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Headlines from week beginning 19 February 2018 |
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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
The British Wildlife Photography Awards 2018 are now open for
entries.
Be part of a competition and community that is supported by the UK's
major conservation charities and celebrates excellence in wildlife
photography. Little Owl by Ian Watson What can you win? Win a prestigious award and prize from a prize fund worth up to
£20,000, including £5,000 cash for the overall winner and camera kit
from lead sponsor Canon, vouchers towards clothing and holidays. New this year: Wildlife Worldwide are delighted to be sponsoring the
Habitat category in the BWPA and will provide the lucky winner with a
place on one of their dedicated wildlife photography tours – full
details of the prize to be announced soon. Your photos could be featured in a touring exhibition launching in
London that reaches millions across the UK through National Media and a
beautiful book published by Ammonite Press. CJS is delighted to be sponsoring the Botanical Britain category
once again. This category includes botanical subjects photographed
in Britain, including: trees, plants, flowers, fungi and algae. Capture
the essence, beauty and diversity of the botanical world, whether
close-up, macro or as part of a wider scene. Read about the
categories here. Be inspired by recent winners,
photos and
videos Enter now: Read the rules and submit your entries at
www.bwpawards.org.uk
Leading the fight against plastic Truro and Penwith College in Cornwall has introduced a wave of
environmental improvements and initiatives aimed at reducing single-use
plastics and creating a cleaner environment for Cornwall.
(image: Truro and Penwith College) The training restaurant at Penwith College, Senara, has led the
charge with support to help Penzance become the first location in the UK
to meet the criteria for Plastic Free Coastlines (PFC). Senara has worked to help achieve PFC status for Penzance by
introducing biodegradable cups, containers and straws within the
restaurant, and has undertaken beach cleans with students. The
restaurant even recycles bar milk into ricotta to use in the kitchen to
increase sustainability, and is currently working with milk supplier
Trink Dairy to switch its milk supply from plastic bottles to reusable
glass bottles. Jaime Gaspare, catering lecturer at the College, said: “We recently
undertook a beach clean and plan to implement this into tutorials once a
month. We are fully supportive of Surfers Against Sewage and have also
joined the campaign to support The Final Straw.” After successfully completing the Five Objective Guidelines in the
SAS Plastic Free Coastlines (PFC) toolkit in early December, Penzance
has become the first location in the UK to meet the criteria to be
awarded this prestigious recognition. Spires Coffee Bar in Truro city centre has also taken steps to
improve sustainability by switching to biodegradable take-away mugs and
cutlery. They also offer a re-usable Travel Mug to encourage customers
to reduce their plastic waste. Those interested in reducing their own plastic footprint and help to
create plastic free coastlines, can visit www.plasticfree.org.uk to
download a Plastic Free Coastlines Individual Action Plan.
Results of the National Whale and Dolphin Watch 2017!
– Sea Watch Foundation As announced on TV’s BBC Countryfile last night, results of the 2017
National Whale and Dolphin Watch are in! During last year’s event, which took place 29th July – 6th August, a
record-breaking 1,529 hours of dedicated watches took place. Some 300
hours more than any previous occasion, this represents 2,500 volunteers
all around the British Isles getting involved to report on the UK’s
whale and dolphin species.
Aside from the expansive effort put in by volunteers in 2017, there
were also a huge number of whale, dolphin and porpoise sightings
reported as part of the event. 1,410 records of cetaceans, the
collective term for whales, dolphins and porpoises, were reported from
land and at sea. A close encounter with a killer whale for these
boat-users in Shetland! Photo by Rhona Clarke. This most recent effort also showed that on average around the UK, a
cetacean could be spotted once an hour! North and East Scotland, South
Devon, Cornwall and North-east England all had a greater sightings rate
than the national average. These excellent cetacean-spotting areas
clocked up between 1 and 5 animals per hour on average per site.
Eleven different cetacean species were seen in UK waters during the
National Whale and Dolphin Watch. All in all, 29 species of cetacean
have been recorded in UK waters although only fourteen are recorded
regularly. Seeing a good proportion of these in just nine days goes to
show what people can achieve when they work together. Access the report: Click here to read the full 2017 National Whale and Dolphin Watch report
Biodiversity loss raises risk of ‘extinction cascades’
– University of Exeter New research shows that the loss of biodiversity can increase the
risk of “extinction cascades”, where an initial species loss leads to a
domino effect of further extinctions. The researchers, from the University of Exeter, showed there is a
higher risk of extinction cascades when other species are not present to
fill the “gap” created by the loss of a species.
Even if the loss of one species does not directly cause knock-on
extinctions, the study shows that this leads to simpler ecological
communities that are at greater risk of “run-away extinction cascades”
with the potential loss of many species. With extinction rates at their highest levels ever and numerous
species under threat due to human activity, the findings are a further
warning about the consequences of eroding biodiversity. “Interactions between species are important for ecosystem (a
community of interacting species) stability,” said Dr
Dirk Sanders, of the Centre
for Ecology and Conservation at the University of Exeter’s Penryn
Campus in Cornwall. “And because species are interconnected through
multiple interactions, an impact on one species can affect others as
well. The researchers removed one species of wasp and found that it led to
secondary extinctions of other, indirectly linked, species at the same
level of the food web. This effect was much stronger in simple communities than for the same
species within a more complex food web.
‘Far too many serious pollution incidents’ says Environment Agency water
quality report
– Environment Agency Environment Agency publishes State of the Environment: Water
Quality report
Environment Agency Chair, Emma Howard Boyd has called on water
companies and farmers to cut the amount of pollution incidents harming
England’s waters and for penalties to be made tougher, as the EA
publishes The
State of the Environment: Water Quality report today (Monday 19
Feb). Although the number of serious incidents has fallen by almost two
thirds since 2001, the report reveals that 317 occurred in 2016.
Agriculture is now the largest sector responsible for water pollution,
while the number of serious incidents by water companies has remained at
around 60 per year for the past decade – more than one a week. The report shows that water quality has improved markedly over the
last 30 years, following more than a century of poorly regulated
industrial practices. England has the cleanest bathing waters since
records began and rivers that were biologically dead are reviving. But
there is more work to do to achieve the Environment Agency’s ambition of
a cleaner, healthier and better managed water environment
Carbon
Dioxide ‘Pulses’ Threaten Scotland’s Coralline Algal Reefs Scotland’s marine ecosystems may be more sensitive to carbon dioxide
than previously thought, and could be damaged irreparably by the CO2
‘pulses’ created by industrial activities, land run off or natural tidal
processes.
Open Air Laboratories empower a million new citizen scientists to
explore nature – Imperial College London
For
the last 10 years, the Open
Air Laboratories (OPAL) project, led by Imperial College London and
backed through the Big
Lottery Fund, has brought communities and scientists together to
gather environmental evidence and inform wider scientific enquiry. A family constructing a bat box (Imperial College London) People from a huge variety of backgrounds have taken part, carrying
out OPAL's nature surveys everywhere from inner-city housing estates to
remote rural areas. Activities including counting
bugs, checking trees for signs
of diseaseor recording sightings of the invasive New
Zealand flatworm, have inspired local people to rediscover the
outdoors. Research areas have included soil, air quality, water,
climate, biodiversity and tree health, as well as investigations into
invasive species. As well as encouraging the one million people across the UK to get involved, OPAL, based in the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial, has also trained over 4,300 teachers to deliver outdoor learning, getting pupils out of the classroom and bringing lessons to life.
Scottish Natural Heritage reduces carbon emissions by 20 per cent over
past two years - Scottish Natural Heritage Following 2009 climate change legislation by the Scottish Government
that requires public bodies to contribute to the delivery of national
targets including reducing carbon emissions by 80 per cent by 2050,
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) put into place measures to ensure we
would not only meet, but exceed this target. SNH has achieved a nearly
20 per cent reduction over the last two years, far surpassing
expectations. We have achieved these reductions though a wide range of initiatives
across the organisation, including: Evolving Smarter Working so we make space to share our buildings with
other public organisations, reducing our gas and electricity use Reducing reliance on paper by rolling out laptops to all our staff Reducing business travel by encouraging the use of video-conferencing Encouraging the use of public transportation, carpools, walking, or
cycling when travel is necessary Choosing sustainable goods, services or works that comply with the
Government Buying Standards SNH has also started replacing petrol and diesel cars, expecting to
replace its fleet with electric cars by 2026. This is ahead of the
Scottish Government’s target to phase out the need for new petrol and
diesel cars and vans by 2032.
RSPB appeals to shooting industry to help root out raptor killers
- RSPB The RSPB has launched a confidential ‘Raptor Crime Hotline’ (0300 999
0101) to help whistle-blowers within the shooting industry come forward
with information about bird of prey persecution. The link between driven grouse shooting and the illegal killing of
birds of prey, such as peregrines and hen harriers, has been widely
documented. The RSPB’s latest Birdcrime report revealed over 80
confirmed raptor persecution incidents had taken place in 2016, with
many more likely to have gone undetected. It also showed that North
Yorkshire has had more than twice as many confirmed incidents of raptor
persecution than any other county for the last five years. The RSPB would like to see much more acceptance from shooting
organisations about the scale and conservation impact of the persecution
and more support to clean up the industry and help root out those
involved. Senior Investigations Officer Guy Shorrock, of the RSPB, said:
“Illegal killing is not only robbing people of the chance to enjoy
watching birds of prey but has serious consequences for their
populations. We are sure there are people within rural and shooting
communities who know who is committing these crimes but are cautious
about speaking out. This 24-hour hotline provides a completely safe and
confidential way to pass on information – calls are not recorded and are
treated in the utmost confidence. “We would like to see shooting organisations showing their support by
including the hotline on their websites and encouraging their members to
come forward with information regarding crimes against birds of prey in
the UK.” Over the years RSPB Investigations staff have spoken in confidence
with gamekeepers and others within the shooting industry and received
graphic reports of routine and intensive raptor persecution on many
sporting estates. In addition, it has provided a disturbing insight into
management culture and the pressure put on gamekeepers, often from the
very start of their careers, to kill protected wildlife. The RSPB will
continue to push the government to introduce licensing of driven grouse
shooting to improve accountability of these estates and to promote good
practise.
The Conflict Between Males and Females Could Replace the Evolution of
New Species - University of Lincoln New research shows that males and females of the same species can
evolve to be so different that they prevent other species from evolving
or colonising habitats, challenging long-held theories on the way
natural selection drives the evolution of biodiversity.
Learning outdoors - More than £860k to increase outdoor learning in the
early years - Scottish Government The number of hours nursery children spend outdoors is set to
increase, Minister for Childcare and Early Years, Maree Todd, has
announced. Inspiring Scotland will receive £862,550 to encourage and support
greater use of outdoor learning in the early years. Actions they will
take include:
Ms Todd made the announcement during a visit to City of Edinburgh
Council’s Lauriston Castle Forest Kindergarten. She said: “The significant expansion of funded early learning and
childcare gives us the perfect opportunity to define the type of
experience we want to offer our children during their early years. That
is why we are committing more than £860,000 to increase the use of
outdoor learning, to ensure it becomes a defining feature of childhood
in Scotland.
Dorset Wildlife Trust objects to drilling for oil in Poole Bay
- Dorset Wildlife Trust Dorset Wildlife Trust (DWT) has objected to the plans to drill an
exploratory well for oil six kilometres out to sea in Poole Bay, in a
letter written to the Environmental Management Team at the Government
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. DWT objects to the project because of concerns for wildlife and
highly sensitive natural habitats in the area, highlighting three main
concerns: pollution from a ‘blow out’ (such as happened on a much bigger
scale in the Gulf of Mexico); drill cuttings dumped on the seabed, and
vibration known to damage sea life. The wildlife charity
recommends that the effort, time, money and research necessary would be
better used to seek alternatives in renewable energy, but at the very
least to avoid drilling in this sensitive area.
The exploration zone sits within the boundary of the proposed Solent
and Dorset Coast Special Protection Area, and DWT believes oil
exploration should not occur within such a Marine Protected Area.
There is concern for the short-snouted seahorse, that have been recorded
in Poole Bay. DWT is also worried about the timing of the exploration drilling, which is proposed to start during the spawning season of many commercially important fish and long-lived species, including cod, lemon sole, black bream, sandeels and common cuttlefish, potentially causing huge disturbances to their reproduction cycle. The area is important for commercial fishing and aquaculture (shellfish farms) which would be decimated if there was any pollution.
Moor to Enjoy - It really is good for you! -
Exmoor National Park Recent research proves that being in National Parks improves mental
and physical wellbeing. Evidence has been published in light of action
research carried out in two linked 3-year long projects by Exmoor and
Dartmoor National Park Authorities. Partners from Public Health England, Devon and Somerset County
Council Public Health Teams and other guests gathered on Friday 16th
February to hear about the results of the ‘Moor Health and Wellbeing’
report. The evaluation, carried out by Plymouth University, weighs up
the challenges and successes faced by Exmoor’s Moor to Enjoy Project and
Dartmoor’s Naturally Healthy Project. Some of the reported positive
changes identified from participants’ experiences within the National
Parks included a sense of belonging, feeling physically or mentally
energised, enjoyment, a sense of achievement and increased opportunities
for creativity and learning. Exmoor’s Moor to Enjoy Project focused on supporting groups and group
leaders in communities within striking distance of the National Park
developing and delivering exciting activities and ‘taster’ days out on
Exmoor. “The Project aims to bring together public health and social
care professionals and groups and group leaders with the amazing
opportunities to get out on Exmoor and enjoy the stunning landscape and
wildlife. We hope that through these taster days, we are able to give
groups and individuals the confidence and skills to discover more of
Exmoor independently in the future,” said Lucy McQuillan from Exmoor
National Park. “Getting active outdoors doesn’t have to be a full on
hike with all the kit. We are trying to encourage people to take that
first step to explore the National Park in a way that suits them. This
might be as simple as sitting by a river or having a picnic at a
favourite view point,” she continued.
WDC joins call for legally binding targets on packaging waste in the UK
- WDC
Responding
to
new waste and recycling figures published by the UK government
today, WDC, along with 17 environmental groups co-ordinated by the UK’s
Wildlife and Countryside Link are warning that the UK Government must
set ambitious and legally binding targets to deal with the growing
‘packaging waste mountain.’ The call comes as the latest figures, released today, show that
overall recycling rates have continued to stall and packaging waste
recycling has fallen from 2013. Although the packaging waste recycling
rate in 2016 had increased from 2014 (up to 71.4% from 64.1%), it is
still lower than in 2013 when 72.7% of packaging waste was recycled.
The amount of recyclable packaging waste ending up in landfill or
destroyed is up by 15.7% compared to 2013 - an extra 446,000 tonnes. With China refusing to take our plastic, cardboard and paper waste
adding an extra driver, it is essential that the UK Government takes
urgent steps to slash UK waste production and revolutionise recycling,
to give us the capacity to deal with waste sustainably. The UK
Government has stepped-up on the issue of microbeads and they need to
continue being a world leader by addressing waste production and
management in the UK, not exporting problems to other nations.
New report: how supermarkets drive food waste on UK farms
- FeedBack Our
new report reveals how supermarkets drive food overproduction and
waste on UK farms. Our investigations into international supply
chains and our work with UK farmers through our Gleaning Network, which
involves going to farms to harvest surplus produce, has shown us
first-hand the scale of food waste, largely unseen to the public. To
address this, we have released a new report that highlights farm level
food waste and the systemic role that supermarkets play in this issue.
The report draws on our investigations into global food supply chains, a
survey of UK farmers in 2015 and case studies. Scale of farm level food waste
Estimating the level of farm waste is challenging. Farmers surveyed
for this report wasted on average 10–16% on typical years, equal to
around 22,000–37,000 tonnes: enough food to provide 150,000 to 250,000
people with five portions of fruit and vegetables a day for a whole
year. WRAP’s most recent research suggests that a conservative estimate
of farm level food waste is 2.5 million tonnes, with the associated cost
being £0.8 billion. There is a distinct lack of research on farm-level
food waste, particularly when compared to household food waste – this
needs to be addressed. How supermarket culture drives waste Farm level food waste is a symptom of overproduction, UK supermarkets
transfer the commercial risk of overproduction onto farmers, and create
a food production model that prioritises consistent, high availability
of cosmetically perfect produce over minimal waste. This has led to a
food system which is synonymous with waste. Read the full
Farmers Talk Food Waste report here.(PDF)
Two men sentenced for destroying bat roosts in Dorset
- National Wildlife Crime Unit A property developer and demolition company manager who admitted
destroying roosts for protected species of bats have been sentenced at
court. Developer Christopher Wilson, of Avante Ltd, appeared at Bournemouth
Crown Court for sentencing on Friday 16 February 2018 after admitting
two offences of damaging or destroying a breeding site or resting place
of a European protected species of animal. He was ordered to pay
£2,500 under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and was fined £1,750 as well
as being ordered to pay costs of £500 and a victim surcharge of £170.
The case featured only the second ever Proceeds of Crime Act application
relating to bats in the United Kingdom. David Stokes, director of South Coast Demolition, had admitted the
same offences and was sentenced at Poole Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday
13 December 2017, when he was fined £1,600, ordered to pay £400 in costs
and a victim surcharge of £120. In 2016 Wilson purchased the former Ickle Angels Nursery site in
Carroll Avenue, Ferndown, which consisted of two buildings that were
known to contain roosts for Pipistrelle and Long-Eared Bats. When
he submitted a planning application to redevelop the site, Wilson
included a Biodiversity Management Plan that had been commissioned by
the previous owner of the site in October 2012 and had an expired date
on it. He should have commissioned a new Biodiversity Management
Plan but failed to do so. The original plan also advised that, due to
the presence of bats, a licence from Natural England would be required
before starting works on the site. Police Constable Claire Dinsdale, of Dorset Police’s Rural Crime
Team, said: “What makes this case nationally important is that we
applied for a Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 application, which is only the
second time this has been done for bat crime in the UK. A POCA arises
after a defendant is shown to financially benefit from a crime. The
order is to reclaim an amount. If any developers, demolition firms,
roofers or public have any concerns or questions please do contact the
Bat Conservation Trust Helpline on 0345 1300 228. They will assist. We
would rather work with developers to prevent matters. I would like to
thank the ecologists who give up their time to assist police in such
cases and the Bat Conservation Trust.” Pete Charleston, Conservation Wildlife Crime Officer for the Bat
Conservation Trust, said: “The Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) always
regrets the need for prosecutions of this nature. These convictions send
a clear message to those who might be tempted to cut corners. If you
think that costs can be saved by not following due process then think
again, you will be held to account with any profit being confiscated.
BCT are very grateful to both the police and the Crown Prosecution
Service for a highly professional and effective investigation.” Scientific Publications Mathew J. Hardy, Sarah A. Bekessy, James A. Fitzsimons, Luis Mata,
Chris Cook, Alex Nankivell, Kate Smillie, Ascelin Gordon,
Protecting nature on private land using revolving funds: Assessing
property suitability, Biological Conservation, Volume 220, April
2018, Pages 84-93, ISSN 0006-3207, doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2018.01.026. Janine Aschwanden, Herbert Stark, Dieter Peter, Thomas Steuri,
Baptiste Schmid, Felix Liechti,
Bird collisions at wind turbines in a mountainous area related to bird
movement intensities measured by radar, Biological Conservation,
Volume 220, April 2018, Pages 228-236, ISSN 0006-3207,
doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2018.01.005. Lyndsey Graham, Rachel Gaulton, France Gerard, Joanna T. Staley,
The influence of hedgerow structural condition on wildlife habitat
provision in farmed landscapes, Biological Conservation, Volume 220,
April 2018, Pages 122-131, ISSN 0006-3207, doi:
10.1016/j.biocon.2018.02.017.
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CJS is not responsible for content of external sites. Details believed correct but given without prejudice. Disclaimer: the views expressed in these news pages do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of CJS. |
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British
Wildlife Photography Awards - The leading competition for British
wildlife photography
All
ages are welcome. Whether a characterful animal portrait, interesting
behaviour, animals in their habitat, the secret world in the
undergrowth, coastal and marine creatures, or atmospheric woodland
scenes we want to see your pictures and films. Help us raise awareness
about our wonderful natural heritage and encourage discovery and
conservation.
Truro
and Penwith College is joining the growing global movement looking to
reduce the amount of plastics and waste being washed up on our shores
through sustainability champions at each of the College’s campuses in
Truro and Penwith.
2017
was the sixteenth year that this huge citizen science scheme had taken
place and clearly the event is building on popularity year on year.
“It’s so important for people to join in helping us to track whales,
dolphins and porpoises in UK waters. The Sea Watch Foundation database
holds hundreds of thousands of records which are used by scientists and
governments to inform research and policy on these wonderful animals”
says Kathy James, Sightings Officer for Sea Watch. “By taking part,
people are directly contributing to their conservation”.
Researchers
used plants and insects, such as the parasitoid aphidius megourae
(University of Exeter)
317
serious water pollution incidents occurred in 2016 (Environment Agency)
More than one million people across the UK have taken part in a
unique scheme that allows them to contribute to research on their local
green spaces.
Male
black bream nest guarding by Matt-Doggett
