Standing up for Nature
Tim writes: Forest Musk Deer (Moschus berezovskii) is a highly elusive, little-photographed species of deer that is classified by IUCN as “Endangered”, mainly due to hunting for its musk glands, used in Chinese medicines and for perfumes. There appear to be very few (correctly identified) wild photographs of this species on the whole internet and…
This is a recycled cartoon from last year, but then the issue has come round again this year. And the RSPB issued a press release on the subject as follows: Nests Not Nets The RSPB wants to see nests and not nets, and is appalled to see netting used once again to prevent birds nesting….
Here is the response to the email from the previous blog post: Sorry for the delay in my response. I have been getting some advice on the issue from our environmental health team. As you are well aware heather burning is a legal activity subject to the Heather and Grass (Burning) Regulations (as amended) 1987….
This is a rather prosaic subject but, here goes, what’s the difference between a song and a call? Like many things, it seems pretty straight forward until you get into the depths of the subject. So let’s rise above the detail. Consider the farmyard fowl. A cockerel, cock or rooster crowing is an example of…
I was copied into this email recently. I’ve disguised the names and location as the complaint is a general one which I have seen many times before – but here it is very well-expressed. However, I might point out that I have lived on the ********* for 30 years and I know the regulations. I…
Whilst soil quality is a neglected aspect of environmental health and water quality is clearly very important, this would make a good undergraduate essay topic. Why has the history of nature conservation been so wrong in concentrating on site designation and protection, species protection, a proper planning system, reducing overexploitation, preventing the introduction of invasive…
Yesterday I asked you whether you preferred game bird, gamebird, game-bird or maybe you really weren’t the least bit fussed about it. There were a lot of very interesting comments. And the results were as follows: A resounding majority (58% of responses) of 362 responses was for gamebird with the next most popular response being…
Coronavirus This is the first mention of this thing on this blog. I wonder how many more there will be? Will it all blow over and look like a lot of fuss about nothing, or not? There have been about 2800 deaths from coronavirus worldwide so far, but that is likely to be an underestimate…
Dear Natural EnglandThis is a request for information under the FoI/EIR regulations. Please reply within the 20-day maximum allowed for such a straightforward request.This is a follow-up to my requests 4438 (to which NE responded on 27 November 2018) and 4520 (to which NE responded on 18 January 2019) about datasets on deep peat and…
Using the courts to protect the environment – it can work. What a massive result.