Category Archives: Habitat Loss
Defra updates Chalara policies
Defra updates Chalara policies With spring finally approaching, the threat of Chalara to ash across the UK is greater than ever. As mentioned in a previous post, the fungus that causes the disease lies dormant over winter, and sporulates in the … Continue reading
Is this 'Bird Armageddon'?
Since 1966 UK bird population has decline by 44 million which amounts to just under a million birds a year (over 45 years), which is dismal November news indeed. Yesterday the RSPB published their most extensive survey of the UK’s … Continue reading
Ash update a positive spin
It was no surprise to the scientific community when Secretary of State Owen Paterson announced on Friday that “It will not be possible to eradicate ash dieback” but members of the public and tree enthusiasts may well be shocked at … Continue reading
Importation of Ash trees is now banned in the UK
The subject of tree health within the UK is now gaining a heightened media profile and increased governmental attention, but is it too late for our beloved woodlands? The Ash tree ban has captured the nation’s attention and a segment … Continue reading
New POSTnote encapsulates land sharing vs land sparing debate
A POSTnote from the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology ‘Balancing Nature and Agriculture’ published online this week outlines the ongoing debate over land sparing versus land sharing in sustainable management of agricultural land for biodiversity conservation. Much biodiversity is … Continue reading
Lessons for grassland restoration at a joint AAB/BGS/BES conference
What can be achieved in the restoration of diverse grasslands? And what will this habitat rehabilitation do for us? A series of presentations, field trips and poster displays at a conference jointly organised by the Association of Applied Biology, British … Continue reading
Sowing the Seed for Improved Habitat Restoration
A new initiative from the Kew Millennium Seed Bank will supply commercial seed companies with large amounts of high quality wildflower seed, to help in the restoration of flower-rich meadows. Only 2% of this habitat now remains in England and … Continue reading
New Guardian campaign highlights nature preservation, piece by piece
A new campaign by the Guardian newspaper seeks to challenge ‘ill-conceived’ developments on nationally and internationally important habitats, by highlighting local campaigns against them from around the country. By collating a catalogue of developments, from large national projects to small … Continue reading
Pricing Nature
This week, as part of the Radio 4 series ‘Costing the Earth’, presenter Tom Heap interviewed various people who are interested in the idea of putting a price on nature. Ian Bateman from the National Ecosystem Assessment explained how this … Continue reading
Norway Summit to Limit Polar Bear Hunts
Legislation regulating the hunting of polar bears is to be reviewed at an international summit in Norway tomorrow. A reduction in hunting quotas is thought to be vital for the continued existence of the species as an increasing number of … Continue reading