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Headlines from week beginning 20 April 2015 |
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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
BVA calls for change to badger culling method and wider roll-out in
England - British Veterinary Association
Following a full discussion at BVA Council, at which a wide range of
views were expressed, BVA concluded that the results from the first two
years of culling have not demonstrated conclusively that controlled
shooting can be carried out effectively and humanely based on the
criteria that were set for the pilots. Image: British Veterinary Association BVA remains supportive of the use of badger culling as a necessary
part of the comprehensive strategy for control and eradication of bovine
TB. BVA is therefore calling on the government to revert to the method
of cage trapping and shooting only, which can deliver a safe, humane and
effective cull, as demonstrated in the earlier Randomised Badger Culling
Trial (RBCT). The RBCT established that culling badgers can deliver a net benefit
in terms of a reduction in the incidence of bovine TB in cattle. BVA is
therefore now calling for badger culling to be rolled out using cage
trapping and shooting only to other areas where badgers contribute to
the high incidence of TB in cattle.
Breakthrough in protection of the Dogger Bank Natura 2000 site,
ecological heart of the North Sea After years of negotiations, the Dogger Bank, a unique and massive
complex of Natura 2000 sites belonging to the UK, Germany and the
Netherlands will finally get its needed fisheries management plan. Centuries of invasive bottom-trawling have degraded the sandbank
community of the Dogger Bank, altering it in favour of short-lived
species at the expense of vulnerable, long-lived ones like the ocean
quahog (a type of clam), the longest-lived animal known to man on the
planet (known to survive up to 500 years). In 2013, after 3 years of discussion, the Member States, along with
Denmark who prize the Dogger Bank as their most important sandeel
fishing ground, agreed to exclude beam trawls and other bottom gears,
from about a third of the Dogger Bank. BirdLife Europe as well as other
NGOs had sought a higher level of protection but accepted that this was
still a major step forward in balancing nature conservation and fishing
interests. However, with increased pressure from the Dutch industry to go
against the consensus, the Netherlands demanded closing less of the
Dutch part of the bank on the grounds that the proposed closures were
too costly for the fishing industry. The UK and Germany, however,
refused to renegotiate the overall management plan. After months of political wrangling in the Dutch Parliament, Sharon
Dijksma, the Dutch minister responsible for fisheries, has finally
decided to support the joint Member States proposal. In her letter to
the Dutch Parliament this week, she rejected the Dutch fishing
industry’s plans to protect less of the Dutch Natura 2000 Dogger Bank
site from the damaging impact of beam trawls and other bottom gears. Birdlife Europe congratulates the Dutch Minister on facing down her
industry’s attempts to block what was a multi-national consensus on how
best to protect the Dogger Bank’s sandbank habitat and ensure a future
for both nature and the fishing industry.
Report on capercaillie breeding success in Scots pinewoods in Strathspey
– Scottish Natural Heritage Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) today published a report which
investigates the factors associated with capercaillie breeding success. The Scottish capercaillie is of high conservation concern as the
population has declined to 1,000-2,000 birds since the 1970s. Strathspey
remains the stronghold with around 75% of the Scottish population.
However, capercaillie productivity varies across the region. The report –‘Correlates of capercaillie productivity in Scots
pinewoods in Strathspey’ – is the result of a partnership comprising
SNH, RSPB Scotland and the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA). The report reaffirms the complex relationships between the success of
capercaillie in rearing young and habitat structure, predator activity
and weather during the egg-laying and brood rearing period. One new finding was that blaeberry leaves (a key food item) had a
better defence against herbivores through their chemical composition in
old-growth Scots Pine forest than in younger plantations.
Peatland project breathes new life into National Park – Loch Lomond
& the Trossachs NPA
A major peatland restoration project by Loch Lomond & The Trossachs
National Park, which will help reduce the effects of climate change,
create healthy habitats for wildlife as well as being used for
recreation and providing employment - will be completed this month. The project is part of The National Park's biodiversity action plan,
'Wild Park 2020'. The £120,000 of repair work, funded by Scottish
Natural Heritage’s Peatland Action, at Beinn Dubh above Glen Luss and
Auchtertyre, near Strathfillan, has involved supplies being flown in by
helicopter and conservation workers enduring two-hour hikes in high
winds and snow to reach the remote areas. The restoration of the top of these two mountains involves blocking
drains which provides a number of benefits including; preventing peat
from drying out and releasing carbon into the atmosphere; reducing the
impacts of flooding by slowing down water flow for farmers and residents
downhill; improving water quality and the quality of mountain vegetation
for local wildlife; as well as supporting the internationally important
habitats for rare plants, birds and insects. Eroded areas of bare peat
have also been re-planted to help stabilise the exposed sections. Harriet Smith, land management adviser at Loch Lomond & The Trossachs
National Park Authority said: “Peatland restoration is incredibly
important; not only to reduce the effects of climate change, but because
of the far reaching additional benefits both for wildlife and people. We
have worked closely with Luss Estates and Scotland's Rural College at
Kirkton and Auchtertyre farms to make these projects a reality and are
looking forward to seeing more people being able to enjoy the benefits
that these iconic landscapes provide.”
Offshore wind farm risk to seabirds varies between years – British
Trust for Ornithology Offshore wind farms are now operating or being constructed all around
the UK as the government invests in renewable energy, but what are the
consequences of such developments for our wildlife? New research by the
British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) has used state-of-the-art GPS tags
to show how Lesser Black-backed Gulls breeding at a protected site in
Suffolk use areas of sea where offshore wind farms already exist, and
where future developments are earmarked. BTO tracked twenty-five birds in three consecutive summers and found
that gulls visited offshore wind farm areas significantly more in some
years than in others. In every year, birds spent more time in wind farms
zones when their chicks were young than at other times in the breeding
season. Males also spent more time in these zones than females later on
in the breeding season, when chicks were growing bigger and more
independent. Dr Chris Thaxter of the BTO said, "These results indicate just how
varied individual seabirds can be in their behaviour, and highlights the
value of long-term tracking datasets in estimating potential impacts of
offshore wind farms on seabird populations”. He added “Tracking animals
over extended periods will help to correctly estimate the magnitude of
risks posed to protected populations”. The paper is published in Biological Conservation. Read it here
Field Studies Council, has joined together with Esri UK, the
Geographical Association, Ordnance Survey and the Royal Geographical
Society (with IBG) to create the ‘Year of Fieldwork’. We will be
working collaboratively to promote the value of geographical fieldwork
and the wide range of resources, training and other support that is
available to schools and colleges across the UK. The ‘Year of Fieldwork’, will run throughout the academic year
2015-16. It aims to bring together a range of partners to celebrate
out-of classroom learning and opportunities and to offer support for
those that wish to develop these further. Our hope is that schools and
colleges across the country join with us to celebrate fieldwork and the
opportunities it provides not just during the ‘Year of Fieldwork’, but
throughout the life of learners.
Parks on the Agenda - Landscape Institute A collection of recent reports suggest there is growing evidence
proving parks are valued community assets A body of evidence is growing that quantifies the public benefits of
parks, and at the same time, explicitly details the loss of community
benefits if severe budget cuts continue. The budget cuts are not just
cuts to parks funding; they are cuts to public health and endanger
government attempts to address obesity rates.
Access to green space reduces rich-poor divide in mental wellbeing
- Centre for Research on Environment,
Society & Health Having access to green spaces significantly
reduces the gap in wellbeing between richer and poorer people a European
study has found. Socioeconomic inequality in mental wellbeing was 40% narrower among
people reporting good access to green / recreational areas compared to
those with poor access. The research team say that green space is ‘equigenic’ because it
appears that it may help in creating health equality between richer and
poorer people. The research showed that access to green /
recreational space was the only neighbourhood characteristic tested
which had this link to narrower inequalities in wellbeing, The study
concludes that green space could have an important part to play in
reducing socioeconomic health inequalities. The study is published today in the American Journal of Preventive
Medicine and was carried out by the Centre for Research on Environment,
Society and Health (CRESH), which is shared by the Universities of
Glasgow and Edinburgh. Study leader Professor Rich Mitchell of the University of Glasgow,
said: “Our research supports the idea that environments could play a
part in reducing inequalities in health, either in tandem with other
social policies, or independently.” Previous studies have shown that greenspace has physiological and
psychological benefits for an individual’s health. However, these
studies did not compare green space with other features of the
environment. This study was the first to compare different neighbourhood
characteristics or services to see which were associated with narrower
socioeconomic health inequalities. Professor Jamie Pearce of the University of Edinburgh said: “Many
experiments have identified that contact with nature can be a balm to
those who are stressed or fatigued. It seems that the beneficial effects
of using green areas are stronger for those under greater levels of
financial stress. While this kind of study could not prove
greenspace was the cause of the reduced inequality there are two reasons
why the effect is plausible: the narrowing of inequality did not occur
among those not using their green space; and experimental studies have
proven that contact with nature can cause improved mental wellbeing." Access the paper: Mitchell, Richard J.
et al.
Neighborhood Environments and Socioeconomic Inequalities in Mental
Well-Being. American Journal of Preventive Medicine DOI: DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2015.01.017 Related:
How bird-watching saved my happiness – and possibly my sanity writes
Andy Atkins on Friends of the Earth Green Blog
BASC and Natural England sign partnership agreement
- BASC A partnership agreement which recognises the important role of
shooting’s conservation contribution to the English Countryside has been
signed by the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC)
and Natural England. BASC looks forward to working with Natural England on the annual
action plan which sets out a formula for joint working to achieve common
aims. This covers matters of importance to shooting and to
conservationists such as delivery of the Government’s Biodiversity 2020
programme, coastal access, wildfowling consents and future reviews of
general licences which allow the necessary control of certain birds. Tim Russell, BASC’s director of conservation, said: “BASC is pleased
to sign this modern partnership agreement with Natural England which
recognises the important contribution that people who shoot make to the
nature and landscape conservation of the English countryside, and
commits the two organisations to exploring how this contribution can be
further developed. The agreement also recognises that shooting as an
outdoor recreation can improve health and well-being and makes a
significant contribution to the economy, particularly in rural areas.” A particular emphasis will be on how BASC’s Green Shoots programme
can be further developed so that its members will be able to contribute
to monitoring and conserving habitats and species as part of the
Government’s Biodiversity 2020 programme. BASC chairman Alan Jarrett said: ‘This partnership agreement is a
significant marker. Natural England formally and clearly recognises the
benefits of lawful shooting and its related conservation effort. It sets
out a blueprint for discussing issues, for working together and for
achieving positive results for shooting and conservation. It should be
welcomed by everyone who shoots.’ Wetland
Birds Survey: 2013/14 report - JNCC The 33rd annual Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) report which includes
counts from 2013/14 is now available. WeBS is the principal scheme for
monitoring the populations of the UK’s wintering waterbirds, indicating
the status of waterbird populations and the health of wetlands. The UK’s importance as a waterbird wintering area comes from its
geographic location as the most northerly temperate area with generally
mild, maritime, winters close to arctic breeding areas. The UK’s many
major estuaries are of critical importance as a food resource for these
species during winter.
Overall the report shows that UK wintering waterbird populations have
declined during a run of milder winters in the last decade.
However in periods of extreme cold, 2008/9, 2009/10 and 2010/11, the UK
acted as a refuge for waterbirds from continental Europe as birds moved
to the nearest appropriate over-wintering site. The key UK sites –
protected under various legislative measures – play a critical role in
supporting waterbird populations under changing environmental
conditions, and operate as a functional ecological network at national
and international scales. The report illustrates an instance of this
with recent research on use of Special Protection Areas by Smew (a small
diving duck), highlighting the importance of site networks in
maintaining overall species populations as its distribution within
Europe changes in response to climate change. David Stroud, JNCC’s
Senior Ornithologist contributed to the paper describing this research. Download the report here: BTO Wetland Birds Survey (PDF)
Grey squirrels’ role as hosts of Lyme disease bacteria under the
spotlight - University of Glasgow Grey squirrels have been described as one
of the ‘world’s worst invasive species’ and have caused a decline in
indigenous red squirrel populations and damaged forestry in the UK.
In Britain, Lyme disease is caused by four species of the bacteria
Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. These bacteria are maintained in a
tick-wildlife cycle and a bite from an infected tick is responsible for
Lyme disease in people. In the UK, the main tick species which transmits Lyme disease, Ixodes
ricinus, is commonly known as the deer or sheep tick. Around 4% of ticks
in the UK are infected, though this can vary substantially between
different areas. Species of Borrelia bacteria can infect a number of
wildlife species, but generally birds and rodents are considered to be
the most important hosts, while deer are important for maintaining tick
populations but do not become infected with the bacteria. Grey
squirrels could act as an alternative host for ticks. Based on other
studies of invasive species, they may either increase or decrease the
number of infected ticks in the environment, an important risk factor
for human infections. The researchers tested 679 squirrels from across Scotland and the
North of England in 2012 and 2013. They found that grey squirrels often
carried ticks, and could be infected with all four of the Borrelia
species found in the UK. Around 12% of the collected squirrels were
infected, and surprisingly, the most frequent infection was a species
usually found in birds. Caroline Millins, of the Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine and lead author of the study Miss Millins said: “Frequent infection of grey squirrels with bird strains of Borrelia was unexpected, and challenges our current understanding of host pathogen interactions for this zoonotic pathogen. We found quite different patterns and duration of infection in grey squirrels compared to native woodland rodent species. Grey squirrels become infected with whichever strains are circulating in the local area, and our models suggest that the duration of infection isn’t life-long. In contrast, native rodents tend to develop chronic lifelong infections with strains of Borrelia that have adapted to these hosts. We can't say from this study whether grey squirrels lead to an increase or decrease in the number of ticks infected with Borrelia species in an area, but we have produced comprehensive baseline data that future studies could use to investigate this.” Read the paper: Caroline Millins et al An invasive mammal (grey squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis) commonly hosts diverse and atypical genotypes of the zoonotic pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. Applied and Environmental Microbiology
Bees prefer nectar containing pesticides –
Newcastle University Bees are attracted to nectar containing common pesticides, scientists
at Newcastle University and Trinity College Dublin have discovered. This
could increase their chances of exposure to high levels of pesticides. Previous studies have suggested that exposure of this kind can affect
bees’ fitness. The research, published in Nature, discovered that
buff-tailed bumblebees and honeybees could not taste the three most
commonly used neonicotinoid pesticides and so did not avoid them. In
fact, the bees showed a preference for food which contained pesticides:
when the bees were given a choice between sugar solution, and sugar
solution containing neonicotinoids, they chose the neonicotinoid-laced
food. The lab-based study also showed that the bumblebees ate more of the
food containing pesticides than the honeybees, and so were exposed to
higher doses of toxins. Several controversial studies have shown that neonicotinoids have
negative effects on bee foraging and colony fitness. As a result, public
concern has grown over the impact of neonicotinoids on bees and other
pollinators. In April 2013, the EU introduced a temporary ban on the use
of neonicotinoid pesticides on flowering crops, while further scientific
and technical evidence was gathered. Professor Geraldine Wright, lead scientist on the study at the
Institute of Neuroscience at Newcastle University, said: “Bees can’t
taste neonicotinoids in their food and therefore do not avoid these
pesticides. This is putting them at risk of poisoning when they eat
contaminated nectar. Even worse, we now have evidence that bees prefer
to eat pesticide-contaminated food. Neonicotinoids target the same
mechanisms in the bee brain that are affected by nicotine in the human
brain. The fact that bees show a preference for food containing
neonicotinoids is concerning as it suggests that like nicotine,
neonicotinoids may act like a drug to make foods containing these
substances more rewarding. If foraging bees prefer to collect nectar
containing neonicotinoids, this could have a knock-on negative impact on
whole colonies and on bee populations.” Jane Stout, Professor of Botany and Principal Investigator in the
School of Natural Sciences at Trinity College Dublin, said: “Our
findings imply that even if alternative food sources are provided for
bees in agricultural landscapes where neonicotinoid pesticides are used,
the bees may prefer to forage on the neonicotinoid-contaminated crops.
Since neonicotinoids can also end up in wild plants growing adjacent to
crops, they could be much more prevalent in bees’ diets than previously
thought”. Access the paper:
Nigel E. Raine & Richard J. Gill (2015) Tasteless
pesticides affect bees in the field. Nature. DOI:
doi:10.1038/nature14391
Light at the end of a very grey tale! – Game
& Wildlife Conservation Trust Researchers at the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT), who are
studying wild grey partridges – one of our fastest declining farmland
birds – are hoping for a warm summer this year to repeat the breeding
success of 2014, which saw an encouraging 18 per cent increase in grey
partridges. The 2014 autumn counts revealed that that the total number of grey
partridges recorded in its Partridge Count Scheme (PCS) increased by
4,730 birds to a total of 33,250 birds. According to the Trust more than a thousand farmers and gamekeepers
are putting their combined weight behind saving this iconic species.
These passionate and dedicated enthusiasts are also going out twice a
year – in spring and autumn – to count their birds, to see how their
birds are faring.
Dr Roger Draycott, from the GWCT said, “For the first time in several
years we had excellent summer weather during the peak hatching season
for grey partridge chicks. Where farmers and keepers had put in place a
good bundle of management measures, we are witnessing a fantastic
turn-around in numbers in most regions of the UK, which was reflected in
the 2014 PCS autumn count data.” Once widely spread across the country with a population of more than
a million breeding pairs, the wild grey partridge population has
suffered a massive drop in numbers of more than 86 per cent in the past
40 years because of land use changes and the indirect effect of
pesticides, which killed off the insects that young chicks depend on to
thrive – they need at least 2,000 insects per day to survive. However, the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, who have been
monitoring the birds since 1933 through its Partridge Count Scheme, says
that the counts last year showed an impressive uplift in its population.
Roger Draycott explains, “Grey partridges can bounce back really quickly
given the right conditions, particularly as they lay more eggs than any
other bird in this country - as many as 18 eggs can be laid in one nest.
But when bird numbers are very low they do need targeted management to
maintain numbers, such as good all year round habitats, including,
nesting, brood rearing and overwinter cover. They also benefit from
supplementary food over winter as well as protection from predators
during the breeding season.” There was a distinct regional variation in bird numbers across the
country last autumn. However, all regions within the Partridge Count
Scheme measured an increase in bird densities in 2013/14.
Tree Health Scotland Bursary Award Scheme Announced
- Arboricultural Association The Scottish Forestry Trust has launched a new fund specifically
targeted at supporting postgraduate research on tree health issues in
Scotland. Supported by a generous contribution from Forestry Commission
Scotland, and funds from The Scottish Forestry Trust, the Tree Health
Scotland Bursary Award Scheme will offer 50% support for research which
addresses tree pest and pathogen issues which are of current concern or
represent a future threat to trees, forests and woodlands in Scotland. The scheme is available for applications now and full details can be
downloaded from The Scottish Forestry Trust website. It is anticipated
that the scheme will be able to provide support for five doctorates
completing over the next four or five years. In 2013, the Tree Health and Plant Biosecurity Expert Taskforce noted
that there remain significant knowledge gaps in epidemiology, surveying
and surveillance and detection of tree pests and diseases and that there
was a decline in scientific expertise and a need to build capacity to
address these issues in the future. Welcoming the launch of the new scheme, Guy Watt, the Chairman of The
Scottish Forestry Trust said, “The launch of this scheme is a really important milestone for the
Trust and we are very grateful to Forestry Commission Scotland for their
generous support. Together we will be able to support important new
research for Scotland and help in building capacity for future
scientific expertise.” Commenting on the Scheme, Hugh Clayden, Forestry Commission Scotland
Policy Advisor on Tree Health said “In the last few years we have seen the emergence of several new
pests and pathogens in Scotland’s trees, woodlands and forests and,
unfortunately, many of them are capable of causing serious damage.
Climate change may also be an important factor in these pests and
diseases establishing and spreading. There is no doubt that we need to
greatly improve our understanding of this important aspect of woodland
management and I welcome the introduction of this new bursary scheme”. For details of lots more grants, funding providers and bursaries look at our Grants and Funding page.
SSE windfarm at Strathy South could take over 20 years to become carbon
neutral - RSPB
It has been revealed that a windfarm due to be considered at a
delayed public inquiry commencing today (Thursday 23rd April) could take
up to 24.8 years to ‘pay back’ the carbon impacts of its construction. Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) has proposed a 39-turbine
development at Strathy South in Sutherland, which would only operate for
a maximum of 25 years. Windfarms reduce carbon emissions by displacing more polluting forms
of energy generation from the electricity grid, such as coal fired power
stations. However, there are carbon emissions associated with
manufacturing and installing the turbines and other infrastructure. SSE’s proposed Strathy South windfarm would be situated on a peatland
site in the heart of the internationally important peatlands of the Flow
Country in Sutherland and is being vigorously opposed by RSPB Scotland
because of the harm it would cause the peatland habitats and the birds
they support. To help inform the case against the windfarm, RSPB Scotland
commissioned an independent expert review of the carbon impacts of the
proposed development. The review found that while SSE claimed the carbon
payback period would be between -0.5 and 4.6 years, it would in fact be
much more likely to be between 4 and 16.1 years. In one scenario, where
the electricity from the windfarm displaced a mix of energy from the
national grid rather than just fossil fuels, it could even be up to 24.8
years. Aedán Smith, Head of Planning and Development for RSPB Scotland said:
“This independent analysis of SSE’s Strathy South proposal shows that
the benefits from this windfarm could be minimal. The results from this
analysis are startling but not entirely surprising given the sensitivity
and importance of this peatland site. SSE should abandon their plans for
this site and concentrate on developing sites which can make a bigger
difference to Scotland’s climate objectives. Ultimately, Scottish
Ministers are likely to make the final decision and will want to be sure
that any windfarms they consent both avoid harming Scotland’s most
important wildlife sites and deliver guaranteed climate
benefits. Clearly that will not happen at Strathy South.”
Spot UK orchids and help research climate change impact
– Natural History Museum
The burnt orchid (Neotinea ustulata). © Fred Rumsey, via NHM Look out for this and 28 others and record what you see in the Orchid
Observers project. If you see an orchid, let scientists at the Natural History Museum
know as they are launching Orchid Observers today (23/4/15), a citizen
science project and collaboration with the University of Oxford's
Zooniverse, which will investigate how orchid flowering times are being
influenced by climate change. Recent research shows that the flowering time of the early spider
orchid, Ophrys sphegodes, is being affected by climate change.
Scientists want to know how changes in the environment are affecting
other wild orchids. They want people to look out for flowering orchids
and then take photographs and upload them, with the date and location,
to the project website. Also, as part of Orchid Observers, people can help digitise
historical orchid collections by reading and recording label information
from the more than 10,000 Museum orchid specimens. Combining these modern observations with historical records will give
scientists information spanning roughly 180 years, which can be compared
against climate records over the same period. Dr Mark Spencer, senior plant curator at the Museum and Orchid
Observers lead scientist, said, 'Orchids are much loved and charismatic
plants, some of which are declining – even in protected sites.
Understanding how changes in the environment are affecting orchids may
help us plan and protect key populations and areas. CJS has a wide ranging list of surveys and field work open to public participation, you can find more about it here, or see what's listed here.
Birthday celebration for Pennine Way -
Yorkshire Dales National Park
The 268-mile national trail, which stretches from Edale in Derbyshire
to Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders, was opened at Malham Cove in
the presence of the then Minister of Land and Natural Resources, F.T.
Willey, and Tom Stephenson, the author and writer whose dream of a path
running along the Pennines inspired its creation. The anniversary is being marked by a mass Walk the Way in a Day event
on Saturday, April 25. People can choose from 50 circular walks that
cover the entire Pennine Way – 10 of them in the Yorkshire Dales
National Park. Full details of the walks are available at
http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/pennine-way/walk-the-way-in-a-day Ilkley-born TV presenter Alan Titchmarsh said: “The word iconic is
over used, but it most certainly applies to the Pennine Way and to the
terrain it traverses. I've always been proud that it passes through some
of my favourite native haunts, and my copy of Alfred Wainwright's
astonishing guide is well thumbed. I hope that hardy walkers continue to
be uplifted by walking even a part of it, and to feel a sense of
achievement and wonder as they marvel at the beauty of the countryside
around them.” The Dales Countryside Museum in Hawes is currently staging an
exhibition of work by a group of Dales artists called Pennine Ways,
which is inspired by the popular walking route using art, photography
and sculpture. Lots of local organisations are also holding events to celebrate the
anniversary and details can be found at
http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/pennine-way/events More from Open Spaces Society including some
wonderful archive photos. Fifty years ago today, on 24 April 1965, the Pennine Way was opened.
This was the first of Britain's long-distance paths (now called
national trails in England and Wales) and the event took place on Malham
Moor with the Minister of Land and Natural Resources, Fred Willey, in
attendance.
Wildfire does not discriminate, as deliberately-started fires raging
through South Wales cause severe impacts for wildlife in this crucial
spring breeding season and put long term recovery in question.
- Gwent Wildlife Trust
As well as the immediate danger to people and wildlife, there is also
the question of the longer term impacts of large-scale fires on an
ecosystem, putting the potential recovery over years, not months, as
plants and animals lose feeding and breeding opportunities as a direct
result of these fires. Veronika Brannovic from Gwent Wildlife Trust said, “There is a
perception locally that these hillsides are barren. In fact, they are
home to a huge variety of wildlife and any fire started can have long
term consequences for many species that are already under pressure. We
are heartened by the community coming together to try to tackle this
problem and very grateful to the work of volunteer spotters to help spot
fires and limiting the damage.” Thank you to Emma Douglas from Coity Wallia Commons Biodiversity
Enhancement Project for this image of a Common Shrew that died in one
of the recent fires.
RSPB Scotland sets strict criteria for T in the Park
- RSPB RSPB Scotland has today (24/4/15) responded to the latest planning
application consultation on T in the Park being held at Strathallan
Castle in Perthshire this July. In its response to Perth and Kinross Council, the wildlife charity
made it clear that while it doesn’t oppose the new venue in principle,
it does object to the music festival unless a number of strict measures
are implemented. This is to ensure that nesting ospreys next to the
proposed site are not disturbed.
These measures include restrictions on the use of fireworks and
lighting, and permanent ‘no go’ buffer zones around the active osprey
nest. These zones would measure 500 m until after mid-June; this covers
the period when the birds are likely to lay eggs, incubate them, and
raise small chicks. After this time the zones would reduce to 250 m. At
no point should festival goers or T in the Park staff enter these buffer
zones. An 'ornithological clerk of works', a specialist qualified and
experienced bird expert, must also be appointed who will be able to
overrule others on site to stop any activities that may cause
disturbance. Some T in the Park infrastructure, like the Slam Tent, big
wheel and funfair should also be moved 500 m away from the osprey nest. RSPB Scotland is urging Perth and Kinross Council not to grant
planning permission for the event without these critically important
safeguards being secured. RSPB Scotland Director, Stuart Housden, said: "It is vital that
impacts on wildlife are considered at the earliest possible stage when
an event or new development is being planned. This reduces the risk to
developers of their plans being stopped or delayed, as well as
protecting Scotland's wildlife. It is unfortunate that issues are still
not fully resolved at T in the Park at this very late stage.
A better future for green spaces? - CPRE The Fabian Society recently launched a report
Places to be: Green spaces for active citizenship which highlighted
the important role of green space in all of our lives. It also set out
what government action is needed to ensure the long term future of these
places – be it a large park, a small play area, woodland or waterway. Emma Marrington, CPRE Senior Rural Policy campaigner commented “We
very much welcome this report as it supports our
Landscapes for Everyone agenda, which set out a shared vision for
our landscapes and what action is needed. One of our key recommendations
was that our historic public parks and green spaces should have
sufficient resources to guarantee their long term protection and
enhancement. So we agree with the Fabian Society that creative ways must
be found to keep our green spaces open to all during the current
pressures on council budgets. Scientific Publications Sherry, T. W., Wilson, S., Hunter, S. & Holmes, T. T. (2015)
Impacts of nest predators and weather on reproductive success and
population limitation in a long-distance migratory songbird. Journal
of Avian Biology. DOI: 10.1111/jav.00536
August, T., Harvey, M., Lightfoot, P., Kilbey, D., Papadopoulos, T. &
Jepson, P. (2015)
Emerging technologies for biological recording. Biological Journal
of the Linnean Society. DOI: 10.1111/bij.12534
Patrick, S. C. et al (2015)
Individual seabirds show consistent foraging strategies in response to
predictable fisheries discards. Journal of Avian Biology.
DOI: 10.1111/jav.00660
Stewart, A. J. A. et al (2015)
The role of ecological interactions in determining species ranges and
range changes. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society.
DOI: 10.1111/bij.12543
Mark Anthony Browne, A. J. Underwood, M. G. Chapman, Rob Williams,
Richard C. Thompson, Jan A. van Franeker.
Linking effects of anthropogenic debris to ecological impacts. Proc.
R. Soc. B 2015 282 20142929; DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.2929. Published 22
April 2015.
Nils Chr. Stenseth, et al Testing for effects of climate change on competitive relationships and coexistence between two bird species. Proc. R. Soc. B 2015 282 20141958; DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.1958. Published 22 April 2015
Harris, Michael P., Leopold, Mardik F., Jensen, Jens-Kjeld, Meesters,
Erik H. & Wanless, Sarah
The winter diet of the Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica around the
Faroe Islands. Ibis DOI: 10.1111/ibi.12272 Kentie, Rosemarie, Both, Christaan, Hooijmeijer, Jos C.E.W. &
Piersma, Theunis
Management of modern agricultural landscapes increases nest predation
rates in Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa. Ibis DOI:
10.1111/ibi.12273
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BVA
has called for the four-year culls of badgers in West Somerset and West
Gloucestershire to be completed using the ‘tried and tested’ method of
cage trapping and shooting only. In light of the results from two years
of culling in the two pilot areas, BVA has concluded that it can no
longer support the continued use of controlled shooting as part of the
badger control policy.
Image:
Loch Lomond & the Trossachs NPA
Smew
© Edmund Fellowes, BTO
Now
the role of this invasive species in hosting the bacteria which causes
Lyme disease in humans has come under the spotlight in a study by
ecologists at the University of Glasgow.
Wild
grey partridges (pictured), which were once common across the country
have suffered an 86% decline, but monitoring by the Game & Wildlife
Conservation Trust shows that a warm summer this year could help to
restore numbers in many areas. (Photocredit: Peter Thompson)
Image:
Niall Benvie
April
24 is a special date in the calendar of thousands of walkers countrywide
as it marks the day the Pennine Way was officially opened in the
Yorkshire Dales National Park 50 years ago.
Since
the beginning of April this year, South East Wales Fire Service has
reported that more than 623 deliberate fires have been started across
South Wales with over 741 acres of grassland being affected. Wild fires
do not discriminate. Both humans and wildlife are affected. The fires
pose a significant immediate danger to wildlife that relies heavily on
areas and habitats which, to the human eye, could be perceived as barren
but in fact are home to a wide variety of breeding mammals, birds and
reptiles, such as shrews, foxes and grass snakes. 
Female
osprey landing at nest with moss (image: Chris Gomersall, via RSPB)
