This blog looks in a bit more detail at the volte face that Natural England has been forced to make as a result of my (our) legal challenge. A bit later today I will take a broader view of what Natural England needs to do to regain some credibility and public confidence. Although the letters…
Author: Mark
Born Bristol, UK
Educated: Cleeve House School Bristol, Bristol Grammar School and Downing College Cambridge
Ph.D. University of Aberdeen, Winter activity of pipistrelle bats.
NERC post-doctoral Research Fellow, Edward Grey Institute, Oxford University
Former Conservation Director of the RSPB, 1989-2011
Wuthering moors 80 – another, even greater, victory!
Back in May we won a significant victory against Natural England’s decision to sign an agreement with the Walshaw Moor Estate which included a new track across the protected landscape of the moor. You may think that was the end of it but no, we’ve been nagging away at NE for the last few months…
Brexit – an environmental recap
Today is the latest, and not the last, in a series of momentous parliamentary days in shaping how, or perhaps if, we are leaving the EU. A no-deal Brexit in 59 days’ time (at 11pm on my birthday – I resent that choice of date) will be a disaster for our environment. It will be…
Prospect press release – Natural England
Prospect report shows England’s natural heritage at risk from funding cuts Almost a decade of real-term pay cuts, and four consecutive years of funding cuts, coupled with the impact of Brexit, are putting England’s natural heritage at risk. That is the finding of a report by Prospect into Natural England which shows that the agency…
Guest blog – Valuing conservation volunteers by Louise Bacon
Louise writes: I used to be a biochemist studying human immune system malfunction whilst being a part-time naturalist and conservationist. Then I converted to being an environmental data geek, which is what I do part of the time in a vague attempt to pay the bills I have been a birder since childhood, and am…
Les Wallace – congratulations!
Congratulations! And well done, Les Wallace! You have triggered a response from Defra. More on this tomorrow. Night night all!
Edging closer to 10,000 signatures
Les Wallace’s epetition calling for an economic study of grouse shooting is close to 9,500 signatures. When, I think we can say ‘when’ not ‘if’ now, it gets to 10,000 signatures then it will trigger an inadequate response from Defra. I’ll look forward to reading that in due course. The map of signatures shows the…
Gilruth/Gregory – mostly ignored but an RSPB response.
Following this morning’s blog about the depths to which GWCT have slipped, I can’t find much coverage of the said press release (hardly surprising is it?). Have you spotted any? There is this one article which more or less republished the original press release and a feisty quote from Martin Harper… This is another sadly…
Inside Out and Upside Down
The BBC are going to feature a scheme which feeds game to the hungry and needy in the East of England this evening (19:30 broadcast). I wonder whether they will ask questions about the lead levels in the game that is provided? Will they point out that a major food provider, Fareshare, refused lead-shot game…
Looking good for Les Wallace – petition nears 10,000 signatures
It’s looking good for Les Wallace’s epetition calling for a proper economic study of the costs and benefits of driven grouse shooting – but there’s still some way to go. Another 700 signatures will mean that Defra has to respond to this epetition. My guess is that they will say ‘no’ because the last thing…