H a b i t a t - Daily wildlife and environment news from the British Isles


Birds
Resources
British Trust for Ornithology Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Birds Directive BirdGuides Bird News JNCC - Birds Natura 2000 Birds by Species Breeding Birds in the Wider Countryside Black Grouse UK Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust BirdLife International Fat Birder

Campaigners battle to save rare turtle dove

Conservation campaigners last night launched an appeal to save turtle doves from extinction in Wales.

icNorthWales

Birds poisoned by banned pesticide

Rare and spectacular birds of prey found dead near Haltwhistle had been poisoned by a banned pesticide, it has been revealed.

Hexham Courant

Ospreys highlight of visit

The Lake District’s most famous birds will come under the international spotlight this weekend when members of a forestry organisation visit.

The Cumberland News

Nature notes

The woods are full of pheasants sitting on eggs and young pheasants running about.

Times Online

Seabirds face another bleak year

Scotland’s "seabird cities" are under fresh threat, with early signs of another disastrous breeding season.

Scotsman.com
The Herald

High hedges legislation poses potential threat to nesting birds

Nesting birds and their young could be at risk from people reducing the height of their hedges to comply with new law.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds


Plants
Resources
The British Lichen Society The Woodland Trust Botanical Society of the British Isles Plantlife Flora locale Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Heritage Trees of Scotland The Postcode Plants Database Forestry Commission

Spanish invaders are here to stay

Spain v England - not a soccer match, neither is there an Armada of Spanish warships beating down on us through the Channel - the conflict is in the bluebell woods of England or other places where bluebells grow!

this is kent

Grassland experts to gather in Dublin

Over 1,000 grassland experts from all over the world will be in Ireland later this month for a mammoth one-day conference.

Belfast Telegraph

Screens to protect rare lily during Kerry roadworks

Two-metre screens will be erected along a section of the Ring of Kerry road to protect a rare plant, the Kerry lily, and to allow roadworks to resume.

The Papers Today

Garden plants killing wildlife

Wildlife along the River Cray is under threat from exotic plants. The ornamental flora, such as giant hogweed, Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam, are growing at such a rate other species are struggling to compete.

Bexley Express

SNH welcomes action against alien invaders

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) welcomed the new Horticultural Code of Practice for Scotland, which was launched today by Lewis Macdonald, the Deputy Environment Minister.

Scottish Natural Heritage


Marine
Resources
British Marine Life Study Society JNCC Fisheries Marine Conservation Society Marine Life Information Network for Britain and Ireland Shark Trust The European Register of Marine Species The UK Coastal Zone

Killer whales give a show

Holidaymakers in John O'Groats yesterday got a rare close-up look at a family of killer whales.

this is north scotland

MSP attacks MOD radar use in west

Highlands and Islands MSP Rob Gibson has reacted angrily to reports that the Ministry of Defence will continue to use low frequency radar off the Hebrides next week, which has been linked to the stranding and death of whales and dolphins.

this is north scotland

Lawsuit: Reveal effects of military sonar on whales

A national conservation group filed suit Wednesday to force the government to reveal the extent to which ocean mammals worldwide have died as a result of massive sonic blasts from intense military search equipment.

CNN.com

Your ocean needs you!
Show your support for the marine bill campaign by signing The Wildlife Trusts’ marine petition online by clicking here.


Animals
Resources
Mammal Society Mammals Trust UK The Deer Commission for Scotland Scottish Big Cat Trust Scottish Badgers International Otter Survival Fund Bat Conservation Trust National Federation of Badger Groups Froglife Herpetological Groups of Britain & Ireland Butterfly Conservation Butterflies of Ireland Spiders of NW-Europe British Dragonfly Society Buglife

'Inbreeding threat' to bumblebees

Bumblebees could be facing extinction as inbreeding in colonies turns hard-working female bees into useless males, scientists have found.

BBC

Wildlife survey gathering information on region's snakes

A County Durham wildlife group is conducting a special survey in the region in a bid to protect some slippery recluses.

this is the North-east

Worm your way into Wildlife Trust's favour

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust is inviting the public to go with the glow this summer and record sightings of the glow-worm.

this is Wiltshire

Pet threat to wildlife by terrapin from the deep

Killer terrapins as large as dinner plates have been spotted in Tottenham's tranquil Lea Navigation.

Barnet Times

Lost deer prompts warning to dog owners

An Eridge Green-based wildlife rescue team is urging dog walkers to take more control of their pets after a lost deer kid was brought into its care.

this is kent

More boar are sighted

More sightings of wild boar in the Forest have been reported. Police were called by a Symonds Yat East resident who reported seven or eight of the animals on the Gloucestershire bank of the Wye at the beauty spot.

The Forester

The harlequin ladybird is the most invasive ladybird on Earth.
Now it's in Britain.
Help monitor its spread here


National
Resources
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group Natural Environment Research Council Minerals and Nature Conservation Forum The Wildlife Trusts Wildlife and Countryside Link British Naturalists' Association EnvironmentJobs

EU deadlocked over latest GMO maize approval

European Union food safety experts clashed on Friday over authorizing a genetically modified (GMO) maize, their 13th consecutive failure to agree over biotech foods, a European Commission official said.

Reuters

An everyday drama of wildlife in the raw has attracted millions of viewers

Which reality television programme featuring romance, seduction and explicit sex has attracted an average 3.3 million viewers for the past three evenings?

Telegraph

Toxins may pass down generations

Toxic chemicals that poisoned your great-grandparents may also damage your health, research suggests.

BBC

Our new right to roam, disturb and even kill

At the end of May, the cold hill winds keep a lot of wildlife low. In the little cover our fells afford, our indigenous fauna have hidden off the beaten track, largely undisturbed, but they are particularly vulnerable in the breeding season.

The Cumberland News

Naturenet
Countryside management and nature conservation
- here


England
Resources
English Nature Countryside Agency Environment Agency Campaign for the Protection of Rural England

East Midlands farmers grow 5000 miles of grass margins

As World Environment Day approaches, farmers in the East Midlands have been 'doing their bit' to make the region greener and protect the thousands of species of flora and fauna living in our countryside.

Government News Network

Waterways guardian in wildlife survey appeal

People visiting Lee Valley Park can help save the nation's wildlife this summer.

Bishop Stortford Citizen

Ailing Swindon lake gets ecological boost from massive ‘pollution hoover’

The Environment Agency is installing a huge natural ‘pollution hoover’ in Swindon’s Rodbourne Lagoon, part of the River Ray, to help improve the quality of its water and attract a diversity of wildlife.

Environment Agency

Environmental compant fined for polluting Somerset River

In a prosecution brought by the Environment Agency today a court heard how a tributary of the River Frome turned brown after it was contaminated with effluent from a local creamery.

Environment Agency

Lakes closed until July

Charlton Lakes looks set to be closed at least until the middle of July as the Environment Agency struggles to establish why hundreds of fish died two weeks ago.

this is Hampshire

Quiet city schoolboy who led the field in ecology

Leading ecologist Dr Derek Ratcliffe died suddenly at Newcastle-on-Tyne last week. Although he was London-born, Carlisle was his family home from the age of eight.

The Cumberland News


Ireland
Resources
Environment & Heritage Service (Northern Ireland) Northern Ireland Biodiversity Group National Parks and Wildlife Service Ireland's Environment All-Ireland review of introduced species

Cowen announces increased compo for cessation of turf cutting on SAC raised bogs

Farmers and landowners who had been paid compensation payments for cessation of turf cutting on SAC raised bogs as a result of agreements reached in 1999, are now entitled to increased compensation, according to Minister for Finance Brian Cowen.

The Papers Today

Fisheries board in pollution checks at gas site

The North Western Regional Fisheries Board says it is "monitoring" the situation at the Corrib gas field terminal site, where peat excavation has polluted the local river and tributary of Carrowmore lake.

The Papers Today

EU court criticises Irish water pollution failures

Ireland has failed to put in place adequate programmes to reduce and prevent water pollution, the European Union's highest court has found.

The Papers Today

Working group to look at GM effects

Teagasc has set up an internal working group of economists, agronomists and animal scientists to address the likely economic implications for Ireland’s agri-food industry from the use of genetically modified organisms in crop and livestock production.

Examiner


Wales
Resources
Welsh Assembly Countryside Council for Wales Wales Biodiversity Partnership Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales Environment Agency (Wales)

Off-road round-up

Police across Wales joined forces at the weekend to tackle illegal off-roaders who are damaging Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs).

icNorthWales

Farmers act now to help birds in winter

Farmers are helping birds survive the winter by planting seed crops.

icNorthWales

Polytunnels aid for A30 wildlife

Mysterious white polytunnels appearing in fields around the A30 at Castle-an-Dinas are reptile containers to help protect wildlife during the forthcoming A30 dualling works.

this is Cornwall

Filter's clear win

The water seeping down the hillside was crystal-clear: three days earlier it had been turgid and foul-smelling, the run-off from a farm-yard, home to 70 cattle.

icNorthWales

Time to drive out this blight

Hardly a day goes by when there is not a complaint from somewhere in South West Wales about illegal bike scrambling.

this is southwales


Scotland
Resources
Scottish Natural Heritage Scottish Environment Protection Agency Scottish Biodiversity Group Scotland's National Nature Reserves John Muir Trust Scottish Environment News Scottish Wildlife Trust Red Squirrels In South Scotland

Assynt group buys estates in deal

A community group is to buy two Highland estates after securing the £2.9m price tag with hours to spare.

BBC
Scottish Executive
Scottish Natural Heritage

Oil giant vying for national award after helping to create woodland

A project to restore hundreds of acres of native woodland near Huntly has helped energy giants BP win the only Scottish nomination in a national awards final.

this is north scotland

Foresters seek comments on future of woodlands

Donside foresters are keen to get the grassroots view on the future management of some of the most scenic woodlands in the area.

this is north scotland

Go wild for wildlife

Anyone interested in the wildlife and landscape of Ayrshire is invited to events held by Scottish Natural Heritage in Irvine on Monday and Tuesday.

icAyrshire


Energy
Resources
DTI Renewable Energy British Wind Energy Association Greenpeace - Renewable Energies Irish Wind Energy Association Yes2Wind Country Guardian Impact of Wind Turbines on Birds Wind-Farm.org Windfarm News

We will not give up windfarm fight

Protesters fighting plans for a £50M windfarm on Scout Moor say they will continue to oppose the development, despite government approval for the scheme.

Rossendale Free Press

MP's bid to stop windfarm plans

Rossendale and Darwen MP Janet Anderson is appealing to government top brass to halt a controversial windfarm development until a review on renewable energy is completed.

this is Lancashire

Landowner

A landowner claims she has been "shunned and vilified" in her home village over plans to build a six-turbine wind farm on her family's estate.

East Anglian Daily Times

12 objections and 99 supporters for giant wind turbine at Pirelli

Plans for a 120-metre high wind turbine that would dominate the Carlisle skyline will be outlined to councillors for the first time today.

The Cumberland News

More delays for wind farm decision

It is quickly becoming the planning wrangle that will never end - and now bid for a multi-million pound 12-turbine wind farm at Hinkley has been delayedby another four months at least.

this is the West Country

Derrybrien residents lose legal bid

The Derrybrien Co-operative Society, which was formed by 60 local residents of the Co Galway area, has lost a High Court challenge to works relating to the development of a wind farm near the site of the devastating 2003 landslide.

RTE News

Waking up

I amglad to see that some of your readers are waking up to the realisation that the wind power developers are planning to blight our Northumberland countryside with their windfarms.

Hexham Courant


Climate
Resources
Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research Southampton Oceanography Centre Centre for Ecology and Hydrology Natural Environment Research Council UK Climate Impacts Programme Impacts of Climate Change on Wildlife ENN Special Reports: Climate Change Global Warming: Early warning signs

Setback for PM on air travel emissions

Tony Blair's aim to make climate change a priority for Britain's presidency of the EU has suffered a serious setback after the European Commission said it would be impossible to curb emissions from air travel before 2012.

Telegraph

Disappearing Arctic lakes could be disastrous to migratory birds

Global warming appears to be causing lakes to disappear in the Arctic regions, which could be disastrous for migratory birds, a UCLA- headed team of researchers reported in the magazine Science Thursday.

North County Times

Help produce a forecast of the climate in the 21st century, using your computer -
here


Global
Resources
IUCN - World Conservation Union Convention on Biological Diversity WWF - The global environment network World Land Trust

Brazil busts major Amazon logging gang, arrests 89

Brazilian police said they had broken up the biggest illegal logging operation in the Amazon on Thursday in a move environmentalists saw as a sign the government was serious about beating the corruption that hampers the fight to save the rain forest.

Reuters
Environmental News Network

Acid rain on increase in China

More of China's cities are suffering from acid rain and its big rivers and lakes are heavily polluted, the government said yesterday in a report that highlighted the environmental costs of surging economic growth.

The Guardian
Xinhua

Sweden wants liability law for Antarctic pollution

Sweden will push for new rules to force polluters to clean up after themselves in the Antarctic when it hosts an international meeting next week about the icy continent, a unique ecological and scientific resource.

Reuters

Sweet victory for honey badger campaigners

Environmentalists say they have reduced the number of endangered honey badgers killed each year by poison traps set by beekeepers.

IOL

The World Land Trust is a conservation charity that has helped purchase and protect over 300,000 acres of rainforest and other threatened wildlife habitats worldwide. You can help us save even more - here

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Daily wildlife and environment news from the British Isles