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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
Cranborne Chase AONB becomes an International Dark Sky Reserve Cranborne Chase becomes the first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
in the country to be designated in its entirety as an International
Dark-Sky Reserve
Cranborne
Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), one of the UK’s finest
landscapes, has today (18th October 2019) been formally designated an
International Dark-Sky Reserve (IDSR) by the International Dark-Sky
Association (IDA) based in Tucson, USA. Cranborne Chase AONB becomes the 14th Reserve across the globe, and
joins an exclusive club of International Union for the Conservation of
Nature (IUCN) Protected Areas to gain international recognition for its
dark skies. “Some people are lucky enough to recognise ‘the Plough’, but for
others, seeing stars and their constellations is often impossible
because of light pollution. Here in Cranborne Chase we can see the Milky
Way and the Andromeda galaxy, if the clouds allow!” said Linda Nunn,
Director of Cranborne Chase AONB. Adam Dalton, International Dark-Sky Places Program Manager at the
International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), said: “Cranborne Chase has the
largest central area of darkness of any International Dark-Sky Reserve
in the UK. It is a huge area of land at almost 1000 sq kms, and less
than 2 hours from London and Bristol. For those living and visiting this
beautiful area, this is something to be celebrated and enjoyed.”
Citizen scientists help Rewilding Europe analyse camera trap photos
- Rewilding Europe Wildlife enthusiasts can now contribute to rewilding efforts wherever
they are. ZSL’s (Zoological Society of London) groundbreaking ‘Instant
Wild’ platform allows everyone to collectively identify animals in
camera trap photos. A research partnership with Rewilding Europe has
already seen a wide range of species tagged in imagery from the Central
Apennines rewilding area. What do wolves and wild boar, pine marten and porcupine all have in
common? Yes, they are all animals found in the Central Apennines
rewilding area. But more than this, they have all recently been spotted
in camera trap photos from the area by netizens using ZSL’s free and
pioneering Instant
Wild platform and app. The pilot collaboration between ZSL and Rewilding Europe has seen
camera trap imagery from the Central Apennines rewilding area fed into
Instant Wild since August. The initiative may soon be scaled up to
include imagery from other Rewilding Europe areas. “With camera trap photos and videos from locations around the world
posted online, Instant Wild lets citizen scientists take part in vital
global conservation work,” says Kate Moses, a project manager with ZSL’s
Conservation Technology Programme. “We’re really excited to be
working with Rewilding Europe and seeing Instant Wild advance the cause
of rewilding.” Open collaboration: Every day tens of thousands of photos are
generated by camera traps, but it takes far longer to study each of
these images and correctly identify any wildlife that may be present.
Such cameras are widely employed across Rewilding Europe’s rewilding
areas, which means many of our partner foundations have significant
backlogs of photos that need processing. Instant Wild features a feed of imagery uploaded from participating
conservation projects around the world When we checked today the Featured Project
was: Thames Estuary. Help conservation scientists to understand how
seals use a popular haul-out site in the Thames Estuary.
Bat Crime Report released - Bat Conservation
Trust On Friday Bat Conservation Trust launched Bat Crime 2018 – our annual
report on levels of bat crime recorded, investigated and sometimes
prosecuted. 2018 saw the smallest number of allegations of offences
against bats being recorded for some years and a significant decrease in
the number recorded in 2017. The reasons for this are far from clear,
the number of cases in 2019 already surpass the 2018 figures. Our report looks at why bats are protected and how the police and
others deal with allegations of offences. It reveals which police forces
deal with the greatest number of allegations and also provides analysis
of the information we hold. We look at how each case is investigated and
explain the various ways in which they are finalised. Download
the bat crime report 2018 here
‘Rice breast’ in wildfowl increasingly prevalent, new research finds
- British Association for Shooting and
Conservation (BASC) Peer-reviewed research coming from a joint British Association for
Shooting and Conservation (BASC) and Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT)
survey, has found the wildfowl disease sarcocystosis is both more
prevalent and more widely distributed than previously thought. Sarcocystosis, otherwise known as ‘rice breast’ because of how the
disease appears in the breast of the birds, is a parasitic disease that
infects the muscle of wildfowl and can cause weakness, potentially
impacting survival rates and reproductive success. Prevalence of
the disease was recorded in several ways including surveys of
wildfowlers who recorded the disease impacting ten different species,
with mallard, wigeon and teal seemingly being the most affected. Based on samples also provided by shooters, the authors were able to
confirm that the disease was the parasite Sarcocystis rileyi.
This parasite is relatively common in America where it passes between
skunks and ducks. In Europe the assumption is that foxes and introduced
raccoon dogs play the host role. Dr. Matt Ellis, head of science at BASC and co-author of the paper,
said: “This vital piece of work highlights an emerging issue to European
wildfowl. As little is known of the health and fitness impacts of
wildfowl who contract this parasite, this paper provides a useful
baseline for further research." The paper ‘Sarcocystis rileyi in UK free-living wildfowl (Anatidae):
surveillance, histopathology and first molecular characterisation’ which
represents a collaboration between BASC, WWT, Royal Veterinary College
and Liverpool University, has been published in the
Veterinary Record journal and is available here. Any sightings of rice
breast should be reported here.
UK wetlands get a health check Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) Alerts, published today, highlight how
well protected wetland sites in Great Britain and Northern Ireland are
working for wintering waterbirds in the short-, medium- and long-term.
Wetland
by Anne Cotton Many of the UK’s wetlands are given protected status as a result of
the number of ducks, geese, swans and waders that use these sites during
the winter months. The WeBS Alerts system provides a method for
identifying protected sites with notable changes in these numbers. The
Medium and High Alerts provide evidence for notable declines,
flagging-up issues that may require further investigation. Some of these declines are because of large-scale changes in global
waterbird distributions due to climate change. Others may be due to
problems at the site itself.
No place like home: species are on the move, but many have nowhere to go Many insects moving north in response to climate change find they
have nowhere to go in Britain’s intensively managed landscapes,
according to new research.
Since
the 1970s, insects in the warmer half of Britain have been flying,
hopping and crawling northwards at an average rate of around five metres
per day. Landscapes that were once too cold for them have been warming
up, allowing many species to expand their ranges. The Bog Bush Cricket is highly specialised and has been slow to expand its range. Photo by Gilles San Martin. However, the new study, led by researchers at the University of York,
suggests that expansion rates have been limited by insufficient habitat
in the areas that are becoming climatically suitable. Limited by habitat The study analysed 25 million recorded sightings of 300 different
insect species and found there is huge variation in the rates at which
they are moving and that not all species are able to keep pace with the
warming conditions. Scientists and conservationists have always assumed that species’
responses to climate change would be limited by habitat, but this is the
first study to measure and quantify the effect across a large and
diverse set of species. Read the paper: Philip J. Platts,
Suzanna C. Mason, Georgina Palmer, Jane K. Hill, Tom H. Oliver, Gary D.
Powney, Richard Fox & Chris D. Thomas
Habitat availability explains variation in climate-driven range shifts
across multiple taxonomic groups, Scientific Reports,
10.1038/s41598-019-51582-2
Widespread drying of European peatlands in recent centuries Many of Europe’s peatlands are currently the driest they have been in
the last 1,000 years,
new research
shows. Scientists examined 31 peatlands across Britain, Ireland, Scandinavia
and continental Europe to assess changes in peatland surface wetness
over the last 2,000 years.
They
found that nearly half of the study sites are now the driest they have
been for a millennium. (image: Stephen Barclay) While changes to temperature and rainfall have significantly
contributed to peatland drying, 42 percent of the sites had been
significantly damaged by human activities. The peatland sites in Britain and Ireland had the most extensive
degradation compared to the other sites, with cutting, drainage, burning
and grazing all contributing to peatland drying. “Peatlands that are ‘healthy’ have an exceptional potential for the
capture and storage of carbon from the atmosphere, and are one of
Earth’s most important carbon sinks,” said Dr Thomas Roland, of the
University of Exeter. Study lead author Dr Graeme Swindles, from the University of Leeds,
said: “Our study sites include some of the least damaged peatlands in
Europe, but it is clear that almost all European peatlands have been
affected by human activities to some extent.
Reports of crimes against wildlife continue to rise, reveals third
annual wildlife crime report
- Wildlife and Countryside Link Wildlife and Countryside Link and Wales Environment Link, reveal
today in their third Annual Wildlife Crime Report, that reports of
alleged wildlife crime incidents to NGOs rose again in 2018, with an
increase of more than 17% since our first report in 2016. There were a total of 1,324 reports of wildlife crime incidents
against bats, badgers, birds of prey, amphibians and reptiles, marine
mammals, recorded by these NGOs in 2018, compared to 1287 in 2017 and
1130 in 2016. Despite the increase in reporting of wildlife crimes, the
number of convictions remains very low, with just 11 individuals and
businesses convicted of these types of crimes last year (see table below
for further information). Crimes against badgers, birds of prey and bats remain among the most
common wildlife crimes reported. Also noteworthy is that the number of
reports of marine mammal disturbances have more than doubled this year.
This increase may be in part be explained by a public awareness increase
and associated rise in reports of crimes. Pete Charleston, Chair of Link’s Wildlife Crime Working Group and
Conservation Wildlife Crime Officer for the Bat Conservation Trust,
said: ‘The abuse and persecution of wildlife will remain invisible, and
go unpunished, unless crimes against wildlife are effectively recorded
and assessed. Wildlife crime police officers are hugely dedicated, but
they need funding certainty and resources to catch these criminals, and
tougher sentences available to ensure criminals face a punishment fit
for their crime.’
Developers urged to help pollinators -
Scottish Natural Heritage Developers are being encouraged to do more to help butterflies, bees
and other pollinators in our towns and cities.
Scottish
Natural Heritage (SNH) has published new guidance for the planning and
construction industry to create a more resilient and nature-rich urban
environment. Pollinators including bees, wasps, moths, butterflies and flies are
vital for our biodiversity, but populations face challenges due to
changes in land use, habitat loss, diseases, pesticides and climate
change. The new guide offers advice on how best to fit pollinators into urban
design and construction with a series of easy to follow steps to suit
all project budgets and sizes.
Wildflower meadows, flowering trees, hedgerows, nectar-rich plants
and herbs, window boxes, green roofs, living walls and sustainable
drainage systems can all help expand the habitats of pollinators. As well as helping nature, these simple steps create more attractive
environments for living, working and travelling, support local
authorities in meeting biodiversity priorities and contribute to
developers’ corporate social responsibility.
Remote bird haven found strewn with elastic bands
- National Trust An uninhabited island that is so remote a permit is required to visit
has been littered with thousands of elastic bands – by seabirds
mistakenly thinking they are worms, the National Trust said. Rangers who care for the colony off the Cornish coast were initially
left scratching their heads by the phenomenon, which has seen coloured
bands strewn across the island. It is thought to be caused by great black-backed and herring gulls
mistaking the bands for food while feeding in agricultural fields on the
mainland, before returning to deposit them at roosting sites on the
island. Experts monitoring the site found large numbers of tan, yellow and
green bands among pellets regurgitated by the birds. Small bundles of green fishing net and twine were also uncovered
among the undigested food, likely mistaken by the gulls for tasty
morsels floating on the surface of the sea. Rachel Holder, Area Ranger for the National Trust, said: “Ingested
plastic and rubber is another factor in a long list of challenges which
our gulls and other seabirds must contend with just to survive. Mullion Island is a small, rocky outpost off the Lizard Peninsula,
cared for by the National Trust, that provides a sanctuary for nesting
seabirds including great black-backed gulls - the largest species of
gull in the world – herring gulls, cormorants and shags. Despite public access to the isolated site being forbidden, the
effects of human influence are increasingly evident. The elastic bands are believed to have come from nearby horticultural
fields, where they are used to tie together bunches of cut flowers.
Liverpool’s Allerton Oak crowned England’s Tree of the Year
- Woodland Trust
Liverpool’s
lofty Allerton Oak has been crowned England’s Tree of the Year. Allerton Oak - Credit Jill Jennings Woodland
Trust The tree, which stands in the city’s Calderstones Park and was once
home to a medieval court, received an impressive 34% of more than 11,000
votes cast in the Woodland Trust’s annual competition, and will now
represent the UK in the European Tree of the Year contest which begins
in February 2020. Adam Cormack, head of campaigning at the Woodland Trust said: “The Allerton Oak is a spectacular example of a city tree. It has
stood in Calderstones Park for centuries and has an intriguing story.
Trees are an important part of the urban landscape helping to make our
towns and cities better places to live. We are keen to increase
understanding of their value and promote their protection. We are
currently working with partners to help increase tree cover in the city
and make Liverpool a greener place to live.” The Colchester Castle Sycamore, which grows on top of the mighty
Essex stronghold, came second while the mythical Dragon Tree on the Isle
of Wight was a close third.
Gardenwatch; first findings on how we can improve our gardens for wildlife
- BTO Gardens provide important space for our wildlife, but they could
provide even more, according to preliminary results from Gardenwatch,
the UK’s biggest-ever garden audit. Gardenwatch was launched on BBC Springwatch in May 2019, and asked
people for information on garden features and wildlife across the
country. The responses have given us fascinating new information on how
people help wildlife in their gardens, and where there is still more
that can be done.
First seal pups seen on the National Trust’s Farne Islands
- National Trust The first Atlantic grey seal pups of the season have been spotted on
the Farne Islands, just off the Northumberland coast. Globally, the Atlantic grey seal is one of the rarest seal species
and is a protected sea mammal. Global numbers are estimated to be
around 300,000 with half living in British and Irish waters. The Farnes is home to one of the largest colonies in England and last
year seal pup numbers reached a record high of 2,737 - an increase of 57
per cent over the last five years. The sighting of the first pup of the year triggers the start of the
seal pup count by National Trust rangers on the islands, and they’ll be
waiting to see if the upward trend continues. The rangers, who live on the Islands for nine months of the year,
count the seals every four days in the autumn once pupping season
begins, weather permitting. Once born, they’re sprayed with a
harmless vegetable dye to indicate the week they are born. Using a
rotation of three or four colours allows the rangers keep track of the
numbers. Ranger Thomas Hendry commented: “We wait until the first pups are
born and then begin the process of counting and marking all pups born on
the Islands. A lack of predators and a plentiful supply of fish – has
helped bolster our seal pup numbers in recent years. Over the next few
years we will monitor the effect of a growing seal population to manage
the island habitats accordingly.” Following a successful trial last year, rangers will use a drone to
help make the count more accurate and less stressful for the seals.
New B-lines to put the buzz back into Cornwall
- Buglife
An
ambitious new plan for helping our bees, butterflies, hoverflies and
other pollinating insects is being launched today by Buglife, University
of Exeter and Cornwall Council. Bombus terrestris on Kelsey Head (c) Will Hawkes Cornwall B-Lines will create rivers of wildflowers across the
countryside connecting the county’s best wildlife sites from coast to
coast, and from our towns to the countryside. Buglife, University of Exeter and Cornwall Council have worked with
partners to map out a network of potential wildflower habitat – B-Lines,
and are now inviting farmers, landowners and the public to get involved
in creating new pollinator habitat, and practically restoring
wildflower-rich areas. Bees and other pollinators are disappearing from our countryside
because of a lack of wildflower-rich habitats. Three million
hectares, 97%, of the UK’s wildflower-rich grasslands have been lost
since the 1930s. Creating B-Lines will help wildlife move across
our countryside, saving threatened species and making sure that there
are plenty of pollinators out there to help us grow crops and pollinate
wildflowers. Andrew Whitehouse from Buglife said “Our pollinating insects are in
trouble. In recent years it has become apparent that pollinator
populations are fragile and if not cared for they can become damaged,
depleted and cease to function. But all is not lost. We can fix
this! We have an opportunity to turn the tide, by putting
wildflowers back into our Cornish countryside and towns, by creating
B-Lines, we can put the buzz back into our countryside. With the B-Lines
map we have an opportunity to make a big difference for wildlife.
If you have land which you are interested in restoring to
wildflower-rich grassland, or if you would like to get involved in other
ways, please get in touch – we’d love to hear from you.”
Scientists identify British butterflies most threatened by climate change
- University of York Scientists have discovered why climate change may be contributing to
the decline of some British butterflies and moths, such as
Silver-studded Blue and High Brown Fritillary butterflies. Many British butterflies and moths have been responding to warmer
temperatures by emerging earlier in the year and for the first time
scientists have identified why this is creating winners and losers among
species. The findings will help conservationists identify butterfly and moth
species most at risk from climate change, the researchers say. Shrink in numbers The study, led by the University of York, found that emerging earlier
in the year may be benefitting species which have multiple, rapid
breeding cycles per year and are flexible about their habitat (such as
the Speckled Wood butterfly), by allowing them more time to bulk up in
numbers before winter and expand their range towards the north. In contrast, early emergence may be causing species that are habitat
specialists and have only a single life-cycle per year, to shrink in
numbers and disappear from northern parts of the country within their
historical range. Single generation species that are habitat specialists (like the rare
High Brown Fritillary butterfly) are most vulnerable to climate change
because they cannot benefit from extra breeding time and emerging
earlier may throw them out of seasonal synchrony with their restricted
diet of food resources, the researchers suggest. Read the paper: Callum J. Macgregor,
Chris D. Thomas, David B. Roy et al,
Climate-induced phenology shifts linked to range expansions in species
with multiple reproductive cycles per year, Nature Communications,
10.1038/s41467-019-12479-w
New report on state of our seas is the most comprehensive of its kind
says environment chief
- DAERA A new report into the state of our seas is the most comprehensive
assessment of its kind according to environment chief David Small.
The
UK Marine Strategy, which is led by the Department for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs (Defra) with input from devolved administrations
including Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
(DAERA), means we now know more about the condition of our local marine
environment than we ever did before. Common dolphin (image: DAERA) Mr Small, Head of DAERA’s Environment Marine and Fisheries Group
said: “Today’s report gives us a much better understanding of the state
of our seas and what’s in them. It also provides more analysis on the
existing and emerging pressures and what more needs to be done to
protect our marine environment, prevent its deterioration and restore it
while allowing sustainable use of marine resources,” he explained.
“Protecting our marine waters, which represent a third of our natural
environment, is vital. As well as being home to a huge variety of marine
species and habitats, our seas provide us with food, help regulate our
climate and provide much of the oxygen we breathe.” The report shows that in Northern Ireland, we have made good progress
in recent years to achieve clean, healthy and biologically diverse seas,
but there is still work to be done.
Environment Agency launches future of rivers consultation
Safeguarding our water environment: Environment Agency launches
consultation on future of rivers Challenges and Choices consultation to seek input from members of the
public, businesses and environmental organisations Consultation to run for six months, seeking views on how river basin
districts will be managed from 2021 Challenges covered include dry weather, climate change, pollution in
our waters and invasive non-native species Residents and organisations invited to give views on future
management of our water environments. The Environment Agency has invited the public to share their views
and ideas on the future of our water environment and rivers through its
‘Challenges and Choices’ consultation, launched today (Thursday 24
October). Members of the public, businesses and environmental organisations are
being urged to give their views on how water in the eight river basin
districts will be managed and looked after from 2021 onwards. The current river basin management plans were published in February
2016. Each river basin district has its own plan, which is now being
updated to provide a framework for improvements from 2021. The water environment is a precious resource that must be preserved
for the future prosperity of wildlife, people and business. We have
already lost 90 per cent of the UK’s wetland habitats in the last 100
years and urgent action is needed to ensure we can protect what is left. Better, faster ways to encourage greater investment in our water
environment must be developed if we are to reverse the damage caused to
these precious habitats.
CLA urges Bonfire Night organisers to avoid using sky lanterns The CLA is urging local authorities, community groups and private
individuals staging Bonfire Night displays not to release sky lanterns.
The
organisation is also asking event organisers to consider banning
lanterns from their venues completely, in order to prevent spectators
from releasing them. CLA South East represents thousands of landowners, farmers and rural
businesses in Kent, Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex, Berkshire,
Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight. (image: CLA) Regional Director Michael Valenzia said: “While Bonfire Night offers
a chance for people to enjoy themselves at one of the many organised
displays across the region, we would urge them to do so without
releasing sky lanterns. Releasing a naked flame with absolutely no
control over where it will land is a serious threat to rural businesses,
livestock, wildlife and the environment. There is simply no responsible
way to use them. They can kill animals, litter the countryside and start
fires.” The CLA has been campaigning for a total ban for a number of years,
and will continue to do so for the sake of farming, wildlife, the
environment and property owners everywhere. More than 50 local
authorities have so far implemented a ban. Mr Valenzia added: “Animals could be injured or killed if they become
trapped and entangled in debris, or if they eat items, causing choking
and damage to internal organs.
‘Citizens’ army’ needed to tackle biosecurity risk from invasive
non-native species - Environmental Audit
Committee, Commons Select Committee The Environmental Audit Committee calls for a ‘citizens’ army’ to
tackle the growing threat from invasive species, estimated to cost
Britain’s economy £1.8 billion a year. MPs are calling for a ‘citizens’ army’ to tackle the growing threat
from invasive species, estimated to cost Britain’s economy £1.8 billion
a year. Trained volunteers would help identify and respond to
biosecurity outbreaks, modelled on a system developed in New Zealand. The report found that urgent action is needed to slow the rate of
arrival of invasive species and prevent them becoming established. It
estimates that around 40 non-native species will become invasive within
20 years. MPs conclude that the Government has missed its legal targets on
tackling invasive species and has failed to give it the same priority
and funding as animal and plant health regimes. Current funding for
biosecurity in Great Britain is estimated at £220 million a year however
invasive species receive less than one per cent of that sum (£0.9m). The term Invasive non-native species (INNS) describes those species
that have been directly moved as a result of human activity. The report calls on the Government to:
Further information:
Read the report conclusions and recommendations
Read the full report: Invasive species Response Charities across the conservation, wildlife, environment and
recreation sectors, coordinated by Wildlife and Countryside Link, are
overwhelmingly backing the hugely welcome calls to strengthen our
defences against invasive plant and animal species, in a new report from
the Environmental Audit Committee today (Fri 25 Oct). This report is particularly timely as the risk of invasive species is
set to soar given the increase in new trade routes that is likely to
result from Brexit and climate change making the UK more hospitable to a
wider range of invasive species. Currently invasive species cost the UK
economy at least £2bn per year, and invasives are classed as one of the
top 5 risks to nature and a critical driver of our declining
biodiversity. Yet measures to protect and manage the risks from invasive
species make up just 0.4% of the UK spend on biosecurity, totalling 0.9
million per year. Dr Paul Walton, Head of Habitats and Species, RSPB: ‘We strongly
support the Committee’s calls for a drastic step change of our approach
in tackling the threat of invasive species. The multi-billion pound cost
to the economy from damage by invasive species is set to soar in the
next decade as new species arrive on our shores from expanded trade and
climate change improves conditions for them to establish. Prevention is
always better than cure, yet the budget for our first lines of invasive
defence is relatively miniscule. We urge the Government to announce the
extra-funding needed in the forth-coming Budget and Spending Review.’
Zoe Davies, Policy and Campaigns Manager, Wildlife and Countryside Link
examines why EAC are right to criticise Government’s consistent under
investment in, and consequent failure to tackle, this major
environmental threat. Stark figures show that while invasive species
control gets just 0.4% (£0.9m) of the biosecurity budget, we are letting
in more than three times more listed species than all other areas of
biosecurity combined. These plant and animal species are driving native
wildlife to the brink and costing our economy £2bn a year. Treasury
needs to treat invasive species like the ticking ecological time bomb
they really are and triple funding to £3billion per year.
Designs of iconic new wildlife and birdwatching facility for Greater
London's largest park are revealed - Lee
Valley Regional Park Lee Valley Regional Park Authority is excited to unveil the designs
for a brand new, state-of-the-art wildlife and birdwatching hub in the
heart of Greater London’s largest park, set to open to the public in
June 2020. The project will also incorporate environmental improvements
for some of the park’s priority species, including the creation of a
Kingfisher nest bank and enhancements to the lake’s existing reedbed
which is the natural habitat for Bitterns.
Designs
for a new state-of-the-art bird and wildlife development in Lee Valley
Regional Park, just north of London on the Hertfordshire Essex border,
were unveiled today (Friday 25 October 2019). Bittern (image: Brenda Chanter & Mark Braun /
Lee Valley) The new venue, with a five metre viewing tower, will replace the
30-year-old Bittern Information Point at Fishers Green, near Waltham
Abbey in Essex, which is nearing the end of its operational life.
Overlooking Seventy Acres Lake, the current bird hide is one of the best
places in the country to see the wintering Bittern, alongside other
native species including Common Tern and Kingfisher. Set to open to the public in June 2020, the fully accessible hide and
information point will include a two-tier viewing area at ground level
with a separate wildlife information room. Complete with a CCTV system
and live nest box camera footage, it will provide visitors of all ages
with undisturbed, close-up access to the lake’s wildlife. The venue will also offer far-reaching, 360 degree views of the
surrounding area from a five metre viewing tower. Design works are
currently underway for the plans to include a bespoke wetland habitat
‘living’ roof. Equipped with ramps and a lift, this new centre and is
expected to become one of the most popular wildlife spotting areas in
the 26-mile-long Lee Valley Regional Park which stretches from the
Thames to Hertfordshire. The project will also involve habitat improvements for some of the
park’s priority species, including the creation of a Kingfisher nest
bank and enhancements to the lake’s existing reedbed.
Regulator calls on businesses to do more to protect the environment
- Environment Agency The Environment Agency's report includes a review of business
compliance, greenhouse gas emissions, serious pollution incidents and
illegal waste activity. A new report shows the majority of England’s regulated businesses are
working to protect the environment and support prosperity, although more
work is needed to reduce serious pollution incidents and illegal waste
activity. Published today, the Environment Agency’s (EA) annual Regulating for
People, Environment and Growth (RPEG) report reveals that greenhouse gas
emissions from industry have been cut by half in the last 10 years and
compliance rates of energy efficiency and emissions trading schemes are
above 98%. It also shows 92% of operators demonstrated good compliance with
their environmental permit conditions. A record 72% of the waste
produced by activities with permits was recovered, and high levels of
bathing water quality have been maintained. The report highlights:
The full report is available on the Environment Agency’s website.
Victor Johansson, Oskar Kindvall, John Askling, Markus Franzén, Intense grazing of calcareous grasslands has negative consequences for the threatened marsh fritillary butterfly, Biological Conservation, Volume 239, 2019, 108280, ISSN 0006-3207, doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2019.108280.
Hilbers, J. P., Huijbregts, M. A. and Schipper, A. M. (2019),
Predicting reintroduction costs for wildlife populations under
anthropogenic stress. J Appl Ecol. Accepted Author Manuscript.
doi:10.1111/1365-2664.13523
N.M. McHugh, B.L. Bown, J.A. Hemsley, J.M. Holland,
Relationships between agri-environment scheme habitat characteristics
and insectivorous bats on arable farmland, Basic and Applied Ecology,
Volume 40, 2019, doi.org/10.1016/j.baae.2019.09.002.
Daniel W. Montgomery, Stephen D. Simpson, Georg H. Engelhard, Silvana
N. R. Birchenough & Rod W. Wilson
Rising CO2 enhances hypoxia tolerance in a marine fish, Scientific
Reports, 1038/s41598-019-51572-4
Elma Lahive, Alexander Walton, Alice A. Horton, David J. Spurgeon,
Claus Svendsen,
Microplastic particles reduce reproduction in the terrestrial worm
Enchytraeus crypticus in a soil exposure, Environmental
Pollution, doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113174.
Arias, M. , Elias, M. , Andraud, C. , Berthier, S. and Gomez, D.
(2019),
Transparency improves concealment in cryptically coloured moths. J
Evol Biol. Accepted Author Manuscript. doi:10.1111/jeb.13560
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