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Headlines from week beginning 1 September 2019 |
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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
Satellite data reveals Hen Harriers soaring over England
– The Moorland Association Satellite data from an innovative scheme to help boost England’s Hen
Harrier population has shed new light on the activities of the birds at
the centre of the initiative. Five Hen Harriers which fledged this summer were fitted with
satellite tags as part of a trial of a brood management scheme in which
a brood was removed from the moors and transferred to the ‘Ritz’ of
raptor rearing facilities. There they were reared in pens before being
relocated to moors in the north of England where they were released. The data from the satellite tagged harriers give conservationists an
insight into the flying habits of the iconic bird, an invaluable tool as
part of the government-led action plan to boost the harrier population. One of the male Hen Harriers has travelled close to 1800 miles since
it was tagged, averaging approximately 55 miles per day. The bird
travelled as far west to the coast of southern Ireland, went on to
Southampton, London and then up to Wales before returning to the north. The other birds all have all remained closer to home in the north of
England. Two of the birds’ tags have currently stopped transmitting, raising
obvious concerns regarding their wellbeing. Investigations are underway
to establish the whereabouts of the birds. The tags are solar powered,
which can result in stretches of time where no data is transmitted, and
have malfunctioned in the past with tagged birds being spotted from the
ground or the transmitter suddenly retransmitting. Amanda Anderson, Director of the Moorland Association, which is a
partner in the brood management scheme trial, said: “This data provides
a fascinating insight into the behaviour of these captive-reared young
harriers. They appear to have integrated very well and their behaviour
seems the same as totally wild tagged harriers. Most of the birds have
been content to fly around the uplands and grouse moors which is
territory they know and like. The adventures of the bird which travelled
further afield are extraordinary and show that the species is quite
capable of covering vast distances. Moorland Association members are
enthusiastic participants in this scheme and extensive efforts are
ongoing to trace the two birds which have stopped transmitting. The
areas to search are massive over difficult moorland terrain hunting for
a well camouflaged bird the size of a big crow. Whilst it is expected
that at least 50% of birds will succumb to natural causes of death in
the first 6 months we very much hope to find the birds alive or at least
find them to establish cause of death.”
Unlocking history and heritage for millions of people affected by
dementia – National Trust
Two of the UK’s most popular charities have today announced an
ambitious three-year project to unlock some of the nation’s best loved
history and heritage for millions of people affected by dementia. The National Trust is joining forces with Alzheimer’s Society to make
all of its 500 historic and countryside sites dementia-friendly, in the
first project of its kind for the Trust. It comes as figures reveal that seven per cent (about 150,000) of
National Trust supporters over the age of 65, including its volunteers,
staff and members, may be living with the condition. This is in line
with research from Alzheimer’s Society showing that 1 in every 14 people
in the UK aged 65 and over has dementia, with someone developing the
condition every three minutes, and the Society predicting those living
with the disease will hit one million within three years. For people with dementia and their carers, historic spaces,
collections and stories can prompt and stimulate discussion and
connection, encourage outdoor exploration, and offer a vital connection
to the world around them, with day trips recognised as one of the most
likely and regular activities for people living with the condition and
their carers. In comparison to other visitor attractions, people living with
dementia also view heritage sites as ‘safe’ and familiar spaces.
Heritage (including visiting sites and participating in outdoors
projects) has also been found to be one of the top activities of choice
for those impacted by dementia, in surveys and focus groups carried out
by Alzheimer’s Society.
Northumberland launches strategy to protect white-clawed crayfish
– Environment Agency Strategy will help to preserve this threatened species in the future
On Friday September 27th the banks of the River Wansbeck in
Northumberland played host to the launch of a strategy that aims to help
protect one of the region’s best loved resident species. The Northumberland Crayfish Conservation Steering Group has unveiled
a new ‘Crayfish Area Conservation Strategy’ on the grounds of Meldon
Park in Northumberland. The strategy was developed by the Northumberland Catchment
Partnership and will be delivered by the Northumberland Crayfish
Conservation Steering Group. This group is made up of the following
partnership organisations: the Environment Agency, Northumberland Rivers
Trust, National Trust, Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Natural England,
Northumbrian Water Group, Northumberland County Council, Tyne Rivers
Trust, and Northumberland National Park Authority. Northumberland is incredibly lucky to have some of the best
populations of white-clawed crayfish in the country. This is the only
species of freshwater crayfish native to the UK. The species provides food for otters, fish and herons whilst also
being responsible for helping to break down leaf litter and plant
growth. However, the species is at risk of being lost from the region and the
strategy looks to help conserve one of the most threatened species in
the UK. The two-page strategy lays out a framework that will hopefully ensure
the freshwater crayfish stays a resident in the region for years to
come. The next story blasts us to the past; it’s great to
hear that CJ Snail species are being returned to the wild, our original
featured charity CJS adopted a Partula snail at Jersey Zoo - Durrell
Wildlife until 2015. Find out more about CJ Snail here
Two Extinct-in-the-Wild Partula snail species returned to the wild for
first time in 25 years – ZSL Two Extinct-in-the-Wild species of tropical snail have been returned
to their native homeland for the first time in French Polynesia, 25
years after they were wiped out by a human-introduced invasive species.
International conservation charity ZSL (Zoological Society of London)
worked with other leading zoos and the French Polynesian Government to
coordinate a conservation breeding programme – involving the progeny of
the last individuals found in the Society Islands in the 1990s. This year, the reintroduction focused on two species, Partula
rosea and Partula varia, with several thousand being
carefully transported over 15,000km from Chester Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade
Zoo in the UK to the French Polynesian Islands. Part of the world’s largest reintroduction programme, with a total of
14 different snail species and sub-species being reintroduced over the
last five years – Huahine and Moorea in the Society Islands are now
4,159 snails stronger this year, thanks to further successful
reintroductions over the past few weeks. ZSL coordinates the global collaboration between 16 zoos and
conservation organisations which has seen 15,000 individuals make the
journey back to the Islands since its inception. A total of 10 species
and sub-species of Partula were also released again this year, with
snails coming from Artis Zoo in Amsterdam, Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland
and ZSL London Zoo in England.
Pine martens reintroduced to England – The
Wildlife Trusts Pine martens have been reintroduced to England for the first time
following near extinction. Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust has led this
first formal reintroduction of a charismatic species, once a familiar
feature of English woodlands – but which had been reduced to a
population of fewer than 20.
18 pine martens have now been reintroduced into the Forest of Dean –
the aim is to establish a source population to support the recovery of
this mammal. The last official recording of a pine marten in the Forest
of Dean was 1860 and the species is believed to have been absent from
the area since then. From the same family as otters and weasels, pine martens were once
common among British wildlife. Similar in size to a domestic cat, with
slim bodies, brown fur and a distinctive cream ‘bib’ on their throats,
they have long, bushy tails and prominent rounded ears. Extensive hunting, however, together with the loss of the woodlands
pine martens once called home, resulted in near extinction in England.
Historically, they were pushed to the more remote parts of the UK,
becoming Britain's second-rarest native carnivore. Eventually, their
only remaining stronghold was in the north-west Highlands of Scotland. Between August and September this year, 18 pine martens were moved
from Scotland to Gloucestershire, fitted with tracking collars and
released into the Forest. Under the watchful eye of Dr. Catherine McNicol, Gloucestershire
Wildlife Trust’s Conservation Project Manager, the pine martens’
activity will be closely monitored. “Pine martens are elusive and shy animals, with their presence often
only indicated by scats in the middle of forestry tracks. They only give
birth to a few kits each year if breeding is even successful, so the
rate of marten population recovery in the UK is low. It is hoped that
their protection, alongside these reintroductions, will give them the
boost they need to become resilient and thrive” comments Dr. McNicol.
Help Our Kelp – Sussex Wildlife Trust
Along our Sussex coastline, kelp was once quite prolific,
particularly along the stretch between Selsey Bill and Shoreham-by-Sea.
Accounts from divers and fishers suggest that there was a dense area of
kelp along the coast which over time has diminished – most likely due to
disturbance by storms and the increased pressure from mechanised fishing
techniques. The kelp beds were known to exist up to the 1970s and 80s,
when they started to disappear; the Great Storm of 1987 would most
likely have played a big role in this. Kelp provides a number of important ecosystem services, including
providing a habitat for other wildlife and a natural sea defence for the
coast; it also sequesters carbon out of the atmosphere (arguably more
efficiently than terrestrial forests can!). These services are indeed
important in their own right, but can also be valued in terms of their
natural capital, which is a way of taking stock of the resources in the
natural environment which provide benefits to people. The loss of this extent of kelp over time means these benefits and
services have been diminished. Sussex has a proud tradition of restoring
rivers and rewilding natural areas; the time is right to consider moving
that approach into the marine environment.
New measures protect animal welfare and increase woodland cover
- Defra The Government has announced proposals on new measures to enhance the
welfare of animals and increase woodland cover. The Government has announced proposals on new measures to enhance the
welfare of animals both here in the UK and abroad. The measures include proposals to ban long journeys of live animals
that are being transported for slaughter, and restrictions on the import
and export of hunting trophies from endangered animals. Alongside these measures, the Government has announced plans to
create a new forest region in Northumberland to help improve our natural
environment and respond to climate change. The Government is committed to leaving the environment, and the
wildlife that depend on it, in a better state for future generations.
The UK already has some of the highest animal welfare standards in the
world and these proposals aim to raise those standards even further. Rt Hon Theresa Villiers MP, Secretary of State for the Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs said:
HS2 Ltd's approach to ancient woodlands during the Oakervee Review
- HS2 Ltd As highlighted by the Secretary of State, during the Oakervee Review
we must strike a sensible balance between keeping the programme on
track, and recognising that some works cannot be undone. We have assessed 11 ancient woodlands, parts of which were due to be
affected by preparations to build Britain’s new high speed railway this
autumn, during the period of the Oakervee review. Work will now be
deferred to Autumn or Winter 2020 on 5 of these sites, and to early 2020
on 6 of the sites. We will also take measures to protect wildlife to
ensure they are not affected when work begins in early 2020.
We are pleased that the Government has today confirmed that work in
all ancient woods will be deferred until the completion of its review of
HS2, at least. Fox Covert woodland. Credit: Phil Formby / WTML Director of Conservation and External Affairs at the Woodland Trust
Abi Bunker said: “This is the right decision but it has come very late
in the day and only after much pressure from the Woodland Trust and many
other organisations and individuals. We remain concerned about the fact
that HS2 will still be carrying out some work at these sites. The
richness of ancient woodland isn’t just about trees. It’s also the
vegetation, the soils and the wildlife that makes ancient woodland a
special irreplaceable habitat. Work that permanently affects these
habitats like clearing vegetation and evicting bats and mammals must be
stopped too while the review is completed. We will monitor the situation
very closely.” Oakervee review It is vital that the Oakervee review is robust, independent, and
evidence-based, focusing on the true environmental costs of HS2. We will continue to put pressure on Government to ensure this is the
case and that any long-term decisions about HS2 take all of the latest
evidence into account.
Public to have their say on stronger protections for UK waters
- Defra Independent panel calls for views on introduction of Highly Protected
Marine Areas The public are being asked to give their views on strengthening
protections for UK waters to help safeguard precious species and
habitats. As part of a four-week call for evidence which launches today (3
October 2019), communities, industry and stakeholders are being asked
for their comments on putting tougher measures in place to help stop the
impacts of human activity from damaging the marine environment. Views
are also sought on which areas would benefit most from these extra
protections. These Highly Protected Marine Areas would be the strongest form of
marine protection in the UK and would build on the 220,000 square
kilometres of protection areas already in place around the UK. Known as
the ‘Blue Belt’, these areas are already helping to protect species such
as the short-snouted seahorse and stalked jellyfish. The government is committed to restoring the marine environment for
future generations and is a world-leader on this issue, having committed
to safeguarding 50 per cent of UK and Overseas Territory waters by the
end of next year. And at last week’s United Nations General Assembly,
the UK created a global alliance to drive urgent action to safeguard the
world’s ocean and protect its precious wildlife. Today’s call for evidence is part of a six-month review undertaken by
an independent panel of experts to look at what further protections
might be needed to drive progress in the UK.
No let-up in net loss of UK’s nature - NBN on
behalf of State of Nature Partnership The UK’s wildlife continues to decline according to the State of
Nature 2019 report. The latest findings show that since rigorous
scientific monitoring began in the 1970s there has been a 13% decline in
average abundance across wildlife studied and that the declines continue
unabated.
Following the State of Nature reports in 2013 and 2016, leading
professionals from more than 70 wildlife organisations have joined with
government agencies for the first time, to present the clearest picture
to date of the status of our species across land and sea. The State of Nature 2019 report also reveals that 41% of UK species
studied have declined, 26% have increased and 33% shown little change
since 1970, while 133 species assessed have already been lost from our
shores since 1500. Butterflies and moths have been particularly hard hit with numbers of
butterflies down by 17% and moths down by 25%. The numbers of species,
such as the High Brown Fritillary and Grayling, that require more
specialised habitats have declined by more than three quarters. The UK’s mammals also fare badly with greater than 26% of species at
risk of disappearing altogether. The Wild Cat and Greater Mouse-eared
Bat are among those species teetering on the edge of disappearing. Much is known about the causes of decline and about some of the ways
in which we could reduce impacts and help struggling species. The
evidence from the last 50 years shows that significant and ongoing
changes in the way we manage our land for agriculture, and the ongoing
effects of climate change are having the biggest impacts on nature.
Daniel Hayhow, lead author on the report, said: “We know more about
the UK’s wildlife than any other country on the planet, and what it is
telling us should make us sit up and listen. We need to respond more
urgently across the board if we are to put nature back where it belongs.
Governments, conservation groups and individuals must continue to work
together to help restore our land and sea for wildlife and people in a
way that is both ambitious and inspiring for future generations.
In this report we have drawn on the best available data on the UK’s
biodiversity, produced by partnerships between conservation NGOs,
research institutes, UK and national governments, and thousands of
dedicated volunteers. It’s through working together that we can help
nature recover but the battle must intensify.”
The Untold Story of Working Conservationists
- Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust The latest State of Nature report rightly grabs the headlines with a
vital assessment of the loss of British wildlife, but there is an
“Untold Story” of private land managers’ spectacular success in
reversing biodiversity declines at a local level. Their stories are important because 75% of the country is farmed and
so farmers represent potentially the largest conservation force in the
country. Now is the time to mobilise that force with the right support
and encouragement. A new collection of case studies published by the Game & Wildlife
Conservation Trust shows why private land managers are uniquely placed
to provide a solution to biodiversity loss in the UK. These unsung “Working Conservationists” are bucking the national
trends. For example, in Suffolk red-listed turtle doves are thriving on
Graham Denny’s 200-acre family farm and thanks to his dedication to
feeding all year round he has ringed an incredible 32,000 songbirds on
the farm, many of which are threatened species. Rural Television presenter and farmer Adam Henson, who wrote the
foreword to the collection, said: “These uplifting stories of increasing
wildlife remind us of the real opportunity for British farmers to lead
the world in producing the food and environmental goods we urgently
need.” Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, which provides conservation
advice to land managers said: “Enlightened stewards of the land, such as
those in GWCT’s new collection of case studies, are increasingly proving
that they can be at the heart of restoring nature while running
productive and profitable businesses. Encouraging land managers to adopt
such approaches is an important part of the new Environmental Land
Management scheme that Natural England is helping to shape, so that
farmers can be properly rewarded for providing public goods alongside
first-class food production.” GWCT Chief executive Teresa Dent CBE added: “Given the right kind of
funding, advice and encouragement and by working together in Farmer
Clusters, private land managers have proved they can boost biodiversity
in the wider working countryside. It’s time for this untold story of
conservation success to become a central narrative of British wildlife
restoration.”
Purchase a copy of the Working conservations publication here.
Parks for London has published the Good Parks for London Report 2019 – Parks and health. This year the report takes a close look at how London’s parks* can
improve the health and well-being of London’s residents. The report
foreword is written by Julie Billett, Chair of the London Association of
Directors of Public Health. Good Parks for London 2019 considers the
approach that London Boroughs are taking towards their parks*,
evaluating them against ten criteria: public satisfaction, awards for
quality, health and wellbeing, sustainability, events, supporting
nature, skills development, community partnerships, collaboration and
strategic planning. This report comes at a time of ongoing political turmoil over Brexit,
continued uncertainty over funding for parks services and growing
concerns about the environment and climate change. This year the London Borough of Southwark has topped the league table
for the overall best parks service, demonstrating the fantastic work
that they are doing to promote, enhance and protect their parks. They
scored exceptionally well in the areas of public satisfaction; provision
of health, fitness and wellbeing facilities and activities; and in
developing the skills of their parks staff by offering apprenticeships
and training & development for staff at every level. Tony Leach, CEO of Parks for London said: ‘We hope this year’s report will motivate decision makers to protect future parks budgets and stimulate more Boroughs and other organisations to work together to make parks healthier so that Londoners can benefit from having not just good parks, but great ones.’’ The report is available to download here. Read the full press release
(PDF)
Woodland Trust welcomes doubling of funding for new woodland creation in
Wales The Woodland Trust (Coed Cadw), the UK’s largest woodland
conservation charity has welcomed the doubling of the funds available
for new woodland creation in Wales and is encouraging farmers to take up
this opportunity.
Credit: Eric Porter/WTML Sharon Thomas, the Woodland Trust’s woodland outreach manager for
Wales says: “This is a great opportunity for farmers in Wales. I
strongly welcome the increase in funding and hope that these grants can
be delivered without unnecessary bureaucracy. "Native trees can offer us so many benefits, reducing flood risk,
improving water quality, improving biosecurity and providing superb
habitats for wildlife, as well as a renewable source of valuable timber.
At a time when, sadly, there is huge uncertainty around farming in
Wales, the Glastir Woodland Creation scheme offers a great opportunity
to farmers and other landowners to make use of all of their land in ways
that are sustainable both economically and environmentally.
Exmoor National Park Declares Climate Emergency Exmoor National Park Authority Members this week declared a climate
emergency and agreed to work towards being a carbon neutral Authority by
2030, subject to a detailed action plan now being drawn up. Members also agreed to sign up to the
Devon Climate Declaration, alongside 25 other organisations, and to
join forces with both Devon and Somerset County Councils to produce
carbon plans covering the National Park to meet or exceed
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) targets.
The report to Members noted the 30% reduction in carbon emissions
that Exmoor National Park Authority had already made since it started
monitoring its carbon footprint across all its corporate assets in 2008.
The measures taken include action to improve energy efficiency within
Authority owned buildings and install renewable energy along with a
scheme to facilitate installation of 73 new renewable energy systems in
local communities, farms and houses across Exmoor. The Authority has also taken steps to respond through management of
its own estate, particularly the woodlands which are managed in-house,
and collaboration with other foresters and land owners to support
positive woodland planting and management.
Greater horseshoe bat rediscovered in Kent -
Bat Conservation Trust We are excited to announce that the rare greater horseshoe bat has
recently been recorded in Kent for the first time in over 100 years. The
last known record of this species in Kent dates from 1904. The first record of this species in Kent for 115 years was made by
Laragh Smyth and Emily Cummins of Lloyd Bore Ltd, a Kent-based
ecological consultancy, in May 2019 during a commercial bat activity
survey visit. A single pass by this bat was recorded at a location on
the East Kent coast.
Bakerwell Limited also recorded greater horseshoe bat passes during a
bat survey using static detectors at the end of June 2019, within a mile
of the initial record. These records were identified by Angela Weaving
and confirmed by Donna Popplewell and Fiona Baker. Six passes were
recorded over a period of one minute on a single date, further
confirming the return of this species to Kent. Due to the unexpected nature of these records, the sound recordings
have been verified, and the species identity confirmed, by Peter
Scrimshaw of the Kent Bat Group and by national bat experts Sandie
Sowler and Richard Crompton. The reasons for the presence of this species in Kent are currently
unknown. It is possible that an individual bat was blown off course or
has travelled over from France, or that a bat has dispersed across the
UK, from strongholds in the west of England or Wales. It is also
possible that the species is now able to expand its range into Kent due
to climatic changes. The habitats in the area that the recordings were
made are not dissimilar to those in its western strongholds, prompting
speculation that the records could represent more than just an itinerant
bat. Lloyd Bore and Bakerwell will be discussing further research efforts
with the Kent Bat Group and Bat Conservation Trust, to ascertain whether
this species is now resident in Kent.
Study: Do nature documentaries make a difference?
- University College Cork Nature documentaries raise species awareness and promote
pro-conservation behaviours, but don't lead to donations to conservation
charities, a new Irish study has revealed. For the study, published in the journal Conservation Letters,
researchers examined BBC’s popular, six-episode documentary
series, Planet Earth II (2016), narrated by David Attenborough. The objective was to track how nature documentaries change attitudes
towards nature by measuring audience reactions and engagement on social
media. “Criticism of nature documentaries often highlights that they are
misleading, by showing pristine views of nature and portraying
environmental problems. We wondered if it would be possible to answer
this question using big data," said co-author, Dr Darío Fernández-Bellon
of the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences and the
Environmental Research Institute in University College Cork (UCC). Using Planet Earth II as a case study, the researchers found that, in
line with criticism, the show allocated very little time to conservation
topics, and those that were mentioned generated little reaction in
audiences. "But we did find that the show generated active interest in the
species it portrayed, and that in some cases this interest lasted up to
six months after the initial broadcast," Dr Fernández-Bellon added. The research examined how Planet Earth II portrayed nature, from what
species appeared in the show and how much screen time was dedicated to
each, to what group of animals they belonged to. They subsequently
searched Twitter for 35,000 tweets with the hashtag #PlanetEarth2, to
see if audiences reacted more to some species than others. By analysing the number of visits to Wikipedia pages of each species,
they assessed whether audiences searched for further information on the
species featured in the show. Finally, they examined if donations to two
nature charities coincided with the broadcast of the show. Read the paper: Fernández-Bellon, D,
Kane, A.
Natural history films raise species awareness—A big data approach.
Conservation Letters. 2019;e12678. Doi: 10.1111/conl.12678 (open access) Scientific Publication Callaghan Corey T., Poore Alistair G. B., Major Richard E., Rowley
Jodi J. L. and Cornwell William K.
Optimizing future biodiversity sampling by citizen scientists. 286
Proc. R. Soc. B Doi: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1487 (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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Forget-me-nots
at Peckover House, Cambridgeshire – this flower represents remembrance
and is an emblem for people living with dementia National Trust / Clive
Stephens
Ian
Marshall holding two white-clawed crayfish during the strategy launch
(Image credit: Sound Ideas/Environment Agency)
A
partula snail is returned to the wild (Zoological Society of London)%20Terry%20Whittaker%202020VISION.jpg)
Pine
Marten, (c) Terry Whittaker 2020VISION
Kelps
are a type of brown seaweed, usually quite large and known for their
ability to grow in dense aggregations, forming what is known as a ‘kelp
forest’.
Pasqueflower
- Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)
Pollution
is also a major issue. Whilst emissions of many pollutants have been
reduced dramatically in recent decades, pollution continues to have a
severe impact on the UK’s sensitive habitats and freshwaters, and new
pollutant threats are continuing to emerge.
Greater
horseshoe bat in flight (Photo Credit: © Dale Sutton/
