The British subspecies of the Swallowtail is pretty much restricted to the Norfolk Broads and is a species whose numbers have increased in recent years although its distribution may have contracted. It’s a species of conservation concern and is the subject of conservation measures and studies. Kevin Radley and Hannah Breach are carrying out an…
Tag: Natural England
#peatfreeapril
I’m one of a pile of signatories to this letter to George Eustice, Secretary of State for DEFRAomnishambles. Most of the other signatories know a lot more about peat and gardening than I do, but I can tell you that my enthusiasm for growing tomatoes, generated in lockdown last year, means that I know how…
Guest blog – Why so timid on rewilding? by Olaf Lipor
Olaf Lipor is a well-known Scandinavian naturalist with a long track record of engagement in citizen science projects. His previous Guest Blogs here, about three, two and one year ago, were on a Fat Tax, Citizen Science and Pipit/Harrier interactions. Olaf is not yet found on Twitter. Olaf’s new book, Shades of Orange – a…
Guest blog – Saving nature: how radical do we need to be? by Laurence Rose
Laurence is a Yorkshire-based conservationist and writer, a few months from retiring from the RSPB. Author of Framing Nature – conservation and culture and The Long Spring. Twitter: @LaurenceR_write In July last year, parroting the government’s own choice of language, several newspapers announced a ‘radical’ shake-up of the planning system. Clearly they hadn’t actually read…
National Trust re-introduces beavers to South East England site after Somerset success
Two beavers have been introduced into a hidden valley cared for by the National Trust, on the flanks of the South Downs First introduction by the National Trust in south east England Local supporters have helped fund the scheme, on land that was bought by local people to be donated to the Trust Aim is…
Slow progress on lead ammunition ban
Nearly six years after DEFRA received the completed report of the Lead Ammunition Group recommending that lead ammunition be phased out, DEFRA has asked for a review of the impacts of lead ammunition so that perhaps it can be phased out in two years’ time. The information on impacts of lead ammunition on wildlife, the…
Regrets, we have a few
You’ll remember that DEFRA said it was going to do great things on preventing burning of blanket bogs and then it did very little. Yesterday, Labour Peer, Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, tabled a motion of Regret in the House of Lords to draw attention to the inadequacy of the government’s much delayed and much-caveated Statutory…
Guest blog – Happy Paddy’s Day by Mark Robins
Mark Robins – a more or less full working life in and around nature NGOs and agencies various – mostly in South West England and especially for the RSPB. Moved to Ireland in 2018 and for a year led the BirdWatch Ireland Conservation & Policy team and is now a freelance natural environment and sustainable…
Press release – Rewilding Britain
Rewilding boosts jobs and volunteering opportunities, study shows Jobs up by 47% as new “myth-busting” evidence emerges from Rewilding Britain Rewilding marginal land can significantly boost job numbers and volunteering opportunities while increasing action to restore nature and tackle climate breakdown, new research by Rewilding Britain shows. An analysis of over 20 sites across England…
Disgusted of Norfolk in the Telegraph
Last week RaptorPersecutionUK highlighted this letter in the Telegraph. It stands as a monument to a largely bygone age, an age of intolerance to people and some wildlife species too. It is the antithesis to progress and enlightenment. These views are not completely gone, but it’s good that they are going. I assume that the…