Interesting and important paper

Peatlands cover <3% of the world’s land surface but account for >33% of soil carbon – that’s a fact with which to amaze your dinner guests (when you are allowed to have them again). This paper reviews studies of the impacts of road and track building through peatlands – this sort of thing: see here,…

Guest blog – A Pheasant Surprise? Possible Implications of In-Combination Effects on the Gamebird Shooting Industry by Richard Wilson

Richard Wilson is a professional ecologist with 20 years’ experience undertaking surveys for a range of clients, His specialist knowledge is in invertebrate and avian ecology, and his technical knowledge informs Environmental Impact Assessments, including when relevant, Appropriate Assessment. His professional background has led to a keen interest in EU and UK law in the context…

Smoke in the hills

Boris Johnson wasn’t watching Extinction – the facts last night even though his missus was, if a report, just a single sentence, in The Times today is to be believed. At the very foot of an article about how the UK would meet its net-zero target is the sentence ‘Plans to ban peat-burning appear to…

Even children find Natural England laughable

There’s no doubting that Wild Justice has been the best crowdfunder that Natural England has had. NE is now recruiting 200 staff to do its job better. Although the recruitment advert is ghastly, and makes Natural England sound like a support group for tree huggers, whereas it is actually an environmental regulator and enforcer with…

DEFRA’s very clear explanation

This how DEFRA explains its position on legislation to end burning on deep peat – it should be on all peat, just as the Committee on Climate Change recommended. 54% of pre-existing consents to burn remain – that means that only about a half of landowners have agreed voluntarily to any change. You may remember…