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The RSPB view |
The RSPB view
Spring has to be one of the best times to celebrate our special places for wildlife. Whilst battling for declining species and saving their habitats we must not lose sight of the important sites that are now protected by law. Many beautiful landscapes, greatly enriched by wildlife, such as the New Forest, the Cairngorms and Lough Neagh, are protected by European environmental legislation. They form a living network stretching from the southern tip of Spain to northern Finland and the Western Isles of Scotland to Greece. The Natura 2000 network – as these sites are rather uninspiringly called – forms part of our shared European cultural heritage just as does a Shakespeare play, a van Gogh painting or a Gothic cathedral. There are some steps in the right direction. The UK recently put forward the Severn Estuary for protection under the Habitats Directive because of its importance for migratory fish, such as salmon, in addition to its great bird importance. At least the significance of this unique estuary is now fully recognised by government – and will have to be given due weight in the studies to decide whether the estuary will be dramatically degraded by building a barrage across its mouth. In Scotland, at the time of writing, there are reports that the Scottish Government is preparing to reject the Lewis windfarm proposal that would damage wonderful peatlands - the home of divers, plovers and eagles. If so, this is great news indeed – another part of our cultural heritage will have been saved. In our crowded country, we need as much nature as we can hang on to – and we need a vibrant network of special sites for wildlife as the cornerstone of our nature protection strategy. But such sites are still under great threat. The north Kent Marshes at Cliffe were threatened by an airport proposal a few years ago. Thanks to RSPB members across the UK, and a passionate local campaign, the Department for Transport was persuaded that this site - with every wildlife designation under the sun! - was too great a cultural asset to lose to concrete, tarmac and the roar of jumbo jets. But, extraordinarily, another equally ludicrous airport proposal now threatens the Dungeness peninsula near Lydd in south Kent. All too often developers complain to government that the protection given to wildlife sites is unduly restrictive. Such talk is misinformed and lazy. Environmental protection is an essential part of sustainable growth and the EU Directives do little more than weed out the most hare-brained and environmentally destructive of schemes. Rather than acting as a brake on economic advancement, they simply ensure that governments weigh the public value of Europe’s remaining great wildlife refuges against the alleged gains from allowing the bulldozers in. In our crowded country, we need as much nature as we can hang on to – and we need a vibrant network of special sites for wildlife as the cornerstone of our nature protection strategy. In fact, with climate change we need even more sites in order to provide a countryside in which nature can adapt and thrive. Every generation has added to our cultural heritage with buildings, music, plays, sculptures and books. We should be adding to our natural heritage too. Where are the politicians who will stand up and be counted as being 'naturally cultured'? We are a rich, educated and sophisticated nation and as such we should be planning to safeguard and enhance the natural environment. Meanwhile, at sea we are on the verge of legislation that could protect the best marine sites. But there are worrying signs that the new laws, for which we have waited so long, may repeat the mistakes of the past 30 years. Experts agree that we need around 30% of the marine environment to be protected so that its wildlife can thrive – this does not necessarily mean that economic activity in these areas would be stopped but that it should be sensibly controlled and regulated. Proper spatial planning will give space for fish stocks and all marine wildlife to recover and confidence to windfarm developers as to where they can best locate. Now is the time for decision makers in London, Edinburgh, Belfast and Cardiff to be bold in ensuring that our seas have a secure environmental and economic future. 
Graham Wynne, chief executive of the RSPB |
The RSPB ViewThe RSPB's Chief Executive, Graham Wynne, writes this regular column in the quarterly membership magazine, BIRDS. |
Black browed albatross, West Point Island, Falklands - Grahame Madge (The RSPB)
Family Birdwatching through living room window - Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)
Landsacpe view across lake at first light, blue clear sky, Lake Vyrnwy - RSPB Images - Ben Hall (rspb-images.com)
Bird illustrations by Mike Langman (RSPB)