We are looking forward to hearing the details of this scheme to encourage habitat restoration to be announced by Hilary Benn this week - I guess, today.
The RSPB has been a major proponent of restoring and re-creating habitats for many years. Our Futurescapes document started setting the scene for landscape scale habitat re-creation back in 2001.
We are working to put back habitats that will be great in themselves, but will also provide stepping stones for wildlife changing where it lives in response to climate change. Examples of habitat creation on RSPB nature reserves include Wallasea Island, the Flow Country, Otmoor, Freiston Shore, Hesketh Out Marsh and woodland restoration at Abernethy - but there are many, many more.
And it's certainly not just about nature reserves - although they can play a very large part - land managers everywhere can put nature back into the countryside and they need the backing of government (money certainly helps - but advice and encouragement are important too) if their efforts are to have the greatest impact.
Let's see what Hilary Benn has to say!
I've only made a couple of past comments so far, hope to get some replies!
Seems to me that one group of government that often doesn't appear to understand wildlife and its needs is the local one. Some may be very good, but eg our town council seem to think that a Local Biodiversity Action Plan is just something they have to look at to make sure development plans aren't illegal.
I've never seen a development plan that insists e.g. on final landscaping only consisting of native plant species? Does this ever happen?
Whereas making a footpath accessible for dog-walkers may be very good for people, there are no attempts to improve/ manage areas only with wildlife species in mind and no access for people. What happens to the shyer species that can't exist with the constant disturbance?
It appears that 'biodiversity' often means only making things better for people.
Maybe there should be some compulsory training for district and town councillors on the true meaning of biodiversity and habitat restoration/maintenance?
Enough to be going on with!
Hi Mark and Taffy2 a couple of good points there,dog walkers do tremendous damage as they won't keep them on a lead and they disturb so many birds and animals.I find the right to roam really repulsive as there was already thousands of miles of footpaths and if you roam all over the place there is nowhere to get at the end,I think done just for human benefit and must be terrible for wildlife thankfully not used much it seems.Mark ref Sea Eagles in East Anglia has the RSPB considered how John Buxton would feel if the re-introduction ruined his lifetimes work as in there own way the Storks are as important as Sea Eagles especially as Sea Eagles have a foothold in Scotland and my guess is that cranes are more a bird of the fens than Sea Eagles.I really like Sea Eagles but find it amazing that RSPB would jeopardize the progress of really small numbers of Cranes,Bitterns,Avocets,Terns and I am sure others by even considering the re-introduction.Other consideration is what a waste of lives if lots get persecuted in lots of ways.I consider each Sea Eagle life really too valuable to put at risk just to put the re-introduction further forward in progress,they have roamed naturally from Ireland to Scotland and one photographed in Derbyshire also roam large distances in Scotland even yearlings ref Breagha from Mull to top of Scotland so if East Anglia is suitable will soon get there on their own.As Taffy says's enough to be going on with.At least doubled the comments Mark and Taffy important person for you.What I would give for your thoughts as opposed to official RSPB policy whoops.
Taffy2 - You're right. Some local councils are great, but others just don't seem to get it. Part of the problem is that many local authorities don't have access to specialist ecological advice, and even where there are ecologists in local government they are very thinly stretched.
We do our best to engage with councils through publications like Conservation Planner (www.rspb.org.uk/.../library.asp) and at professional events like the Royal Town Planning Institute's annual Planning Convention.
In areas which are sensitive for wildlife we'll try to influence the development plan, and when there's a really nasty project we'll do all we can to stop it.
Compulsory training for councillors is a great idea - we'll have a think about how to help make that happen.
Cheers Mark