Time for Action

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about red kites and why their recovery gives me hope in a world where conservation good news stories are few and far between. Working in conservation can be a depressing career when you hear more and more news about another species decline, another precious habitat lost, another stark climate change prediction. It's why I work in the industry:  I value nature and I do what little I can to redress that balance. But I've always tried not to include the bad stuff on the blog. It is supposed to be a light-hearted and irreverent commentary on the mundane and banal features of everyday life. I don't want to depress you, dear reader, nor do I wish to preach at you. Yet lately I have been inundated with so much negativity, ignorance, hypocrisy and sheer incompetence that I feel the time is right to bring it to your attention. I thought twice about doing so, but decided that the issues I am about to outline are only issues until enough people speak out against them. So please read on and decide for yourself whether I am simply letting off steam, or whether either of these issues deserve your attention, and better still your action.

1. The Nature Directives

The Nature Directives are currently under review by a European Commission that is challenging regulation – meaning our most important laws for wildlife are under unprecedented threat.

The Directives provide essential protection to our rarest and most threatened species, and safeguard the best habitats for supporting a diversity of life in the UK and across much of Europe. They drive the fundamental aspects of conservation in the most important places – from managing sites and protecting them from development, to protecting species from human persecution.

Without them, we are simply fighting to stop loss and damage to our most precious wildlife sites. With them, we are able to work with others to restore nature – to create a world richer in nature.

The Directives aren’t perfect, but if we’re to restore nature in the UK and across Europe, we need them, and we need to focus on better implementation so they can achieve their full potential. Opening up the Directives in a political context that will almost certainly see them weakened would set us back years. This would be a disaster for wildlife, and for all the conscientious businesses that have learnt to follow the Directives and work in harmony with nature. Revised laws would mean a period of great uncertainty for businesses that would cost them time and money.

That's why we need a massive demonstration of public support for the Directives during the European Commission’s public consultation on the future of the Directives. The more people act, the easier it will be to convince EU leaders that the general public really care about nature and won't tolerate a weakening of its protection. To find out more, including how you can take action to defend the directives, click here. 

 

2. Raptor Persecution

 

This is an issue that has been going on for many years, and whilst I've been aware of it I've never really had any personal involvement. I am now very fortunate that a small part of my job involves working with a rare and wonderful bird of prey, the Montagu Harrier. This species is only just clinging on in the UK, with a population of less that ten pairs. Despite this, it receives much less coverage than it's relative the Hen Harrier, largely because of issues of illegal persecution. Research has shown that there is enough habitat to support about 300 pairs of hen harriers in England, and yet there are only one or two, largely due to illegal persecution.

 

Recently the RSPB came under fire from an organisation called 'You forgot the birds'. It appears that their mission is to deflect attention away from the issue of illegal raptor persecution by undermining the RSPB and the work we do. A few weeks ago news emerged that three male hen harriers had disappeared from their last English stronghold in the Forest of Bowland. It is highly unusual for a breeding bird to simply abandon eggs, and with three birds involved it seems likely that foul play is involved - so likely in fact that the police have launched an investigation. Yet 'You forgot the birds' decided that this was an RSPB witch-hunt, and launched another attack on the organisation. Apart from displaying an astounding level of ecological ignorance, it also suggests that the RSPB has a poor track record in delivering successful bird conservation - an offensive and woefully inaccurate assertion. The response from the RSPB can be seen here. Since I work for the RSPB I am obviously biased and emotionally involved, so I urge you to read the article for yourself.

 

Equally, this one is well worth a read, as it presents yet another ignorant and unfounded perspective on ecology. Yes there is a debate to be had, but one based on fact and evidence, as outlined in this reply to the article. What concerns me most is that these people, apparently in the name of journalism, are given a platform to deliver these attacks. And that by having that platform, the real issue is ignored or forgotten.

 

Whilst there is a lot of coverage of the issues surrounding hen harriers, the montagu harrier is less well known. Last year we were lucky enough to get funding to attach satellite transmitters to UK montagu harriers. These tags give us a huge insight into habitat choice, foraging areas and migration routes. Yet one of the birds did not even make it as far as migration, having disappeared on a shooting estate in Norfolk. The transmitter stopped transmitting, which means it was somehow destroyed. Make of that what you will, but as there are now even fewer montagu harrier in the UK than last year, the species is on a knife-edge. We will be fitting more satellite tags this year, but the sad truth of the matter is that they may show us more about raptor persecution than they do about migration or distribution. 

 

If you want to find out more, including how you can support the campaign to stop illegal persecution, click here.

 

So I'm sorry for the seriousness of this post, but my work over the last few weeks has involved meeting local police to discuss wildlife crime, discussions with colleagues about the likelihood of local harriers being killed, news reports of persecution from other areas, and internal briefings on how much damage would be caused by a weakened set of directives from the EU.

 

This stuff matters, and if I can play a small part in spreading the word, responding to the critics and gaining support for nature and nature conservation then I make no apology for that. If it matters to you too, please spread the word, take action, and encourage others to do so as well.

 

 

 

Ice Ice Baby

Regular readers of the blog may have noticed that I have a tendency towards cynicism. I enjoy a good moan. I like being a grumpy old man before my time. One of my particular passions is bemoaning the pace of technology. Even though I grew up alongside the developing internet, have owned a mobile phone for years and can navigate my way around a computer with reasonable ease, I am flummoxed by relatively minor technological wizardry such as apps, projectors, replacement phones, passwords, and Bulgarian shower fittings (see here!). One thing that I am dubious about is social media. I use Facebook but not Twitter. I write a blog but don't send texts in text-speak. Part of me is willing but part of me longs for simpler times. And so it is with Facebook.

Facebook has become unstoppable. Part of me resents that, because it forces us into using it by it's sheer domination. If I want to catch up with friends, I'm as likely to do so on Facebook than on the phone or email. I can see photos from their lives and people expect mine to be posted shortly after each event - events which I've probably been invited to on Facebook! Everything is instant; accessible anywhere, anytime. There's probably now a stat for the amount of time the average teenager spends on Facebook each year. 

But for all my ranting, it's addictive. And every now and then something happens through social media that simply wouldn't have been possible previously. I'm talking about Ice. When in the past has any single charity received so much publicity, free of charge, reaching such a huge global audience? The only thing that springs to my mind is when Barcelona FC wear the Unicef logo on their shirts. Presumably this reaches a sizeable global audience, but how many of them then look up the charity or make a donation? The Ice Bucket Challenge has gone global, and sparked debate from all quarters. 

First and foremost, I think an initiative that encourages charitable giving is generally a good thing. ALS is a worthy cause, and the challenge has, apparently, brought in over £50 million for the ALS Association or Motor Neurone Disease Association so far. I have read comments from some people suggesting that people carrying out the challenge have lost site of the original aims - raising awareness of a terrible disease. But if these people are simultaneously donating, how important is that? In some cases people have, apparently, donated to the wrong charity having misunderstood who the challenge was supporting. Again, if somebody benefits, how much does that matter? In fact, more people benefit!

I'm a firm believer that giving to charity should be a personal choice, but I can't knock the fact that many more people are giving money as a result of the challenge. I chose to give to a different cause, and to adapt my challenge to fit my ethics. And I was interested to see that some other people have used their challenges to highlight other charities, and Matt Damon challenged people's criticisms of wasting water by doing his with toilet water! Fair play!

So in this case I applaud Facebook and social media, and the genuine impact it might have for people suffering from ALS. I salute those who do not normally give to charity but have been inspired to do so in this case. I admire those who have used the opportunity to support their own choice of charity or highlight another important issue. And I even feel a tinge of pride that I, momentarily, managed to put my grumpiness aside for a worthy cause.

If you haven't done it yet, I can recommend it. Or take on my alternative challenge - there's still money up for grabs for your chosen charity. Get involved and get donating!