|
|
|
||||||
|
Headlines from this week beginning 3 April 2018 |
|
A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
Scottish nature at greatest potential to benefit people and economy this
century, study shows – Scottish Natural
Heritage Scotland’s plants, wildlife, air, water, and land – known as natural
capital – are delivering stronger benefits to people and business across
Scotland than in the previous two decades, according to the first study
of its kind. Scotland’s Natural Capital Asset Index (NCAI) assesses the quality
and quantity of land-based habitats in Scotland and their theoretical
contributions to human wellbeing. Now in its 8th year, the study shows that after decades of decline
until the 1990s, there has been steady improvement since 2012. Important
drivers to the rise include expansion in forest habitats, improvement of
freshwaters, and recovery of heath and peatlands. Mike Cantlay, Chair of SNH, said: “Natural capital is vitally
important for our nation’s economy and our own quality of life. It’s
encouraging to see Scotland’s natural capital has been recovering in
recent years. As we work to protect and enhance our nature and
landscapes in the coming years, we want to see this trend continue.”
Government crackdown on litter louts - Defra Councils will have the power to almost double on-the-spot fines for
litter louts from today, Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey
Image: Defra The maximum on-the-spot fine for littering and graffiti almost
doubles from £80 to £150. For the first time, local authorities can also
use these littering penalties against vehicle owners if it can be proved
litter was thrown from their car. Keeping the country’s streets clean cost local councils almost £700
million last year. Much of this is avoidable litter, and money that
could be better spent in the community. The Government is clear however that councils must not abuse the
power to impose penalties. Councils should take into account local
circumstances, like local ability to pay, when setting the level for
these penalties. Government guidance is available to ensure the new
powers are used in a fair and proportionate way by local authorities.
Osprey nesting platform installed to attract rare species to Bodenham
Lake - Herefordshire Wildlife Trust An osprey nesting platform has been erected at Bodenham Lake nature
reserve in the hope that osprey, whose migratory path passes over the
lake, will stay to nest and breed at the site.
The platform has been stalled as part of Herefordshire Wildlife
Trust’s Lugg Wetland Gem project, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund
which is improving the wildlife habitat at the nature reserve with the
help of volunteers from the local community. In the wild, osprey prefer tall trees which have been damaged and
have broken tops caused by storms, heavy snow, or lightning strikes
which provide a secure base for their nests but these are increasingly
rare in the modern landscape. The nesting platform is forged from steel and was forged by Downey
Engineering, The platform sits on top of a 30 foot pole which gives
osprey a clear view of their hunting territory and any potential
predators who may threaten the nest generously funded by Herefordshire
Wildlife Rescue, Herefordshire Ornithological Club and the National
Gardens Scheme, Sophie Cowling who is managing the Lugg Wetland Gem project said: “It
is so exciting to have this installed at the lake – it looks ideal so
thanks so much to everyone who helped to make it happen! We think the
placement of the platform will be perfect for osprey and later this year
we will be securing a perch and live stream camera so that we can watch
and see if we get Osprey visiting or nesting! The platform is in the
wildlife refuge area where there is restricted access so any osprey are
not disturbed but there will be great views from the bird hides.
RSPCA rope rescue team save sheep in “extremely challenging rescue” in
Gower - RSPCA A sheep has been successfully winched to safety by RSPCA Cymru
rescuers after becoming stuck 100 feet down sea cliffs in the Gower. A RSPCA rope rescue team was mobilised on Tuesday 27 March after the
sheep was spotted down the steep sea cliffs between Mewslade Bay and
Fall Bay. RSPCA inspector Nic de Celis said: “The rescue was particularly
challenging as the sheep was really far down and not directly below an
area that we could use for our usual rope rescue set up. We therefore
had to set three separate rope systems up – which is two more than usual
– so those working at the top of the cliff were able to do so safely and
it meant we could also haul the sheep up at 90 degrees further along the
cliff. Inspectors Vicky Taylor and Mark Roberts abseiled down the cliff
and I was with inspector Rohan Barker and Selina Griffiths at the top
where we hauled the sheep up once it was safely in the bag.” The sheep – which was uninjured – was released at the top and happily
walked away.
Click through to watch video footage of the rescue.
Coastal Warden scheme celebrates first anniversary
- Essex Wildlife Trust This year there will be more than 40 dedicated volunteer Coastal
Wardens working to safeguard our coast.
Our Living Seas program has been proactively addressing the issue of
coastal pollution with the help of dedicated volunteers. One year ago,
this citizen science scheme started when a group of enthusiastic
volunteers were trained as Coastal Wardens, in a project supported by
the Environment Agency. These incredible volunteers have spent the last year collecting
baseline water quality data all along our coastline, to monitor nutrient
levels and trends. To identify potential landward pollutants, water
samples are taken from borrow dykes, areas that were dug out to
construct the seawalls. Good water quality is fundamental to
biodiversity and with an ever-increasing population in the country, the
environment is under increasing pressure. Although the project is still in its infancy, the data will help us
identify pollution incidents and problem areas. The information
collected will also help facilitate discussions between stakeholders and
help bring a co-ordinated approach to issues in your area.
Suspected Squirrelpox outbreak near Dumfries threatens local red
squirrel population - Saving Scotland's Red
Squirrels Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels has received multiple reports of red
squirrels with suspected Squirrelpox virus in Heathall Forest on the
outskirts of Dumfries. Locals are urged to remain vigilant as this fatal
disease could have serious consequences for the local red squirrel
population. Within the past fortnight, several individual red squirrels have been
spotted by both project staff and members of the public which appear to
display classic symptoms of the deadly disease. Squirrelpox is a virus that is carried by grey squirrels without them
being affected. Native red squirrels do not typically have immunity.
Symptoms include weeping lesions on the face, paws and genitalia, which
prevent the red squirrel from eating, drinking or moving. As a result,
it is usually fatal within two weeks and an outbreak can cause local
numbers to crash. Wildlife feeder boxes and garden bird tables are a common cause of
Squirrelpox outbreaks, as they bring squirrels of both species into
closer contact with one another. Dr Stephanie Johnstone, Conservation Officer for Saving Scotland's
Red Squirrels said: "In conjunction with Forestry Commission Scotland,
who manage Heathhall, we have deployed emergency Squirrelpox outbreak
response measures. All feeder boxes found on site have been
removed and trapping has commenced to isolate any sick red squirrels and
remove any grey squirrels. Captured sick red squirrels will be
taken to a local veterinary clinic in Dumfries where they will be
assessed and either treated or euthanised. There are very few instances
of red squirrels surviving the disease. Nonetheless, the South
West Scotland Wildlife Hospital is on standby to receive any sick red
squirrels into their isolation unit if a vet deems that they may have a
chance of recovery." Local residents have created a Facebook page 'Save
Heathhall Red Squirrels' to keep the public informed of the current
situation.
Increase of plant species on mountain tops is accelerating with global
warming - Aarhus University Over the past 10 years, the number of plant species on European
mountain tops has increased by five-times more than during the period
1957-66. Data on 302 European peaks covering 145 years shows that the
acceleration in the number of mountain-top species is unequivocally
linked to global warming. It is not as lonely at the top as it used to be. At least not
for plants which, due to global warming, are increasingly finding
habitats on mountain tops that were formerly reserved for only the
toughest and most hardy species. A large international research team has not only ascertained a
considerable increase in the number of plant species on 302 European
mountain peaks over the past 150 years; they have also found that this
increase is accelerating. Moreover, it is certain that this development
is linked to rises in temperatures; changes in precipitation and
nitrogen input could not explain the increase. Therefore, the
researchers have demonstrated that the flora is trying to keep pace with
the consequences of accelerating anthropogenic impacts on all the
Earth's system. During the decade from 1957-66, the number of species on each of the
302 mountain tops increased by 1.1 species on average. Since then, the
trend has accelerated: From 2007-16, on average 5.5 new species moved up
to the 302 summits. The researchers have only been able to count
the plant species that have already responded to the temperature rise
and actually have moved upwards. They have not studied the number of
species that might be on the way upwards. Access the paper: Manuel J. Steinbauer
et al
Accelerated
increase in plant species richness on mountain summits is linked to
warming Nature (2018) doi:10.1038/s41586-018-0005-6
Will it be fifth year running for osprey chicks at Foulshaw Moss?
- Cumbria Wildlife Trust A pair of breeding ospreys has returned to South Lakeland’s biggest
nature reserve, Foulshaw Moss near Witherslack, giving rise to the hope
that chicks will be soon be hatching. This would be the fifth
consecutive year that this pair of breeding ospreys has raised chicks at
this site – a total of 11 chicks have been successfully raised so far.
Blue 35 and White YW, the two ospreys who successfully raised and
fledged two chicks last year, returned to Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s
Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve this week. The female, Blue 35, returned on
Good Friday (30 March), following weeks of speculation and anticipation,
especially among the online osprey-watching community! A tense few days
followed as osprey-watchers waited for Blue 35’s mate to return, and it
was with relief that he appeared on Wednesday afternoon (4 April). Paul Waterhouse, Reserves Officer for Cumbria Wildlife Trust, says:
“It’s always a hugely exciting event when the breeding ospreys return to
Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve. As one of only a small handful of breeding
sites in Cumbria, it’s wonderful to have these magnificent birds
returning to us year on year. Ospreys are on the whole faithful to both
their mate and their nest site, with some nests known to have been in
use for 20 years. So we hope to welcome them back to Foulshaw Moss
Nature Reserve for many more years to come!”
Single use plastic to be phased out at the National Trust
- National Trust The National Trust announces it will phase out selling single use
plastics at its places by 2022. The conservation charity has already eliminated plastic from its
disposable cups and cutlery, instead choosing plant based biodegradable
products, and will withdraw from sale throwaway plastic bottles across
its 343 cafes and tea rooms. Lizzy Carlyle, Head of Environmental Practices at the National Trust
said: “As an organisation committed to creating and maintaining a
healthy and more beautiful natural environment, we are committed to
using every opportunity to minimise our use of non-renewable resources
and cut down our waste. The impact single use plastics have on the
natural world is particularly alarming. Our latest focus has been on how
we can eliminate the use of single use plastic in our 343 cafes and tea
rooms, whilst ensuring that any disposable packaging we do use has as
little impact on the environment as possible.” Over 150 of the Trust’s coastal properties are also adjacent to
beaches, many of which suffer greatly from plastic litter. The Trust is
organising numerous beach cleans over the coming months.
Pesticides give bees a hard time- University
of Würzburg Scientists from the University of Würzburg have investigated the
impact of a new pesticide on the honeybee. In high doses, it has a
negative impact on the insects' taste and cognition ability. In February 2018, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) confirmed
that the pesticide group of neonicotinoids is harmful to bees. A novel
pesticide manufactured by Bayer AG is therefore being discussed as an
alternative; it contains flupyradifurone from the class of butenolides.
The product goes by the brand name of Sivanto. Sivanto is assumed to be effective against various sucking insects
such as aphids and whiteflies and can be used on a number of fruit and
vegetable crops but also on cocoa and coffee plants. Advertised as
bee-friendly, the pesticide can even be applied on flowering fields. It
has been available in the US market since 2015. In the EU, it is
approved but not yet available.
In high doses, a new pesticide impairs the taste
and learning capabilities as well as the memory of bees. (Photo: Ricarda
Scheiner) Scientists from the University of Würzburg have now investigated the
effect of flupyradifurone on honeybee behaviour. The study is led by
Ricarda Scheiner, Professor for Neuroethology of Arthropods at the
Department of Behavioural Physiology and Sociobiology (Zoology II) and
Hannah Hesselbach, her PhD student. The scientists have published their
findings in the current issue of the journal Nature Scientific Reports. "Our data show that non-lethal doses of flupyradifurone after a
single application to collecting honeybees have a negative impact on the
bees' taste, learning and memory capability," Ricarda Scheiner sums up
the study result. The experiments prove the following: "Whereas the two smaller doses
did not exhibit any adverse effect, a flupyradifurone amount of 1.2
microgrammes per bee results in significantly reduced perception and
learning performance," Hannah Hesselbach says. The good news, however, is that the collecting honeybees will
probably not come into contact with such high doses when the pesticide
is applied properly. But the scientists believe that further research is
necessary to determine the pesticide's influence on motor function,
waggle dance or orientation.
Read the research: Effects of the novel pesticide flupyradifurone (Sivanto) on honeybee taste and cognition. Hannah Hesselbach & Ricarda Scheiner. Nature Scientific Reports DOI:10.1038/s41598-018-23200-0,
Children help to save our ‘plastic planet’ -
New Forest National Park A staggering 13,500 children from over 60 primary schools are looking
at ways they can reduce plastic waste in the New Forest, its rivers and
the sea. The New Forest's unspoilt natural beauty is one of the things that
people value most about the National Park. Sadly, a minority of people
deliberately throw food packaging from their cars, leave litter in
parking areas and even deliberately dump quantities of waste materials. Now the New Forest National Park Authority’s education staff and
rangers have begun visits to over 60 primary schools to teach children
about the impacts littering has on their local environment. They are demonstrating how easily plastic can go from the heathlands
and woodlands to the ocean and back again, with potentially disastrous
consequences through each stage of its journey. Jane Flood, Head of Learning at Netley Marsh Infant School, said:
‘The children loved the story of the plastic bag in the New Forest and
what can happen when the animals come across plastic in their
environment. Thank you to the education team for making this problem
come alive. Maybe these children can keep our Forest beautiful.’ The New Forest National Park Authority’s Lead Education Officer, Sue
Palma, said: ‘The response from schools has been so encouraging.
Throughout the New Forest, and from Southampton to Bournemouth, schools
are doing their best to eliminate single use plastic from homes,
classrooms and school kitchens. For example Katie Whitcher and Adele
Jackson, cooks at Sopley Primary School, spoke proudly of working with
school dinner providers HC3S to replace single use plastic dishes and
cups with reusable ones, and teaching the children to separate food
waste from other waste. Redbridge Primary School is one of many
determined to discontinue the use of plastic straws. All the children we
have met care about the environment, and are considering ways in which
they themselves can ensure that the world will be free of single use
plastic before too long.’
Sign of the times, National Park to trial boundary signs
- South Downs National Park Over the eight years since the South Downs was designated we’ve often
been asked why there are no signs telling people that they’ve arrived in
the National Park. But what would they look like? Bespoke signage that
creates a sense of arrival at the UK’s newest National Park is to be
piloted in 19 locations around the South Downs this summer.
Before we could consider putting up boundary markers we first needed
to develop an identity for the South Downs. Now this is in place we’re
looking forward to joining all 14 other UK National Parks in proudly
signalling our presence to visitors and people who live here. The 19 pilot signs will be placed at specially chosen locations at,
or near, the National Park’s borders – carefully selected as places in
which there is a real sense of arrival in the National Park and each
sign’s size and design will be tailored to fit with that particular
location. “In a recent survey only 39% of people in the South East of England
were aware that the South Downs is designated as a National Park*,” says
Trevor Beattie, Chief Executive for the National Park Authority. “These
boundary markers are just one part of a strategy to increase awareness
and add to its value as a destination to visit; for the quality of
delicious local food and drink produced here; and as a landscape to be
treated with care and respect.”
Expeditions to study health of whales in Hebrides using pioneering laser
photography - Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust has announced details of its 2018
surveys, in which volunteers and marine scientists will carry out
pioneering research into the health of whales, dolphins and porpoises
off Scotland’s west coast using photogrammetry – the science of making
measurements from photographs.
The trust has been collecting data on cetaceans from its specialized
research yacht Silurian for 15 years. Photo-identification research over
this time has catalogued 230 minke whales, some of which have returned
to the same feeding grounds every year for over a decade. This year, new laser photogrammetry equipment used by the crew will
enable volunteers participating in the surveys to help collect vital new
information to assess the overall health of whales in the Hebrides. The bespoke equipment made for the conservation charity works by
placing two dots of light – of a known distance, typically around 10
centimetres – onto the body of an animal at the same time a photograph
is taken. The technique will be used to measure the length of the
animals – helping to determine numbers of young whales, assess body
conditions for parasites such as sea lice, and classify marks and scars
from interactions with marine plastic and fishing gear. “Monitoring by volunteers onboard Silurian has shown how Scotland’s
west coast is an important feeding ground for migratory minke whales.
This new equipment will help build a greater understanding of individual
whales’ movements, behaviour and overall health, and help us evaluate
their interactions with manmade items in the marine environment,” said
Becky Dudley, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust’s Marine Biodiversity
Officer. Scientific Publications Pauline Pierret, Frédéric Jiguet,
The potential virtue of garden bird feeders: More birds in citizen
backyards close to intensive agricultural landscapes, Biological
Conservation, Volume 222, June 2018, Pages 14-20, ISSN 0006-3207,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2018.03.033. Brian A. Crawford, Clinton T. Moore, Terry M. Norton, John C. Maerz,
Integrated analysis for population estimation, management impact
evaluation, and decision-making for a declining species, Biological
Conservation, Volume 222, June 2018, Pages 33-43, ISSN 0006-3207,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2018.03.023.
|
|
|
|
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. |
|
|
has announced.
Platform
being installed (image: Herefordshire Wildlife Trust)
Volunteer
Coastal Warden Suki Swindale (image: Essex Wildlife Trust)
Blue
35 and White YW ospreys at Foulshaw Moss nest (image: Cumbria Wildlife
Trust)
Measurable
impact on honeybees 
National
Park signs (image: South Downs National Park)
Photographing
a minke whale for species ID (image: HWDT)
