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

Commit to woodland expansion in forestry bill - Confor

Confor has called on the Scottish Government to include an ambition for woodland expansion in new forestry legislation.

The Forestry and Land Management (Scotland) Bill, which will complete the full devolution of forestry to Scotland, is expected to be become law in 2018. 

After consulting Scottish members, Confor submitted a paper to the Rural Economy and Connectivity (REC) Committee, ahead of the committee's next evidence session on Stage 1 of the Bill. 

Confor stressed that the Bill should go further than just set out how Scotland’s forests will be regulated, and include a commitment to woodland expansion. This would send a positive signal to Scotland's £1 billion forestry and timber sector, and make clear the Government’s commitment to meeting climate change targets.

The Confor evidence said: "The need for more tree planting is the biggest forestry-related issue facing Scotland. There is cross-party support for increased afforestation, and planting trees is at the heart of forestry’s contribution to help meeting Scotland’s world-leading climate change targets. Due to historic deforestation, tree cover in Scotland is only 18 per cent, barely half the European average of 36 per cent. A long-term commitment to woodland expansion will help fulfil climate obligations, meet future timber demands, and provide ecosystem resilience in the face of multiple environmental threats."

The paper also stresses the importance of the productive capacity of the publicly-owned National Forest Estate and says that Scottish ministers "must maintain or increase the timber supply and productive capacity" from the NFE.

Read the submission by Confor and other organisations and individuals here

SWA to work in the five areas which are of most benefit to Scottish wildcat preservation - Scottish Natural Heritage and Scottish Wildcat Action

Scottish Wildcat Action (SWA) has announced that its five-year project to save Scotland’s wildcats is to focus on five key areas, where evidence suggests that at least 19 wildcats are roaming free.

The shift in focus comes after years of extensive survey work across nine areas helped the SWA team narrow its aim to five areas, which will allow for the most effective use of the programme’s limited resources.

Scottish wildcat (image: SNH)

Scottish Wildcat Action is a national project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, which aims to halt the decline of this native species by 2020. It’s led by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and is a partnership of 20 organisations.

Scottish Wildcat Action Project Manager Roo Campbell, said: “It is disappointing that we did not find evidence of Scottish wildcats in every area we undertook to survey, but we now have a very strongly defined area that we can focus all our attention on. Although it shows just how endangered the Scottish wildcat is, it also underlines how important our work is in the other priority areas where we have detected wildcats.”  He added: “We've had tremendous support from local volunteer groups, landowners and farmers, and our 30 volunteers and team members have put thousands of hours of work into this. We would like to thank them for their huge effort – due to their hard work, we now have a better chance to make effective use of our resources to better the chances of Scottish wildcats’ survival in the wild."

Urban butterflies under threat of extinction - EPFL

According to an EPFL study, butterflies living in urban areas face the threat of consanguinity and potential extinction. The research drew on the fields of genetics and urban development to quantify the trend across an entire city. 

The study analyzed how the butterfly moves around in a city. © Alain Herzog/EPFL

“Our research illustrates what is probably a widespread phenomenon: a drastic reduction in biodiversity in urban areas. We were able to quantify this trend and show that it’s a problem that needs to be taken seriously,” says Estelle Rochat, a PhD student at EPFL’s Laboratory of Geographic Information Systems (LASIG).

Looking at the densely populated Marseille region, Rochat measured the effect of urbanization on the genetic diversity of a particular species of butterfly, the small white (Pieris rapae, see on the left). She found that diversity fell by 60–80% in areas with a high urbanization rate, which means they have over 56% impervious land cover (i.e., land that has been developed with roads, buildings and other structures). In less dense neighborhoods, with between 3% and 13% impervious land cover, the loss in diversity was just 16–24%. Rochat also found that the butterfly population is 70–90% smaller in heavily urbanized areas. What’s more, butterflies that can fly only short distances seem to be more vulnerable to the effects of growing urbanization. Her research was recently published in Heredity.

 Read the paper (open access): E. Rochat, S. Manel, M. Deschamps-Cottin, I. Widmer and S. Joost, Persistence of butterfly populations in fragmented habitats along urban density gradients: motility helps Heredity, August 9, 2017

Endangered nightjar fighting back in former commercial timber woods, to delight of conservationists - National Trust

An endangered summer bird is bouncing back after woodland and heathland restoration by the National Trust at former timber plantations.

Two former commercial conifer sites in southern England, now actively managed for wildlife, have fostered the revival.

Fledglings were found for the first time on the Mottisfont Estate by volunteer rangers alerted to a possible nest by the distinctive ‘churring’ call of an adult male.

The elusive nightjar has declined dramatically in previous decades due to the loss of its heath and woodland habitats, and increasing disturbance.

Close up of nightjar on New Forest common, credit National Trust Images

The adult birds were attracted to clearings that appeared as conifer plantations were felled, and the landscape began its transition back to native deciduous woodland. Rangers hope to build on this success by retaining glades to attract more ground-nesting birds as the broadleaved woods develop.

Mottisfont ranger Catherine Hadler, said, “This is a fantastic example of how woodland management can benefit species that have declined rapidly in recent decades due to habitat loss. We’ll be doing everything we can to encourage this wonderful bird back to the Mottisfont Estate in years to come.”

At Foxbury in the New Forest, a unique heathland restoration project has recorded its greatest ever number of breeding nightjars. 27 males and six females were counted during a recent survey at the site, which only ten years earlier was a private commercial timber plantation. With the conifers cleared, traditional grazing introduced and the gradual planting of native broadleaved trees, the classic lowland heath landscape for which the Forest is famous is returning, and with it, the wildlife.

SNH Commissioned Report 919: A Review of the social, economic and environmental benefits and constraints linked to wild land in Scotland

In 2014 SNH published a map identifying 42 separate Wild Land Areas in Scotland. These Wild Land Areas represent the most extensive areas where the qualities of wildness (remoteness, ruggedness, perceived naturalness and absence of human artefacts) are most strongly expressed.
This study reviews and updates previous estimates of the benefits of wild land. It uses an ecosystems based framework to identify the range of benefits produced by wild land and, through a number of case studies undertaken in Wild Land Areas, explores the benefits and constraints associated with wild land and how these interact in its management.

Download the report (PDF)

SNH provides clear focus for Scotland’s coastal landscapes – Scottish Natural Heritage

New guidance to help professionals assess the potential impacts of future development on Scotland’s coastal landscapes has been published today (Tuesday 22 Aug) by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).

With marine recreation and tourism expenditure in Scotland estimated at £3.7 billion per year, it is vital that development of our internationally renowned coastal landscapes is carefully managed. This guidance sets out how to undertake a coastal character assessment, which is central to the planning and development process as it provides the baseline information against which landscape and visual impacts are assessed.

Welcoming the guidance, Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Roseanna Cunningham said: “Our coastal landscapes are crucial to our natural and cultural heritage. As part of our spectacular scenery, they are an important economic asset, attracting businesses and tourists. As local surroundings, they contribute to our health and wellbeing and they are exhilarating places for recreation and enjoyment. The coastal characterisation assessment guidance will help us ensure that our coasts are taken into account when considering specific changes or looking at the broader scale of new spatial plans and development.”

UK Native Plants and a Relaxed Attitude are the Secret to a Wildlife Friendly Garden – RHS

Royal Horticultural Society establishes link between dense garden plantings and abundance of invertebrate wildlife

Gardeners wishing to support plant-dwelling invertebrates essential to the food chain, including predators such as ladybirds and spiders, should put in more plants - particularly native species - set aside the secateurs and turn a blind eye to the odd nibbled leaf, according to the Royal Horticultural Society.
The new insights come from the charity’s four-year Plants for Bugs research project, which was designed to test whether the geographical origin of garden plants affect the abundance and diversity of wildlife they support. The latest results are published in the journal Biodiversity and Conservation. 
Over the course of the unique field-experiment, scientists studied 36 garden-border sized plots containing hardy plants native to one of three geographical regions: the UK, the Northern Hemisphere (excluding the UK), and the Southern Hemisphere. 
Analysis of the tens of thousands of invertebrates recorded from the leaves and stems suggested that although all the geographical groupings of plants supported large numbers of invertebrates, it was the native plants that were the most successful, supporting 10 per cent more than the next Northern Hemisphere plant group. 
Plants from the Northern Hemisphere supported the second highest abundance of invertebrates, while those from the Southern Hemisphere supported a fifth (20%), fewer invertebrates than native plants. 

Herd of sheep take on new role as woolly lawnmowers in The Green Park – The Royal Parks

Rare breed sheep will be grazing the wildflower meadows of The Green Park in August, to help the invertebrate community thrive

From the 21-27 August, Green Park is welcoming woolly visitors for a conservation trial that sees The Royal Parks Mission: Invertebrate team up with the Rare Breeds Survival Trust and Mudchute Farm.

Rare breed sheep will be used for grazing across one of the wildflower meadows in Green Park, to help London’s tiniest creatures thrive and prevent the sheep species from becoming extinct. The scheme is part of the Royal Parks Mission: Invertebrate project which has received £600,000 from the Players of People’s Postcode Lottery to shine a spotlight on the capital’s vital grassland creatures.

Livestock grazing has an important role in wildlife conservation, and is carried out to manage and improve habitats of high nature conservation value. Most grasslands in the UK would eventually become dense scrub and woodland if left un-grazed. The trial hopes to help maintain a variety of plant species, and prevent coarse grasses dominating the meadow in Green Park, which will ultimately encourage a greater variety of pollinators and other meadow-based invertebrates.

Invertebrates are the unsung heroes of the ecosystem and every day millions of tiny creatures are working 24/7 to keep our environment flourishing and our food chain moving. With green spaces under ever increasing pressure, parklands are more valuable to wildlife than ever before.

New study calls for better information on changes in wild animal populations – University of St Andrews

Key statistics about the world’s animal and plant life could present a misleading picture about the natural world according to new research from the University of St Andrews.

In their study Professor Steve Buckland of the Centre for Research into Ecological & Environmental Modelling at St Andrews and Dr Alison Johnston of Cornell Lab of Ornithology took a fresh look at The Living Planet Index, the primary global index for biodiversity loss, and the UK priority species indicator and discovered that both fall short of key criteria for monitoring biodiversity programmes.

Image: University of St Andrews

Professor Buckland said: “The world is currently in the middle of a biodiversity crisis, with substantial reductions in biodiversity in many regions. To understand the changes in biodiversity and develop conservation programmes that will be suitable to mitigate or reverse the losses, it is critical to have good quality surveys that satisfy criteria to produce reliable trends in biodiversity.

“Many of the biodiversity indicators used globally fail to meet these criteria. Standards must be raised if we are to quantify biodiversity changes reliably.”

In the study the authors identify many examples of contradictory information regarding animal or plant species. They demonstrate that two different survey methods can show completely opposite trends – with one indicating population increase and another catastrophic decline.

In the Living Planet Index (LPI), the authors found that the datasets did not form a representative sample for the globe. Europe, for example, is heavily over-represented, as are continental shelves in the North Atlantic. This means the indices represent the changes in the places where there is most data.

Clear it – but will they come? Native plants need re-seeding after rhododendron removal, study finds – British Ecological Society

Native plants need a helping hand if they are to recover from invasive rhododendron, Scottish ecologists have discovered. A new study in the Journal of Applied Ecology reveals that – even at sites cleared of rhododendron 30 years ago – much native flora has still not returned. As a result, rhododendron eradication programmes may need to be supplemented by reseeding for the original plant community to re-establish. 

Native plants need a helping hand if they are to recover from invasive rhododendron, Scottish ecologists have discovered. A new study in the Journal of Applied Ecology reveals that – even at sites cleared of rhododendron 30 years ago – much native flora has still not returned. As a result, rhododendron eradication programmes may need to be supplemented by reseeding for the original plant community to re-establish.

Rhododendron at Hell's Glen - Copyright Dave Genney, Scottish Natural Heritage

Working in the Atlantic oak woodlands of Argyll, Kintyre and Lochaber on Scotland’s west coast, researchers from the James Hutton Institute, the University of Aberdeen and Scottish Natural Heritage studied plots that had never been invaded, others covered in dense rhododendron thickets, plus a time-series of sites cleared of rhododendron at different periods between 1984 and 2014.

They found that – even 30 years after rhododendron removal – the native understorey normally found in Atlantic oak woodlands had not recovered. Instead of dramatic displays of primroses, violets, wild garlic, ferns and grasses, only dense mats of mosses and liverworts had returned.

Anglers' delight as algal blooms breakthrough highlights innovative science – John Innes Centre

Millions of fish-deaths caused by toxic Prymnesium algal blooms could be prevented with the application of a household chemical best known for bleaching hair, breakthrough research has revealed.

Trials carried out in the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads National Park have shown that at controlled concentrations hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is deadly to Prymnesium parvum, the golden algae.

Whispering Reeds Boatyard, Hickling Broad (image: John Innes Centre)

The discovery follows research led by a team of scientists at the John Innes Centre and the University of East Anglia, aimed at finding a cost-effective solution to a persistent problem that threatens the £100m angling economy of the Broads.

In 2015, following an outbreak of toxic Prymnesium blooms, the Environment Agency supported by angling clubs, rescued almost three quarters of a million fish from Hickling Broad and Somerton. The fish were released back into safer parts of the River Thurne, Norfolk, over the course of six weeks in one of the largest rescues of its kind. The operation cost just under £40,000 and involved 561 hours of staff time.

Major rescue operations of this sort are on the verge of becoming a thing of the past following successful trials at Whispering Reeds Boatyard on Hickling Broad. "We wanted to come up with an easy, cheap chemical treatment so that when the Prymnesium bloom does happen there's a way to control it that prevents fish deaths," explained Ben Wagstaff, PhD student at the John Innes Centre who took part in the trials.

Please help prevent field fencing tape become a hazard to wildlife – The British Deer Society

Fencing of all types -  string, rope, electric fence tape, and round bale plastic wrapping or tennis court nets can cause enormous damage when wild animals become entangled or enmeshed in them. These items are particularly dangerous when discarded, un-tensioned or un-managed and are a regular hazard for wildlife, not least Britain’s wild deer which can get it caught around their heads, legs and bodies.

Antlers entwined (image: The British Deer Society)

The Wessex Branch of The British Deer Society, with the support from the Equine Forum, is asking everyone to ensure that temporary fencing and similar materials are prevented from being a hazard to wildlife. A lucky deer, if found quickly, can be helped. However, some are not so fortunate and can die a slow and painful death.

Several man made items, such as long, strong, thin or meshed items like string, rope, electric fence tape, round bale plastic wrapping or tennis court nets can cause enormous damage when wild animals become entangled or enmeshed in them These items are particularly dangerous when discarded, un-tensioned or un-managed and are a regular hazard for wildlife, not least Britain’s wild deer which can get it caught around their heads, legs and bodies.

Counting snails – not sheep – may hold answers for fluke and wading birds – Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust

It is well known that liming can improve forage production but the wider effects of liming are poorly understood. A liming research project is underway at GWSDF Auchnerran on Deeside which now incorporates studies being run by both the James Hutton Institute and the Moredun Institute.

The James Hutton’s liming research, also underway on a number of other farms across Scotland, aims to look at the effects of liming on soil chemistry, invertebrate biodiversity and sward composition. The Game & Wildlife Scottish Demonstration Farm (GWSDF Auchnerran), is particularly interested in how liming affects soil invertebrates as these provide a valuable food source for wader species.

Marlies Nicolai, Research Assistant, GWSDF Auchnerran, hunting for mud snails. 

Credit: Marlies Nicolai, GWCT

The liming of fields is also being used to help with a Moredun Research Institute study into liver fluke infection in grazing livestock.  The MRI researchers are interested in whether numbers of mud snails are affected by liming - something that, surprisingly, we don’t know much about. Mud snails are an intermediate host for liver fluke, a highly pathogenic flatworm parasite of grazing livestock. Where fluke is present it will often be found in the snails, although there may be snails present and no fluke.

This work is increasingly relevant as some agri-environment prescriptions promote boggy and wet ground. Some resistance to taking up these options can come from livestock farmers perceiving risks from fluke infection that outweigh the benefits that these habitats can have for wildlife.  These studies are a part of a combined package of work to look in more detail at how great those risks may be.

Confor fights for 'missing' 5 million trees - Confor

Confor has promised to maintain the pressure on the UK government to increase planting rates in England after latest figures showed the 2015-2020 target could be missed by FIVE MILLION trees.

Latest quarterly statistics showed that less than 2.3 million trees had been planted between the May 2015 election and the end of June 2017 - only just over half the 4.4 million needed during that period to hit the 11 million target. 

If the current planting rate continues, fewer than six million trees will have been planted by May 2020, a deficit of more than five million trees. 

Stuart Goodall, Confor's Chief Executive, said: "The latest planting figures demonstrate that we need a step-change in activity, a completely new attitude towards tree planting by officials. 

"Since the June election, we have had a number of positive meetings with forestry minister Thérèse  Coffey and she has demonstrated a real desire to turn things around. That government level support needs to be actioned on the ground if we are to find those missing five million trees….and more.

"We have consistently raised this issue with ministers and offered solutions, including the Woodland Creation Planning Grant that has unlocked interest in large productive planting schemes for the first time in decades. At our request, Forestry Commission recently organised a meeting of agents and officials across the Defra family to identify remaining barriers and find ways forward."  

Confor will continue maintaining the profile of this vital issue at a series of major events in the autumn, engaging directly with the Defra ministerial team:

• A round-table discussion on wood supply with Environment Secretary Michael Gove;
• Engagement with Conservative MPs and ministers at the Conservative Party Conference in October in Manchester;
• A policy conference at Westminster on November 29th, with Dr Coffey speaking and the event concluding with a political panel discussion.

Mr Goodall said the five-point plan outlined in Confor's election manifesto Planting The Future, published ahead of June's election, was a clear and positive blueprint for change. Its recommendations included ending the chaotic three-agency system for considering planting applications, reducing the bureaucracy around the application process and treating forestry equally in land use decisions. 

Environment Agency to tackle decline in salmon population - Environment Agency

Environment Agency launches initial consultation to tackle decline in salmon population

The Environment Agency is calling on anglers and netsmen to have their say on potential salmon rod and net limitations through an initial consultation launched on Thursday 24 August 2017.  The consultation aims to understand how the Environment Agency can better manage salmon fishing in England and the Border Esk in order to reduce the impact on salmon stocks, which are currently among the lowest on record.

Heidi Stone, the Environment Agency’s Salmon Programme Manager said: "We are working hard to improve salmon stocks and are seeking views on measures to further protect this important species. The issues facing salmon and the reasons for their decline are complex and there is no simple solution to increasing salmon numbers. Evidence indicates that the marine phase of their lifecycle is the most likely reason for their decline and that fishermen taking salmon is not the primary cause. But if we do not act now, we risk seeing further declines in salmon in many of our rivers. We are asking for views on a range of options and your responses will truly help to form our approach to managing salmon stocks in the future."

The Environment Agency, Government, Angling Trust, Rivers Trust, Atlantic Salmon Trust, Salmon and Trout Conservation UK, Wild Trout Trust and Institute of Fisheries Management have formed a working partnership in order to address this issue. This programme is called the Salmon Five Point Approach, and has been jointly developed and committed to by all partners. It sets out the actions to address the key pressures that affect the different life stages of salmon.

Find out more about the Salmon Five Point Approach. 

Environment Agency Open consultation: Salmon fisheries in England and on the Border Esk

We seek views on how salmon fisheries can be better managed to protect salmon stocks.

This consultation closes at 11:59pm on 9 October 2017

Click through to take part.

Successful US arthritis walking programme inspires UK study - Paths for All 

A new walking programme for adults with arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions, made popular in the US, is to be trialled in the UK for the first time, led by researchers from the University of Aberdeen.

Walk With Ease was developed by the Arthritis Foundation in the US and has been shown to reduce arthritis-related symptoms such as pain, stiffness and fatigue, as well as improve strength, balance and walking pace.

The Aberdeen study hopes to establish whether people in the UK with these conditions are willing to take part in it and find the programme helpful.

image: Paths for All

The study also aims to find ways to make sure the programme fits within existing UK health and social care services. To achieve this the research team are working closely with patient partners and community organisations, as well as national charity Paths for All to introduce Walk With Ease to people with arthritis or musculoskeletal conditions.

The study is being funded as a joint working programme between ARUK and Pfizer Ltd, in partnership with the Chief Scientist’s Office of the Scottish Government and led by Dr Kathryn R Martin.

Dr Martin said: “Walk With Ease has proven extremely successful in the US at reducing pain, stiffness and fatigue while improving physical functioning for those who have taken part. We want to see if the ethos and logistics of the programme can be implemented in the UK. This study will examine whether or not individuals with arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions living in the UK are willing to take part in such a programme and whether or not they feel it benefits them. We are starting with Aberdeen and hope that if successful it can be rolled out across the UK.”

Green Gym's positive impact on perceptions of pain - TCV

Chronic (long term) pain and depression are often linked. This radio production from Pain Concern discusses the positive impact TCV's Green Gym can have on people's perceptions of pain with TCV staff, health professionals and participants.

Green Gym volunteers gain enormous practical benefits and some have had life-changing experiences – beginning new careers, tackling long-standing health issues and building precious friendship networks. During this radio piece some of our participants eloquently detail how they manage their recovery from, or management of their condition.

Ongoing financial constraints on the health and social care system are placing significant strain on the NHS and social care provision. The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) recognised the opportunity to rethink how we get to grips with some of the demographic, health and lifestyle challenges we are facing, particularly for the most vulnerable in our society by developing the Green Gym programme.

Wisley under threat from A3 plans - Royal Horticultural Society

Garden Wisley and more than 500 of its important trees are under threat from Highways England’s M25/A3 plans

One of the UK’s most loved and horticulturally important gardens is under threat from Highways England plans to widen the A3 in what could be the ultimate garden grab.   RHS Garden Wisley, a Grade II* listed garden, could have more than 10,000 sq. metres of woodland grabbed and more than 500 trees destroyed, including one planted by The Queen to mark her Silver Jubilee, if one of Highways England’s plans is developed.   The RHS estimates that the 500 threatened trees help to negate the emissions of 19,000 cars each year.

There are currently two options available to Highways England to widen the A3: one on the east side of the A3 and one on the west. The RHS has carried out expert highway studies and is calling on the Government Agency to choose the east option which does not grab woodland from the garden, would not fell any of these important trees and would better improve road access to Wisley, which welcomes 1.2 million visitors a year. 

Irreplaceable historic trees that are more than 100 years old and have centuries more to live, could be eliminated for a short-sighted road improvement scheme which would increase air pollution and destroy the habitats of a wide range of wildlife.  Losing this beautiful 30m (100ft) natural barrier of trees on Wisley’s boundary would be visually devastating and could also increase noise pollution, which would impact negatively on the enjoyment of the garden as a peaceful place to escape, relax and be inspired.
In principal the RHS supports plans to make improvements to the M25 Junction 10/A3 Wisley interchange. Our concern is that of the two options being put forward by Highways England to improve Junction 10, both would involve widening the A3 and could take land from the garden. We don’t object to either option, our main concern is the consequential widening of the A3 and the potential impact this could have on Wisley.

Time to get tough on fly-tipping - CLA

Seizing vehicles must become the default penalty for fly-tipping as part of tougher punishments for waste crime. 

New proposals on how to deal with fly-tipping have been put forward by the CLA over the Bank Holiday weekend – a time when there can be a surge of illegally dumped waste across rural Britain.  The organisation has launched a five-point action plan that it believes should be adopted to tackle the scourge of fly-tipping blighting the countryside.

As well as seizing vehicles to act as a deterrent, the CLA recommends enforcing fines for home and business owners whose waste is found in fly-tipped locations and appointing a ‘Fly-Tipping Tsar’ to co-ordinate with national agencies on the scale of this organised crime. The plan also proposes developing new ways to clear up and support victims so that private landowners are not liable as well as educating the public on this anti-social behaviour and working in partnership to help reduce waste crime through best practice.

Baled waste tipped on Notts/Lincs county border (image: CLA)

Results from a survey conducted by Farmers Weekly and CLA Insurance revealed that almost two thirds of farmers and landowners have been affected by fly-tipping and over half agree it is a significant issue in their area. Some 85% have taken measures to protect their land such installing gates or barriers, padlocking entrances and using CCTV, but only 13% have insured their farm business against fly-tipping.

Most victims surveyed said they had been targeted on multiple occasions, around two to three times per month, and because private landowners are liable for the clean-up process they are spending on average £844 per incident.

Out of 936,000 fly-tipping incidents in 2015/2016 only 129 vehicles were seized, and out of 2,135 prosecutions only 77 fines of over £1,000 were imposed, according to figures published by Defra earlier this year.

Download the CLA’s five-point action plan for how to tackle the blight of fly-tipping in full. (PDF)

Scientific Publications

Artmann, m. et al (2017) The role of urban green spaces in care facilities for elderly people across European cities. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2017.08.007

Mori, A. S., Environmental controls on the causes and functional consequences of tree species diversity. J Ecol. Accepted Author Manuscript. doi:10.1111/1365-2745.12851 

Holmes, G., Smith, T., & Ward, C. (2017). Fantastic beasts and why to conserve them: Animals, magic and biodiversity conservation. Oryx, 1-9. doi:10.1017/S003060531700059X

Rowan Eveline Muir, Abel Arredondo-Galeana, Ignazio Maria Viola The leading-edge vortex of swift wing-shaped delta wings R. Soc. open sci. 2017 4 170077; DOI: 10.1098/rsos.170077

Arne Arnberger, Ingrid E. Schneider, Martin Ebenberger, Renate Eder, Robert C. Venette, Stephanie A. Snyder, Paul H. Gobster, Ami Choi, Stuart Cottrell, Emerald ash borer impacts on visual preferences for urban forest recreation settings, Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, ISSN 1618-8667, doi: 10.1016/j.ufug.2017.08.004.

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