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


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

Black market threat to Britain's rarest flowers

To the untutored eye, the long-stemmed purple plants clustered in a boggy paddock on the Wirral peninsula seemed to be just one more species in an area blessed with many.

Independent

Hay meadow seed harvesting demonstration events

Two events aiming to boost the income of farmers with traditionally managed hay meadows are being run in July.

Yorkshire Dales News

Invader is rooted out

Himalayan Balsam is a plant that has invaded our shores and imposes a stranglehold on any area it takes over.

this is Wiltshire

Developers putting ancient Scottish woodlands 'under threat'

More than 100 areas of woodland are under threat from developers, the Scottish Parliament heard yesterday.

this is north scotland

Nature notes

The wheat now has sturdy green ears on it, though the stalks will grow taller before the corn is ripe. At the edge of the wheat, and sometimes out among it, the first flowers of high summer are starting to open.

Times Online


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

Farmland attracts rare bats

The swathes of cattle-grazed pastures across Pembrokeshire are thought to be a key reason why the county supports 15% of Britain 's population of rare bats.

this is Pembrokeshire

Water voles return home - Sheppey

Water voles that were carefully re-homed in temporary accommodation during construction of the A249 Iwade Bypass to Queenborough road improvement scheme have just been released back into the wild on the Isle of Sheppey.

Your County

It's otter delight on the riverbank

Otters on the River Severn will now have somewhere special to live thanks to hours of hard graft by burly volunteers.

this is Gloucestershire

Have you seen brown hares?

Swindon people are asked to help protect the brown hare by recording sightings and helping with a count.

this is Wiltshire

Frogspawn trader falls foul of the Wildlife Act

A woman who tried to sell frogspawn on the internet has been cautioned by police for breaking the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

Telegraph
Times Online

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


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

O for a swift's life: eating in the air, sleeping in the air, and best of all . . .

Wimbledon is the site of the annual birding competition between The Times and The Guardian.

Times Online

Fear for birds of prey

Buildingthe Whinash windfarm could kill a number of "very special" birds of prey that routinely use the fells and commons near Tebay to roost and hunt for food, an objector claimed.

This Is The Lake District

Two healthy chicks for Glaslyn ospreys

North Wales' resident ospreys have successfully hatched two of their three eggs. The proud parents now spend their time feeding and protecting the chicks, which are just thirteen and ten days old.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

Chirpy chickadees signal deadliness of predators

Hardly bird brained, the diminutive black-capped chickadee sings one of the animal kingdom’s most intricate alarm calls, a new study reveals.

New Scientist
CNN.com

Motorbike bird is all revved up

A rare bird which sounds like a motorbike is making a comeback.

The Argus


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

Circle hooks help save sea turtles

Results from the first large-scale testing of specially designed fishing hooks show that the use of circle hooks can reduce the number of endangered sea turtles killed in long line fishing operations by as much as 90 percent, said WWF.

WWF Newsroom

Is Navy sonar killing whales and dolphins?

The Royal Navy may be unwittingly killing whales and dolphins in British waters with its sonar equipment, the Government will be told today.

Western Press

Japan's whaling bid frustrated

Conservationists at the International Whaling Commission's annual meeting won a hollow victory in Ulsan, Korea, this week.

news @ nature.com
WWF Newsroom
New Scientist

Reform likely on whaling process

The International Whaling Commission's annual meeting has ended with the usual impasse between pro- and anti- groups.

BBC


National/Europe
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 revolt as maize plans are rejected

European environment ministers rebelled against the European Commission yesterday by rejecting its attempt to force genetically modified maize to go on sale.

Irish Independent

Naturenet
Countryside management and nature conservation
- here


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

Warning that saving water could harm wildlife

A water company has been told not to conserve supplies by cutting its flow from a reservoir to a river because it would endanger wildlife.

The Argus

Grants to protect 'special' river

Landowners near Devon's River Dart are being offered grants from the Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) to improve water quality and river habitat.

BBC

Wildlife warning over allotments

An environmental charity is warning plans to build on allotments in Melton Mowbray could endanger wildlife.

BBC

Feedback needed on wood's future

Public help is needed to shape the future of a Bath woodland.

this is Bath

Attracting the wildlife

Gardening tips to encourage wildlife have been put together by Nottingham in Bloom.

this is Nottingham


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

Fighting wildlife crime

Crimes against wildlife should be treated as seriously as any other type of offence, said Lewis Macdonald, deputy rural affairs minister, at the Highland show.

Scotsman.com

£27,000 for Puir Wife’s facelift

Woodland near a West Lothian town is to be given a facelift.

icWestlothian

Assynt community celebrates legal ownership

The communities of Assynt today concluded an historic and important purchase under new Land Reform legislation.

Scottish Executive


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

£10,000 grant for Porthkerry Woodland area

A £10,000 grant from Dow Corning has boosted the Porthkerry Community Woodland project to help create 40 acres of woodland and open space for the community.

Barry - Today

Fancy owning an island fort for £150,000?

Are you seeking solitude, 360-degree sea views and a driveway only navigable by boat?

icWales

Bird islands targeted as N-dumps

Pembrokeshire's jewels in the crown - the islands of Skomer, Skokholm and Ramsey - were among several west Wales sites identified as nuclear waste dumps in the 1980s.

this is Pembrokeshire


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

Protests over gas pipeline halted by court

Shell E and P Ireland Ltd was granted a temporary injunction by the High Court yesterday preventing named protesters from obstructing access to its compound at Rossport, Co Mayo.

Irish Independent

Roche welcomes Council decision not to accede to Commission demands on GMOs

The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Mr Dick Roche, T.D. today welcomed today's decision by the Environment Council in Brussels to reject European Commission demands to overturn national bans on GMO products in Member States

Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government


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

David Prosser: Climate change is already costing you

If George Bush is so convinced that the US's superior technology will be able to solve problems related to climate change, it would be handy if he would lend some of it to Britain's insurance industry

Independent

Climate science pioneer Keeling dies

The climate science pioneer Charles David Keeling, who first tracked the rise of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere half a century ago, has died of a heart attack at age 77, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography said on Thursday evening.

IOL

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


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

Turbine plans turned down

Plans for 15 wind turbines in Elsham, which would have cost £25-million to build, have been rejected by North Lincolnshire Council.

this is Scunthorpe

Turbines put wind up dale

Protestors opposed to the siting of three wind turbines in Arkholme turned out in force at the weekend to launch their poster campaign.

Lancaster Today

Turbine fears

The owner of a Lincolnshire equestrian centre has claimed she could be put out of business if the go-ahead is given for wind turbines to be installed near her home.

this is Grimsby

Turbine talking over

After 27 days of witness statements, cross examination and talk of the need for renewable energy, the Whinash Windfarm inquiry has come to an end.

This Is The Lake District

Wind farms breezing through Britain

Green energy produced by wind farms around Britain is to increase by almost 50% by the end of the year.

This is Money

Wind turbines planned for plastics factory site

A plastics company hopes to erect wind turbines at its Newton Aycliffe plant to help power the factory with green energy.

this is the North-east

Owner bids to double size of windfarm

Proposals have been unveiled to more than double the size of the windfarm above Pendine.

this is Pembrokeshire

Protest backfires

An anti-windfarm protest backfired after a was sheep was strangled by protest tape.

This Is The Lake District

Nuclear waste battle resurfaces

A secret list of nine sites in Bedfordshire deemed suitable by Government scientists to store nuclear waste has been revealed for the first time.

Serious About News

Environmentally friendly fuel company launched

A new company, Green Spirit Fuels plc, was launched this week (June 22nd 2005) at an event held at Henstridge, Somerset to mark the 25th anniversary of grain trader, Wessex Grain.

First4Farming

In future, news of windfarms affecting wildlife will be covered in the relevant sections of Habitat


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

Endangered Species Act faces broad new challenges

More than three decades after the Endangered Species Act gave the federal government tools and a mandate to protect animals, insects and plants threatened with extinction, the landmark law is facing the most intense efforts ever by the White House, Congress, landowners and industry to limit its reach.

New York Times

Rwanda symbolically names endangered baby gorillas

Rwanda held a traditional naming ceremony for some of its rare mountain gorillas on Saturday in an effort to attract tourism and help to preserve one of the world's most endangered species.

Reuters
IOL

Giant George inching towards extinction

Lonesome George does not know that he is, technically, extinct; but the last of the giant saddle-backed tortoises from Pinta island, in the northern Galapagos archipelago, seems to suspect that something is wrong.

Irish Independent

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