In today’s Westminster Hall debate on restoring nature on a massive scale to help stop climate breakdown there was an important commitment made by DEFRA minister, Zac Goldsmith. . . Several hon. Members talked about the problem of burning peatlands. There is no doubt that they are right; the Government share that view. There has…
Category: THE POLITICS: Ministers, MPs, government policy
And another…
See here Where is the Werritty report and will it be fit for purpose? Why are NE licensing brood meddling instead of clamping down on wildlife crime? Why has no Defra minister ever condemned the scale of illegal killing of protected wildlife on driven grouse moors? Why is the Moorland Association not ostracised by statutory…
Brexit – generally a bad thing for the environment
This blog has always maintained that Brexit is bad for wildlife and the environment. I stand completely by that position. Yes, it depends on what type of Brexit happens (might happen) but any Brexit is likely to be bad news for wildlife and the environment. Funnily enough, the worst type of Brexit, the crashing out…
Who are ‘we’?
I read a letter in Tuesday’s Guardian with interest. It was under the name of a former, highly respected, RSPB colleague of mine, Gareth Morgan, who now works for the Soil Association. Gareth’s main point is that radical change to farming is need, presumably including lots more organic farming, in order to have more wildlife…
NEWS: Government caves in on ancient woodlands
Ancient woodlands safe until Oakervee Review completed – see here. HS2 Ltd is an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Transport. We have assessed 11 ancient woodlands, parts of which were due to be affected by preparations to build Britain’s new high speed railway this autumn, during the period of the Oakervee…
Doing nature conservation abroad by Defra – some more
Britain is to have the toughest trophy-hunting laws in the world according to the Daily Telegraph and Defra minister Zac Goldsmith. What appears to be envisaged is a ban on the import into the UK of endangered animal parts, such as their heads. Sounds good – if you can’t bring them home to hang on…
Doing nature conservation abroad by Defra
This story in Sunday’s Telegraph coincides with the Conservative Party conference. It criticises two UK firms for providing holidays to Morocco to shoot Turtle Doves – a declining species in the UK and the rest of Europe. So threatened is the Turtle Dove these days that it is listed as globally vulnerable to extinction. Shooting…
The Glover review (5) – overall
The Glover review is, I repeat, a serious, imaginative and important document. I would suggest that it should be widely and often read and re-read. But it is an inherently conservative view of National Parks and AONBs and their future. When reading a report like this one it is easy to read more into the…
The Glover review (4) – it’s a culture thing
Whenever I hear the word culture applied to the landscape I reach for my Manchester Rambler rather than my Wordsworth. Talk of cultural landscapes is usually code for ‘landowners know best and always have done’ and an argument against necessary change. And so it seems to me to be here in the Glover review. Natural…
The Glover review (3) – disappointing on wildlife
How can I possibly be disappointed with the Glover review when it gives nature top-billing (depending on how you read the report) and contains many useful passages such as those below? In our call for evidence, the message was clear: more than any other single thing, people and organisations agreed that our landscapes should do…