Rumour has it that the NT are under considerable pressure from shooting interests to back down from their much-welcomed and much-heralded proposed position on grouse shooting, heather burning and raptor persecution in the High Peak. I hope the rumours are wrong – they often are. The National Trust doesn’t currently have much to shout about…
BLOG POSTS
Our forests
The government published its response to the report of the report of the Independent Panel on Forestry last week. You will remember that 38 Degrees launched a campaign to Save our Forests and more than half a million people signed the petition worded as follows: The government is planning a massive sell off of our…
A few dead seabirds – does it matter?
This is a second mention in a row for the RSPCA. Their name has been in the news recently for their rescue of oiled seabirds on the south coast of England. Rather than being washed up covered in thick black oil these seabirds, mostly guillemots, have been found on the coast from Cornwall to Hampshire…
Cartoon – by Ralph Underhill
I’ve never given the RSPCA any money as far as I can remember. I followed the controversy over their prosecution (successful prosecution) of the Heythrop Hunt with only a little bit of interest. I certainly didn’t think ‘What a shocking thing for the RSPCA to do’. But when Simon Hart, ex chief executive of…
Do this please – very quick, very easy
Please support this RSPB campaign – that’s it. Please? Thank you.
Felled trees call for help
I was interested to read this story that trees in the Amazon rainforest were being fitted with mobile phones . If the tree is illegally felled, and reaches somewhere with mobile phone reception it starts making calls to the authorities; ‘Come and get me! I’m on the truck of an illegal logger!’. It’s an interesting…
Just a last word on EDM 603
It’s often like this – it’s difficult to know what made the difference. But it’s great that the Home Office really did come up with their share of the money for the National Wildlife Crime Unit for next year. So – take 10 months off and then we’ll no doubt be doing the same thing…
Wood and trees
The next three days should see the Government response to the report of the Independent Panel on Forestry – a nation holds its breath. Government has hardly rushed into print having had nearly seven months to read a 72-page report. I am still of the opinion that there is a real need for government to…
The playing fields of Eton – infinitely level
Have you noticed that Britain’s future in the EU has been in the news recently? David Cameron’s speech on the subject says that if he is Prime Minister after the next General Election then he’s going to ask us all whether we want to stay in the EU. I can tell him my answer now …
My BGBW results
I’ve just finished my hour-long Big Garden Birdwatch count – I didn’t need a long piece of paper to keep count. The total was four house sparrows and that’s the lowest species total, bird total and house sparrow total ever for my garden. Oh well – that’s the point of it – to count what…