The revelation towards the end of Friday afternoon that nesting Lesser Black-backed Gulls were being killed, perhaps under licence from Natural England, in the Forest of Bowland AONB has attracted a lot of comment on social media over the weekend. Natural England responded very quickly to say that they were investigating matters. The Forest…
Category: THE STATUTORY AGENCIES: NE, EA, FE etc
Denton Wood – here’s another FC mess up!
I bet you don’t know much about Denton Wood do you? Neither did I until very recently even though it’s only about 20 minutes drive from my house. It’s an area of Ancient Woodland which has, like many in this area, conifers planted in it in the past, but many such woods are recovering as…
Election comment 4 – Fineshade wood
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Local politicians have generally been very supportive of the local and national opposition to the plans to wreck Fineshade Wood by building holiday chalets on this wildlife-rich site (for previous blogs see: Dear Mr Pursglove, 6 May 2016; Fineshade Wood should be an SSSI, 15 April 2016; Fineshade Wood should be an SSSI, 28 March…
Poor show from National Parks
The Campaign for National Parks has published its ‘manifesto‘ – which is actually a small begging letter – for the general election. It’s a disappointing list. The CNP wants: Strengthening national planning protections for the National Parks Protecting the funding currently committed to the National Parks for the next five years so they can be…
Natural England – let’s be fair
I’m told that I should read the 18 January issue of Country Life for a more positive insight into the Chair of Natural England’s views (by one of his loyal staff). Well I’m keen to have a look but it may take some time as Country Life doesn’t squeeze through my letterbox on a regular…
What would Mick Carroll have said?
Last week the RSPB announced that a Hen Harrier called Carroll, named after the raptor worker Mick Carroll, had been found dead in late January – the bird died of parasites but the post mortem showed that it had also been shot (two pellets were in its body in healed wounds). That was late January….
Questions 2
As well as Natural England, the Hawk and Owl Trust also has questions to answer over the non-publication of the details of Rowan’s death – Rowan was shot! Why would a wildlife charity, indeed, a raptor charity, which had funded the tagging of a young Hen Harrier, want the details of his death to be…
Questions 1
Friday was quite a busy day, with news about crimes against birds of prey tumbling out early in the day. This was a bit inconvenient for me as I had other things planned. But it means that we’ve all had the weekend to mull over the news. What was the news?: The RSPB published a…
The question remains…
Who was instrumental in determining the wording of the press release which described Rowan, the Hen Harrier, as ‘likely to have been shot’ when, it appears, that all involved knew that it had been shot? For new readers see Raptor Persecution UK blogs here and here, and my blogs here and here. Was it: someone…
Moorland Management Plans in England
It’s a long time now since I worked in nature conservation and so increasingly I find that the jargon has moved on from that with which I used to be entirely comfortable. When Moorland Management Plans came up in a conversation with an old friend I had to admit to being unaware of what they…