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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
First of its kind zoos and aquariums pact calls for an end to illegal
wildlife trade - BIAZA
British and Irish zoos, aquariums, wildlife crime agencies and the UK
Government have joined forces in a major new collaboration to stop the
illegal wildlife trade. Dr Mark Pilgrim, Chief Executive Officer at Chester Zoo, a member of
BIAZA, said: “The illegal wildlife trade is one of the greatest threats
to the future of wildlife today but together we can make great strides
towards wiping it out. We believe it's really important that people
understand the issues around illegal wildlife trade so they can help
take important actions to help prevent it." The BIAZA zoos and aquariums pact is being launched ahead of the
forthcoming Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference, being hosted by the UK
Government in London on 11 – 12 October 2018.
Why we use chemicals to protect young trees.
- Forestry Commission Scotland There’s been some media interest in the use of chemicals in forestry
and in particular on the National Forest Estate. We spoke to Jo Ellis, Forest Enterprise Scotland’s Acting Head of
Land Management to find out a bit more about why, how and when chemicals
are used to protect our young trees. Why do you need to use chemicals for tree planting?
“It’s
important that everyone understands that our default position on
chemicals is very clear. We only use them when it is necessary. We use
the chemicals to control a pine weevil called Hylobius abietis
which is the most serious threat to newly planted or naturally
regenerating trees; if left untreated, the weevils will destroy on
average around 50 per cent of them. Each year, the UK forestry industry
loses around £5 million worth of trees to this weevil so it is a real
problem.”
Is there an alternative to using chemicals?
“We already use a good number of other treatment options but
sometimes the use of acetamiprid is necessary. There has been some good
news very recently though with Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing
announcing £500,000 funding to explore other ways to tackle weevil
damage – this could ultimately reduce the amount of chemicals used if we
find other alternative treatments." How do you use the chemical to protect young trees? “We don’t blanket spray – when we use chemicals we use them in a very
targeted way. Where pesticide use is necessary, our young trees are
pre-treated in an off-site tree nursery or building, and this may be
combined with later post planting treatment via a hand sprayer to
individual trees. All these targeted treatments are carried out in a way
that minimises any environmental impact.”
Half of England’s most important wildlife sites left unprotected
- Greenpeace The government is failing to monitor almost half of England’s
protected biodiversity sites, reports Unearthed, Greenpeace’s
investigative unit. Of the 4,126 sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) currently
in existence, 47% have not been monitored in the last six years, as is
required by
national monitoring guidelines. The data emerged in response to a parliamentary question by the
co-leader of the Green Party Caroline Lucas. Eight months ago Theresa May launched the government’s
25-year environment plan, which promised to “not only conserve but
enhance” protected areas. Natural England, the government agency responsible for monitoring
these areas, has seen its budget almost halved from what
it was a decade ago. Rebecca Newsom, head of politics at Greenpeace UK, said: “The
government must end this shameful neglect of England’s most important
nature sites. Funding cuts must be reversed and a new environmental
watchdog with proper enforcement and investigation powers established,
to avoid systematic failures like this after Brexit.” SSSIs afford legal protection to the UK’s most significant areas for
wildlife, plants, geological and physical features, including many areas
within national parks and nature reserves. Unearthed found that many parts of the Pennines, Exmoor and some of
the best-loved parts of the Lake District have not been monitored in
eight to ten years, despite some being reported as being in unfavourable
conditions at the time. This includes England’s highest mountain,
Scafell Pike, which was last assessed in 2010.
Two ospreys satellite tagged at Rutland Water Nature Reserve
- Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust Two male ospreys from Rutland Water have been fitted with satellite
transmitters so bird experts can track their amazing global journeys.
You too can follow the osprey’s migration via the Rutland Osprey
Project website www.ospreys.org.uk, tracking page and map. The two high flyers were fitted with mini GPS trackers to help the
Rutland Osprey Project track their movements. The units weigh only 30g;
they work on solar power and allow location, altitude and speed to be
recorded. The units are fitted to the birds like a small rucksack,
allowing them to continue their normal activities. The data is providing valuable information on their movements locally
too. Reserve Officer at the Trust’s Rutland Water Nature Reserve, Lloyd
Park said, “The transmitters provide highly accurate data that allows us
to plot the birds’ exact movements both day and night. This is giving us
an incredible insight into a range of different behaviours, including
where and when they are fishing.”
Countryside Alliance launches Rural Oscars 2019 Countryside Alliance Chief Executive Tim Bonner writes: "One of the
projects we are proudest of at the Alliance are the Countryside Alliance
Awards. The awards ceremony, held in June in the House of Lords, is
always an extraordinary gathering of wonderful, committed rural people
and one of the highlights of our year. It has been 14 years since the
Countryside Alliance started the ‘Rural Oscars’, our annual celebration
of British food and farming, enterprise and heritage by recognising our
small hard-working businesses. Since then it has grown to be the gold
standard of rural business awards, honouring thousands of rural
businesses from post offices and butchers to pubs and farm shops.
Importantly the Awards also deliver a huge amount of publicity to the
finalists and winners delivering a real boost to their businesses. The
‘Rural Oscars’ are set apart from other award schemes because we want to
hear direct from customers who value and love their butcher, baker or
bee brick maker. People tell us about the businesses they nominate “This
business will not just go the extra mile. They will pick you up and
carry you the extra mile.” And businesses who have won say “This is not
just a win for us, but our whole community.” The feelgood factor of these Awards cannot be underestimated. Last
year we received over 11,000 nominations which were whittled down to the
individual winners celebrated in Westminster. Nominations are now open here for
all categories and will close on 9 December 2018 with regional champions
announced in May 2019.
People are spending more time outside in the natural environment than
ever before - Natural England An increasing number of people are spending time outdoors enjoying
the natural environment New national statistics published today by Natural England show that
more people than ever before are visiting and spending time in the
natural environment. The proportion of adults visiting nature at least once a week has
increased from 54 per cent in 2010 to 62 per cent in 2018. Natural England’s
Monitoring of Engagement with the Natural Environment (MENE) report
also found that this trend could be seen across population groups,
including groups where levels of participation have historically been
lower. This year’s report further found the proportion of people living in
England’s most deprived areas visiting the natural environment at least
once a week has increased by 13 per cent from 38 per cent in 2009/10 to
51 per cent in 2017/18. This year’s report also found:
Access the reports and stats:
Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment: Headline reports and
technical reports 2016-2017 to 2017-2018 Results for the eighth and ninth year of the Monitor of Engagement
with the Natural Environment survey, which provides data on how people
use the natural environment in England.
Research on the role of the environment on mental health
- NERC The role the natural environment could play in mental health will be
explored as part of an ambitious research investment led by UK Research
& Innovation (UKRI).
A
walk by a canal. (image: © Joseph Logan via NERC) Eight new Mental Health Networks have been announced by UKRI to bring
researchers, charities and other organisations together to address
important mental health research questions. The new networks bring
together researchers from disciplines, including health, medicine,
biology, social sciences, humanities and environmental sciences. Many of
the networks will also include insight from charity workers, health
practitioners and people with lived experience of mental health issues. The networks, which are supported with £8 million of funding and will
be funded for four years (one for three), will progress mental health
research into themes such as the profound health inequalities for people
with severe mental ill health, social isolation, youth and student
mental health, domestic and sexual violence, and the value of community
assets. Two of the eight networks include research into how access to the
natural environment can impact mental health. Dr Daisy Fancourt of
University College London will spearhead research investigating the role
of social, cultural and community assets, such as parks and allotments,
in mental health, through a network called MARCH. Professor Simon
Gilbody of the University of York will lead a team working to understand
and reduce health inequalities by looking at the potential of factors
such as access to the benefits of the natural environment for people
with mental health problems.
Click through for Summaries of the new Mental Health Networks
Asian hornet: Fowey nest destroyed as two new sightings confirmed in
Liskeard and Hull - defra Two more sightings of Asian hornets have been confirmed and
surveillance activity is underway. The National Bee Unit has called for the public to report any
suspected Asian hornets after two further confirmed sightings in
Liskeard, Cornwall and Hull, east Yorkshire. At this stage, there is no
evidence to suggest the Cornwall and Hull sightings are linked. The hornets in Fowey were first discovered earlier in September and
the National Bee Unit moved swiftly to find the nest and remove it.
During September the number of hornets in a nest can reach a peak and
this will increase the chances of seeing an insect. Nicola Spence, Defra Deputy Director for Plant and Bee Health, said:
"These sightings in Liskeard and Hull underline the need to remain
vigilant. I want to encourage people to look out for any Asian hornet
nests and if you think you’ve spotted one, please report your sighting
through the Asian hornet app or online. While the Asian Hornet poses no
greater risk to human health than a bee, we recognise the damage they
can cause to honey bee colonies. I am therefore pleased our
well-established protocol to contain them has worked so effectively in
Fowey." If you suspect you have seen an Asian hornet you can report this
using the iPhone and Android app ‘Asian Hornet Watch’ or by emailing
alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk.
Identification guides and more information are available.
Native bee species could be 'wiped out' as Asian hornets spread across
UK, conservationists warn - The Independent Experts sound alarm over increased frequency of sightings from
Yorkshire to Cornwall
Wetlands are key for accurate greenhouse gas measurements in the Arctic
- University of Eastern Finland The Arctic is rapidly warming, with stronger effects than observed
elsewhere in the world. The Arctic regions are particularly important
with respect to climate change, as permafrost soils store huge amounts
of the Earth’s soil carbon (C). Warming of Arctic soils and thawing of
permafrost can have substantial consequences for the global climate, as
the large C stored in soils could be released to the atmosphere as the
greenhouse gases carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). The release of
these heat-trapping gases, in turn, has the potential to further enhance
climate warming.
Western
Russian tundra is a mosaic of dry and wet ecosystem types, functioning
very differently with respect to carbon exchange. (Photographer: Maija
Marushchak) Determining whether the Arctic is continuing to take up carbon from
the atmosphere or instead releasing it to the atmosphere is an urgent
research priority, particularly as the climate warms. A new study by
researchers at the University of Eastern Finland now provides the first
estimate of regional carbon budget for tundra in Western Russia for the
10-year period from 2006 to 2015. The researchers found that over the
past decade, the region has likely remained a net carbon sink,
sequestering atmospheric CO2 through plant uptake and growth. This
signal varied little between all the years and was particularly strong
in wetlands, which were “hotspots” for carbon uptake. Wetlands are also
“hotspots” of methane emissions in the region, making the identification
of wetlands essential for determining the regional carbon budget.
However, it remains challenging to determine the area of tundra wetlands
at broader scales because they can be difficult to identify from
satellite images, requiring many measurements on the ground to verify
their locations. Due to harsh winter conditions, making measurements throughout the
year in tundra sites is exceptionally difficult. Few measurements have
been made, making the assessment of the Arctic carbon balance
challenging. Read the paper (open access): Treat,
Claire C., et al (2018).
Tundra landscape heterogeneity, not inter-annual variability, controls
the decadal regional carbon balance in the Western Russian Arctic,
Global Change Biology, doi: 10.1111/gcb.14421
Peatlands will store more carbon as planet warms
- University of Exeter Global warming will cause peatlands to absorb more carbon – but the
effect will weaken as warming increases, new research suggests. This effect – a so-called “negative feedback” where climate change
causes effects which slow further climate change – will increase over
the coming decades but will decline after 2100 if warming continues,
according to an international team of 70 scientists, led by the
University of Exeter.
Peatlands
are a vital “carbon sink.” Image courtesy of Alex Whittle. Peatlands are a vital “carbon sink”, currently storing more carbon
than all the world’s vegetation, and the research showed they will store
even more carbon in the future than was previously believed. In environments such as forests, carbon from dead plants decomposes
and is released back into the atmosphere. But in peatlands, water slows
this process and locks in carbon. Most peatlands are in cold climates in
places such as Siberia and Canada, and here warmer temperatures will
lengthen the growing season for plants – meaning more plant matter
falling into peat bogs. But this initial increase in carbon storage – estimated to be about
5% – will be offset by reduced storage in tropical peatlands in places
like Borneo and the Amazon region. “Plants living in cold-climate peatlands have it tough for most of
the year, but rising global temperatures will give them a longer growing
season,” said lead author Dr Angela Gallego-Sala, of the University of
Exeter. “Decomposition in peatlands will speed up as the climate warms –
meaning more carbon and methane released – but the overall effect in
these high-latitude regions will be increased storage of carbon.
However, as warming continues, tropical peatlands will store less carbon
because decomposition will speed up but higher temperatures in these
already warm regions will not boost plant growth.” Read the paper: Angela V. Gallego-Sala,
et al
Latitudinal
limits to the predicted increase of the peatland carbon sink with
warming. Nature Climate Change (2018) doi: 10.1038/s41558-018-0271-1
Water voles make welcome return to their former Exmoor home
- National Trust Endangered water voles are returning to a stretch of river where they
have been extinct for more than 30 years - thanks to a National Trust
river and waterways project.
Once regularly spotted on Britain’s riverbanks, they are now the
nation’s fastest declining land mammal, disappearing from 94 per cent of
their former sites, largely due to increased urbanisation, predators and
a decline in natural habitat. But over the next few days, 150 will be released at six carefully
chosen locations on the charity’s Holnicote Estate on Exmoor, Somerset –
where they were last seen in the 1980s. The National Trust’s £10million Riverlands project – an ambitious
waterways restoration scheme – means these much-loved creatures will be
provided with a healthy environment where they can breed and flourish. Water voles are an important and integral part of the ecology of
Holnicote, contributing to the health and richness of wildlife. It is hoped their reintroduction will provide future generations the
chance to get to know the mammal – immortalised by Ratty in Kenneth
Graham’s classic Wind in the Willows. The precious new arrivals will be closely monitored to see how they
are settling in. Rangers, special ‘vole-unteers’, students and the
public are joining forces to monitor their numbers.
Rare butterfly thrives due to the long hot summer
- Essex Wildlife Trust The long hot summer has allowed the Heath Fritillary, one of
Britain's rarest butterflies, to have a second brood emerge in Belfairs
Woods. The Heath Fritillary is one of Britain’s rarest butterflies and was
considered to be on the brink of extinction in the late 1970s. A
re-introduction into Essex and continued habitat management has allowed
the butterfly’s numbers to gradually grow, and now, the long hot summer
has seen a second brood flying for the first time in the Essex Wildlife
Trust nature reserve at Belfairs Woods.
Heath
Fritillary at Belfairs Wood (photo: Essex Wildlife Trust) The delicate orange and brown chequered butterfly can be seen flying
close to the ground in a distinctive flutter and glide pattern. Their
colonies in Essex are restricted to where the food plant for its larvae,
Common Cow-wheat grows, which requires accurate and continuous habitat
management. Essex Wildlife Trust staff and a group of dedicated volunteers have
been managing parts of the woodland for the butterfly and its food plant
for a number of years and their numbers have been slowly growing.
Generally the butterfly emerges from May through to July, however the
climatic conditions this year have meant the larvae were able to grow
quickly enough to see a new brood emerge.
Click through for video footage of the butterflies at Belfairs Wood.
Green urban space may be good for children’s brains
- University College London Children living in greener urban neighbourhoods may have better
spatial working memory, according to new research by UCL Institute of
Education (IOE). Spatial working memory is a measure of how effective people are at
orientation and recording information about their environment. It
enables us to navigate through a city or remember the position of
objects and is strongly inter-related with attentional control. The research, published in the British Journal of Educational
Psychology, found that lower quantity of neighborhood greenspace was
related to poorer spatial working memory, and this relationship was the
case in both deprived and non-deprived neighbourhoods. Conducted by Professor Eirini Flouri, Dr Efstathios Papachristou and
Dr Emily Midouhas (UCL Institute of Education), the study looked at
4,758 11-year-olds living in urban areas in England, drawn from the
Centre for Longitudinal Studies’ Millennium Cohort Study. The team measured spatial working memory through visual and spatial
memory tests conducted on computers. When factoring in controls
relating to family poverty, parental education, sports participation and
neighbourhood deprivation, the findings suggest that exposure to
greenspace may have specific cognitive benefits for children. “Our findings suggest a positive role of greenspace in cognitive
functioning. Spatial working memory is an important cognitive ability
that is strongly related with academic achievement in children,
particularly mathematics performance,” said Professor Eirini Flouri. “If
the association we established between neighborhood greenspace and
children’s spatial working memory is causal, then our findings can be
used to inform decisions about both education and urban planning.” Read the report (open access): Flouri,
E. , Papachristou, E. and Midouhas, E. (2018),
The role of neighbourhood greenspace in children's spatial working
memory. Br J Educ Psychol. . doi:10.1111/bjep.12243
Kew releases State of the World’s Fungi report
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew has released the first ever State of
the World’s Fungi report.
State
of the World's Fungi (image: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew) In the first of its kind, the report outlines the state of the
world’s fungi and highlights just how important fungi are to all life on
Earth. It explores the current knowledge on the diversity, distribution
and evolutionary relationships of the world’s fungi, examines positive
interactions and insights incorporating the key uses of fungi in
everyday life, and looks at the global challenges associated with fungi,
including climate change and plant diseases. Over 100 scientists from 18 countries contributed to the report which
is the latest in Kew’s State of the World’s series. Professor Kathy Willis, Director of Science, RBG Kew says, “It has
been a real eye-opener drilling into the data on the fungal kingdom. As
the foundation of the world’s ecosystems, fungi potentially hold the
answers for everything from food security and biofuels to
desertification and medicinal advances. In compiling this report, it has
become clear that fungi should be viewed on par with the plant and
animal kingdoms, and that we have only just started to uncover the
secrets of this incredible and diverse group of organisms.” Find out more: Download the report from the State of the World’s Fungi website
New Agriculture Bill vital to recover nature
- The Wildlife Trusts
Government
proposals must trigger change on 70% of land Stirley Farm May Meadow Yorkshire Wildlife Trust
(c) Kim Warren Today the Government publishes the Agriculture Bill. The recovery of
wildlife in the UK – one of the most nature-depleted countries in the
world – depends on an Agriculture Bill which enables farmers to create
and restore natural habitats. The Wildlife Trusts believe that now is
the time for agricultural policy to lead nature’s recovery. As the Bill
progresses through Parliament, The Wildlife Trusts will be highlighting:
Ellie Brodie, Senior Policy Manager of The Wildlife Trusts, says: “We
support the Agriculture Bill’s intention to change how taxpayers’ money
will be spent towards environmental ‘public goods’. Spending on these is
vital if we are to restore uplands to hold water and prevent flooding in
towns, create new wildflower meadows for pollinators and improve the
fortunes of farmland wildlife like barn owls and brown hares. However,
we need an ambitious Bill to arrest decades of wildlife decline and
allow natural ecosystems to recover.” Read the Agriculture Bill here
New reports will enable UK to make the most of its natural assets
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology Four new reports on Natural Capital published today will enable
governments and businesses to take an evidence-based approach to valuing
the UK’s natural assets. Natural Capital refers to the assets within our natural environment
that provide benefits for humans. Plants, animals, freshwater, soil,
minerals, air and oceans all contribute to Natural Capital. The concept
lies at the heart of the UK Government’s recently published 25 Year
Environment Plan and is set to play an increasingly influential role in
public policy and business decision-making. The new reports, published by the Valuing
Nature Programme, which is co-ordinated by the Centre for Ecology &
Hydrology (CEH), summarise the science available to inform a Natural
Capital approach in four key areas:
A fifth report, on the Natural Capital of temporary rivers, has
already been published, highlighting their varied benefits including
supporting biodiversity plus drought and flood control. The reports, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council
(NERC), also identify evidence gaps and make recommendations for further
collaborative action by government, business and academia. For example,
the authors recommend further research into the effect of changes in
land use and climate on soil, and identify the need for better datasets
to enable monetary assessments of Natural Capital.
Three rare hen harriers go missing - RSPB Three young hen harriers have disappeared in suspicious circumstances
in the past month. All of the birds had been fitted with satellite tags
as part of the RSPB’s EU-funded Hen Harrier LIFE project and their
movements were being tracked by the nature conservation charity. Young female harrier Hilma was tagged in June 2018 at a nest on
Forestry Commission Scotland-owned land in the Scottish Borders. Her tag
was transmitting regularly when it suddenly and inexplicably stopped.
Her last known fix on 8 August showed she was near Wooler,
Northumberland over land managed for driven grouse shooting.
Satellite tagging technology is commonly used to follow the movements
of birds and tags continue to transmit regularly, even when the bird
dies, and until the tag reaches the end of its lifespan. The tags were
all providing regular updates on the birds’ locations, so the sudden and
unexpected ending of transmissions is suspicious and could suggest
criminal interference.
Global Coastal Wetlands Need to Move Inland in Fight Against Climate
Change - Global Climate Forum Up to 30 per cent of coastal wetlands could be lost globally by the
year 2100 with a dramatic effect on global warming and coastal flooding,
if action is not taken to protect them, new research warns. The global study, led by researchers at the University of Lincoln,
UK, suggests that the future of global coastal wetlands, including tidal
marshes and mangroves, could be secured if they were able to migrate
further inland. Geographers examined localised data from around the globe on coastal
elevation, tides, sediment availability, coastal population and
estimates of sea level rise to assess whether coastal wetlands are
likely to have enough sediment to increase their elevation at the rate
sea levels will rise, or whether there is enough space to establish
themselves further inland. The results show there could be global coastal wetland gains of up to
60 per cent if more than a third of the areas had space to move inland.
The use of more localised data provides more accurate global results
than previous estimates which warned of catastrophic losses of up to 90
per cent – but scientists say action must be taken now to save coastal
wetlands from ever increasing sea levels. The findings of the study have important implications for the future
development of public policies, with the authors calling for an upscale
in current efforts for coastal wetland restoration. The full paper:
Future
responses of global coastal wetlands to sea level rise, has been
published in the scientific journal Nature and is available to read
online.
Does seedling defence vary over large geographical scales?
- University of Plymouth Do the defence mechanisms employed by seedlings to avoid being eaten
by herbivores vary according to their location? That is the question being asked by scientists at the University of
Plymouth as part of a new three-year project funded by the Leverhulme
Trust. Previous studies have demonstrated that seedlings use a variety of
means, including odours – or volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) – to ward
off potential predators.
Rare beetle found on Talich Wildlife Reserve
- Scottish Wildlife Trust
A
rare species of beetle has been found at Talich Wildlife Reserve near
Tain, marking the first time it has been recorded in the Highlands. Curculio betulae weevil found at Talich Wildlife
Reserve © Nigel Richards The Curculio betulae weevil was spotted on an alder tree on the
reserve by local moth recorder and naturalist Nigel Richards. Curculio betulae is a 4 mm long weevil found on birch and alder
trees. It is characterised by a slender and evenly curved rostrum (or
snout), which is as long as its body. According to Duff’s Beetles of
Britain and Ireland (2016) the weevil’s national status is rare,
sometimes frequent.
New data shows drop in bovine TB as further measures to fight disease
unveiled - Defra
Reductions
in new outbreaks of bovine TB have been recorded in Gloucestershire and
Somerset following the completion of their licensed four-year badger
culls, Farming Minister George Eustice has announced. (image: Defra) The data published today shows there has been a decline in TB
incidence in the first two cull areas with the rate of new confirmed
breakdowns now at about half the level they were before culling began.
In the Gloucestershire cull area, TB incidence has fallen from 10.4%
before culling started to 5.6% in year four of the cull, while in
Somerset it has reduced from 24% to 12%. In a further move to strengthen the government’s 25-year bTB
eradication strategy, the Minister of State has also announced the
opening of a new round of applications for Badger Edge Vaccination
Scheme grants. Response:
Michael Gove approves the largest destruction of a protected species in
living memory - Badger Trust The Badger Trust has condemned the decision by the Defra Secretary of
State Michael Gove to approve 11 new badger cull licences in England in
2018, bringing the total in operation to 31. As a result of this major expansion of badger cull, 40,892 badgers
could be killed by the end of 2018, more than during the last 5 years of
the badger cull combined. Despite a huge increase in the number of badgers to be killed, the
Government has yet to provide any reliable evidence that badger culling
is having any significant impact on lowering bovine TB in cattle in or
around the cull zones. With no effective independent monitoring of cull contractors, the
Badger Trust is also increasingly concerned that badgers will die long
painful deaths due to the continued use of controlled shooting, a
culling method which is condemned as inhumane by the British Veterinary
Association. The Badger Trust has already raised serious animal welfare concerns
with Natural England over the trapping of badgers for up to 12 hours in
cages in the heat wave in Gloucestershire and Somerset, under existing
supplementary cull licences which have been operation since June.
Flawed badger cull expands across England, The Wildlife Trusts call on
government: invest in medicine not marksmen -
The Wildlife Trusts The government has given permission for badger culls to go ahead in
England for another year. This year, badgers are now at risk in
Staffordshire and Cumbria, in addition to the existing areas of
Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Cornwall, Devon, Herefordshire,
Cheshire and Wiltshire. The Wildlife Trusts believe that the government’s strategy is flawed
because bTB is primarily a cattle problem, not a wildlife one and makes
no sense at a time when a review of the government strategy which drives
the culls – the bovine TB eradication strategy – is still underway. Only
1 in 20 cases of bTB herd infections are transmitted directly from
badgers , thus, culling badgers is not the answer and it is also
counterproductive. Culling disrupts badgers’ social structure, causing
them to move around more frequently and over longer distances – which
can result in increased bTB transmission. The Wildlife Trusts have opposed badger culling for well over a
decade and most recently have written to Secretary of State, Michael
Gove, to highlight the flaws of the badger cull and request that the
cull be ended in favour of strategic and widespread badger vaccination
schemes, and to invest in developing a cattle vaccine. Yet again, this
has not happened. The costs of killing badgers are much higher than vaccinating them. Ellie Brodie, Senior Policy Manager, The Wildlife Trusts says: “It is
unacceptable that the government has not waited for the results of their
own review – which we understand is to be published imminently – before
forging ahead with another year of ineffective and expensive badger
culling. We’re calling on the government to invest in medicine, not
marksmen. The costs of killing badgers are much higher than vaccinating
them – it costs £496.51 to kill a badger compared with £82 to vaccinate
a badger” . Defra have updated several policy papers,
reports and statistics (including their cost benefit analysis) relating
to bTB and control measures
access them
all here
Conservation project records new hen harrier behaviour
- Scottish Natural Heritage A Scottish conservation project has recorded activity never seen
before in a rare bird of prey, the hen harrier. Using nest cameras, the
project has filmed two rarely recorded activities: male hen harriers
standing guard over nests, and a hen harrier brood being hunted by two
species of owl.
The
discoveries were made as part of Heads Up for Harriers, a Partnership
for Action Against Wildlife Crime Scotland (PAW) Scotland project, led
by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). Figures released today also show 30
young birds have successfully fledged on participating estates. Male harrier guarding nest (image: Heads Up for Harriers project) On two occasions, a male harrier was recorded spending up to 35
minutes standing over or beside a nest, guarding the chicks when the
female harrier was away from the nest. This is believed to be highly
unusual harrier behaviour: usually, the only time a mother leaves a nest
for the first six weeks is to briefly catch a food drop from the father.
The male calls the female off the nest and drops food, which the female
then catches to feed their chicks. As well, after a hectic night of activity involving a fox and a
short-eared owl, five chicks were eventually killed by a long-eared owl.
The attack happened early in the morning this spring in the Langholm
area of South Scotland.
Short-eared
owl at nest with chicks (image: Heads Up for Harriers project) Professor Des Thompson, Chair of the PAW Scotland Heads up for
Harriers group and SNH’s Principal Scientific Adviser, said, “This is
exceptional. It’s the first time we’ve observed such behavior by a male
hen harrier, and the first time we’ve seen a hen harrier nest under
attack by two other raptors, one after the other.” The Heads Up for Harriers project aims to help conserve hen harriers
with nest cameras by monitoring nesting hen harriers and helping
determine reasons that affect chick survival. New figures for this year show a total of 27 Scottish upland estates
took part in 2018, with 17 nests monitored. This year, 30 young birds
successfully fledged from eight successful nests. Four nests failed at
egg stage and another five nests failed with chicks. The primary reason
for failure (at chick stage) was fox predation, accounting for the death
of six chicks; however, owl predation and starvation due to adult birds
not being able to provide enough food also played a part.
Opening access to the countryside - Natural
England The country’s first ever specialist centre in Oxfordshire will
improve countryside access for wheelchair users, those with mobility
needs, horse riders, cyclists and walkers. The country’s first ever specialist centre to open up access to the
countryside for wheelchair users and those with mobility needs as well
as disabled and able-bodied horse riders, cyclists and walkers was
launched today at Oxfordshire’s Aston Rowant National Nature Reserve. John Cuthbertson, Chairman for the Disabled Ramblers, said:
ParkPower is Rethinking Parks project -
greenspace scotland Nesta have announced today [14 September 2018] that greenspace
scotland’s ParkPower project will be one of five UK Rethinking Parks
Prototyping projects. ParkPower is an innovative project to develop a digital platform to
identify the most economically viable energy generation schemes in order
to raise extra income to help resource park and greenspace management. Julie Procter, Chief Executive of greenspace scotland said: “With
parks and greenspace budgets under-pressure, we’ve been working with
colleagues in Councils and Friends groups to develop and pioneer new
approaches to generate income from and for our parks in ways which do
not impact adversely on the public’s use and enjoyment of parks.
ParkPower will enable us to take a strategic approach to identify parks
with the most potential to generate energy, as well as opportunities to
supply energy beyond the park to schools, hospitals, shopping centres
and other consumers. We’re delighted to receive support from the
Rethinking Parks programme to develop ParkPower.” Generating energy from parks provides clean, green local energy;
connects consumers with their park (and energy supply); and produces an
income stream which can be reinvested in our greenspaces. The ParkPower
project supported by Rethinking Parks will develop a strategic GIS based
approach to identify and monetise the best energy generation and storage
options for parks. Further reading:
Prototyping projects for parks with Nesta and meet the 5
teams that will be prototyping technology solutions to the challenges
facing public parks The five projects will explore, prototype and test ways to address parks’ challenges. This will include increasing donations to parks, generating income from renewable energy and better managing existing resources through using data to understand how parks are used.
New outreach centre launched to help boost wildlife
- Natural England A landmark new outreach centre has been officially unveiled today (14
September) at Humberhead Peatlands National Nature Reserve (NNR) in
Yorkshire. Opened by Natural England and backed by £3 million of government
funding, the new outdoor laboratory facility includes an educational
centre for visitors, local schools and universities helping to establish
the reserve as a focal point for the local community. Research at the site will help us understand how NNRs influence the
environment way beyond their physical boundaries, boosting wildlife and
providing wider benefits to society such as carbon storage and support
for rural economies. The opening of the new research centre marks the one year anniversary
of the launch of an ambitious National Nature Reserve strategy, which
brings together government, wildlife charities, NGOs and private
landowners to help stimulate recovery across England’s native wildlife
by creating conditions to enable wildlife to ‘brim over’ from nature
reserves into the wider landscape. Environment Minister, Thérèse Coffey said: "The transformation of the
Humberhead from scarred industrial landscape to Britain’s single largest
restored lowland peatland is a fantastic example of how by working
together to restore ecological processes we can boost wildlife, improve
access to the great outdoors and create new opportunities for the local
economy. Our National Nature Reserves are seen as a role model for conservation around the world and our ambitious strategy will see them flourish, helping us deliver on our ambition to leave the environment in a better state than we found it." Over the last year the government has invested over £5 million to
improve, expand and create NNRs.
Salamander-eating fungus found to be widespread in European private
amphibian trade - Zoological Society of
London Scientists warn a second amphibian chytrid panzootic could be on the
horizon. A fungus deadly to salamanders and newts has been found to be
widespread in the European private amphibian trade – with the infection
being transmitted between several countries and discovered in Spain for
the first time. Published today in Scientific Reports, new research from scientists
at ZSL’s Institute of Zoology and Ghent University in Belgium, shows
Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans or ‘Bsal’ to be widespread in private
amphibian collections in Western Europe. Of the eleven collections
tested, seven were found to be positive for Bsal, with high rates of
disease and mortality often associated.
Scientists
use a swab to check whether this Bosca's newt (Lissotriton boscai) is
infected with Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Image: © L.
Fitzpatrick-ZSL) The private trade of amphibians (i.e. the trading and selling of
individuals between collectors at a non-commercial scale) is causing
concern for scientists at ZSL as they fear the salamander-eating fungus
could soon find its way into wild populations of salamanders and newts
in the UK and elsewhere in Europe, with severe consequences for
amphibian conservation. It has already been responsible for a 99% decline in a monitored
population of fire salamanders (Salamandra salamandra) in the
Netherlands, with population declines expanding into Belgium and
Germany. Lead author Liam Fitzpatrick from ZSL’s Institute of Zoology said:
“Once the fungus is in a wild population it is likely to be impossible
to stop its spread and the loss of susceptible species. We already know
that Bsal can be lethal to a number of European salamander species, so
understanding ways in which the fungus could be introduced to new areas
is essential in our efforts to conserve wild amphibians.” Read the paper (open access): L. D.
Fitzpatrick, F. Pasmans, A. Martel. A. A. Cunningham,
Epidemiological tracing of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans identifies
widespread infection. Scientific Reports. DOI: s41598-018-31800-z
Scientific Publications Romain Carrié, Johan Ekroos, Henrik G. Smith,
Organic farming supports spatiotemporal stability in species richness of
bumblebees and butterflies, Biological Conservation,Volume 227,
2018, Pages 48-55, ISSN 0006-3207, DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2018.08.022.
Mark A. Whiteside, Mackenzie M. Bess, Elisa Frasnelli, Christine E.
Beardsworth, Ellis J. G. Langley, Jayden O. van Horik & Joah R. Madden
Low
survival of strongly footed pheasants may explain constraints on
lateralization. Scientific Reports volume 8, Article number: 13791
(2018) Ellie Nagaishi, Kazuhiro Takemoto
Network resilience of mutualistic ecosystems and environmental changes:
an empirical study. R. Soc. open sci. 2018 5 180706; DOI:
10.1098/rsos.180706
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