Tag: bionews

Conservation  

Invasive ferret populations are now under control on Rathlin Island. A five-year, £4.5 million project was launched in 2021 to remove the species from Rathlin after conservationists raised concerns about their impact on resident ground-nesting bird populations, including puffins, razorbills, kittiwakes and fulmars. The impact of ferrets includes predation on eggs and chicks, as well as adult birds, with one ferret having killed 27 adults in only a few days. The team behind this project deployed traps to capture the predators and have successfully controlled their numbers, whilst attempts to reduce brown rat populations have been ongoing since September last year.

Diminishing sea-grass beds in Thailand are driving Dugong population decline. The alarming increase in emaciated dugong deaths along Thailand’s Andaman coast prompted scientists to investigate the reasons behind their decreasing populations. Last year’s losses were more than double the annual average recorded between 2019 and 2022, and research has revealed that at least 40% of these deaths were likely due to starvation as a result of seagrass die-off; the species primary food-source. As a result of this, Dugongs need to venture into deeper waters to find food, where they can be killed by boat strikes and fishing bycatch. Marine Ecologist Petch Manopawitr stated that if mortality rates continue, Dugong are likely to be extinct in just a few years.  

Butterfly Conservation have renewed the lease on a vital nature reserve on the South Downs. Magdalen Hill Down, owned by The Church of England, has been managed by Butterfly Conservation for three decades, during which they have transformed it from scrub and farmland into one of Hampshire’s richest chalk grasslands. It is now one of the top ten sites in the country for butterflies and is home to over 30 different species, including the Adonis Blue, Green Hairstreak and crimson Cinnabar. Official figures released last week revealed that 2024 was one of the worst years on record for UK butterfly populations, so it is as vital as ever to provide these habitats. The renewed agreement with the Church Commissioners collates two previous leases and allows Butterfly Conservation to continue its conservation work across the 46-hectare site. 

Environment  

Northern Ireland’s richest nature sites require urgent action. The Office for Environmental Protection has revealed that the laws put in place to identify and manage protected sites in Northern Ireland is falling short. As a result, the condition of these priority conservation sites is deteriorating, with the number of sites in ‘favourable condition’ having declined from 61.7% in 2008 to just 51.5% in 2024. The report concluded that improving the protection and preservation of nature requires better implementation of existing laws for priority conservation sites, as the legal framework itself is not the primary issue. 

A recent report by the British Ecological Society has evaluated the impacts of regenerative agriculture. The study determined that while regenerative practices can enhance soil health and biodiversity, these practices alone are unlikely to be sufficient. Instead, the research indicates that they are most effective when integrated within a comprehensive system that prioritizes minimizing soil disturbance and bare soil, increasing farm diversity, incorporating livestock, and utilising nature-based methods in place of synthetic inputs. Although the report’s authors emphasise that a whole-system approach yields the most significant benefits, they also encourage farmers to adopt even a few of these practices. 

Over 125,000 wildflowers have been sown across Cumbria in two years thanks to Cumbria Wildlife Trust. With the help of thousands of volunteers, they have also restored 159 acres of grasslands, eight acres of hay meadows, and planted 16,000 plants in a variety of sites around Kendal and Milnthorpe. It is hoped that the restoration of these rich habitats will support a wealth of pollinating insects and increase the areas biodiversity. 

Policy

Conservationists raise concerns about the proposed budget cuts for the Darwin Plus fund. The UK’s Overseas Territories are home to over 32,216 native species, which represents 90% of all British biodiversity, including the rare Wilkins’ Bunting and endangered St Helena Plover. Many of the conservation projects undertaken across these sites have only been possible due to the government’s Darwin Plus scheme, which commits £10 million annually to support a host of critical conservation projects in these territories. The UK government is set to decide on the future of this vital funding as part of their summer Spending Review, and leading UK charities are urgently highlighting that any cuts to Darwin Plus would have catastrophic effects on the future of the flora and fauna found in these unique habitats. 

Policy

The Climate Change Committee establish its seventh Carbon Budget, the limits of which will be agreed to this year with the aim of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. The latest budget allocated for 2038-2042 should be set at 535 megatonnes of CO2 equivalent – including domestic, aviation and shipping emissions – which the government hopes will save individual households £700 in energy bills due to increased energy security. This budget highlights that the government’s economic goals can be achieved whilst also taking action against climate change, benefitting the UK as a whole. 

Last week, the UK Government introduced the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. The Bill aims to fast-track the planning and construction process, removing hurdles to boost economic growth and energy security while delivering environmental commitments. This significant change to the planning system encompasses a number of key measures, including the implementation of a Nature Restoration Fund, the abandonment of individual site level mitigation and assessment, and the introduction of Environmental Delivery Plans. The Bill has raised serious concerns for protected species and habitats in the absence of targeted, site-specific mitigation – read CIEEM’s response to the Bill here.  

Environment

Government pledges to clean up Windermere, after a study reveals it has been contaminated with over 140 million litres of pollution. This commitment has been made after water supplier United Utilities admitted to illegally discharging millions of litres of raw sewage into the lake over three years. Environmental Secretary Steve Reed did not divulge how discharge into the lake would be prevented, however a feasibility study conducted by United Utilities concluded this will require over 42 miles of new pipework to take the sewage downstream, and a further 205 miles to connect private sewage facilities. This is likely to cost hundreds of millions of pounds, which will be paid through increased customer bills.

The Blue Marine Foundation is challenging the government’s fishing quotas in the High Court.  There is concern that Defra overlooked scientific advice when setting catch limits after Brexit, which have resulted in concern over the sustainability of fish stocks, and notable decreases in commercial species such as Pollack. Blue Marine Foundation argues that unsustainable management by Defra is irresponsible, risking both fish stocks and the livelihoods of fishing communities – they have asked the court to declare the limits unlawful to inform better practices in the future.  

Discoveries 

A new study suggests that ancient frogs survived the largest mass extinction due to their varied feeding ecology. This study, conducted by the University of Bristol, has revealed that while purely terrestrial predators depended on dwindling land-based prey that couldn’t adapt to the fluctuating environmental changes, these early amphibians thrived. Their adaptability to freshwater habitats provided a stable food source, which enabled them to flourish in the early Triassic period. 

The quantity of microplastic found in crops is significantly affecting their ability to photosynthesise. Marking the first attempt to understand the impact of microplastic on food production, this new assessment has revealed that between 4% and 14% of the world’s staple crops are being lost each year due to pervasive plastic particles. This report combined over 3,000 observations of the impact of microplastics on plants from 157 studies, and emphasised the profound effects of plastic pollution on global food security. Professor Denis Murphy praised the value and timely manner in reminding us of the dangers of these particles in our food supplies, but cautioned that the figures require further research.