Vanessa Amaral-Rogers is the Campaigns Officer for Buglife. After finishing her Masters in Conservation Biology at the University of Derby on bat ecology, she now works on science communications, legislation, pesticides and pollinators. In a quarry in the South-West of England, a small spider lurks. The Horrid ground weaver (Nothophantes…
BLOG POSTS
Returning to vote?
The days are increasing in length, although there is plenty of winter to come. Last Saturday was the first day since 2 December when the official day length was over eight hours where I live. Our Cuckoos, on which I keep an eye through the excellent BTO study of them, are sitting in central Africa…
Vicarious liability – on the horizon in England?
At the moment it seems at least as likely that the Conservative Party will include a promise to introduce a law of vicarious liability for wildlife crimes in their election manifesto as will the Labour Party. Given that this would merely be catching up with Scotland it’s hardly the most radical of ideas but, it…
Guest blog by Hugh Webster: response to Tim Bidie
Mark writes; this was originally posted as a comment on yesterday’s Guest Blog by Tim Bidie but it seemed so good to me (and so long) that it might be better to publish it this way. Hugh Webster is a a biology teacher with a PhD in Behavioural Ecology, earned studying competition between large…
Guest Blog by John Stuart Mill (deceased): response to Tim Bidie
Mark writes: this was originally posted as a comment on yesterday’s Guest Blog by Tim Bidie but it seemed so good to me (and so long) that it might be better to publish it this way. John Stuart Mill, (20 May 1806 – 8 May 1873) was a British philosopher, political economist and civil servant….
Guest blog – Shared Planet by Mary Colwell-Hector
Mary Colwell-Hector is an award winning radio, TV and internet producer winning 14 awards over the last 8 years, including a Sony Gold in 2009. She is also a radio presenter and feature writer for The Tablet. She has produced natural history series such as Saving Species on Radio 4 and was the lead producer…
Mutch too complicated
The case of the convicted, and now imprisoned, gamekeeper, George Mutch has got many people wondering who was his boss, as Scotland, in their greater wisdom than England, has vicarious liability for wildlife crimes. Following the first successful case leading to a landowner being fined for his role in his gamekeeper’s misdemeanours (the Ninian Robert…
Impressive!
The e-petition to give Mountain Hares legal protection in Scotland is galloping across the landscape. It is heading quickly towards 5000 signatures. I’m very pleased (and slightly jealous – it took nearly a month for our own e-petition to get to 5000 signatures). Please have a look at the Mountain Hare e-petition on the 38…
Guest Blog – The Good Intentions Paving Company by Tim Bidie (aka as ‘Monro’)
‘Monro’ posted over 100 comments on this blog between 11 October and 14 December on the subject of Hen Harriers and grouse shooting’. On 14 December, because I was getting a bit fed up with his repetitive comments, I offered him a Guest Blog to get it all off his chest in one go. I…
And yet more…
In today’s Guardian there is a long piece, ‘a long read’ piece, by the admirable Patrick Barkham on the subject of grouse shooting and Hen Harrier shooting too. In it, I am described as ‘intense and fiercely intelligent’ which I just point out to show how wide of the mark journalists sometimes can be. It’s…