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Headlines from week beginning 12 November 2018 |
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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
Red squirrel conservationists welcome success stats
– Northumberland Wildlife Trust One of the biggest citizen science efforts in mammal conservation in
the UK has shown red squirrel populations across northern England are
stable. This is thanks to over 30 community red squirrel groups which
work tirelessly to protect the red squirrels on their doorstep.
Red squirrel at Hauxley. Image by: Pamela Dewener Trevor Cooper from Grasmere Red Squirrel Group said: “Repeating these
surveys, same time, same place, shows that year after year reds are
still present in our woodlands around Grasmere, proving that the hard
work we put in is paying off”. Results show that red squirrels are still widely distributed across
six counties in northern England, with red squirrels found in 42 per
cent of survey sites and grey squirrels in 48 per cent. The surveys take place in ‘red squirrel counties’ across northern
England, where wild red squirrels can still be found: in Cumbria,
Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, North Yorkshire, Lancashire, Merseyside and
parts of County Durham. Surveys are completed within areas where red squirrel conservation is
carried out by project teams, such as Red Squirrels Northern England,
and by local community red squirrel groups under the banner of Northern
Red Squirrels. Simon O’Hare, Project Manager for Red Squirrels Northern England, has
hailed the result as another positive for red squirrels. He says: “This
year there was a very slight drop in the number of sites with reds, down
from 45 per cent in 2017. This is no cause for alarm, as slight
variations over time are common in mammal populations. We have seen this
pattern before, and know that we are documenting fluctuations in red and
grey squirrel populations, affected by environmental factors such as bad
weather and bumper natural food supplies in the autumn.” The full report, ‘2018 Annual Squirrel Monitoring Programme Results’, can be found online here Today (12 November) we are launching the first review of the
16,575-mile Network. In our “Paths for everyone” report, we unveil the
current
These include poor surfaces and barriers that prevent access for
users, particularly those with adapted bikes or prams. Tackling safety,
and improving access for disabled people are top of our agenda. Image: Sustrans
Over half (57%) of the UK population lives within a mile of the
National Cycle Network, but major improvements for access and safety are
needed to open it up to everyone, including children, wheelchair users,
those riding non-standard cycles and the less physically active. Download the
report “Paths for everyone”
The big news on Tuesday
Review of government’s bovine TB strategy published
- Defra A review
of the government’s 25 Year Bovine TB (bTB) Strategy, led by Sir
Charles Godfray, has been published today (Tuesday 13 November).
The report is now with Ministers who will consider its
recommendations before publishing a response, setting out the next steps
for the bTB Strategy. Farming Minister George Eustice said: “We welcome this review of the
Government’s 25-year Bovine TB strategy and I extend my thanks to Sir
Charles Godfray and his team for their hard work in producing the
report. As a Government we are committed to eradicating bTB and have
always been clear that there is no single measure for tackling it.
That’s why we have pursued a range of interventions, including cattle
movement controls, vaccinations and controlled culling in certain areas.
Sir Charles’ report is an important contribution that will inform next
steps in the strategy to achieve officially TB free status for England
by 2038.” Sir Charles Godfray, population biologist and Fellow of the Royal
Society said: “The Review Panel are acutely aware of the burden this
disease places on the welfare and well-being of farmers and their
families, and the distress many people feel about badger culling. There
are no easy answers to reducing disease levels and what is required is
new drive and a concerted and concentrated effort by all sectors
involved.” Responses:
Huge disappointment at limitations of Bovine TB Strategy Review led by
Sir Charles Godfray – The Wildlife Trusts The Wildlife Trusts' response to the Bovine TB Strategy Review. Whilst welcoming the review's recommendations for a changed emphasis
in the government’s
strategy for eradicating bovine tuberculosis (bTB), The Wildlife
Trusts are extremely concerned that it also recommends that badger
culling should continue. This flies in the face of robust scientific
evidence and we urge the government to halt their flawed policy which
leads to tens of thousands of badgers being killed every year. Ellie Brodie, Senior Policy Manager of The Wildlife Trusts says: “The
Wildlife Trusts believe that cattle and not badgers should be the focus
of efforts to eradicate bTB. We support the review’s recommendation that
the focus of the strategy should be shifted to addressing the
transmission of bTB between cattle. This is the main route of infection.
Only 1 in 20 cases of bTB herd infections are transmitted directly from
badgers, so culling badgers is not the answer. Several scientific
studies have demonstrated that culling increases the prevalence of bTB
in the badger population, and results in it spreading to other areas. We
believe that more must be done by both the government and farmers to
improve farm biosecurity and cattle movement controls. Badger
vaccination should be used strategically, with more resources invested
to roll out a widespread vaccination programme. Vaccination has the
potential to reduce bTB infection prevalence in the badger population,
and hence bTB risks to cattle, without the harmful effects associated
with culling such as increased prevalence of TB in badgers plus
spreading the disease. The review highlights the potential for a
large-scale badger vaccination programme as an alternative to culling
which The Wildlife Trusts welcomes. The government should do more
to support rolling vaccination out to more areas of the country.”
TB strategy review - NFU comment Commenting on the publication of the report, NFU Vice President
Stuart Roberts said: “Bovine TB is a devastating disease. Last year more
than 33,000 cattle were slaughtered in England because of it and more
than 3,800 farms that had been clear of the disease were affected by it.
The NFU wishes to see the eradication of bTB as quickly as possible
while retaining a viable cattle industry. To tackle this disease it is
crucial that we use every tool available to us, including cattle
testing, cattle movement controls, on-farm biosecurity, vaccination and
control of the reservoir of disease in wildlife in areas where it is
endemic.” In other news:
Wetwipes are flushable? No they're not! –
Marine Conservation Society
Image: MCS Wipes cause blockages. Surprisingly the so called “fat bergs” that
become lodged in UK sewers are only made up of 0.5% fats, but an
astonishing 93% wet wipes. £90 million is spent by the water industry
each year on clearing blocked drains alone, ultimately adding costs to
customers water bills, according to Water UK. Many wet wipes are known
to contain plastics such as polyester, and enter the environment. MCS has campaigned for several years to see action on the labelling
of wetwipes, as sewage contamination of waterways and beaches often
results from blocked pipes, many of which are caused unnecessarily by
items such as wet wipes being flushed. In 2017, MCS collected over
10,000 signatures a petition to the wet wipe industry body EDANA asking
them to ensure members removed plastic from their flushable products and
that flushable wipes complied with UK Water Industry standards.
CalMac encourages new awareness of wildlife -
CalMac
The Awareness Programme has involved a total of 14 conservation
bodies who have partnered with CalMac to gather vital scientific data
and to
educate passengers more about the environment they are travelling in. A team of more than 60 wildlife enthusiasts compiled the survey
results that tracked different species on different routes as part of
the programme. Andy on the lookout for wildlife in the Minch (CalMac) They were supervised by resident ORCA Wildlife Officer Andy Gilbert,
who, was taken on this year to increase understanding of the wealth of
biodiversity that exists in CalMac's area of operations. “Our Marine Awareness Programme focuses on increasing awareness of
wildlife in our network by gathering scientific data, facilitating
conservation and engaging with the public, Andy has been central to this
over the past few months,” said CalMac's Environmental Manager, Klare
Chamberlain. As well as training survey volunteers, during his time with CalMac he
has also engaged with more 2200 people on board during 45 trips,
explaining about nature on the islands and demonstrating techniques to
find wildlife. “Wildlife tourism is growing on both a global and local scale and now
accounts a significant amount of the total spend across the tourism
sector in Scotland. Scottish Natural Heritage research suggests that we
sail in one of the most attractive eco-tourism destinations in the
world” said Klare. It is estimated that CalMac's area of operations contains as much as
6500 different species of plants and animals.
Nearly half of Endangered species’ last refuges unprotected
– Birdlife International
The
araripe Manakin's final refuge in Brazil is protected by the state ©
Ciro Albano Sometimes, a species’s population can dwindle so much that it can
only be found in one location. Sometimes, a species has only ever lived
in one location, but is now facing threats that weren’t around before.
No matter the reason, protecting these sites is crucial to prevent
species from going extinct. That’s where the Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) comes in – a
partnership of 95 organisations from all around the world, working
together to bring species back from the brink of extinction. Founding
members of the Alliance, BirdLife, the International Union for
Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the American Bird Conservancy
(ABC) have spent the past three years pooling their science and
expertise to map the last known locations of Endangered and Critically
Endangered plants and animals. This year’s major update has increased
the number of these ‘AZE trigger species’ to 1,483, confined to 853 ‘AZE
sites’ across the world. The map is invaluable in helping the
conservation world decide where to focus its efforts, and in informing
developers of the places they should avoid.
Young people join together for Year of Green Action
- Defra Lord Gardiner meets with young environment advocates as part of the
#iwill campaign. Over 50 young people from around the UK have today been announced as
environment ambassadors as part of the run up to the government’s 2019
‘Year of Green Action’. The inspiring group, which includes two teenage sisters who founded Kids
Against Plastic to cut the single-use packaging, will encourage more
young people to get involved in green projects through their school,
youth group or local community. The #iwill4nature initiative,
part of the #iwill campaign which aims to embed social action into the
lives of 10-18 year olds, was formally launched at a celebratory event
at Kew Gardens. It comes as the government prepares for its 2019 Year of
Green Action, a year-long drive to see more people from all backgrounds
involved in projects to improve the natural world. Defra Minister Lord Gardiner, at Kew Gardens today to congratulate
the new ambassadors, said: “Our children and young people have a huge
role to play in ensuring the next generation is motivated and equipped
to protect the precious natural world. It was inspiring to meet this
group of young ambassadors who are so passionate about environmental
protection and I look forward to seeing all they achieve over the coming
year.”
Reforms must prepare the UK countryside for climate change and ensure
that our use of land supports reduced emissions
- The Committee on Climate Change The Paris Agreement demands tougher action to remove greenhouse gas
emissions from the atmosphere. We must, at the same time, prepare for
the inevitable climate change that is already happening. In this
context, current uses of land in the UK must change. Today, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) publishes two linked
reports:
‘Land use: Reducing emissions and preparing for climate change’
finds that fundamental reform is required to ensure land becomes a more
effective carbon store. The critical services we receive from the land;
clean water, healthy soils, wildlife, timber and food, are threatened by
a warming climate. Government can address these concerns, while ensuring
sufficient food production for an increasing population and space for
new homes.
‘Biomass in a low-carbon economy’ considers the role of biomass –
wood, plants and organic waste – in the global strategy to tackle
climate change. Biomass can play an important role in meeting the UK’s
long-term (2050) emissions targets, and moving towards net-zero
emissions, but only with stricter governance to ensure sustainable
supplies. Current UK energy uses will need to change. There is now an opportunity, especially through the new Agriculture
and the Environment Bills, to define a better strategy for our land to
meet the goals of the UK Climate Change Act.
UK top supermarkets flood Britain with 59 billion pieces of plastic
packaging every year - Environmental
Investigation Agency The full extent of UK supermarket giants’ contribution to our plastic
waste problem is exposed today by the most comprehensive analysis of the
sector to date.
(image: Environmental Investigation Agency) Seven of them are putting in circulation the equivalent of some
59 billion pieces of plastic packaging – over 2,000 items for every
household in the country. Despite their huge plastic footprint, half of the supermarkets
surveyed have no specific targets to reduce plastic packaging and most
of those who do are moving at such a slow pace (just 5% per year) that
it would take them 20 years to completely rid their shelves of throwaway
plastic. The survey by Greenpeace UK and ourselves ranks retailers based on
their commitments to reduce single-use plastic, eliminate non-recyclable
plastic packaging, supply chain actions and transparency. Iceland comes
out slightly ahead of the pack thanks to an ambitious plan for phasing
out own-brand plastic packaging within five years, while most major
retailers, including Tesco and Asda, are clumped together with mid to
low scores, with Sainsbury’s at the bottom of the league.
Environmental charities launch urgent bid for an Environment Act for
Scotland - Joint press release from Scottish
Environment LINK members (via Ramblers Scotland) Scottish Environment LINK, a coalition of Scotland’s leading
environmental charities has launched an urgent campaign, “Fight for
Scotland’s Nature” at the Scottish Parliament. Together they are calling for Scotland to have its own environment
act. Fears sparked by Brexit as well as mounting evidence of the global
ecological crisis also heavily impacting Scotland has prompted the
charities to join forces and urge the Scottish Government to commit to a
dedicated Environment Act for Scotland that protects and enhances
Scotland’s nature, now and in the future. 80% of all Scotland’s environmental laws come from the EU. The
combination of strong legislation and support for effective
implementation has made these laws among the most effective on Earth.
Further, Scotland’s nature has been a net beneficiary of the EU’s LIFE
Nature fund which alone has supported conservation projects worth well
over 25 million Euros to date. Joyce McMillan, President of Scottish Environment LINK said: “As
guardians of our amazing environment, we have a duty to ensure future
environmental legislation is not tokenistic. It must be upheld through
an independent and well-resourced watchdog. Now more than ever, we need
a Scottish Environment Act that builds on existing Scottish Government
commitments to retain EU protections. This would send a clear message to
UK and EU partners as well as the rest of the world that we are serious
about protecting and enhancing our natural environment. We live in a
time of increasing environmental crisis and degradation, and it is vital
that Scotland remains a dynamic part of the movement towards a more
sustainable future, both for our own sakes, and as a reflection of our
commitment to wider international efforts to protect and cherish the
natural world on which we all depend.”
New buzz around Welsh Government offices -
Welsh Government The Environment Minister, Hannah Blythyn, has visited new bee hives
installed at Welsh Government’s offices in Cardiff, part of a network of
bee hives installed on top of the city centre’s major buildings. ew hives have been installed on the roof of the Cathays Park offices.
The hives are part of Pharmabees, Cardiff University’s award-winning
project which aims to host a community of bees on buildings in the city
centre. There are other hives on the roofs of the National Museum of
Wales, the St David’s Shopping Centre, Cardiff University buildings and
in Bute Park. Each hive will be home to up to 50,000 bees during the summer and
will be managed by local bee keepers. The Welsh Government also has
apiaries at its offices in Merthyr Tydfil, Llandudno Junction and
Aberystwyth, along with other biodiversity projects on its estate. The initiative is part of a number of Welsh Government biodiversity
projects as part of its Action Plan for Pollinators
UK’s first young people’s forest planned -
Woodland Trust A quarter of a million trees are set to be planted in a mass youth
engagement project to create the UK’s first Young People’s Forest. Project chief Carol Honeybun-Kelly of the Woodland Trust said: “This
is a really exciting opportunity as it’s the first time we’ve ever
acquired land expressly for youth engagement. We want to make a really
concerted effort to ensure young people feel this new wood is for them.
If young people see themselves having an impact here, it will give them
confidence to think they can change things in their own lives and
beyond.” Scientific Publications Hagge J, Leibl F, Müller J, Plechinger M, Soutinho JG, Thorn S.
Reconciling pest control, nature conservation, and recreation in
coniferous forests. Conservation Letters. 2018 doi:
10.1111/conl.12615 (open access)
Lehikoinen, P., Santangeli, A., Jaatinen, K., Rajasärkkä , A. &
Lehikoinen, A. (2018)
Protected areas act as a buffer against detrimental effects of climate
change - Evidence from large-scale, long-term abundance data. Global
Change Biology. DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14461 Open access
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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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One
hundred and sixty people, mostly volunteers, completed the annual
monitoring programme this spring. This is the seventh consecutive year
of the monitoring programme, led by Red Squirrels Northern England a
project managed by Northumberland Wildlife Trust, which creates an
exciting picture of our native red squirrels’ geographical range in
northern England.
state
of the 23-year-old Network and a long-term plan to make it traffic-free
and tackle physical problems.
The
report, which was commissioned by Environment Secretary Michael Gove in
February, aims to inform future strategies around the government’s goal
of eradicating the disease by 2038.
New research, commissioned by the water industry but carried out
independently, puts paid to the notion that wetwipes can be flushed down
the
loo. The findings show that, despite many wipes on supermarket shelves
being commonly labelled and sold as flushable, their claims of
flushability are misleading the public. All wet wipes sold as
“flushable” in the UK have so far failed the water industry’s
disintegration tests.
Over the summer volunteers on CalMac ferries spotted more than 500
marine mammals across the west coast as part of the company's Marine
Awareness Programme.
The Alliance for Zero Extinction has mapped 1,483 highly threatened
species that are found only at a single site. But this major new
assessment highlights the urgent need for better protection of these
irreplaceable places.
Drawing
on detailed figures disclosed by firms for the first time, our survey of
Britain’s largest supermarkets and grocery chains reveals ten major
retailers are placing over 810,000 tonnes of single-use plastic on the
market every year.
