: Keys to success

  1. Focus on local environmental issues or locally relevant dimensions of global issues
  2. Collaborate with scientists and resource managers
  3. Incorporate action elements into programs
  4. Measure and report program outcomes

Read the paper: Nicole M. Ardoin, Alison W. Bowers, Estelle Gaillard, Environmental education outcomes for conservation: A systematic review, Biological Conservation, 2019, 108224, ISSN 0006-3207 doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2019.108224. (open acess)

 

International attention for deer management approach - Forestry and Land Scotland

Forestry and Land Scotland’s successful approach to deer management programme has attracted international attention.

Three members of the Latvian Forestry Service recently spent three days with FLS managers looking at data, population modelling and systems associated with deer management and venison sales as well as the practicalities of deer control on the ground.

In addition to meetings in Silvan House, Edinburgh the group met with wildlife rangers on the ground in Highland Perthshire. This included a visit to the Tummel deer larder to learn about carcass preparation, larder compliance, and to discuss population counts and working with neighbouring land managers to manage deer pressures.

The group also observed deer stalking in local Tayside forests and also visited Cunningar Loop in Glasgow where the focus was urban deer management and the difficulties of establishing and enhancing urban woodlands. 

Doug Knox, Head of FLS Technical Services Group, said; “As in Scotland, Latvian foresters acknowledge that deer are an important element of the landscape. But they are as acutely aware as we are that there is a balance to be struck in managing deer populations to sustainable levels for the benefit of the deer themselves and the natural environment which can suffer in places from over-browsing."

 

Scientific Publication

Sercu, B. K., Moeneclaey, I. , Bonte, D. and Baeten, L. (2019), Induced phenological avoidance: A neglected defense mechanism against seed predation in plants. J Ecol. Accepted Author Manuscript. doi:10.1111/1365-2745.13325

 

CJS is not responsible for content of external sites.  Details believed correct but given without prejudice.

Disclaimer: the views expressed in these news pages do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of CJS.