Nature needs us and we need nature - State of nature

Nature conservation organisations call on Government to deliver ambitious vision for nature and people

An ambitious and inspirational long-term plan is urgently needed to save nature and improve our well-being as the Government considers its spending priorities – that is the clear message from the Response for Nature report published today by a coalition of leading conservation organisations.

The Response for Nature report for England, a follow up to the 2013 State of Nature report, will be launched by BAFTA-award winning naturalist, writer and TV presenter, Steve Backshall, and 26 conservation organisations at Church House in London this evening (Tuesday, 13 October), while simultaneous events will be held in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, to launch reports for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Each report makes key recommendations to which governments must respond to, to help restore nature in the UK. We are losing nature at an alarming rate, so we must act now to halt and reverse this decline before it’s too late – not only for nature itself, but people too.

In 2013, scientists from 25 nature organisations worked side-by-side to compile a stock take of our native species – the first of its kind for the UK. The resulting State of Nature report  revealed that 60% of the species studied had declined over recent decades. More than one in ten of all the species assessed were under threat of disappearing from our lands and shores altogether.

In his speech at tonight’s London launch Steve Backshall will say: “The State of Nature report revealed where we are. Now we need a plan for where we should go. The Response for Nature document starts us on that long road.

“Let us be in no doubt that the public is behind us. An independent survey showed that 90 per cent of the UK population feel that our well-being and quality of life is based on nature.

“Action can’t be simply hived off to a single, hard-pressed department in Whitehall. It must run as a matter of course through every department, from Defra to the Treasury. Every department needs to understand that restoring nature will be a key solution to some of our most pressing social, environmental and economic problems. Every individual, from top to bottom, needs to embrace it, and act on it.

“To the Government, I say – please read this report, take note and act on its recommendations. Come back with the details of your 25-year plan for the environment. People and nature need you to make it a great one.”

The Response for Nature reports outlines specific asks for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to help save UK nature. To ensure its recovery, nature needs the UK Government, or devolved Government’s, to take the following common actions now:

1.     Deliver an inspiring vision for nature – nature needs to be a part of our lives. Government must set a trajectory for nature’s recovery so that, by 2040, we have a country richer in nature and can see people connecting, respecting and valuing nature.

2.     Fully implement and defend the laws that conserve nature – our most important laws that safeguard species and special places, the Birds and Habitats Directives, are under threat. We must resist attempts from Europe to weaken our laws and ensure the full implementation of legislation that aims to reduce pressures on nature.

3.     Deliver a network of special places for nature on land and at sea – we need special places to be protected and well managed, and linked within a wider landscape with room for people and nature.

4.     Recover threatened species targeted through programmes of action – we must halt species extinction, but more than that, we should be restoring priority species to favourable conservation status, where populations recover to a healthy state.

5.     Improve the connection of young people to nature for their health and well-being and for nature’s future – we need to improve how children learn from and connect with nature, ensuring future generations continue to benefit from and contribute to the protection and enhancement of the natural world.

6.     Provide incentives (or other financial measures) that work for nature – we need to reward those who enhance our natural world, and make those responsible pay when we take more from it than we put back.

7.     Support people working together for nature – we all have a part to play in saving nature. Each and every one of us needs to take care of, and take action for, nature – before it’s too late.

Butterfly Conservation Chief Executive, Dr Martin Warren, who will be speaking at the Response for Nature launch tonight, said: “Nature is in trouble, the time to act is now. Conservation NGOs are keen to play their part but we need a strong lead from the UK Government. We welcome the commitment to produce a 25 year plan to restore nature but this must be turned into effective action and fast. We need this for nature but also for the health and well-being of the people of this country.”

As the Chancellor considers the Spending Review and budgets for Government Departments, the Response for Nature coalition is urging them not to undervalue the contribution that a healthy environment can make in delivering a host of public benefits including improved health and happiness, more effective planning, flood prevention, sustainable farming and climate change adaptation.

Martin Harper, RSPB Conservation Director, said: “There are some big decisions being made over the coming months about public spending, the future of nature laws and development on land and at sea.  These decisions must not erode the basis of nature protection.  We need leadership from the Prime Minister to ensure all Government Departments play their part in enhancing the environment for this and future generations.”

The Response for Nature coalition for England includes the following partners:

·         A Focus on Nature

·         A Rocha UK

·         Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust

·         Bat Conservation Trust

·         Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland

·         British Bryological Society

·         British Pteridological Society

·         Buglife

·         Bumblebee Conservation Trust

·         Butterfly Conservation

·         Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management

·         The Conchological Society of Great Britain and Ireland

·         Freshwater Habitats Trust

·         Friends of the Earth

·         The Fungus Conservation Trust

·         John Muir Trust

·         The Mammal Society

·         Marine Conservation Society

·         National Trust

·         People’s Trust for Endangered Species

·         Plantlife

·         RSPB

·         Whale and Dolphin Conservation

·         The Wildlife Trusts

·         Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust

·         The Woodland Trust

Laura

RALLY FOR NATURE

Nature is in trouble. Not only in far-flung places across the world, but also here in the UK. Sadly, despite well-documented evidence of the decline in our nature, continued incidences of wildlife crime occurring across the country and the vital importance of nature to all parts of our society, it remains far too low on the political agenda - even with a General Election just around the corner.

This is your chance to help change that.

On 9 December 2014, the RSPB, The Wildlife Trusts, League Against Cruel Sports and Dr Mark Avery - supported by Butterfly Conservation, the Ramblers and The Mammal Society - will be heading to London to hold a Rally for Nature.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/rally-for-nature-registration-13703157513

  Do you love and care about wildlife?

Join us on Tuesday 9 December in London for a Rally for Nature 

Next May we will have a General Election in the UK and the political parties will be looking to win your support. Unfortunately, despite the well-documented evidence of the decline of so much of our natural heritage, and cases of wildlife crime occurring right across the UK - nature and wildlife remain low on the political agenda. This is your chance to tell your MP why nature matters so much to all of us.

We want people to urge politicians to include strong commitments to nature in their 2015 manifestos.

Specifically we want action to protect and restore wildlife by...

• celebrating and defending existing laws, such as the EU Birds and Habitats Directives, which provide the foundation for nature conservation in this country;
• fully implementing these laws and ending wildlife crime so that threatened species like hen harrier are able to fly free from harm;
• legally underpinning nature's recovery by establishing a Nature and Wellbeing Act to ensure nature is at the heart of how we live and run our country, as well as establishing long-term targets and powers to help meet them.

Let's make 2015 the year that all political parties take nature seriously.

Plans for the day

We will have two sittings, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. As the sittings are based on constituency we are not able to offer you a choice of which to attend, but we will confirm your sitting in advance to help you plan your day and travel arrangements.

At each sitting we will start with tea, coffee and biscuits; then grab a seat with your fellow constituents to listen to our guest speakers and take the opportunity to ask questions. There may even be a word or two of encouragement from some friendly MPs (they don't bite, we promise!). After some more refreshments, we will gather together and walk to the Houses of Parliament, with placards in hand. Here you will meet your MP and call on them to take action.

With Christmas only a few weeks after the rally, why not make a day of it and go ice-skating in Hyde park or take a winter stroll along the riverside? 

 Registration is on a first-come-first-served basis, so please book early to avoid disappointment. 

 We know that nature is not a luxury

We need it for our health, wellbeing, inspiration and economy.

We know that wildlife needs our protection.

Now it is time we let our politicians know too. 

This event is also supported by Butterfly Conservation, the Ramblers and The Mammal Society.

Like myself, many of you won’t be able to attend in person – it’s a working day and it’s in London! – that’s understandable. But you can play your part too – a really big part if enough people get involved.

Please contact your MP, of whatever political party, and tell them that you care about nature and you want them to act.

The partners  have made it reasonably easy  for you to add your voice, below is a link to a  standard letter that you can add to or amend

Please take five minutes to stand up for nature and use your voice to tell politicians to do more for nature.

https://e-activist.com/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=13&ea.campaign.id=32921&ea.tracking.id=markavery

Laura

Know a Farmer? or just love tractors!

The RSPB has this week launched its annual search to find the UK s most wildlife-friendly farmer.

The Nature of Farming Award celebrates farmers who work hardest to help threatened countryside wildlife, such as skylarks, brown hares, bees, butterflies and plants.

It's run by the RSPB, supported by Butterfly Conservation and Plantlife, and sponsored by The Telegraph. 

Last years winner, Henry Edmunds, narrowly saw off the three other fantastic finalists with his organic farm in Wiltshire, which hosts an array of rare birds, bumblebees, moths and butterflies. 

Applications for this year s award will be accepted until the 18 April. There is always a high volume of entries with numbers increasing year on year and the charity hopes this year will be its best yet.

After the closing date, judges will select eight regional winners, and then a panel of experts will decide which four should go through to the national finals.  There will also be a highly commended category, to recognise the efforts of farmers who have excelled in their support of farmland wildlife.

When the competition reaches its final stage, control will shift to the UK public, as they decide the overall winner.  People can cast their votes online, over the phone, via The Telegraph, or at country shows

throughout the summer.

RSPB Head of Conservation Management and one of this year s judges, Nick Droy, said:  More and more farmers are recognising that running a profitable farm business and helping wildlife on your land can go hand

in hand.The RSPB provides advice to help farmers do their bit for nature on their farm and we'll support them every step of the way, but ultimately, its them and their local communities that do the hard work. They're the real heroes.

The recent EU Budget deal dealt a terrible hand to Europes wildlife, with potentially huge cuts to wildlife friendly farming schemes. But there is hope for the UK, a country which has led the way in investing

in this field. If Owen Paterson shows leadership and uses his powers wisely to ensure that as much funding as possible will go towards those farmers and land managers who provide the greatest benefits for wildlife and the countryside, then all will not be lost.

In excess of 30,000 RSPB supporters lobbied David Cameron to vote for Nature at the European Budget meeting by voting for a favourable outcome for wildlife. We hope the Prime Minister and his Environment

Secretary have taken notice of this.

This year s judging panel:

Nick Droy - RSPB Head of Conservation Management Advice

Martin Warren   Butterfly Conservation Chief Executive

Victoria Chester   Plantlife Chief Executive

Fergus Collins   Countryfile Magazine

All the details on how to enter can be found on the RSPB website at   www.rspb.org.uk/natureoffarming

The competition is run by the RSPB, supported by Butterfly Conservation and Plantlife, and sponsored by The Telegraph.

The EU LIFE+ Programme funds RSPB work which supports wildlife-friendly farming that furthers sustainable development.

Butterfly conservation need your help

Big Butterfly counters, you already know how important it is that we protect our beautiful butterflies and moths. The results of the count show that species are in decline but we can make a difference with your help, and now have the opportunity to make your donation worth ten times more!

Painted Lady

In 1996 a tax on landfill waste was introduced to encourage recycling and waste reduction. The unique part about this green tax is that funds raised are made available for environmental projects.

We can apply to this fund providing we can secure a matching 10% from other sources and
this is where you can help.

By supporting Match Pot, every 10p you donate will allow us to spend £1 on vital conservation work to protect butterflies. If you are able to apply Gift Aid to your donation we can also include this extra element. This means a donation of £8 to Match Pot with Gift Aid is actually worth £100 to Butterfly Conservation. That is a fantastic return in these difficult financial times. Many Butterfly Conservation projects have already benefited from the initiative. But there is still more work to be done.

We hope you can support our Match Pot 3 appeal and make your gift worth 10 times more and help save your precious wildlife

www.justgiving.com

Laura