ACT NOW to defend the laws that protect nature

The Nature Directives are the bedrock of conservation in the UK and across Europe. They provide the highest level of protection that any habitat or species currently has — and they work. Despite this, they are under threat in the EU.  

While the Directives may not be perfect, it is critical that they are not opened up for revision. If they are, many European leaders will take the opportunity to weaken them. It would probably be the biggest disaster for wildlife in our lifetimes. 

Without the Directives in Wales...

Blanket bog on the Berwyn & Migneint Special Areas of Conservation would not have been restored

Common sundew amongst sphagnum mosses (rspb-images)

If we look after our peatlands, we will all benefit. Peat locks up carbon, helps to keep the state of our water healthy and reduces flood risks. The UK has 12 – 15% of the world’s blanket bog and 4% of this is in Wales.  Peat bogs are home for our most valuable wildlife,  including black grouse, hen harrier, and golden plover

There would be no protection for Wales’ seabirds

Manx shearwater Chris Gomersall (rspb-images.com)

Half of the world population of manx shearwaters breed in Wales. Without the Directives they would be unprotected at sea or where they breed.

Gannets of Grassholm David Tipling (rspb-images.com)

Grassholm is the third largest island colony in the world for breeding gannets– without the Directives it would have no protection.

There would be no protection for chough

Choughs (rspb-images)

Wales has two-thirds of the UK population of the charismatic, red-billed chough – they wouldn’t be protected, posing a significant threat to this already vulnerable species.

The would be no protection for the hen harrier

Hen harrier Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)

Thanks to the Directives two Special Protection Areas for hen harriers were created in Wales – Berwyn and Migneint-Arenig-Dduallt. This is where the majority of the population in Wales calls home. It is estimated there are 57 breeding pairs now in Wales

Nature needs your help now – please ACT to defend these laws that protect all of the above and many, many more!

Please respond to the consultation in one of two ways (from your work email address and PC if you want to):

1. If you have just two minutes, you can use our quick online action. To make it as easy as possible, we've put together a set of answers to best defend the Nature Directives (you'll see them when you take the action), and you can submit your response with just a few simple clicks.
2. If you've got fifteen minutes or so, it would be great if you could submit a more detailed response directly to the European Commission. The more detailed responses they get, the better. The whole survey is multiple choice with one free text question at the end, so taking part is still quite quick and easy. You can find a helpful guide on how to answer the questions here.

We really need to act now to protect our wonderful wildlife and countryside.

Together we can #defendnature