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Headlines from week beginning 1 July 2019 |
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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
30 Days Wild challenge reaches new record!
– The Wildlife Trusts Over 400,000 people went wild every day in June The Wildlife Trusts’ annual 30 Days Wild challenge was more popular
than ever this year – 400,000 people carried out well over 10 million
Random Acts of Wildness over the 30 days of June.
Throughout June, The Wildlife Trusts’ challenge participants to do
something wild and enjoy nature every single day. In response, people
have been sharing their heart-warming stories and colourful photos and
videos across social media channels. As well as the 50,000
individual households who signed up for their free packs of ideas, wall
chart, stickers and wildflower seeds, over 9,000 schools, 1,300
businesses and 570 care homes also took part. It’s been fantastic! I’ve loved the small, sometimes unexpected
random acts that have inspired and will continue to inspire me every day The Wildlife Trusts’ Head of Communications, Joanna Richards says: “It’s been an extraordinarily wild month! We’ve loved seeing the
creative and inventive activities of people taking part right across the
UK - getting up close to bugs, butterflies and birds, rewilding a garden
or making a daisy chain. You don’t need to go far to appreciate
wildlife and often the simplest interactions can bring us the most
joy.”
‘Restoring Ratty’ water vole project wins prestigious conservation award
– Northumberland Wildlife Trust The ‘Restoring Ratty’ conservation project to restore water voles to
Kielder Water and Forest Park has won a prestigious award at the
Chartered Institute of Ecology an Environmental Management (CIEEM)’s
2019 Awards. The project, which has reintroduced 1,205 water voles to
the banks of Kielder’s watercourses, won the award for best practice in
large-scale nature conservation. Water voles are considered ‘ecosystem engineers’ which means they
alter habitats and availability of resources for other wildlife. They
create burrows in the rivers banks which changes the soil, drying it out
and changing the nutrients available. This promotes plant growth and
changes plant communities to be more diverse, creating different
habitats for more wildlife. They also ‘garden’ by grazing the plants and
allowing other plant species to grow. To improve the success of water vole reintroduction, Forestry England
changed the management of the forest to restore the banks along the
watercourses, encouraging more varied plant-life to create the perfect
habitat. The presence of mink, which hugely contributed to the water
voles’ disappearance, has been monitored by the project partners and
volunteers to ensure protection of the new vole population. Kevin May, Forestry England’s Forest Management Director for North
Forest District, said: “To win this prestigious award is testament to
this strong partnership across our organisations, which includes the
energy and enthusiasm of a number of keen volunteers. Positive habitat
management and the reduction and ongoing monitoring of mink populations
will ensure the resilience of this reintroduction. Telling the story of
Restoring Ratty supports not only the interest in water voles, but
supports a general awareness of ecology and our environment. Winning an
award or not, seeing the smiles on local children’s faces involved in
the actual release of water voles is prize enough!”
Baby Boomers at RSPB Leighton Moss – RSPB Rare bitterns have bred successfully at RSPB Leighton Moss in
Silverdale once again, following the introduction of new methods of
managing the nature reserve’s vast reedbeds. After an absence of
breeding for almost a decade, the elusive birds nested in 2018 as a
result of a four-year programme to rejuvenate the wetlands, and this
year, they have continued to thrive, raising three chicks. As an unusual cousin of the more familiar grey heron, bitterns rely
on reedbeds to live in - a now rare habitat in the UK, with Leighton
Moss being the largest one in North West England. Jarrod Sneyd, Site Manager at Leighton Moss said: “Leighton Moss has
always been synonymous with bitterns but they stopped breeding here ten
years ago. The reasons why are complex. Leighton Moss is an old reedbed,
having formed after the First World War and aging reedbed tends to be
quite dry. Bitterns like young, wet reedbeds where they can catch fish,
so RSPB staff and volunteers spend a lot of time managing the site in a
way that halts its aging process and creates the conditions that
bitterns and lots of other wildlife need to thrive.” Reedbed is very important to conserve in the UK as a lot of it has
been lost through drainage for agriculture and development. In the late
1990s, bitterns were almost wiped out in this country, due to the loss
of the reedbed habitat on which they depend. At that time Leighton Moss
was one of only a few sites in the country where bitterns were clinging
on. Just eleven booming male bitterns were left, with three of those at
Leighton Moss and the majority of the others in East Anglia. Since
then, the RSPB and other nature conservation organisations have been
working hard to save the species and it has been successful, with 188
booming males recorded in the UK in 2018.
New suite of publications explore services provided by urban trees
– Forest Research Urban trees are increasingly recognised for the services they provide
to support sustainability and quality of life in our towns and cities. Now a newly published suite of Forest Research publications
investigates how the services provided by urban trees, such as the
capture of carbon, and flood risk reduction (so called ‘ecosystem
services’), varies with the stature and age of trees common to the urban
environment of Great Britain. The publications detail how large and medium sized tree species
provide more environmental and social benefits than small tree species.
However, they also explain that small and medium sized trees are
important for adding species and structural diversity, as well as
providing ecosystem services in areas where large trees are unsuitable.
The forest will see you now! Why a walk in the woods is just what the
doctor ordered – The Woodland Trust A forest packaged in a packet of pills will highlight the natural
medicinal benefits time spent in woodland can have on our mental health
at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival this week.
Landscape designer and horticultural therapist Michelle Brandon has
created The Forest Will See You Now, a cool shaded space
with trees, banks of woodland ground cover and perennials. The message
conveyed links with the work of the Woodland Trust. Michelle, who when not designing gardens works with schools and
charities to provide horticultural therapy to adults and children with
disabilities, said: “Connection to nature, plants and trees is essential
for a happy, healthy human. Nature has provided us with the means of
alleviating many 21st century ailments but our values are at odds with
our heritage. Trees and plants emit a chemical compound known as phytoncides to
help defend themselves from bacteria, fungi and insects. Studies in
Japan and Korea have showed levels of phytoncides in the forest air have
a positive impact on natural killer cells which occur in the human body,
effectively strengthening our immune systems. The garden features linear trunks of native silver birch (betula
pendula) and Scots pine (pinus sylvestris) bordered with
hazel (corylus avellana) and field maple (acer campestre).
A compacted earth path snakes through the forest and leaf litter and
fallen branches cover the forest floor.
Increases in generalist predator populations are associated with
Pheasant releases – British Trust for
Ornithology New research from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), just
published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, has revealed that the
release of Pheasants and Red-legged Partridges for commercial shoots may
be boosting numbers of the avian predators and scavengers that feed upon
them. This has implications for other species that might also fall prey
to these predators. The breeding and release of Pheasants and Red-legged Partridges
for commercial gamebird shoots sees some 41–50 million birds released
into the UK countryside annually, a figure significantly higher than
that seen in other European countries. In order to ensure a reliable
shooting resource, there is significant investment in accompanying
management to enhance habitat and food availability for gamebirds, and
to reduce predation upon them in the area around release sites.
Change tree-felling laws to help save threatened red squirrels!
- Red Squirrels United MPs debate future of Squirrel Nutkin today Today, Wednesday 3 July,
MPs will debate how to prevent the extinction of red squirrels in the
UK. Red Squirrels United is calling on government to change outdated
tree felling legislation and increase funding to save the native red
squirrel which faces extinction in the UK without urgent action. Tree felling laws are failing to protect rare wildlife Red squirrels have become extinct across large parts of the UK and
today it is estimated that less than 140,000 remain across the country.
More than three quarters are found in Scotland with smaller populations
in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Not only is their future
survival threatened by squirrel pox virus, a disease that is fatal to
them, red squirrels can be further endangered by poorly timed tree
felling. Outdated laws allow trees to be cut down during their breeding
season and this means that red squirrel babies – known as kittens – can
lose their homes or die when the trees that are home to their nests
(dreys) are cut down. Currently, in England and Wales, under the 1967 Forestry Act local
authorities cannot refuse tree felling licenses in order to conserve or
enhance vulnerable flora and fauna. In contrast, Scotland can refuse
licences to protect wildlife populations where necessary. Red Squirrels
United wants the law to be changed so that licences can be refused or
granted with 'enforceable wildlife protection conditions' added to
safeguard vulnerable flora and fauna where appropriate. This could
include the need for thorough pre-felling checks and preventing felling
within 1km of breeding red squirrels. In Wales, the Welsh Government is
committed to revising the outdated 1967 Forestry Act, but in England
there is no current plan for change.
Peregrine young take to the skies – Yorkshire
Dales National Park
Peregrine falcon young take to the skies by Dave Dimmock Initially only three downy heads could be seen popping up as the
adult female fed them, but as the chicks got older and started to wing
flap, better views confirmed there were four of them and not three. Over the past two weeks the young have taken to the skies but will be
dependent on the adults for food for quite some time. They will
spend the next few weeks staying close to the nest site, practicing
their flying skills. Anthony Hills from the RSPB said: “It’s so exciting to see four
peregrine chicks taking to the skies. Last year we had two so to have
double that number this year is incredible. These famously fast falcons
provide daily drama, so why not bring your family along to the viewpoint
to spot the peregrine family practice their hunting skills, encouraged
by their watchful parents.”
UK’s rarest bee discovered at site in southern England
Claire Inglis, the Woodland Trust’s assistant site manager at Victory
Wood in Kent, found the bee with Bumblebee Conservation Trust staff
during a wildflower training session for volunteers at the site. The diminutive creature, which measures only a centimetre long,
feasts on a diet of wildflowers - its population has been in decline due
to a reduction in meadows and over grazing.
National Trust announces it will divest from all fossil fuel companies
- National Trust The National Trust has today (04 July) announced it will cease any
investment in fossil fuel companies. The charity will introduce a series of new measures to ensure its
investment strategy continues to support its aims as a conservation
charity. Previously the Trust had required that no investment be made directly
in companies which derived more than 10 per cent of their turnover from
the extraction of thermal coal or oil from oil sands. Fossil fuel
investments comprise just 4 per cent of its current portfolio. Hilary McGrady, Director General of the National Trust said: “Returns
from our investments are vital for helping us protect and care for
special places across the nation. They enable us to look after the
natural environment and keep our membership fees affordable to the
millions of people who are part of our organisation. The impacts of
climate change pose the biggest long-term threat to the land and
properties we care for and tackling this is a huge challenge for the
whole nation. We know our members and supporters are eager to see us do
everything we can to protect and nurture the natural environment for
future generations. This change is part of our ongoing
commitment.”
Young peregrine falcon illegally shot - RSPB A young peregrine had to be euthanised after it was found with a
broken wing and a shotgun pellet in its chest. The bird was found in the road at Aldford, part of the Grosvenor
Estate in Cheshire, on 17 April 2019 and taken to Lower Moss Wood
Wildlife Hospital. An X-ray by Northwich Vets confirmed it had a broken
wing and piece of shot in its chest. Knowing it would not recover from its injuries, the vets took the sad
decision to put the bird to sleep. Peregrine falcons are the world’s fastest birds, able to reach speeds
of 200mph when diving for prey. They nest on moorland, on cliffs and
increasingly in towns and cities, usually producing two-four chicks each
spring. There are thought to be around 1,500 pairs in the UK. Like all birds of prey, peregrines are protected by the Wildlife and
Countryside Act 1981. To kill or injure one is a criminal offence and
could result in an unlimited fine or up to six months in jail. Cheshire police are now appealing to the public for information. Only a month before, in March 2019, a raven was found shot dead near
Delamere Forest, Cheshire. Police investigated the incident but no leads
were identified.
Shhh! It happens…National Park aim to get people talking about poo in
the outdoors – Loch Lomond & the Trossachs
National Park Authority It may be the most natural thing in the world but that doesn’t mean
its ok to ‘dump’ it anywhere. That is the message from Loch Lomond & The
Trossachs National Park Authority as it launches bold, new pilot
scheme to encourage campers to toilet responsibly in the outdoors. How to dispose responsibly of human waste can be a bit of a ‘ta-poo’
subject but the National Park Authority is hoping to take the
embarrassment out of something everyone does, by launching a trial
project to help people know what to do when they need a poo in the
National Park.
The National Park is a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of
modern life and get close to nature. However when nature calls, many
people are unsure of how to ‘do their business’ without leaving a
lasting impact on the environment when no facilities are available. The trial is being rolled out over July and August in three popular
visitor sites within the National Park, with each location using a
different way of trying to change behaviour and reduce irresponsible
toileting. This will be supported by wider awareness raising on social
media and the National Park’s website. Sites in Loch Earn, the Trossachs and West Loch Lomond have been
chosen as locations for the trial due to their ongoing issues with human
waste. Eye catching, awareness raising posters will be displayed at Loch
Earn, using the nudge effect to encourage people to do the right thing
and including information on where the nearest public toilets are. At Three Lochs Forest Drive in the Trossachs, trowels will be
available for campers to borrow with advice on how to bury their poo in
line with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code guidance.
How trees could save the climate - Crowther
Lab of ETH Zurich Around 0.9 billion hectares of land worldwide would be suitable for
reforestation, which could ultimately capture two thirds of human-made
carbon emissions. The Crowther Lab of ETH Zurich has published a study
in the journal Science that shows this would be the most effective
method to combat climate change. The Crowther Lab at ETH Zurich investigates nature-based solutions to
climate change. In their latest study the researchers showed for the
first time where in the world new trees could grow and how much carbon
they would store. Study lead author and postdoc at the Crowther Lab
Jean-François Bastin explains: “One aspect was of particular importance
to us as we did the calculations: we excluded cities or agricultural
areas from the total restoration potential as these areas are needed for
human life.” Reforest an area the size of the USA The researchers calculated that under the current climate conditions,
Earth’s land could support 4.4 billion hectares of continuous tree
cover. That is 1.6 billion more than the currently existing 2.8 billion
hectares. Of these 1.6 billion hectares, 0.9 billion hectares fulfill
the criterion of not being used by humans. This means that there is
currently an area of the size of the US available for tree restoration.
Once mature, these new forests could store 205 billion tonnes of carbon:
about two thirds of the 300 billion tonnes of carbon that has been
released into the atmosphere as a result of human activity since the
Industrial Revolution. According to Prof. Thomas Crowther, co-author of the study and
founder of the Crowther Lab at ETH Zurich: “We all knew that restoring
forests could play a part in tackling climate change, but we didn’t
really know how big the impact would be. Our study shows clearly that
forest restoration is the best climate change solution available today.
But we must act quickly, as new forests will take decades to mature and
achieve their full potential as a source of natural carbon storage.”
Plantlife research shows the value – and vulnerability – of Britain’s
last remaining meadows
© Matt Pitts Meadows face mounting risks from poor legal protection, and from land
abandonment and undergrazing, sometimes in the name of rewilding
according to Plantlife research released today (Friday 5 July). Wildflower meadows are some of our rarest and most species-rich
habitats, home to nearly half our entire flora but occupying less than
1% of the UK’s land cover. 'Early succession’ habitats such as these
require sufficient levels of grazing and management to keep them viable.
The research reveals that 611 plant species of 1,543 analysed (40%) will
decline within a decade if the land is entirely abandoned, with 127 of
these (16.4%) declining within three years. Three quarters of our most
threatened species - including burnt-tip orchid, pasqueflower and
crested cow-wheat - decline or disappear within three years if all
management and grazing is removed. Commenting on the findings, Dr Trevor Dines, Botanical Specialist,
Plantlife, said: “Total land abandonment now poses the greatest threat
to plant diversity as it removes the brake on succession: left entirely
to their own devices most open landscapes in the UK will change from
grassland to scrub and, ultimately, to woodland as large plants reach
for the light and outcompete smaller, more delicate species. Grazing and
disturbance ‘re-set’ this ecological clock, allowing these fabulous
early-succession flowers to thrive in open ground flooded with sunlight. “Too much interference can be just as damaging as abandonment”, noted
Dines. “Our most intensively managed farmland – 46% of land cover -
provides the bleakest arena for plants, supporting just 85 species.” The eradication of wildflower meadows, botanically richer than any
other habitat, has been staggering; 97% have been lost since the 1930s.
75% of remaining meadows occur in small fragments and remain vulnerable
to destruction.
Scientific publications Learmonth, M. J.
Dilemmas for Natural Living Concepts of Zoo Animal Welfare (Open
access) Animals 2019, 9(6), 318; DOI: 10.3390/ani9060318
Chen, Q. , Howison, R. A., Bakker, J. P., Alberti, J. , Kuijper, D.
P., Olff, H. and Smit, C. (2019),
Small herbivores slow down species loss up to 22 years but only at early
successional stage. J Ecol. Accepted Author Manuscript.
doi:10.1111/1365-2745.13236
Pringle, H, Wilson, M, Calladine, J, Siriwardena, G.
Associations between gamebird releases and generalist predators. J
Appl Ecol. 2019; 00: 1– 12. doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13451
Huntingford, C, Mitchell, D, Kornhuber, K, Coumou, D, Osprey, S,
Allen, M.
Assessing changes in risk of amplified planetary waves in a warming
world. Atmos Sci Lett. 2019;e929. doi.org/10.1002/asl.929
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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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-Matthew-Roberts.jpeg)
©
Matthew Roberts
The
garden highlights nature's benefits to our health and wellbeing (Photo:
Dee Smith)
Four
peregrine falcons born at Malham Cove this spring have taken their first
flights, creating a spectacle for people visiting a free viewpoint at
the base of the Cove.
Conservationists
are celebrating a “major find” after the UK’s rarest bee - the shrill
carder bee - was discovered at a site in the south of England.
Image:
Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park Authority
Over
97% meadows lost since 1930s and remaining fragments remain
unprotected
