The laws that protect nature are under close scrutiny - in a series of blog posts we're exploring what the European Nature Directives have achieved. Here Annabel Rushton describes their role in protecting Morecambe Bay.
When asked to think about somewhere that is special to them, most people probably wouldn’t immediately think of a place that consists mainly of mud. For me, however, there are few places that are more important than Morecambe Bay.
Morecambe Bay is massive – it is the size of Manchester. It would take 20 million years to fill it from a bath tap. It stretches from Walney Island in Cumbria in the north, to Fleetwood in Lancashire in the south. The Lake District and the Arnside and Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty tumble down into the vast expanse of its marvellous mudflats.
Morecambe Bay. Photograph by Mike Malpass
Mud might not sound particularly appetising to us, but it attracts quarter of a million birds to the bay every winter. The mud is a bird canteen, packed full of cockles, shrimps, lugworms, mussels and more to satisfy a variety of appetites. Curlews, lapwings, black-tailed godwits, turnstones, great swirling flocks of knot and oystercatchers feed in the bay every year. Their differing beak lengths and shapes allow them all to find food within the mud layers. It is one of the most important places for wading birds in the country.
It's not just birds and mud-dwelling creatures that can be found in the bay. All manner of marine life calls this place home. Porpoises, seals, dolphins and even minke whales can all be spotted from the shore. It is truly unique, which is why every year people come to explore and enjoy its fantastic scenery, landscapes, wildlife and heritage; - on foot, by bike, from the back of a horse, even by boat.
This area is so special that in 1974 the RSPB took on an area the size of 2,500 football pitches, to protect the rich variety of nature that lives here. It is also officially recognised as one of the best wildlife sites in Europe, designated as a Special Area for Conservation (SAC) and a Special Protection Area (SPA) under the EU Nature Directives.
Unfortunately, these Directives are currently under review and many European leaders want the legislation weakened because they believe that protecting wildlife in this way is detrimental to business. If the Directives were weakened, Morecambe Bay could be at risk from over-exploitation of its natural resources and inappropriate developments that would spell disaster for its wildlife.
Your voice is urgently needed to help defend these Directives and save nature. Without a massive demonstration of public support, it will be very hard to prevent them from being weakened. Without you, views like this one below, could be a thing of the past. Click here to help defend nature now.
When I posted this yesterday I incorrectly attributed authorship - I've now corrected this apols to all.