The Office for Environmental Protection is investigating the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Secretary of State (SoS) and Natural England over possible failures to comply with environmental law in relation to Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for wild birds, it has announced. The investigation will seek to determine whether Defra SoS and Natural […]
Plans to turn a former golf course on the Lincolnshire coast into a wildlife haven have been approved. The National Trust said once complete, the land at Sandilands would feature open water and islands as well as reedbeds and ponds, the BBC reported. There would also be grassland and sand dunes to encourage wildlife and […]
Peter Evans in The Conversation ‘Our oceans are under pressure like never before, with over 60% struggling from the increasing impact of fishing, coastal activities and climate change. The harsh truth is that as we move towards 2022 only 3% of oceans are totally free from the pressure of human activity. The greatest impact appears to be […]
Good News from Lundy – Boost for bird numbers on Lundy after work to eradicate rats Eradication of rats on Lundy the large increase in the number of seabirds on the island of Lundy off the southwest coast of England. A new study led by the RSPB found that the number of seabirds on Lundy […]
Natural England: the following marine SPAs which are now fully classified: Liverpool Bay / Bae Lerpwl SPA Following the consultation on the proposed marine extension to the Liverpool Bay / Bae Lerpwl Special Protection Area (SPA) (please see: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/liverpool-bay-bae-lerpwl-special-protection-area-extension-comment-on-proposals), Natural England submitted the Consultation Report to Government during the summer 2017. We wanted to write […]
A section of Northumberland coastline supporting 200,000 seabirds gets greater protection. The newly designated Northumberland Marine Special Protection Area (SPA) stretches 12 miles from the coastline into the North Sea, and covers an area of more than 120,000 football pitches. It’s the most important site in the UK for Arctic, common and roseate terns, the second […]
New reports from JNCC Thanks to John Henson Web: john.hensonwebb@jncc.gov.uk Our most recent publications are: New assessments on state of the marine environment in OSPAR waters Joint JNCC-Cefas reports:- No. 14A: CEND19x12: Cruise report for Braemar Pockmarks cSAC, Scanner Pockmark cSAC and Turbot Bank NCMPA proposal (014A – 2017) Ware, S. No. 15 CEND […]
Drones are a practical alternative to more traditional methods of counting seabirds for environmental assessments of offshore wind farms, a trial in the UK has proved. NIRAS has completed a successful trial using drones for a bird study on the east coast of England. The innovative study was funded by DONG Energy in order to […]