Wuthering moors (59) – Calderdale losing track

It is still impossible to see the planning application made for a damaging track across blanket bog on the Walshaw Moor Estate on the Calderdale Council side of the boundary. Several others have tried and failed too.  We are told that the planning reference number is 18/40002/AGR but this fails to work when entered into…

Boris sneers at environmental protection

It was an interesting decision to choose Boris Johnson, one of the most distrusted politicians in a distrusted government, to ‘reach out’ to us all over Brexit in a divisive speech entitled ‘Uniting for a Great Brexit‘. Did it work for you? Here is one passsage: ‘We can simplify planning, and speed up public procurement,…

Brood meddling – a potential legal challenge (or two)

Anyone seeking to mount a judicial review of NE’s decision to issue a licence for brood managment on Hen Harriers this year (see here and here) has a couple of months to get it sorted. We, that’s me and some mates, have been exploring this option seriously, and still are. I should be meeting a…

A White-letter day for Scotland

A declining butterfly may have started breeding in Scotland for the first time in 130 years, after eggs were discovered by amateur naturalists, Butterfly Conservation (BC) has confirmed. A handful of White-letter Hairstreak eggs were found on Wych Elm trees at Lennel near Coldstream, Berwickshire, on Sunday 4 February. The discovery comes after Borders Butterfly…

The Labour Animal Welfare plan

The Labour Party has today published its animal welfare plan.  It’s pretty good. Things that some will like (and others will hate) include: expanding the definition of animal to include decapod crustaceans and cephalopods prohibit the third-party sale of puppies establish a full-time zoo inspectorate mandatory labelling of meat to include country of origin and…