England is Disappearing!

[Gilbert Jessop]

Just checking everyone saw the Natural England report published yesterday - forgive me if someone else has posted the same link elsewhere, but it's important: Lost life: England's lost and threatened species. I suppose it shouldn't be a surprise but I still find these kind of statistics shocking. It identifies nearly 500 species of native flora and fauna which we have lost since 1800 - the number of total losses is unknown but, of course, likely to be much higher. Around a quarter of our native butterflies and over 20% of amphibia have gone. Some lost species are now globally extinct. In 2008, 943 species were identified as priorities for conservation action in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, to be joind by others which have subsequently declined to "precariously low" levels. These two categories now include 26% of all of the native plant and animal species in England. England is disappearing in front of our noses.

[No.9 Spider]

An interestingly scary report as expected. The link should be a 'sticky' post as it concerns us all.


No.9 Spider

[animartco]

Oh it is a recent post. I wondered why no replies! Actually I have been looking for a thread that I replied to and got no answer, about saving our orchards. Not as important as wildlife, they are only man made varieties! I wonder what woul happen if I reported a find of a rare species to this site?

[Gilbert Jessop]

I think the thread you were replying to was started by the PTES, who would be good people to talk to.

[Gilbert Jessop]

Gleditsa did indeed mention this story yesterday, and posted a helpful link to the Guardian:
endangered species

[Jez]

We all can contribute to helping by making our gardens wildlife friendly, high rise buildings included which have for some time been the places I'd like to see made much greener/communal spaces aswell as benefit wildlife also!

Pergola Entrances enticed by Wisteria and the like can really change attitudes and bring people and nature closer together esp in a climate where the rich and poor are becoming further and further apart!

[aeshna5]

Always depressing to hear of species we have lost or are losing, but let's not forget there are good numbers of species doing well + new species arriving too (+ I'm not counting introduced species).

[tufftie]

Things do change because of climate, human induced or not, but instead of looking on the gloomy side, and yes it is sad when species go, we should be looking on the positive side and seeing what we can grow or encourage. Though this is difficult as we are an island but then maybe we should look on a more global scale and think what would be growing now the climate has changed if we were'nt an island and encouraging those species?

[Cotham Marble]

Originally Posted by Gilbert Jessop

Lost life: England's lost and threatened species. It identifies nearly 500 species of native flora and fauna which we have lost since 1800 - the number of total losses is unknown but, of course, likely to be much higher. Around a quarter of our native butterflies and over 20% of amphibia have gone. Some lost species are now globally extinct. In 2008, 943 species were identified as priorities for conservation action in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, to be joind by others which have subsequently declined to "precariously low" levels. These two categories now include 26% of all of the native plant and animal species in England. England is disappearing in front of our noses.

While there is obvious need for concern, I wouldn't describe losses since 1800 as "England is disappearing in front of our noses". Most of the terrestrial pre 1970 losses were due to changes in agricultural practice, which prior to 1800 had remained fairly consistent for over 500 years. Post 1970 the challenge of continued agricultural intensification has been joined by the effects of climate change and the suburbanisation of rural margins, whether this amounts to England disappearing I'm not sure. Climate change is going to have to be lived with, at least in the medium term, which leaves agriculture and built development as the large 'causative' factors which can be moderated to improve conditions for wildlife. Whether there is either the interest in the general population or the political will to get to grips those 'big issues' remains to be seen. Ironically, I think that the real impetus for change will not come from English (or N.I, Welsh or Scottish) Institutions, but from the E.U, and anyone concerned about protecting UK wildlife probably needs to start thinking in more Internationalist terms.

CM

[Gilbert Jessop]

Originally Posted by Cotham Marble

Whether there is either the interest in the general population or the political will to get to grips those 'big issues' remains to be seen. Ironically, I think that the real impetus for change will not come from English (or N.I, Welsh or Scottish) Institutions, but from the E.U, and anyone concerned about protecting UK wildlife probably needs to start thinking in more Internationalist terms.

CM

I personally don't feel the impetus for change can come from an institutional response, particularly in the likely mid term economic environment, but rather from the general population. I agree with what you're inferring here - that there isn't yet the political will or understanding among people generally to get to grips with this. I do believe that folk will get there - which is why I think highlighting this kind of news is so important, even though I'm sure it might seem rather over-dramatized to professionals (although I did notice Buglife used exactly the same "disappearing in front of our noses" phrase in their response to the report).
It is very much within our power as individuals to effect the kind of landscape wide changes required to restore or substitute lost habitats. I've bet my career on trying to get people to do it, so I hope I'm right!