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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
British Wildlife Photography
Awards: The 2016 winning images are announced The British Wildlife Photography Awards proudly
announce the winners for 2016. The awards celebrate both the work of
amateur and professional photographers and the beauty and diversity of
British wildlife. Winning images are chosen from thousands of entries in
fifteen separate categories including a special film category for
Wildlife in HD Video and two junior categories to encourage young people
to connect with nature through photography. “I was working on a project to assess the current
biological status of major sea caves around some of the UK’s most remote
islands. At the end of one of the dives I was swimming back to the boat
when I came face to ‘face’ with the largest jellyfish I’ve ever
encountered. As I approached cautiously I noticed that a number of
juvenile fish had taken refuge inside the stinging tentacles” George
Stoyle. David Nussbaum, Chief Executive, WWF-UK comments;
"WWF-UK are delighted to sponsor the Coast and Marine category in the
British Wildlife Photography Awards 2016, celebrating the diversity,
splendour and drama of UK wildlife. This year’s winning image [of a
lion’s mane jellyfish] is a striking example of the natural beauty and
variety of life we have within and around our shores, as well as the
skill and artistry of our wildlife photographers. The photo exquisitely
captures the voluptuous frills and folds, and kaleidoscope colours of
this giant jellyfish. But it’s the jelly’s Piscean ‘stowaways’ that make
this picture, a shoal of shimmering, glistening juvenile fish finding
safe harbour amongst the tangle of tentacles." Botanical Britain Winner:
David Maitland Think you can match them? The 2017 British
Wildlife Photography Awards will open in February 2017.
Now on with the
Microbead ban announced to protect sealife
- defra Government announces plans to ban microbeads in
cosmetics and personal care products. Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom has announced
plans to ban the sale and manufacture of cosmetics and personal care
products containing tiny pieces of plastic, commonly known as
‘microbeads’. Each year billions of tiny beads end up in our
seas from a range of products such as face scrubs, toothpastes and
shower gels. These beads build up in the marine environment and can be
swallowed by sea life, including fish and crustaceans. The ban follows the
successful introduction of the 5p plastic bag charge – which has led
to six billion fewer bags issued this year – and is the next step in
government action to tackle plastic in our oceans. A consultation will launch later this year with
the intention to ban the sale and manufacture of cosmetics and personal
care products containing microbeads that harm the marine environment. At
the same time, evidence will be gathered on the extent of the
environmental impacts of microbeads found elsewhere, such as in
household and industrial cleaning products, before considering what more
can be done in future to tackle other plastics, for example microfibers,
which enter the marine environment. Twenty-five UK cosmetics and toiletries companies,
such as Unilever, have already taken steps to voluntarily phase out
microbeads from their products. Waitrose has announced they will stop
stocking such products by the end of September. Government action will create a level playing
field for industry, tackle inconsistency and stop new products
containing tiny pieces of plastic from being sold in the UK. Manufacturers are exploring natural alternatives,
including nut shells, salt and sugar, which have the same exfoliating
properties but do not pose a threat to the environment. The government will consult industry,
environmental groups and other relevant parties to establish how and
when a ban could be introduced, aiming to change legislation next year. Reaction:
Government announces ban on microbeads -
Joint NGO response, via MCS A coalition of environmental groups has welcomed a
government announcement that it intends to ban microbeads from personal
care products but pointed out that the current proposals don’t go far
enough. Responding to the government’s announcement, the
Environmental Investigation Agency, Fauna & Flora International,
Greenpeace, and the Marine Conservation Society said in a joint
statement: “We look forward to contributing to this
consultation, and fully expect to be welcoming a ban on all solid
microplastic ingredients from all consumer products within the next few
months.”
Top conservation players partner to identify the most vital places for
life on earth - Birdlife At the IUCN World Conservation Congress, eleven of
the world’s leading conservation organisations, including BirdLife
International and the RSPB (BirdLife in the UK), announced an ambitious
new partnership to identify, map, monitor and conserve the most
important places for life on earth. No matter where we are from on this planet, we
speak a common language: the language of nature. From Pacific reefs to
Siberian tundra, nature is key to our lives, so it makes sense that this
importance is recognised equitably worldwide. Now, the environmental community speaks one new
common language: KBAs, or Key Biodiversity Areas. This international
language has more than 18,000 words already - that’s the number of KBAs
identified to date. With more than US$15 million committed over the next
five years, the Key Biodiversity Area Partnership will bring to life a
new ‘gold standard’ for site conservation, with top conservation players
working together to globally consistent criteria recognised by
international conventions. Through the KBA Partnership, resources and
expertise will be mobilised to further identify and map Key Biodiversity
Areas worldwide. Monitoring of these sites will enable detection of
potential threats and identification of appropriate conservation
actions. The Partnership will also advise national governments on
expanding their protected areas network, and will work with private
companies to ensure they minimise and mitigate their impact on nature.
Global
warning: ocean warming - IUCN As Edward Young, the 17th Century English poet, once famously said,
“procrastination is the thief of time”. Never has that been truer than
now,
when the nature and scale of the impacts from human activities on the
ocean are considered, and the true costs of inaction to address them
revealed.
A new IUCN report, entitled Explaining ocean warming: causes, scale,
effects and consequences, sets out the most recent and comprehensive
review to date on this topic and shows a complex story of change in the
ocean. This change is underway, often already locked in for many decades
to come, and has already begun to impact people’s lives. This is no
longer a single story of ocean warming challenges to coral reefs, but a
rapidly growing list of alarming changes across species at ecosystem
scales, and across geographies spanning the entire world. It is
pervasive change, driven by ocean warming and other stressors already
operating in ways we are only beginning to understand, where essential
gaps in marine data, systems and capabilities are leaving the world
poorly prepared to cope in the future. Ocean warming may well turn out to be the greatest hidden challenge
of our generation. More than 93% of the enhanced heating since the 1970s
resulting from human activities has been absorbed by the ocean, and data
show a sustained and accelerating upward trend in ocean warming. The
scale of ocean warming depicted in the report is truly staggering: if
the same amount of heat that has gone into the top 2 km of the ocean
between 1955 and 2010 had instead gone into the lower 10 km of the
atmosphere, the Earth would have seen a warming of 36°C. Read the report here
Protect vanishing wildlife havens! New guide launched to help landowners
- BBOWT The Wildlife Trusts have published a new guide which highlights the
vital importance of Local Wildlife Sites across the UK.
Meadow Farm, Local Wildlife Site near Bicester, part of the Upper
Ray Meadows nature reserve. (Pic Colin Williams Crucial but poorly understood and under-valued, these places are
havens for some of our rarest habitats and species. Yet hundreds of them
are being lost or becoming degraded every year. Matt Jackson, Head of Conservation at Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife
Trust says: “In our patch hundreds of Local Wildlife Sites support the
vast majority of our wildlife. They lack the status of national sites,
but may have just as much wildlife value. We must value and protect our
Local Wildlife Sites much more if we are to ensure a healthy future for
a diverse and abundant range of wildlife.” The Wildlife Trusts’ new guide highlights how important these places
are. Unlike Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), Local Wildlife
Sites are not protected by law and do not benefit from national
recognition of their wildlife importance. This makes them vulnerable to
neglect, mismanagement and the huge pressure for development across the
country. Access the guide here
New technology for remotely mapping beaches
– National Oceanography Centre
Shells
on a beach Science and industry will now be able to map beaches and sandbanks
without getting any feet wet. This follows three years of collaborative
research resulting in a new commercial licence between National
Oceanography Centre (NOC) and Marlan Maritime Technologies to sell new
coastal mapping technology. The depth and pattern of sediment on the floor of the intertidal
zones changes daily, yet understanding where this sediment resides is
vital to being able to better manage coastal areas.
Public parks face decline – Heritage
Lottery Fund New report from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF)
calls for collaborative national and local action to deliver new ways of
funding and managing parks to avert a crisis Today (7/9), HLF has published State of UK Public
Parks 2016, its second report to comprehensively review the condition
and management of the UK’s public parks. An investment of over £850m of National Lottery
money has played a vital role in ensuring more than 800 of the UK’s
public parks are in better condition, with improved facilities and
renovated historic features. However, with park managers reporting an
expectation of further budget cuts, the benefits of this investment
could be lost as the risk of decline and potential facility closures
continues to grow. The report also outlines the continuing need to
develop innovative mixed model approaches to funding parks, such as
local authority commitment, commercial opportunities and fundraising, to
avoid the risk of rapid decline. Ros Kerslake, HLF Chief Executive, said:
“Put simply, parks are not a luxury. They are essential to our
increasingly busy urban lives and thanks to National Lottery players
they’ve never been in such great shape. But these are financially tough
times and if we are to successfully halt the onset of decline in our
parks and avoid wasting this investment, we need to come together now to
find innovative and sustainable models of funding and maintaining these
highly valued community spaces.” A more full research report is available on
www.hlf.org.uk/ParksMatter Response:
Groundwork response to HLF Parks report Commenting on the Heritage Lottery Fund’s
(HLF) ‘State of UK Parks 2016’ report, Graham Duxbury, Groundwork UK
chief executive, said:
The balance of GB wood supply and demand is changing
- Confor A new report into future wood fibre supply and
demand in Great Britain (GB) paints a picture of short-to-medium term
opportunity; however, longer term concern remains regarding the forecast
balance between supply and demand. The report, prepared by John Clegg Consulting Ltd
on behalf of the forestry and wood-using sector, is based on updated
forecasts of wood fibre availability published by the Forestry
Commission and a survey of wood using businesses. The report shows, at
the GB level, that the potential availability and demand of coniferous
roundwood in Britain will continue to increase over the next 15 years.
Potential availability then falls back to its present level around 2035
before falling significantly below current levels until 2050 when it
bottoms out, consequently demand could exceed supply by 2040. There are
regional variations to this analysis, which are set out in the report. Confor, UKFPA, WPIF and Forestry Commission
jointly commissioned the report and welcome its publication as a
valuable contribution to investment planning by businesses in the sector
as well as a resource for policy makers thinking about how they can work
with the sector. The increasing availability of wood in the
short-to-medium term provides an opportunity for further growth in the
forestry and wood-using sector through continued investment and
innovation, supporting increased employment, especially in rural areas.
However, there are challenges for the sector to maintain growth after
the forecast of availability falls below current levels after 2035. This
highlights the need for action to maintain the current forest resource
and to add to it through new planting. Download the report:
Wood Fibre Availability and Demand in Britain 2013 - 2035 (pdf)
Manx shearwaters rescued by RSPCA after being blown off course -
RSPCA Two Manx shearwaters have been rescued from a
Ceredigion village after they were blown off course. The RSPCA has
received several calls about the welfare of the seabirds following
recent stormy weather. Manx shearwater rescued at Tresaith Sept 16 (image: RSPCA) On Friday and Sunday (2 September and 4 September)
RSPCA animal collection officer (ACO) Ellie West was called twice to the
Ship Inn, Tresaith, to attend to two Manx shearwaters. ACO West said: “The first young Manx shearwater
was found in a distressed state, behind a stone plant pot. The second
was found shuffling around in the car park and was again distressed. On
both of these occasions I collected the sea birds and transported them
to Gower Bird Hospital for an assessment and rehabilitation. There have
been quite a few calls recently – it is just that time of year and the
weather isn’t helping. If anyone does find one of these stranded birds,
our advice is to stay at a safe distance as they have a sharp beak and
to call us on 0300 1234 999.” On Sunday six Manx shearwaters were also released
back into the wild by Gower Bird Hospital, which included some RSPCA
rescued birds that had been previously rescued.
Hedgehog sighting raises hopes of London comeback
– London Wildlife Trust Fast-declining nocturnal mammal spotted at
Walthamstow Reservoirs in the Lee Valley
Charlie
Owens examines the hedgehog found at Walthamstow Wetlands. Image credit:
Penny Dixie Hedgehogs have virtually disappeared from many
parts of London – so any sighting at all is something to be celebrated.
The discovery of one of these iconic spikey mammals in east London’s Lee
Valley has now raised hopes that local populations can be sustained. The unmistakable ball of spines was found among
the reservoirs which, thanks to a partnership between London Wildlife
Trust, Waltham Forest Council and Thames Water, are transforming into a
new nature reserve due to open next year as Walthamstow Wetlands. The
large, healthy male is only the fourth hedgehog recorded in Waltham
Forest in the last five years. A ranger for the Trust, Charlie Owens, was taking
part in a bat survey when another nocturnal mammal made a surprise
appearance. He said: “As we were sitting there filling in data there was
an unmistakable rustle among the willow leaf litter. I grabbed my torch
and went into the trees to search for the culprit. And there he was,
sitting happily munching on an unfortunate worm. In mild disbelief at
our luck we were able to pick him up and get a closer look… and smell.”
Buzzard licensing applications – Natural England Natural England is committed to being as open
and transparent about its licensing decisions as it can be and the
documents relating to that decision are published online (click
through to access the files). Certain information has to be
withheld in accordance with our legal obligations under the
Environmental Information Regulations 2004. Where appropriate applications are made,
Natural England issues wildlife licences to prevent damage to
agriculture, livestock and fisheries. So far this year, we have
received over 5,500 applications, covering a variety of species and
purposes. Natural England is currently considering four
further applications for a licence to control buzzards to prevent
damage to livestock. This number is very much in keeping with recent
previous years. Each application will be assessed within the
framework described above. When a decision has been reached on all
of the applications we will provide a further public update. One further application has been withdrawn by
the applicant as they wish to further explore alternative methods to
resolve the issue. Full exploration of alternative methods is a key
test in our consideration of licence applications. We would not consider licensing any activity which would adversely affect the conservation status of a species. It is illegal to kill wild birds without a licence from Natural England and anyone who suspects a wildlife crime should report details to the Police.
Response:
RSPB reaction to news about more license applications to control
buzzards – Martin Harper’s blog, RSPB
Community It’s only just over a month since I wrote
about the news that Natural England had issued a licence permitting
the control of up to 10 buzzards to “prevent serious damage to young
pheasants”. At the time I said that “the
decision sets a worrying precedent. What will be next?” Well now
we have an indication of what the future might look like – the
prospect of more legalised killing of buzzards. Yesterday, Natural
England announced that there are four more licence applications in
the system. While we do not, as yet, know how Natural England will
respond to these licenses, my concern is that there could be four
more places where native birds of prey could be killed in order to
maximize the number of introduced gamebirds available for commercial
shooting. Four more instances where a flawed policy framework could
allow public interest to be trumped by commercial concern.
London’s last hedgehogs at risk from HS2
- Zoological Society of London Central London’s only remaining population of
hedgehogs are facing a major threat to their survival, following
proposals to use one of their last-known habitats as a lorry park.
British
hedgehog pictured in ZSL London Zoo's car park (image: ZSL) Experts from ZSL (Zoological Society of
London) will be appealing to a House of Lords Select Committee next
week (Wednesday 14 September) to request that HS2 find an
alternative location for their HGV and construction vehicles; so as
not to cause irreversible damage to the population of hedgehogs that
live in the dense-shrubbery borders of ZSL London Zoo’s car park.
HS2 – the proposed high speed rail link
between London and the north of England – want to use the Zoo’s car
park as a lorry park for heavy goods vehicles and construction
trucks for up to 20 years, despite conservation surveys identifying
the land as a key habitat for the declining British species. ZSL has been working with the Royal Parks
Foundation and independent hedgehog experts for the last two years
to carry out surveys of Regent’s Park – staffed by volunteers
including ZSL’s conservationists, scientists and vets – with early
findings suggesting that the group of hedgehogs living in the car
park are actually faring better than their counterparts in the main
Park, but further assessments are needed to determine why. Despite HS2’s acknowledgement that their proposal poses a risk to the hedgehogs, they are not considering alternative locations, leaving the urban animals in a vulnerable position.
Investigation after waste illegally dumped
– Environment Agency The Environment Agency is working with partners to
investigate reports of large amounts of waste being dumped in rural
locations. The Environment Agency is working with partners to
investigate reports of waste being illegally dumped on land in rural
North East locations.
Image
shows waste dumped on land, wrapped in bales (Environment Agency) Last week at Bishop Auckland in County Durham,
approximately 40 tonnes of general mixed waste was illegally tipped out
the back of a wagon and into a field. A second lorry was prevented by
Durham Police from tipping its waste and has been seized by Durham
County Council pending further investigation. A second case near
Sadberge, near Darlington, saw old processed waste that had been wrapped
in 80 black plastic bales dumped on land without the landowner’s
permission. And on Wednesday, 7 September, 20 bales of old processed
waste wrapped in plastic were found to be dumped at a farm near
Northallerton. The Environment Agency is working with police and
local authorities for the areas to follow up lines of enquiry to
identify those responsible.
Canvey Wick Nature Reserve to be expanded
– The Land Trust The retailer has transferred 130 hectares – more
than 180 football pitches – together with an endowment to boost the
environmental quality of the land and provide for its long-term
management. By linking this adjoining space, the Land Trust and managing
partners RSPB and Buglife can extend the unique habitats and offer new
education opportunities. Although the new area currently has no formal
public access, the Land Trust, RSPB and Buglife will work together to
ensure local communities can safely enjoy this important site whilst
protecting the wildlife. Simon Pile, Estates Manager for the Land Trust,
said: “The transfer of land that will significantly increase the size of
Canvey Wick Nature Reserve is tremendously exciting, helping unlock
investment into the ecological diversity and provide community
opportunities for the site.
‘Check your chestnuts’, owners advised – Forestry Commission The Forestry Commission is appealing to the owners
and managers of sweet chestnut trees to step up their vigilance for
sweet chestnut blight following the discovery of a tree with the disease
in the summer. A single sweet chestnut tree infected by the
fungus Cryphonectria parasitica was confirmed on a private property near
Maidstone, Kent after the owner spotted and reported suspicious symptoms
to the Commission with its Tree Alert on-line disease reporting tool.
The tree has been destroyed and a survey of trees within 5km carried
out, with no further cases detected. The disease had been recorded only
twice before in the UK, in 2011. Andy Hall, Tree Health Manager for Forestry
Commission England, said: “The affected tree was destroyed, with the
co-operation of the owner, to prevent any further spread. Forestry
Commission and Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA) surveyors conducted a
survey of sweet chestnut and oak trees (some species of oak can also be
affected) within 5km of the tree, including plants in nurseries. Where
possible, APHA traced other sweet chestnut plants supplied by the
nursery which supplied the infected tree, to check on their health.
Happily, no further evidence of the disease was found, but we cannot
afford to be complacent and presume that’s the end of the matter. Our
surveyors cannot be everywhere all the time, so we are also appealing to
owners and managers of sweet chestnut trees to remain vigilant. Please
follow the example of this owner and inspect your trees frequently for
signs of ill health, and report any suspicious symptoms to us,
preferably with Tree Alert.” Chestnut Blight factsheet and Pest Alert with photographs of symptoms available here.
Scientific Publications McMahon, K. and Marples, N. (2016),
Reduced dietary conservatism in a wild bird in the presence of
intraspecific competition. J Avian Biol. Accepted Author Manuscript.
doi:10.1111/jav.01135 Klassen, J. A., Gawlik, D. E. and Frederick, P. C.
(2016),
Linking wading bird prey selection to number of nests. Jour. Wild.
Mgmt.. doi:10.1002/jwmg.21141 Sadroddin Alavipanah, Dagmar Haase, Tobia Lakes,
Salman Qureshi,
Integrating the third dimension into the concept of urban ecosystem
services: A review, Ecological Indicators, Volume 72, January 2017,
Pages 374-398, ISSN 1470-160X,
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2016.08.010. Labouche, A.-M., Richards, S. A. and Pannell, J.
R. (2016),
Effects of pollination intensity on offspring number and quality in a
wind-pollinated herb. J Ecol. Accepted Author Manuscript.
doi:10.1111/1365-2745.12659
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